Birthday Present

I haven't posted in a while, but keeping up with the shoppe and other online activities have taken much energy.   I thought I'd say that today is my birthday, and my dear Hubby gave me a copy of Melanie Testa's book,  Dreaming from the Journal Page,   and Sketchbook Confidential 2,  edited by Pamela Wissman.    They are both great books.   I have been working hard lately on getting my own journal/sketchbook practice back in gear and although these books are very different from each other, they both offer wonderful insight to the creative process.  Journal and sketchbooks are very personal and often are never intended to be shared or shown,  so the raw thinking and observing and ponderings that they contain are un-edited and honest.   I feel privileged that these two publications are now in my collection and thank the artists for allowing us to see their inner workings.