Making Fodder with Carrie Smith - Fodder School 4

 As one of the teachers on Fodder School 4 we also get to work alongside the lessons and share our take of the teacher for the months lesson.

This month we see Carrie Smith and her delightful embellished circles that will be used for a later 'Use Fodder Project' which I will share in the next post.

For now I have been having fun creating these embellished circles and getting them ready for their next stage.

Here are some of them:

I created a bonus lesson which shows you how to turn your practice or 'wipe off paper' in to lovely circles that you can use in this project.

You can check out Fodder School and Carrie Smiths Art and some of the other designs that I have done on my Instagram - HERE.  Fodder School 5 will be starting in October more information HERE

Before Your Go

Material Musings - August Projects

 Welcome to this week's Material Musings

Here are some of the projects that I will be working on over the coming weeks.  I am going to do a larger Kawandi and I will show you my progress in the next episode.  I also have a few creative projects and lessons that I am creating and will share in a few weeks.

I have also stitched more of the encouraging words to go on completed projects, they always come in handy and it is great to be stitching things that will encourage and motivate.

Come and join us next time in Material Musings and bring what you are working on.  I would love to see!

Before you go

Check out the FREE papers for this month in Patreon

Arts and Wellness Cafe - Consistency

 

Welcome to August in the Arts and Wellness Cafe.

It also happens to be my birthday month and I have been leaning into one word 'consistency'. It’s been showing up in how I am viewing my art, my health and the way I show up as a creative.   

Check out the August papers for FREE HERE

I’ve shared new digital art papers on Patreon (free and paid tiers) which are now available on my Patreon, starting at the FREE papers.  I enjoyed the Filling The Creative Well” challenge and I will be adding it to the course platform so you can dip into it when you have a moment and there will be other additions to help support your creative journey.  

My collaboration with Fodder School and Art Foamies brought six beautiful female-figure foam stamps to life, and I popped up on a podcast too!

Beacon - set of 2 ArtFoamies  Check out the Full Sets HERE

        

This weeks nuggets:

• Break big dreams into small daily steps.
• Use free resources and keep growing.
• Look after your body - rest when needed.
• Let your art inspire and support others.

Let me know some of the ways you will be showing up for yourself this week

Stay blessed and be a blessing!

Illustrated Foam Stamps Collaboration - ArtFoamies and Fodder School

  

Introducing My ArtFoamies Collection — Creative Companions for Your Art Practice

I’m thrilled to finally share something very special with you, a selection of my hand-drawn illustrations have been transformed into foam stamps in a beautiful collaboration between Fodder School and ArtFoamies.  Click on the images to purchase.

 

Bantu Knots - Set 1

The collection includes three unique sets, each featuring two illustrated figures — six muses in total and I hope you will get to know and use them in your creative activities. I think of them as creative companions, figures who carry presence, power, and story. They are part of a wider lineage of muses I’ve developed, each one rooted in heritage and embodied creativity.  

 

Nkosi - Set 1  

These designs are inspired by the adornment traditions of African women and the vibrant spiritual memory seen in natural and traditional hairstyles across the African continent, the Caribbean, and the global African diaspora. There is something deeply regal and grounded about each of these figures. They hold stillness, beauty, and grace and I hope you enjoy creating with them.  

Uplift - Set 3  

They are designed to be more than just stamps. Use them on paper, fabric, canvas, or journal pages. Print, paint, embellish, stitch and let them join you on your creative adventures.  Explore them and their variations as you create.  

Vessel - Set 3   

The collection is now available at the ArtFoamies Website. You can check them out HERE

Check out Kae Pea from ArtFoamies and her video using the stamps on acetate on YouTube HERE she shared various ways you could use them with magazines.  

Wrapped -  Set 2

Beacon - Set 2  

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing more about the stories behind these muses, how I use them in my own work, and inspiration to help you make them your own.  Our FREE Tier Patrons get early access, so why not come and join us!

