So what do you do when your friend has a new book out? Well you do the ‘Happy Dance’ with them and of course get your hands on a copy as soon as you can! I knew Dawn’s book was going to be great because I’ve had the privilege of actually taking her ‘Doodle Soup’ workshop from her in person and if anyone can teach your to doodle, she can!  I’m very excited to help her kick off this blog hop and if you continue along you will have a chance to win a copy of this yummy book for yourself!

Dawn actually facilitates your inner doodle girl to come out and play. With prompts, both with words and  visual stimulation, she guides you to rediscovering the love of doodling.

I used to doodle. In school, on my Pee Chee, or notes to friends written while I was supposed to be paying attention in class, I doodled up a storm, but life has a way of taking the doodle out of you sometimes. At least doodling with intent-for the sheer pleasure of it.

I’ve discovered a few things on my journey into this book-I’m not very good at scribbling. I found it hard to do. I’m hoping by the end of this book I will have loosened up and overcome my scribbling inhibition.

I’ve also discovered that marking in a book is sinfully delicious, after you get over the fear of making some kind of ‘fatal error’. I decided that my book is for me, and though I’m sharing a few pages here, I’m not going to share the rest. My marks will be made with the soul intent for inner growth. I’m only using pen and if I make unattractive marks, then so be it. I’ll get better, we always do with practice.

The backgrounds are already there, waiting for the doodles, so this book is awesome to put in your purse and take out whenever you have a few spare minutes. My dedicated ‘doodle time’ is at my sons music lesson. The book is a great size that fits nicely in my purse, the pages are a nice heavy weight, and all I need to take is a pen!

While this book would be perfect for someone to cross into the world of Art Journaling, it’s also great for those of us who already journal too. Sometimes we just don’t have enough time to get into the messy stuff and this book can store ideas for future pages as well as help you to take a break while still feeding the journaling habit, and it can also get out of a journal rut if you’re in one. It’s full of inspirational starts that could spark a whole new direction in your work.

When I’m done with this book, it will not go on my bookshelves with other ‘how to’ books, rather it will go along-side my other art journals, to be used as a tool for ideas in the future.

Feb. 2: Pam Carriker, http://www.pamcarriker.com/blog/
Feb. 3: Samantha Kira Harding, http://www.journalgirl.com
Feb. 4: Aimee Dolich, http://artsyville.blogspot.com
Feb. 5: Jane Davenport,  http://www.janedavenport.com
Feb. 6: Carla Sonheim, http://www.carlasonheim.com
Feb. 7: Tracie Lyn Huskamp, http://www.thereddoor-studio.blogspot.com
Feb. 8: Tammy Garcia, http://www.daisyyellow.squarespace.com
Feb. 9: Carissa Paige, http://www.carissapaige.blogspot.com
Feb. 10: Mindy Lacefield, http://www.timssally.com
Feb. 11: Dina Wakley, http://dinastamps.typepad.com/
Feb. 12: Tamara LaPorte, http://www.willowing.org/blog/
Feb. 13: Jill K. Berry, http://jillberrydesign.com/blog/