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I wanted to include a few interviews with journalers I admire as a part of Creative Emergence to give you some different perspective and ideas about journaling.

Today’s interview is with Amanda Fall from The Phoenix Soul.

Amanda Fall swoons over vibrant color, ragged edges, and glorious imperfection. She is wildly blessed to create and curate The Phoenix Soul, a digital magazine and community dedicated to our tender truths.

I’ve known Amanda online for years, she has this great sweetly-gentle-wildly-creative vibe and I am so happy to share her thoughts and ideas about journaling with you!

Why do you journal?

I journal to find peace, clarity, comfort, inspiration, guidance. I journal to court the muse, to ponder deep questions, to play with color and pattern. My thoughts are often running a million miles a minute, but when I sit down with my journal, time stops: everything moves in slow motion, and I am at peace. When I finish, I feel both emptied and filled, stirred up and settled, all at once. In this safe space, I can be fully myself, with no judgment. Only love.

How did you get started?

In my childhood, I often scribbled my hopes and fears in little locked diaries–pages and pages of words, words, words. This kind of written journaling served me for a time, but after a while it felt like rumination, merely an echo of all the jumbled mess in my head. I needed a new method for clarity and inspiration.

I don?t remember where we got this idea, but in 2002, my mom and I began creating simple collages on kraft paper (often an actual paper bag, torn open). We ripped out words and images that sparked something within us. I continued this hobby off and on, but didn?t develop a real practice (or even call it art journaling) until I discovered Connie Solera. Her ?Art Journal Love Letters? introduced me to a whole new world, and I began exploring what art journaling meant to others, and what it could mean to me. I also found deep inspiration in The Art Journaler, an online community run by Teresa Robinson and Mandy Steward (now closed).

My own art journaling is ever evolving and expanding as a practice, and with each unfolding season of my life, this creative expression means more to me than ever.

What?s your favourite thing to do in your journal?

You know, it?s funny, but I think my answer is an odd one: my favorite thing to do is to be. In my work as a creative solopreneur, my thoughts are always churning, and I am always striving for the next invention/reinvention. In the pages of my art journal, though, I can relax. I can tune back into my personal truth. I remember that I am more than good enough, exactly as I am. Scribbling swirls and arrows and symbols of exploration feels like prayer to me; smearing bold swaths of yellow, orange, teal feels like coming home. In my practice, what I do doesn?t matter as much as the process itself, re-aligning with a deep stillness.

Do you have a specific brand/type of journal that you use (if yes – please include a link so we can check it out)?

I?m not picky! I do love a good Moleskine, but I?ve also enjoyed working in something as simple as a marbled composition notebook or even creating my own, stapling or stitching a sheaf of papers. I?m always keeping an eye out for blank books that call to me, gathering a supply whenever I spot something promising in the clearance bin. I also love altering printed books, such as unusual vintage children?s readers or encyclopedias.

Do you get creative with art supplies in your journal? If so, which ones?

I gravitate toward anything that offers quick, bold, vibrant color. I especially adore juicy oil pastels (ooh, they smear so deliciously!) and my beloved PaperMate flair pens in hot pink, orange, aqua, and lime green.

When I have more time, I get wild and messy with my GelliArts printing plate (oh my gosh, if you haven?t tried this yet, don?t wait! So easy and fun), either directly in my journal?s pages if I?m using a thicker book (where the pages can withstand moisture), or creating backgrounds to rip and use as collage elements.

I?m also passionate about nontraditional ?art supplies?: one of my favorite methods of journaling is intuitive collage, ripping out and layering brave words and bold images from junk mail and magazines.

If you want to see more from Amanda, I encourage you to visit her at The Phoenix Soul.

Again today I want you to meet with your intention in your journal.

Using the technique I teach in my free class or anything you have learned in my classes inside the Creative Dream Circle, see what happens when you meet with the heart and soul of your intention today.

Ask your intention: What does it need today?

Inspired by Amanda, you may want to try collaging about the heart and soul of your intention.

Once you’re done – let us know how it went.

Share your daily journaling pics + thoughts on Instagram using the #creativeemergence hashtag, or post them here on Facebook. Circle members can share in our private Creative Emergence forum.

I’ll be sharing my pics and thoughts on my Instagram.

And/or leave a comment below. (Yes, you will need a Facebook account in order to comment. Apologies to those of you who don’t have Facebook.)

Remember our last call is coming up on September 30, details are here.

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Because I loooove my Circle members, I’ll be posting links to resources inside the Circle in most of these posts so they can dive into the lessons a little deeper. If you’re not a Circle member you can just ignore this part – or join us!

For more new ideas and perspectives, we’ve got the following amazing interviews and audio classes with inspiring people in the Advanced Creative Badassery Resource Library:

Being an Artist with a Chronic Illness With Samie Harding, Change with Shannon Wilkinson, Coming Out as your Authentic Self with Liv Lane, Creative Projects and Creative Practice with Jamie Ridler, Divine Guidance with Laurel Bleadon-Maffei, Poetry is a Lifeline with Liz Lamoreux, Sharing Your Story with Susannah Conway, Trailblazing with Chris Zydel, WordPress/Putting Yourself Out There Online with Angel Sullivan

We’ve also got a private forum inside the Circle for sharing your Creative Emergence photos and stories if you’d rather not do that publicly.

You’ll need to be logged into your Creative Dream Circle account for these links to work.

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See you back here tomorrow for day 26 of Creative Emergence.

Remember our last call is coming up on September 30, details are here.