Stay blessed and be a blessing 

Digital Art Papers August - Patreon

 

 

Here are the selection of papers for August's Digital Download on Patreon for the $3 Tier.

   If you join us on the $3 Tier you will have access to all the previously posted content which spans 3 years and includes digital and video resources for your creative project. 

We have a Free Tier and a set of papers for you to access for the month and a series of exclusive posts and videos on the tier so that you can wet your feet and see how you like it.   

 

Free Tier Papers 

The aim for the papers are to encourage you to do something creative with what you have and provide you with beautiful imagery that you can play around with.

 

It is very important to find ways in which you can motivate and encourage yourself, especially in those times where you are feeling off or if you want a low energy project or even only have a short time.

The digital downloads are available on Patreon for you to enjoy, why not come and check it out and have a play with the papers..

Find out more HERE

Declaration - Filling the Creative Well - Blog Series

 

You made it – thank you so much for joining me on this journey.  

Taking part in any challenge however long is an amazing feat, If you showed up for any or all of the days, Thank you so much!  You showed up for creativity, courage, and commitment. That’s worth celebrating!

I have taken part in many challenges over the years, and there are always nuggets of inspiration that you can get from each challenge, and often if you have completed all the small tasks you now have a body of work you can expand on.  

Even if you only did a few days there is something to be gained, you might decide to go over the tasks again and give yourself more time.

I will be creating a FREE course on my platform that you can come back to anytime you want to refresh yourself with the activities and suggestions.  There will also be a few additional guides, checklists, audio files that you can access as well. 

What can you do?

• Journal about your creative identity. Celebrate it visually in a page with your art supplies.  
• What do you want to say about your creative self now? What are you claiming or stepping into?
• You might write a love letter to yourself, or a simple declaration like: “I am an artist and these are the things that I like” 
• Then, turn it into a page that reflects your journey - use your favorite colors and supplies. Add elements that you like using - anything that makes you smile.

This is your creative celebration. Let your light Shine.

Takeaway Nuggets:

·        Celebrating yourself deepens your creative confidence.

·        Step into the Artist that you are!

 

Remember to check out the course platform and sign up for the challenge and additional support materials, you can access it whenever you want and it is a great companion to the Full Course - Filling the Creative Well

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Check out some of the free and paid resources below to enhance your creative journey 

Course Platform - there are a variety of FREE courses and resources for you to use in your creative practice.

FREE Tier - Patreon - I have a Free Tier on Patreon that has a selection of early release posts and monthly Digital Download Papers for you to use in your creative projects - Learn More Here  You can access FREE papers each month.

YouTube - Weekly Videos to encourage your creative practice, Slow stitching, art journaling and Artists chats - Learn More Here

Check out Filling the Creative Well which helps you establish your creative practice. In the course Filling the Creative Well, your journal is also a place to answer questions, encourage and motivate you, some days you need a reminder and so filling it with encouraging words so that you can come back to it, especially in those days where you are in a valley is really important. .

Reflect and Revisit - Filling the Creative Well Blog Series

 

Today we take a gentle pause to look back. 

Reflection is a powerful part of our creative process, t is where we get to turn experience into insight, pages into patterns, and effort into wisdom.

Overall, what exercises were you able to do? What resonated with you and why?

What themes or images repeat in your work? Are there certain colors that keep showing up? Did anything surprise you? What felt hard, and what flowed easily?

What you can try

• Let yourself revisit one page that feels unfinished or sparks additional thought, what comes up for you?  
• Do you feel like adding to it, maybe a word comes up for you.  
• Follow the Threads - Add to it, write beside it, collage over it. Or just sit with it and notice what it taught you.

Reflection doesn’t have to be heavy. It’s simply noticing and acknowledging your growth.

Takeaway Nuggets:

1. Reflection turns your creative experience into meaningful growth.
2. Every page carries a lesson - if you pause to receive it.

