Okay guys, Cheryl here, stay with me … we’re going on a journey …

If any of you follow the Scrapstorian Twitter or Instagram accounts,  you have probably seen the use (overuse?) this: #OLCBreneCourse. I’m the DT member behind is those accounts and tweets. The hashtag is for members of an online art journaling course through Oprah’s Life Class. The course is taught by and based on the work of Brene Brown. We are using art journaling to work through the guideposts in her book The Gifts of Imperfection. (Read it now. I will be here when you get back. Seriously.) It is an incredible book.

But I think I’m getting ahead of myself. This class appeared to me at a time when I really needed it. Remember my post about scrapping yourself, in which I joked about starting an art journal? Not three days after that, the info for this class appeared in my facebook newsfeed. I watched Brene Brown explain what the class was about and had tears streaming down my face. I sat in front of my computer, saying, “I have to take this course, I have to take this course.” I swear the universe was telling me to!

I mean, how could I not take it? The book was on my night table, unread, waiting. The course emails arrived on a day when my kids were both at school. There were no reasons to say no. (Unless you count the fear of what I would uncover …)

I’ve been on a journey of self-discovery, self-reflection, self-improvement, self-empowerment for a long time now. I see a counsellor when I need to talk things through and re-learn how to move forward. I had been working on my “issues” long before this class began … and yet …

It is still somehow amazing, transformitive, fascinating, complicated, emotional, fulfilling … and more. It is everything I hoped it would be and more. Brene Brown often calls the work of the course “seed planting” and I would call it life changing. Maybe not all at once, but over time, each seed grows and they don’t stop growing, as long as you don’t stop working. This is “heart work” and it will leave an imprint on yours if you let it.

Here are some of my pages. (I won’t go into much detail about the prompts or subjects behind them; I don’t want to give away class material.) They are imperfect and I love them that way.

Here are some links to amazing art journaling blogs and artists that may inspire you, should you want to give this a try. I have several pages on my Pinterest board as well.
Journal52
Clips n Cuts
Ronda Palazzari
Shari Carroll
Kelly Creates

Thanks for stopping by and letting me share this with you.