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YAAAYY!!

FEATURING reached its Thunderclap goal and just now the message and name was blasted out across Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr. Oh, and I hope you have seen this review that Nathalie Kalbach wrote on her blog? WOWZAH, thank you Nat!!!

FEATURING magazine sure captured people’s attention! A major campaign starts now – read all about it HERE.

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Now for some “odds and ends”

My online art journal workshop LET IT LOOSE starts next week!

October 28 – December 5; 2013

This workshop will loosen you up and take you a step further in creating your own, unique art journal pages. You’ll learn some basic writing techniques to improve your journaling and you will get tips and techniques to use your own handwriting (You dislike your own handwriting? You might be surprised what you can do with it!) Furthermore, you will learn art techniques like working with collages, paint, colours, gesso and gel medium.

Curious yet? The public gallery on the website shows art that former students made in this workshop and for even more info about Let it Loose (and registration) click HERE

My latest art journal spread:

The Chronicles of Marit – Week 41

… and I fooled around with the small size again for a change… it’s nice to go from creating on a two-page sized spread (12.2 x 9.6 inch) to the size of an ATC (2 x 3 inch)

Shelter & Sanctuary

I’m off to work some more on the FEATURING campaign… there will be updates on the FEATURING Website and Facebook page every day for the next few weeks… I do hope you will follow us there as we have some interesting ‘little articles’ up our sleeves…!!!

I have been busy promoting the Thunderclap page of ‘my baby’ FEATURING magazine.
Next week, FEATURING will start a promotion Campaign that will run for at least three weeks and we want to start that campaign with a “Thundering clap”… but we need a lot of support to do that – 500 supporters, to be exactly.

At the moment,  our Thunderclap promo counts 155 supporters – so we are not even close to the goal…  Have you joined yet??? No??? Help me out here then!

Please support FEATURING magazine and donate a tweet or facebook status update here:

http://thndr.it/15OjQip

Not convinced that you should give your support yet?
Then maybe this blog post by Robin Walsh can give you just that last push to support us….

I did not have much time to be creative last week, but I do keep up with the Chronicles art journal. Come on in to view some older spreads from past weeks I had not published yet…

The Chronicles of Marit – Week 37

The Chronicles of Marit – Week 38

The Chronicles of Marit – Week 39

Hope your week started fine… enjoy!
See you Wednesday!

Riikka’s ‘Creative Christmas Calendar’ is in full swing –
every day she opens a ‘window’ on her blog Paperiliitin.
Today is day eleven…

… and guess who was behind it?

Yep, that’s right, MOI!

I wrote a tutorial about personal writing and also show a fun way
to get the journaling in a nice, creative way on your art journal page.

Here’s a sneak

To read the full tutorial, hop on over to window 11 on Paperiliitin

Today is a special day ’cause
I expect FEATURING (issue 3)
to come from the printer’s office!
I cannot wait to hold a printed
copy in my hand! It might be
late in the afternoon before they
drop the boxes off – I will probably
be nervous all afternoon, hoping
nothing goes wrong (all kinds of
images on what CAN go wrong
come to mind now… eeeck…
I better not think about it!)

Anyway, the plan is to get
the first load of orders
shipped tomorrow – so if you
have not ordered your copy yet
and want to be in that first
shipping… ORDER IT NOW!

If the postal service isn’t too slow you might have the magazine delivered
at your place before Christmas!

You know what happens the week after
Christmas, don’t you? I would be delight-
ed if you played along with my Creative
and Musical top 2000 party! Have you
scrolled through the top 2000 list yet
to find your fave songs to create with?

I challenged myself this year to come up with a different approach: I pick songs that have a special or fun memory attached to it – the song itself does not have to be my fave. I came to the conclusion that when I pick songs this way, there are in fact a lot of dull songs that raise memories. I almost changed my mind when I saw that, it was quite a hurdle I had to take to go create with ‘weird’ or dull songs – but I challenged myself to get over it and already made the first piece. I have to giggle every time I see that page now… the song is so absurd and the memory is so nice! I’m glad I choose the songs this way after all.

Oh, and some other artists also submitted their pieces already.
I hope you will join us! See this post for all the details.

In the New Year, when everything is back to normal and you are settled into your daily routine, days may seem long, cold and grey. We all know how that is… Spring will not be there for another two Months or so and you could do with some energy and inspiration.

Well, Michelle LaPoint Rydell and I will take care of that! The online art journal workshop Mixed Emotions starts on February 4, 2013. Do yourself a favour and join us in the coldest, greyest Months of the year – we will warm us on creativity and inspiration in the workshop community then!