👇👇👇👇👇👇

Check out some of the free and paid resources below to enhance your creative journey 

Course Platform - there are a variety of FREE courses and resources for you to use in your creative practice.

FREE Tier - Patreon - I have a Free Tier on Patreon that has a selection of early release posts and monthly Digital Download Papers for you to use in your creative projects - Learn More Here

YouTube - Weekly Videos to encourage your creative practice, Slow stitching, art journaling and Artists chats - Learn More Here

Check out Filling the Creative Well which helps you establish your creative practice. In the course Filling the Creative Well, your journal is also a place to answer questions, encourage and motivate you, some days you need a reminder and so filling it with encouraging words so that you can come back to it, especially in those days where you are in a valley is really important. .

Break the Rules - Filling the Creative Well - Blog Series

There are no rules in how you want to express yourself creatively and it is entirely up to you what mediums you use and the combinations.

A lot of us still carry around the negative talk of others, ‘don’t make a mess’, ‘stay within the line’, ‘you’ll never be’ – and fill in the gap for the fragments of negativity buried deep within needs to be excavated and released. Today, break them.

What you can try

• Choose one creative “rule” you usually follow and break it boldly. Let that spark a wild, free page.
• Paint off the edge. Use your non-dominant hand. Cut a hole in the paper. Tape something in backwards. Turn your journal upside down. Layer paint before it's dry. 
• Use a tool “incorrectly.” Delight in the freedom of doing things your own way. Think outside of the box.
• This exercise reminds you that you are in charge of your practice. You get to choose what works for you.

What rules have you been following without even noticing? Today, drop them. And see what happens.

Takeaway Nuggets:

1. Rule-breaking leads to creative liberation.
2. Art becomes more alive when we stop trying to “get it right.”

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Check out some of the free and paid resources below to enhance your creative journey 

Course Platform - there are a variety of FREE courses and resources for you to use in your creative practice.

FREE Tier - Patreon - I have a Free Tier on Patreon that has a selection of early release posts and monthly Digital Download Papers for you to use in your creative projects - Learn More Here

YouTube - Weekly Videos to encourage your creative practice, Slow stitching, art journaling and Artists chats - Learn More Here

Check out Filling the Creative Well which helps you establish your creative practice. In the course Filling the Creative Well, your journal is also a place to answer questions, encourage and motivate you, some days you need a reminder and so filling it with encouraging words so that you can come back to it, especially in those days where you are in a valley is really important. .

Follow the Fun - Filling the Creative Well - Blog Series

What lights you up creatively? What brings a smile to your face, makes you laugh, or makes time disappear - those moments where you have been creating when it seems like only a few moments have passed but you have been creating for several hours, it is amazing and delightful when that happens you have been totally immersed in the activity.  Where do you find your creative joy? 

Creative fun can look like whatever you want it to be, and you can have several different activities which take you to that place where you can just play.  Fun might look like cutting up paper scraps, splattering paint, playing with stickers, drawing wonky characters, or writing poetry from the words you cut out of a magazine. It doesn’t have to be meaningful or serious it is about loosening the reins and going with the flow.

 

We can forget to follow the fun in our art because we think it has to “matter” or be impressive. It also sometimes gets caught up in the words of the ‘critic’ who will lurk in the background of our minds and have some throwaway negative comment.  So having these fun and creative activities is a great way to ‘do it anyway. 

 

Following what delights you leads to authenticity in your work will help you grow into your style, and your creative truth.

What you can try 

• Choose your favorite supply and go wild. Let joy be the only goal. Follow the fun and create without editing or overthinking.
• Make something just for the joy of it. No meaning. No message. Just fun.

Takeaway Nuggets:

1. Joy is a powerful guide to creative flow.
2. Art doesn’t have to be serious to be meaningful.

👇👇👇👇👇👇

Check out some of the free and paid resources below to enhance your creative journey 

Course Platform - there are a variety of FREE courses and resources for you to use in your creative practice.

