Making Zen Starts Tomorrow! - 28th Sept!!

 

We are on the final day before Making Zen Online Retreat starts.

We will be bringing the first set of workshops tomorrow Monday 28th September and it is going to be an amazing start to the retreat.

There will be six presentations available each day and you will be able to view them for 24 hours, as long as you are registered for the retreat.

My workshop Introduction to Trinket Tags will be airing on Thursday 1st October, and I am excited to see what you create.  Make sure to check out the other days for all the other fascinating topics too!

Imagine if you could take off the whole week to focus on your learning, creating and spending time with the creative community, that would be great, then you could watch all 30 presentations and make, laugh and just feel joyful.  But for many it is not a possibility, but there is a solution.

So, If you find that 24 hours of access is not enough, there’s also an option to purchase the VIP Pass, which gives you lifetime access to the 30 pre-recorded workshops, as well as a special gift from each of the presenting artists. There are other resources included too, like the Making Zen ebook and access to some special workshops from the archives of past retreats. 

If that’s something you’re interested in, it’s a good idea to get that now - it’s currently on sale for the Early Bird price of $97, but once the retreat starts tomorrow, it goes back up to the regular price of $147 USD!

Come and join in on the fun, you can get all the details for the free ticket and for the VIP Pass HERE

I hope you join us and have a fun and creative week, if you have any questions about my Trinket Tags you can send me a DM on Instagram @realityarts.

Creating Art Journal Pockets

Art Journal Pockets are fun to create, and in this video we work on an art journal page, whilst also taking time out for ourselves. 

It is also important in your day to find a way to be still, unwind and focus say on your breath, your surroundings, or go out in nature. We should also take time to spend creatively doing something that doesn't necessarily have a fixed outcome.

So I will show you how to create a pocket and then we will spend 10 minutes chill time mark marking or doodling and see where it takes you.

Supplies needed:

• Junk Journal
• Paper for pocket (page from a book)
• markers for doodling
• Bone Folder
• Hot glue gun
• Celotape

Before You Go

Making Zen is in a few days - sign up FREE HERE

I am giving away a spot on Gratitude Junk Journal - leave a comment on my post on Instagram HERE and for an extra chance to win a spot enter HERE

Hope you enjoy!

Gratitude Junk Journal, 10th Anniversary - Giveaway

 

I have wonderful news to share with you.

I will be teaching on the Gratitude Junk Journal, which will start 1st - 30th November.

Before it begins, I want to give one lucky person a chance to get a Complimentary seat.

• All you have to do is be following me on Instagram @realityarts - You can check it HERE

• Comment below or on the post (on Instagram) 3 things that you are grateful for.

You can get an additional chance to win HERE

The Giveaway ends close of the day 28th September 2026 11.59pm EST,

Good luck!!

Material Musings: Small Scraps, Lovely Possibilities - Fabric and Felt Fiesta

 

What could you create with those little pieces of fabric you’ve been saving?

In this week’s Material Musings, I’m bringing together fabric scraps, rediscovering my felt supplies and giving some much-loved clothing a little more attention. There’s so much to explore with materials we already have!

 

I’ve been making small fabric clusters, layering leftover pieces onto hand-dyed fabric and adding stitches. These little clusters can become embellishments for journals, bags or larger textile projects, whatever I decide. They’re also lovely to keep nearby for those moments when you want to create but aren’t quite sure where to begin.

A little creative detour led me back to felt, and I remembered how much I enjoy working with it. Adding stitches and French knots gave additional texture to the surface. Sometimes seeing a familiar material in a different way is enough to get us excited again.

I also shared a comfortable top that I’ve been patching as holes appear. I love the thought that, over time, it might become covered in fabric and stitching—a piece that changes with me. Even an upcycling experiment that didn’t turn out as planned offered something useful: sections of crochet that I can use in my trinket tags.

Before You Go

Something for you to try: Make one small fabric cluster

Choose three scraps and layer them onto a small piece of soft backing fabric. Attach them with a few simple running stitches, then add a button or a little contrasting thread if you wish.

Keep it small enough to enjoy without feeling you have another big project to finish. You can decide what to do with it later!

Join me over on Patreon for more creative reflections and three activities to help you explore your scraps, stitching and forgotten supplies.