The morning is coming to an end in the Netherlands… the sun is shining, there’s no ice on the road (that means the truck bringing the printed FEATURING magazines will not likely slide from an icy road 😉 ) and I better start working on something creative right now to distract my mind and make time move faster. I hope you all have a lovely week!

Well… they are not revolting yet so I guess they were OK with it
and we are all so proud of this issue! Take alone the cover:

Yeah, right – and now you want to know what’s inside I guess…
well, here you go:

Read a brief summary of the content HERE
A Glimpse inside this issue can be seen in the PREVIEW

And, last but not least, FEATURING has a surprise for all readers
who live outside Europe. The magazine managed to lower the shipping
costs for customers who purchase from outside Europe. Now that is
an extra reason to want to order an issue right away, isn’t it?
Well, go ahead, PRE-ORDER/BUY your issue now (I will wait…)

Done? YAY! Thanks!
On to the haiku then.
I searched for a ‘book title haiku’ that would celebrate the release
of issue 3 and – oh miracle – I found one too!

As always, I submit this haiku to Haiku my Heart Friday

Last Tuesday I announced my annual “Top 2000 Creative and Musical
Blog Party” – (hm, that’s what you get when you try to fit it all into the title)
– you can find the post here  on my blog. There was no room left
to show you any pages I made, so I do it now…

The Chronicles of Marit 2012 – Week 48

Last but not least – I want to share the view from my office window
today. This is what I see when I look up from the computer: the first
snow of the year!

I’m almost getting into the Christmas spirit when I see this (I said ‘almost’…)

I wish you all a very nice weekend. Stay warm and safe and may your days
be filled with laughter and joy! (Oops, that sounds Christmassy…
Hmm, my mind must indeed be in a Christmas mode.)

Yes, that’s right – you heard well:
READY.TO.GO.TO.THE.PRINTING.OFFICE

Because the second issue was later then we originally scheduled,
we worked our *** off to catch up so that we can bring out this third
issue before Christmas. I’m so proud of my team, my beloved designer
and all the contributors who pulled up their socks to make it happen.
And you know what? There’s just some finishing touches to take care of
and then we have a go!

I recommend you keep an eye on the FEATURING site or follow us
on facebook, so you won’t miss the release.

You may not believe it, but I managed to get some art journaling done
in between. Just a few minutes here and there… but the result is that
I can show you two pages in my ‘weird journal.’

Two Lost Souls

This background with silhouettes was laying around, waiting to get finished
for weeks now. Finally, I journaled some text, gave it some splashes and
called it finished. I still don’t know what to think of it. “Weird” maybe?

24 or 6 to 9

I know… I know… the song by Chicago is called “25 or 6 to 4”
That is the joke! (This is a spread in my “weird journal,” remember?)

I painted the face over a photo and it is kinda all right, but I found it a bit easy
to do it this way (use a photo as a basis I mean) so I challenged myself to paint
a similar face without the help of a photo. That painting is on my Chronicles
page – but I cannot show it to you as the journaling on that spread is not done
yet. I will definitely post it next Friday!

On another note I want to remind you about my upcoming Art Journaling workshop with Michelle LaPoint Rydell. It runs from February 4th through March 14th, 2013. It’s called MIXED EMOTIONS, and it’s all about expressing your emotions through art journaling. We are going to have tons of fun!!! Here’s what you get…

• 12 lessons with assignments in pdf format. Each lesson will focus on a specific emotion and an art technique that goes with it. Techniques will be clearly shown through photos or demonstrated on video. Both beginners and advanced art journalers will find pleasure in working with the lessons.Access to inspirational videos to inspire you and help your creative juices flow.

• Extra printable collage sheets with photos, illustrations and quotes to use in your work.

• Access to a private group discussion forum where you may share, ask questions and interact with the teachers and other class participants.(Access will be activated a few days before the workshop starts or within 24 hours of payment.)

• Access to group albums for posting your completed assignments and seeing what others have done. (Access will be activated a few days before the workshop starts or within 24 hours of payment.)

Click here, to find out more details and/or to register! I hope you will join us!!!

It’s evening in The Netherlands and there’s an action movie on TV
in 15 minutes. Just what I need after a day’s work… so I’m off to relax
and watch – what’s his name again – oh yes, Bruce Willis.
Thanks for stopping by dear ones, I see you at the end of the week!

Sorry for the noise guys, but I have reasons to celebrate this week…
LOOK!