FREE Tier - Patreon - I have a Free Tier on Patreon that has a selection of early release posts and monthly Digital Download Papers for you to use in your creative projects - Learn More Here

YouTube - Weekly Videos to encourage your creative practice, Slow stitching, art journaling and Artists chats - Learn More Here

Check out Filling the Creative Well which helps you establish your creative practice. In the course Filling the Creative Well, your journal is also a place to answer questions, encourage and motivate you, some days you need a reminder and so filling it with encouraging words so that you can come back to it, especially in those days where you are in a valley is really important. .

Listen to the Page - Filling the Creative Well - Blog Series

 

Sometimes we approach a blank page with all our ideas already formed or sometimes we look at a blank page and nothing comes to us. But what if the page itself had something to say?

Today is an invitation to slow down and listen.

 

What is it that you want to say about your creative journey.  Visually these moments can be meditative as we practice being still and listening.  When we listen, the page becomes more than a canvas, it becomes a companion. A mirror. A witness. And sometimes, that is where the real magic happens.

What you can try

• Start without a plan. Choose one color, one tool, and one word or shape. Add, pause, listen. Let the page guide your next steps.
• Instead of forcing an idea or trying to make something beautiful, begin your page with gentle observation. Start with a color that feels right. Let your hand make marks without a goal. Pause. What’s emerging? What does the page need? A little space? A layer of texture? A word?
• Treat your page like a living thing. Let it guide you. Try responding instead of directing. This type of intuitive creation opens the door to new discoveries it’s less about control and more about connection.

Takeaway Nuggets:

• Intuition deepens when we slow down and respond to the process.
• The page becomes a mirror when we truly listen.

👇👇👇👇👇👇

Check out some of the free and paid resources below to enhance your creative journey 

Course Platform - there are a variety of FREE courses and resources for you to use in your creative practice.

FREE Tier - Patreon - I have a Free Tier on Patreon that has a selection of early release posts and monthly Digital Download Papers for you to use in your creative projects - Learn More Here

YouTube - Weekly Videos to encourage your creative practice, Slow stitching, art journaling and Artists chats - Learn More Here

Check out Filling the Creative Well which helps you establish your creative practice. In the course Filling the Creative Well, your journal is also a place to answer questions, encourage and motivate you, some days you need a reminder and so filling it with encouraging words so that you can come back to it, especially in those days where you are in a valley is really important. .

Zoom Out + Celebrate - Filling the Creative Well - Blog Series

Think about your creative practice and how many times you have shown up for yourself and celebrate. If you have been joining me daily on this journey then You have made past the halfway mark, now take time to zoom out, reflect, and celebrate. You’ve shown up for your creative self for 26+ days. That’s no small thing.

As you look back through your journal or art pieces. What do you see? How have you grown, where have you shown courage? What does your creative voice sound like. These are the fruits of your commitment you have shown to yourself.

What you can try 

• Create a page that celebrates this journey so far. 
• Take a moment to celebrate yourself today. 
• Make a joyful page, dance, write yourself a love letter. Share your work if it feels right.

Takeaway Nuggets:

1. Completion is a form of creative joy. 
2. Your journey matters—every single step.

👇👇👇👇👇👇

Check out some of the free and paid resources below to enhance your creative journey 

Course Platform - there are a variety of FREE courses and resources for you to use in your creative practice.

FREE Tier - Patreon - I have a Free Tier on Patreon that has a selection of early release posts and monthly Digital Download Papers for you to use in your creative projects - Learn More Here

YouTube - Weekly Videos to encourage your creative practice, Slow stitching, art journaling and Artists chats - Learn More Here

Check out Filling the Creative Well which helps you establish your creative practice. In the course Filling the Creative Well, your journal is also a place to answer questions, encourage and motivate you, some days you need a reminder and so filling it with encouraging words so that you can come back to it, especially in those days where you are in a valley is really important. .