What type of tea bags are they? I only have like the black tea with the string and tag. Something tells me it isn’t the same.

I also use coffee pads because I love circles. I cut them open on the back side, rinse and dry them, and collage them with the cut to the paper (so I use them 'double' as they are). They're a bit thicker, and the colour differs from teabags, but that's nice. You can also buy teabag paper in big sheets! Medical exam paper is another kind of paper that is fun to paint on / colour and use as collage paper afterwards!

I loooove your work, such an inspiration 🥰♥️🥰♥️🥰♥️

Love the teabag texture and gorgeous colors! Yes, please would love to see Part III.

They are available in Australia, made by Crayola evidently. More expensive here but there are also a few cheaper alternatives.

Wow! Indeed, those colors are superb. Yes to part III😀

no, you're good...i follow

Love using tea bags because they do add so much texture and I love how they are a grungy color. LOL! They look so awesome! I look forward to part II. Thanks so much, Soraya!

Of course, we want a part 3! What kind of question is that Soraya? We love it!

Very interesting new series. Merci😊

Yes, part 3 would be great! I love when you use your fingers to blend the paint.

It is amazing what texture can do! LindaH

Glad you are really enjoying yourself today. Of course do a part 3.

One quick question? Can brown kraft paper yield the same results? Love yr work, by the way!

So pretty! I do hope you plan on showing any additional layers if you them!😀

Wow! I love your idea. I cannot wait for part II… and all the other parts. I will follow along trying the same things. I learn so much with a teacher. Thank you, Soraya, for being my teacher, my mentor❣️

I love your colour choices Soraya! Circles are my go to for de-stressing and quieting my busy mind (i have no doubt I have said this many times lol 😄🤭) yes they are quite meditative aren't they? Even watching you draw Circles is meditative ⚪🟡 and your process too. My brain is so full of ideas at the moment and yet I'm finding it difficult to make a start these days, hopefully watching your videos will help me unscramble them into some kind of 'order' and actually doodle some shapes lol 🤭😄

So fun. I’m going to have to drink more tea from bags 😊

I love the addition of the teabags! I also like to add fabric to my pages, specially the kind that frays 💙💜💛🤎♥️🧡🩶🩷💚🩵🖤❤️

I love your journals! They look beautiful with those rich and colourful layers. They could almost stay exactly how they are 😊♥️💜💙🩷💚🖤💛🤎🧡🩵🩶

You don’t prep the pages with a light sanding and gesso before collage? I see white spaces and no bleed through of images under the thin dictionary pages. I used these books years ago and the preparation was a pain but necessary.

Wow! Your journals are beautiful Soraya! I bought some children's cardboard books last week while I was away in Dublin. A lot more choices up there where charity (goodwill) shops are concerned. I so look forward to embellishing them soon (working in my handmade books and upcycled journals these days) You have inspired me to start altering children's board books now Soraya and I have learned a lot, so thank you 😊❤

Thank you so much, Soraya! Love the idea of using kids' books. I love how you work on them too with collaging and layers. I need to get some to work on. Thanks for all the tips.

after seeing ur latest utube entry i wanted to see when u started ur utube... wonderful start, showing ur studio w a story on all ur beloved artist, paints, and full disclosure of ur studio...very organized. Thank u for sharing the beginning of ur utube journey. -Texas Girl

excellent idea! can't wait to try this idea😊 I LOVE ur channel❤

Loved loved loved this video! So inspired by your process. 🤩🥰 I just got my transparent burnt sienna ink in the mail today! I really appreciate your focus on building up layers as your first several steps. I never seem to be able to get enough layers before I want to start moving on. 😆 You have helped inspire me to stay with the first few layers a little longer now. Question. Did you do anything to prep the pages of the children’s book? I just bought one at the thrift store recently and it had very glossy pages so I sanded and gessoed them and now they are ready to get started. Is that necessary?

