always remember...

Lately, I feel as if I am caught up in quite the whirlwind of life. So many of us experience this nowadays, we rush around busy with the hustle and bustle of daily activities,... going here and there, always trying to squeeze one more thing in before the day ends only to fall into bed exhausted.

But last night, I needed a break from my to-do's, so I sat down in the comfy chair near my worktable and started browsing through my pastel journal. This is just one of many art sketchbooks I have, and like most of my creative journals, I still have plenty of empty spaces yet to fill.

I would have to say that it is one of my very favorite books. The spiral bound pages are slightly oversized at 11 x 14 and made of brown craft paper which is an ideal background for pastels.

I had never worked with the pastel medium until I was required to use it in several drawing classes during art school. From the moment I began experimenting with these soft chalk-like sticks, I was hooked! I LOVED them... everything about them... well almost, they are a little messy, but the intensity of their colors on any surface is INCREDIBLE!

So I thought I would share a page from my beloved book that was just what my weary soul needed... a reminder that I should take a few moments to stop and smell the roses... even if they were only from a page in a journal.