Yep, the second issue of FEATURING is out and MAN am I proud
of my team – the magazine is again filled with wonderful articles!
I also thank the contributors who send in articles and art – you guys
are all amazing and made this issue as fabulous as the debut issue.
Maybe even ‘fabulouser.’ (I know that is not a word but I’m so excited
I made it up 😉 )

During the next week, we will present sneak peeks of the articles
on facebook (you do ‘like’ that, don’t you?) and also send out tweets.
We may not be able to make #Feat2 into a ‘trending topic’ but we
may at least try…

More good news:
when you order
Issue 2 of
FEATURING
by October 30th
you will
automatically
be entered to win
this terrific book
‘Alternative Art
Journals’ by
Margaret Peot.
We give away
five (5!) copies.

(Persons who pre-ordered Issue 2 are already entered into this giveaway.)

So here’s all the info for you in a list:

• If you’d like to see inside issue 2, click here.
• Read the entire line up of the second issue here.
• Also, if you haven’t purchased Issue 1, it’s still available
  for purchase here.
• Click here to read all about how to enter your artwork
  or article ideas to FEATURING magazine.
• Remember to order your copy of Issue 2 before October 30 to be eligible to win a copy of Margaret Peot’s “Alternative Art Journals”.

On top of all the excitement, I felt also loved this week.
Loved by my beloved, my friends, my family and even by nature
’cause look at this amazing phenomenon.

Every Friday, I write a haiku for ‘Haiku my Heart’ which is hosted
by the lovely Rebecca. Visit her blog for the list of participants:
Recuerda Mi Corazon

And here’s one last ‘act of love’ before I ‘lay my weary head to rest’
after a busy week. (No, I’m not going to sleep. It’s the middle of the
day and I’m not tired at all – but I like that sentence so much that I
thought I’d use it… ha!)

Anyway, here’s the mono print I worked on for my friend and
soul sister Lenny. Sunday is her birthday and I give her the moon!

Moon for Lenny

(The moon is made out of silvery paper, all shimmery and silvery
and reflecting so it's pretty difficult - if not impossible - to
get that right on a photo)

I wish you all a wonderful weekend!
Go read a magazine! 😉

The second issue looks again fabulous and is jam packed
with talented artists, interesting stories and all kinds of art.

We will give away 30 inchies to readers who pre-order
issue #2 before September 21. These will appear on the
back of our third issue.

Visit the FEATURING website to find a brief summary of content and/or flip
through some pages in the preview. We also keep you updated on facebook.

Today is Friday and you all know what that means: Haiku day!

Haiku My Heart Friday

Photo: Corina Magielse

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Rebecca hosts Haiku my Heart Friday and when I discovered this circle of Haiku-lovers and joined in with a haiku every week, the participants embraced me with all their kindness and love. Everyone is welcome so if you love haiku as much as we do, come join us!

… and now I have something extraordinary to show you!
(hence the title of this post)

I know a lot of people usually skip the videos on blogs (hmm, I know
I do mostly) but this time I recommend you DO click and watch!
I promise you: this is extraordinary indeed!

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 This is the text that came with the video:

“This was a collaborative effort between Robert M. Trammell Music
Conservatory and Sharon Wick School of Engineering at the University
of Iowa. 97% of the components came from John Deere Industries and
Irrigation Equipment of Bancroft, Iowa. It took the team a combined
13,029 hours of set-up, alignment, calibration, and tuning before filming
this video. It is now on display in the Matthew Gerhard Alumni Hall at
the University and is already slated to be donated to the Smithsonian.”

Huh? Really?

Ha!
Don’t believe everything you read on the Internet.
I did some digging and found a letter from the Smithsonian as a reply
to a question about this ‘machine’…

“The website you referred us to shows a computer enhanced or animated
creation – as indicated by the caption “Musique Animation” – and not an
actual musical instrument. Further, we were unable to find any reference
to a Robert M. Trammel Music Conservatory and the University of Iowa
does not have a Sharon Wick School of Engineering nor a Matthew Gerhard
Alumni Hall.”

Sooo, the story is a so-called hoax!
But the video stays extraordinary, still.

I would not dare to send you into the weekend without showing you
some art, so here’s for you: photos of the journal I bound last week
and what I created on the first page.

Weird Journal

It’s a rather small journal (21 x 13 cm – 8.3 x 5.1) and when I bound it,
I had no idea yet for a theme or how I should fill it. I made this journal
just because I felt like it.

The cover is a piece of fabric that I bought years ago because I loved
the design and colours so much. It was time to use a piece of it!

To fill that first, blank page (which is always a bit frightening) I messed
around with paint and ink. I wanted to have that page out of the way…
It’s easier to work in a ‘new’ journal when that first page is not blank
and can be turned, you know!

“No theme…” you say “… but I see you named the journal?! How so?”

