Inspired by...Donna Downey

Donna Downey has this thing that she does on Wednesdays and I'm pretty much addicted to it. She calls it Inspiration Wednesday. Each week, on Wednesday, (just in case you didn't pick that up the first two times), she produces a YouTube video while creating in her journal. You know what? It's fun!

I love to watch as Donna talks to herself us and describes what she intends to do, or not. Sometimes she has a plan, sometimes she just wings it, but she always makes an outstanding journal page! She's down to earth and honest about what she's doing, even admitting it when she doesn't have a clue. She's very entertaining and I love her thought process.

But more than that, I find Donna to be very inspiring. As accomplished as she is, there are days that she just doesn't "feel it". I've watched her talk herself through these times, quite often putting the brush down and stepping away to think about it. What she always ends up with though, is a piece that she's "good with". OMG, what a concept!! Video after video I've heard her say "I'm good with that" or "Yeah, I like that", or even "I think it's done now". OMG! I really don't think I've ever heard words like "awesome", "beautiful", "gorgeous", or even "brilliant", (although there are times that Donna Downey is extremely brilliant).

I know that every time I open a journal, I don't have to create a Rembrandt. I don't have to try and please someone else, I just need to please myself. But it's hard to practice that when you expect too much of yourself. I think we all do that to some degree because we want to push ourselves and accomplish more. But for me, being 'good with it' is good enough.

Visit Donna's blog: Simply Me. Watch Donna's videos: Donna Downey Videos

This is the first article in my own version of Inspiration Wednesday. Check back each Wednesday as I share some of my favorite people with you.

(Re)Discovering Donna Downey

So there I am minding my own business when I find an art journal reference toInspiration Wednesdays. It's Donna Downey's site, best known in the scrapbooking world, but here she is in the Art Journal world. OMG, the thin veil that once separated artists and scrapbookers has really vanished, and the two worlds have now collided. So if you're a purest...well, sorry about that.

I remember Donna from the old days. I even bought some Donna stuff...like crappy tag books...and here she is producing her own journals to sell to us peons while she buys new clothes from some shabby ultra chic online store. Of course, she's more than happy to share that information because the clothes are expensive. She'll even tell you (and show you) which items she purchased so you can check out the price. I don't know what it is about Donna that makes her want and/or need to divulge information about her financial status. I got the message the first time, when she built her new office and just had to tell everyone how much it cost. Now she's doing it again, and quite frankly, I don't like it. Never did. Still don't.

I know people have to make a living. I know that my money actually supports a lot of other people when I spend it. But I don't like it when people tell me how much they make, or how much something cost them, or how rich they are because they have MY money! That's just rude. Rude, crude, and definitely not classy. It's kind of like laying off hundreds of employees and then giving yourself a raise. Not kosher, kids, don't do it. Keep the money talk off the internet, keep it to yourself, because you're not getting anymore of mine when you do that. I think your journals are really neat and I probably would have bought one (letting bygones be bygones), but you just had to talk about the new expensive clothes you were buying. Several items at an average of $150... you must have bought at least a $1,000 worth of clothes from that shop.

God love ya, Donna. I know you mean well, but it so offends me when I have no office, no studio, and I can't afford $150 skirts or there wouldn't be any scrapbook supplies at all...You don't need my money.

On the other hand, I'm loving Donna'sInspiration Wednesdays. I really am. Check it out...