#AtoZChallenge, Z is for Zip-a-dee-doo-dah!

Here we are--the very last day of the challenge! Huge congratulations to my fellow bloggers for sticking with the program; it's been a pleasure to meet you.

I'm not sure what today's collage is all about, but that's one of the great joys of art journaling: discovering where you're going, what you're looking for, and what you want to say as you create the page. Basically I think it simply expresses my "Zip-a-dee-doo-dah" joy in making it through the month!

Early on in both my writing and my art work I learned that I could only write or paint what I had a real and true zip-a-dee-doo-dah for, or in other words, what I was passionate about. Working for hire on an insurance brochure brought that home very quickly, as did the summer I took a class on painting only what the teacher insisted we produce: ultra-realistic portraits in blue watercolor. Flat yukky blue--no electric ultramarines allowed. After four sessions I dropped out and spent the rest of the year discovering how much I loved oil pastels and in every color of the rainbow.

Writing these blog posts day-in and day-out, and making my accompanying art journal pages, has proven to me how much I enjoy art journaling. I really do have a passion for it! I hope I've been able to impart some of that same enthusiasm to you, and that you have been encouraged to maintain journals of your own.

For me, my journal is both a refuge and a portable studio. I can take it with me wherever I go, and I can try out numerous experiments with color, design, and text without fear of failure or judgment. Anything goes, and that goes for you too--HAVE FUN!!

So with that said, it's Saturday, it's Spring, and we've got a whole weekend to play. If you haven't started your journal yet, maybe this is the day to begin. Best wishes and thank you so much for stopping by. Catch you later.

Tip of the Day: For a completely relaxing and no-stress art journal, try creating one without any words, or even any specific meaning. Simply collage the pages, and in no particular order. Start in the middle, add some red to the end papers, a picture of a "Z is for Zebra" when you come across one, a peaceful beach scene just because you love it.  Add various elements to your pages at your leisure and where you think they fit best. Don't worry about a thing--I promise it will be beautiful and something you'll cherish long after you've run out of glue!