Request...

Perhaps a mention in the book, kind of makes a springboard of a recent Studio A article-- doing Art in the midst of Life-- partly bc this is something every mom artist I know struggles to balance, and bc it is something I think you do well. And I think this touches on a lot of stuff-- using from your stash so you are poised to create all the time, using less thann perfect photos, etc.
Hope that is helpful. To me it is a big part of Life Artistry-- we are not the kind of artists who have the luxury of a locked away studio, and that would deprive us of our best material anyway!

Life art: Hmmm. I read something once that said the most important memory you can leave for your kids is about you. I guess that is a large part of what life art is to me. Journaling in a creative way. Letting my girls know where I was, what I was doing and thinking. I'm hoping that the pages about myself as well as about my kids and family, travel; all things, will be helpful to my kids as they cross the threshold of so many of life's challenges. If one single page of life art makes a positive difference in their lives, then the memory was well worth preserving. Can't wait for your new book. It will be totally incredible. You are such a huge inspiration.

So wait... Do you still have the Rebel, or do you have a different Digital now? It doesn't look like the gray bodied rebel that you at once had. Did you upgrade to the XTi, or get a 20D/30D? I have a 20D. Canon puts out awesome products, huh?

For me, Life Art is the artistic expression of living mindfully and artfully simultaneously. (Think of Tich Nhat Hanh's "The Miracle of Mindfulness" meeting Sandra Magsamen's "Living Artfully". Life Art keeps me centered while allowing for creative expression.

ok!
you'll got e-mail!
hugs*
{ThE fReNcH tOuCh}
http://prolix.typepad.fr

I started "scrapbooking" almost three years ago. My son had just turned one, and my daughter was fourteen - a freshman in High School. She kept asking questions like "how old was I when I got my first tooth?" or "what was my favorite food as a baby?" And I thought "Oh God, please no. Now I have to make a scrapbook for her." I was one of those photos in grocery bags in the closet people. So, I made a scrapbook for her of pregnancy up to just before kindergarten. Sort of chronilogical, but not stressed over. What I discovered after I was done, was how much I had enjoyed her babyhood and toddlerhood. This was such a revelation and gift to me. My daughter had some physical issues when she was born, couldn't suck, was in physical therapy until she was 14 months or so. The first three months I remember as being total Hell. Doctors, long drives to specialists and nursing clinics, crying, feeling all alone and like I was a failure as a mother, finally finding some help. The rest of her first year I was numb because I had literally shut down my feelings. When I saw the big picture of her life and my relationship with her I just cried and cried. There really were bright spots amongst all that pain I felt. I had been a great mother to her all along. I've done a lot of healing since I started "scrapbooking." It has been a huge gift for me to be able to see physical proof of the past and reframe my perceptions of it. If that isn't Life Art I don't know what is.

just a note... if you're going to write a book on Life Art, let me recommend reading Madeleine L'Engle's "Walking on Water." the subtitle is "Reflections on Faith and Art." i was particularly moved by her chapter on names and labels.
check it out. and... make sure we know the release date of the book. i'm ready to buy!

Hummm... Life Art...
To me the concept of 'Life Art' is getting the chance to really just sit back and reflect on what is important in my life. It reminds me that life isn't all about what I'm going to do at work the next day, it isn't about when I next need to do a grocery shop. It's about really diving into the important stuff, like family and friends.
For me, I sometimes find it difficult to be verbally and physically loving, but through scrapbooking I can let those important people know what "hey, I'm not so good at SAYING "I love you", but look at this layout and you'll see that I really, really, really do love you with all my heart."
IMO a layout is a big, sloppy kiss... Made out of paper and glue. :D
Umm... A question for you:
Do you ever worry that you've stopped "scrapping for you" and become too focused on that next magazine assignment, that next class, that next book? What do you do when you need reminding why you started scrapbooking in the first place? How do you recharge your creative batteries?
Sorry, that's like 3 questions in one!
Hope that's good for ya!
Sally x