Well… the day after I made this, I came across this post on  Jenny de Bode’s
blog. I loved what she showed and the idea on how she made it so much that
I decided to dedicate this small journal to ‘fantastic, weird stories’ – like she
shows in her examples. So I baptised my journal into ‘Weird journal’.
I’m as curious as you are to see what will appear on the next pages.

(btw – Jenny is featured in the second issue of FEATURING)

Well dear ones, I bored you long enough with my post.
It’s time to wish you all a nice weekend!
Go mess around with paint and tell some fantastic, weird stories!

Issue #2 of Featuring Magazine is finished and
going to the printers!

The second issue looks again fabulous and is jam packed with talented
artists, interesting stories and all kinds of art. I’m glowing with pride!!!

You don’t mind me tooting a bit, do you?
YOU can benefit from it too, you know, because  when you PRE-ORDER
issue #2, you have a chance to win an inchie on the back of our next issue!

We will give away 30 inchies to readers who pre-order issue #2
before September 21. These will appear on the back of our third issue.
Now wouldn’t that be fun, your artwork as an inchie on the back cover?!

OK, OK… I understand… you want to know what’s inside before you
decide to purchase the magazine. We’ve taken care of that.

Find a brief summary of the content HERE or get a glimpse
of the beauty inside by flipping through the pages of this PREVIEW

In Europe, we are used to high shipping costs when we order items from the
US, but you Americans aren’t used to that. Of course, the height of the shipping
costs lay beyond our control but I give you this tip:

Purchasing multiple magazines at once saves you money!

Within Europe:
if you order two magazines at once, you save 11.2% on shipping costs.
if you order three magazines at once, you save 40.8% on shipping costs.

People living outside Europe:
if you order two magazine at once, you save 15.8% on shipping costs.
if you order three magazines at once, you even save 43.8% on shipping costs!

Soo… do take advantage and combine your order with those of your friends
or order different issues at once – that way you save on shipping costs.

We keep you informed on events and dates via the website and social media.
I would love to see you follow us on twitter
and I will be forever grateful if you LIKE us on facebook

Right… I blew my horn long enough now. On to some art!

In the middle of all the events and to relieve stress, I turned to my Chronicles
art journal to find a moment of peace and get the chaos out of my head.
Despite the hectic going on in and around me, the overall feeling I had was
JOY! JOY! JOY! and that shows on the page.

The Chronicles of Marit 2012 – Week 36

 (Size: 24,5 x 49 cm – 9.65 x 14.86 inch)

Oh, and see those images on the left?
I hand carved four stamps that can be combined to make borders
(or fill complete pages) like this. This combination of designs is traditional
for Haiti? Tahiti? – I found the example on the Internet but I don’t remember
where or what country/island they were from…

Now that things calmed down a bit ánd the rain comes pouring down,
I think it would be a good time for me to spend the afternoon with my Muse.
It’s time to give her some extra attention… she’s waiting in the corner right
next to the paint, glue, brushes. Ha, I know the way! Here I come!

Bottom line: busy I am.
But today is Friday… and this morning, I took some time off  to find
a photo and write a haiku and a blogpost. I also have an art journal page
that I made last Summer but have not showed yet. And of course there is
the weekly ‘Chronicles’ spread. How could I not make a chronicles spread?
It is a ‘quick and easy’ page this time due to lack of time, but it’s there.
Enjoy!

Haiku my Heart

‘Haiku my Heart Friday’ is hosted by the wonderful Rebecca.
Visit her blog to find a list of the other participants: Recuerda Mi Corazon

Next page in my big art journal (Size: 25 x 35 cm – 9.8 x 13.8 inch) is
what I call an ‘easy page’. I name it that because pages like this don’t
require much ‘heavy thoughts’.
It’s ‘fun play with colours’ –
nothing more but certainly
nothing less.
No thinking involved.
Relaxed.
Know what I mean?

Hands

I used a background paper which I made last Summer in my ‘outdoor
session’ which I showed photos from here.
I added extra paint (applied through a template), a cut out image from
a magazine, scraps of paper and washi tape for the border and lettering
with gesso and sharpies.

… and on to the Chronicles.

The Chronicles of Marit 2012 – Week 33

(Size: 24,5 x 49 cm – 9.65 x 14.86 inch)

I told you… a ‘quick and easy’ spread, but a fun one on which I jotted down
some phrases that capture that week – and sorry, you English readers cannot
read it. It’s Dutch and I don’t have the time left to translate it all for you, but
there’s nothing important there so you don’t miss ‘exiting things’ – things like
how a bird pooped on my bare foot when I sat outside 😀

… and that’s all for today.
I hear work screaming… I have to go and get it done.
Enjoy your weekend dear ones!
Whether it is for recreation or work, enjoy what you do.

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