Your art journal is so so beautiful! All the figures look powerful! Being finished or not, it’s a precious thing already 💙💚🩵🧡💛❤️🩶💜🩷🤎♥️

Unfortunately the lack of self worth and self love prevents people from being what they truly are. They’re always trying to please the majority and many, many times that’s not what really makes us happy 💙💚🤎🩷💜♥️💛🧡🩵🩶❤️

“Love what you love” - I love, love this affirmation, I relate to it so much! I’ve always been a bit “different” in my tastes for clothes, art, home decor, etc, and I never cared about what others say, but I never knew how to properly answer them and that’s the perfect sentence! I love your figures. The one on the right looks like a goddess! 💙💚🩷💜💛♥️🩶🩵🧡🤎❤️

I believe that the more ancient a culture is, the more difficult it is for people to change. Indian culture is a millenarian one and it’s so rich in history and myths and beliefs that I don’t think anyone will want it to change. I see it in my own country. In Portugal the older women are precisely the ones who still think that a patriarchal society is the best, although they sometimes are “servants” to their husbands, probably never enjoyed their sexuality to the fullest and lived for their children and husbands and not for themselves. And Portugal is quite an open minded country nowadays. So I imagine that countries like yours are more prone to “preserve” and defend their culture at all costs, even if that means that women are not treated as they should. I would even dare to go further and say that probably many women think that’s the right way to act and live. Thanks for a great conversation 😊💙💚🤎🧡💛💜❤️🩷🩵

OMG!! I Love, loved this book!! Our book club was on this forever!! Soo much to discuss and talk about!!

The way your work changes in response to this book is so wonderful. Thank you for sharing these different media and how you use them.

Thank you for sharing your personal journal, Soraya. Beautiful! You add such so much emotion in your art. It shines through.

Is this the quote below? I googled it. LOL! I really like what Connie said "Love what you love." Thank you for sharing. “Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” ― Howard Thurman, The Living Wisdom of Howard Thurman:

Beautiful book. It could be finished as is I love your ladies.

As women it’s important to draw from our ancestry if possible or heal from past trauma, really like your work!

Good afternoon Soraya 😊 for me, Singing over the bones means honouring our female ancestors and our own fractured souls. To heal both our ancestors and our souls by immersing ourselves in our creativity once we find the courage to take that important step forward because it does take courage to create and overcome our fear of the unknown and the critical voice of the patriarchal inner critic. If that makes sense? (I definitely need to read and study Dr Clarissa's book again. Your series has given me the push 😉 thank you Soraya ❤) Your journal is beautiful ❤ I love your palette 🎨 very striking! Especially the blue!

Very personal. Your journal seemed to mature and evolve like you are. Great Art comes from Great emotion. Thanks for sharing.❤

Great advice -Love what you love.

Very beautiful! Thanks for sharing this series.

Gorgeous color for the background!

The cheaper oil pastels are pronounced like this Mung like hung e o like ei ei o. So Mung e o. Lindsay Weirich explains the way to use oil pastels like fat over lean. So the harder less oily (leaner) would go down first and the softer more oily (fatter) pastels will glide on top easily. Hope that makes sense 😊

Lush!!! ....adore this colour Soraya it evokes circus type childhood memories.....so very clever...i want to dive in.....thankyou Soraya xx

The “cheapness “ of the paper really looks good 😂😂❤

I love that you said "Love what you love." My artistic style is realism, and my college professor said I'd never make it as an artist because of that. So....instead of pursuing an art career, I changed my major to Special Education. I recently retired from the school system after 30 years at a young age, and now I'm able to focus full time on art. So many of the videos I see in my feed say "How to loosen up your work." I don't want to loosen up my work. I don't want to be an abstract or conceptual artist. I want to love what I love❣

I also work this way a lot, bouncing from painting to painting, sketchbook to sketchbook. If I'm not working on one thing very long, I tend to be so much more loose!

I also love that color

Amazing how the halo did change the whole look and tie it in. Love the rosey pink cheeks. Enjoying! Thanks so much.

Love the halo and the bright pink on the cheeks! Since you’ve mentioned how busy backgrounds are hard for you, what if you tried some simple tree shapes in the bright green? With maybe a more neutral green also. Just a thought. Another thought, what if the sun on the left had lines radiating to the halo on the right? I don’t know how to have a busy background either, but just brainstorming a bit as I watch your video. I really enjoy watching and can’t wait to have time to paint for myself! ❤

Love seeing you work like this. Very inspiring