Can't wait for the new book -- you are such an inspiration!!
For me -- Life Art is bequething my personal values to my loved ones. I really don't care which daughter gets my wedding ring and which one ends up with my wedding dress. What I do care about is that both of them know to the depths of their beings what I believe and why I believe it. Expressing these values to them using my memories, my thoughts, my words, and my photos filtered through my creative processes ensures that they will inherit a wealth of values with my unique fingerprints all over them. It's using the elements of my life to leave a legacy of value. Life Art -- for me, it's pretty personal stuff.
Thanks again for your blog and your inspiration -- you're great!
God bless you and your family,
Julie

Question: what is your organization method for finished pages... do you have it sorted by albums types (family, vacation, etc) how do you deal with mix of 12x12 and 8.5x11 and do you use binders or postbound?
thanks
Lynn

ooooh, I will definitely be getting back to you on this one... and I can't wait for that next book to come out!

For me Life Art embodes three things.
1. a religious aspect- being aware of God's hand in my life, aware of his presence and blessings that I recieve.
2. A physical aspect- making a physical reminder that I am. Who I am, my experience in life, my tastes, and a physical grasp of my love for others to see.
3. a creative aspect- an act of creation. Being creative and feeding that daily necessity to create (which in my perspective is again a manifastation of God since he is the master creator), the fun and joy of all of those wonderful products and the ability to play and use my hands.
I am totally excited about your new book aldready. I think the whole premise is so wonderful. Can't wait!

I just had to come back and second the reccomendation for Madeleine L'Engle's Walking on Water-- a brilliant book, a book of wisdom I have read over and over. And, in for a penny, in for a pound, you might as well go ahead and read The Rock That is Higher: Story as Truth by her as well.
:)

Life Art: Its taking the "stop and smell the roses" opportunities and documenting them (in scrapbook pages) to remember everything from exciting trips to little everyday joys. Life seems to fly by so fast; scrapbooking the everyday is a way to slow down and enjoy (as I'mmaking the page) the memory of silly little things that are part of my life right then but will be forgotten if they aren't scrapped.
Ali - thanks for your wonderful inspirations and fabulous style! Can't wait to get the book - see you at CKU Anaheim (I hope)!

Ali-
I have been looking for a cute headband - where did you get yours?

Being a Life Artist is noticing. Just plain old paying attention. My life moves into a creative place just by being noticed. What I do with what I notice has value and is art in itself. But whether I create something, or just learn something new about myself, or my surroundings, or my reactions - it's all art. It's all life art.

Life Art has become part of our everyday culture. We have become recorders of the simple, gratifying and life changing events that occur in our everyday life. We create to record for those here now so that our story,their story will forever live. We record for those that are gone as an extension into our past that will continue to live and help us reflect on why we are the people we are today. Life Art is a blessing for without it our history would become just that. The cool thing about Life Art is that neither of my children have ever lived when it did not exist. An incredible tool that keeps so many cultures bound together by three simple words...experience, create, and share.

I'm not sure what kind of questions you are wanting Allie. Any clarification would help.
As for Life Art...great subject for a book. We don't realize that we are all artists and living our lives is an art that we each do. We are usually too critical of our art, seeing our shortcomings more than our strengths. Seeing the "ugly" before (or instead of) seeing the beautiful can also be a habit. These things are true whether they are applied to our scrapbooking or to the way that we live.
For me Life Art is about learning to be accepting of myself and others, at the same time that I push myself to grow, try something new, do something different. Easier said than done!
Susan

For me, scrapbooking is about Life Moments & Life Stories. If we don't capture everyday life on camera and share these pictures and stories with others, who will? I think it's so important to tell stories of the big things and the little things. I think it will be so cool to share these Life Moments & Life Stories with our children. Keep up the awesome work, Ali!

Ali, for me Life Art is letting myself know and my family know that I am more then just a stay-at-home mom that wipes noses, drives to and from school, cleans house, pickes up shoes and does the laundry. I am ALIVE. I have PASSION...by using pictures from our everyday life and combining pieces of paper, I can express an inner part of myself that longs to be heard and seen. I can be more, and these pieces of art that I create from my life and my children's life will be there for generations to come...and my family for many generations down the road will be able to see the part of me that was more then the stay-at-home mom. I will live beyond my years here on earth, and be seen through my scrapbooks...and hopefully those that come after me will feel my passion, my life, my children's life, and know I cared..and shared it through the art of scrapbooking. That is what Life Art is to me.