Write to the Centre: Navigating life with gluestick and words
by Helen Lehndorf
Do you ever feel like you are a total weirdo? Like no one understands you, or if people knew what you really think, they might be horrified? Do you ever struggle to understand your own feelings and reactions to things and need a bit of help untangling them? I do, I do and I do. – Helen Lehndorf
This book. I don’t know where to start except to say that I love it. LOVE it.
Flipping through it simply to look at the gorgeous imagery is enough to inspire me – a few pages in and I’m itching to get out my journal, gluestick and paints, and get creating.
But the text itself is also inspiring. I’d describe it as part how-to, part memoir. The author shares excerpts from her own journal alongside guidance on journal-keeping. All her ideas and advice are illustrated by her own words from her own journals.
There’s just something so intimate and comforting about reading the words of another’s journals – something that tells you that you’re not alone in your feelings, experiences, views of the world. By the end of the book I feel like I know Helen – like I’ve met a kindred spirit on a journey similar to mine: someone trying to find their way in the world, using creative practice to make sense of it all.
She covers topics like getting started and making journaling a habit, allowing the ugly, navigating life transitions in your journal, processing pain, solving problems, creating rituals, appreciating the good. And each chapter ends with a unique and detailed journaling prompt to get you working in your own journal.
My favourite thing about this book is the imagery from Helen’s visual journals. It is an absolute feast for the eyes and soul; Helen’s distinctive and unique journaling style is colourful, messy and intuitive. She combines collage, painting and her handwriting to create honest and interesting journal pages (see more of her style here). It’s a great book to dip into for a creative boost.
You can grab your copy of the book here.
Giveaway
—- The giveaway is now closed —-
Helen has been generous enough to provide me with a copy to give away. I’m so thrilled to be able to do this because it is such a gorgeous book and it needs to be in the hands of every visual journaler. I’m also throwing in a set of watercolour paints to get you painting in your journal. Here’s how to enter:
- Share this post, or the image below on social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+) or on your own blog
- Use the hashtag #writetothecentregiveaway
- Comment below (so I know you’ve shared it and I have a way to contact you!) telling me where you shared it and what you love most about journaling
- Closes August 31st midnight EST 2017
Full disclosure – I was sent a free copy of the book and asked to review it – but I had already purchased my own copy so that’s why I’m giving this copy away. Everything I’ve said in this review comes from my heart – I just adore the book and recommend it to any journaling enthusiast like myself.
journalwild.home.blog 
I’ve pinned. tweeted and facebooked because I would love to win this. Such a fan of Helen’s since her Road Slapper days.
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Sharing on Facebook 🙂 I journal off and on for lots of different reasons. Sometimes it is just to “empty my brain.” Sometimes it is more about dreaming and planning. I love using intuitive collage along with journaling. This book looks like a fresh perspective to motivate me to dive back into journaling! Thanks for a chance to win!
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Sharing on Instagram! Thank you, this book looks great!!
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Thank you so much for the chance to win one of these books. I have shared to Facebook and Pinterest and verbally to my arty friends.
I suppose you could say that I am an art journaling wanna be. I struggle so much with where to start, then once I have started I struggle with what to write. I have the idea up there amongst the grey matter but I struggle to get it on paper. Then I struggle with how to do it, as in which goes where and when, do the pictures go first? or the paint? or the journaling? I understand the concept of there is no right or wrong way but making my perfectionist self believe that is my constant struggle. I am a visual person so I think this book is just what I have needed without knowing it.
Once again thank you for the opportunity.
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Shared on Facebook. Art journalling gives me an escape from my daily duties. I had to give up my job when I adopted my little girl because she has numerous disabilities, and as a result I lost myself for a while. Art journalling helps me to spend some time on myself
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Oh… I sit up straight when I opened your newsletter… 😉 I just LOVE the title of this book, don’t you?
This book is such a dream and thank you for generously sharing it with the world. 🙂 ♥
I shared it on one of my favourite inspiration boards on Pinterest (https://pl.pinterest.com/elizka/collage-inspirations/) and I’m heading to Instagram!
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I posted on FB for all my friends to enter too!!!
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Shared on Google+. What a great book! Thank you.
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Thank you so much for the chance.
Shared: https://www.facebook.com/paperismystory/posts/822615417900036
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I shared on my blog https://margretputspentopaper.wordpress.com/2017/08/27/visual-journals/. I love both the reflective and creative aspect of journaling.
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Shared your post on Facebook and Twitter ( @PurpleTulipArt ). Love art journaling, it helps me try out new techniques and supplies as well as a great place to practice what I’m wanting to improve upon and test things out. It also gives me a way to vent when I need to.
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Shared on FB Jen
What a generous gift
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Hi! I shared on FB and I’m seeing other friends are sharing away. What is journaling to me? My mother had passed and so this is a much needed outlet. She was an artist and so I have been experimenting here and there. I believe she is smiling down on me when I honor her in such away. Love you mama!
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This book looks fabulous and supplies to help start the process is even better. I love that journaling is such a free expression and there are no rules. I would love to develop the habits of doing it consistently. I have shared on Facebook, Pinterest & Google+.
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Love your work. Journaling allows me to see what I experience in images, flashes and technicolor
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Shared on Facebook. I love the ability to just let the creativity flow…and always looking for fun ways to do that. This book is intriguing!
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Sounds like a wonderful book. I have shared the picture and tag on Facebook and Instagram. I actually struggle with the whole journaling thing, but feel it would be very helpful for me to do, any help with being inspired to do it would be awesome.
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I shared on Facebook under my Susy SF account. What I love about journaling is that there is no wrong way to do it.
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congratulation on the book!
it really looks interessting and pretty nice
i’ve shared on FB and Pintrest
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Have really enjoyed doing word prompts inspired by your book via Authentic August group on Facebook. Would love to win this copy ☺
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What a cool thing. Love the play on words, too!
#writetothecentregiveaway
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Shared on Facebook. I love everything about art journaling. It keeps me centered and helps me process through all the junk in my life!
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Shared on Facebook with all of my creative friends.
I love to journal because it keeps me balance and happy! It’s a great release and adding art to it makes it even more special. My motto is #cheaperthantherapy
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Hi Jen, have shared on Facebook. I am fairly new to art journaling and it sounds like this book would help create practices to ‘ get the emotions out ‘. I haven’t really got there yet. Thanks for the review!
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