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. 

Are You Joining us? The Art of Handmade has started!!

  

Are you ready to join us at the HobbyScool Art of Handmade Summit which started on Tuesday  If you haven't registered yet, this is your last chance to grab your free spot.

There is no preparation needed. No special supplies to gather in advance. Just register, show up and start making.  Here is a reminder of the speakers taking part - today is the last day.

Whether you tried botanical printing for the first time, finally sat down with polymer clay, or experimented with a technique you'd been curious about, I hope you walk away with at least one new skill, and something you actually made with your own hands, so give yourself some space and join us.  Today the topics are clay, wood and diy.

I played around with some Eco dyeing with avocado seeds yesterday and got some nice results that I will eventually be doing some wax resist on the fabric and using it in my mixed media projects.

 

The Art of Handmade VIP All Access Pass is also available, especially if you want to revisit any of the sessions, go over the instructions and experiment with different supplies.  The VIP Pass gives you lifetime access to all 31 workshops and 24 premium bonus resources, a fantastic selection of resources

Register for the Summit HERE FREE right now!

Before You Go

Check out the mixed media digital art papers that I release on my Patreon tiers, this gives you a closer look.  

I have created art process videos to show you a few ways to use the papers in your art journals and creative projects.  You can highlight the images or blend them into the background and create your own image.

Each month I offer my Sampler Edition of digital art papers for FREE for that month, but you are equally welcome to join us on Patreon to access the additional Patreon only content.

Whatever you do stay creative, and find some time each day just for you, Stay blessed and be a blessing!!

Making Zen Online Retreat - VIP Access is now Open!!

Making Zen is a five-day online retreat that’s full of inspiration and creativity - there are almost forty workshops delivered by different artists over the course of the week! There are six pre-recorded presentations that will become available each weekday from 28 September - 2 October, and it’s totally free to attend those presentations for 24 hours after they are released.

There are so many of the projects that I am excited to make, here is one of them by artist Lisa Goddard and her abstract landscapes.  

That is the great thing about the VIP early release, you get to access the sessions 2 weeks before the official start.  I use this time to decide which project I want to try first, see what materials that I already have and get an understanding of the project.  You also get:

​🖤Lifetime access to all of the workshops happening during retreat week 

🖤Access to extra-special gifts from the presenting artists

🖤Additional workshops from the archives of past retreats to explore

🖤A beautiful resource book with all of the retreat worksheets

🖤Immediate access to the entire retreat

​For my VIP offering, I’m contributing my course 'Mixed Media Tag Embellishments' A Fantastic way to make embellishments from some of the supplies that you already have, and ways you can decorate them to look unique'

 

At regular price, the VIP Pass is great value, with over $4000 in value for just $147 USD. But if you get your Pass before the retreat officially begins on 28 September, you can get the early bird discount - at just $97 USD!

I hope you join us even if it is only for the 5 days.  If you have any questions about my lesson, do not hesitate to ask.

Sign up for the RETREAT and 

learn more about the VIP ACCESS Pass HERE

The Art of Handmade starts Next Week - Have you grabbed your spot yet?

 

In one week the HobbyScool Art of Handmade Summit gets started

If you've been meaning to register, now is the time, it's free, it's online, and it starts Tuesday, 15th September.   Whilst I won't be teaching on this Summit, I am preparing my supplies for the lessons to come and there are many that I am looking forward to.

Here's a quick look at what's coming each day and how I am preparing:

Day 1 - Tuesday 15th September 

There are eleven workshops in paper crafts, botanical printing, mini albums, art journaling, interactive cards, and hand-drawn florals you can start and finish in a sitting.

I have several handmade art journals that I will be selecting for the lessons.  I love creating hand drawn florals and have started to practice with fine liner pens and watercolors.  This floral image is an example of an alternative way to create florals using scrap papers that had been painted and stamped, then a flower shape created and additional mark making added. 

Day 2 - Wednesday 16th September 

The workshops are around sewing, embroidery, knitting, crochet, and macrame - workshops for those who love working with thread, yarn, and fabric.

This is another area that I am looking forward to, I love creating fabric art journals, or wall hangings and then adding my own embellishments, and bead, it is a lot of fun.  Here is an example of one of my Fabric art journals with all its embellishments.

Day 3 - Thursday, September 17

On the final day the workshops will include polymer clay, mixed media, knitting, quilting, fabric painting, home decor, and hands-on projects that don't fit in a box with something for everyone.

Texture is my thing as well, so I will be experimenting and playing in my journal and stepping out of my comfort zone with some of the projects.  I have several packets of polymer clay that I have held on to - time to use them and create something fabulous!

Each day's sessions are free for 24 hours and there is no pressure to watch everything live, you can also access the VIP Pass.  I hope to see you at this summit

Register free for the Art of Handmade Here

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Before You Go

The Making Zen Summit follows swiftly and will start on the 28th September - 2nd October.  You will have 5 fun packed and inspiring days to check out 30+ lessons, and as I have shared previously, I will be teaching on this summit - and I am so excited to share my lesson with you.

Be sure to access your FREE pass to Making Zen.  I would love to see what you make in my lesson, and will be sharing on my IG Stories if you tag me @realityarts

Sign up for your FREE pass for Making Zen HERE

Check out the schedule for both summits and let me know what your top 3 mediums to work in?

Textile Practice and Play - Material Musings

 

Fabric Play: Use What You Have and See What Happens

Creativity is not always about starting something new.  You can very easily start pulling out fabrics, threads and your scraps and give yourself permission to play - right where you are.

I have been working a lot with stitched projects - I am one of the teachers in the upcoming - Making Zen - Find out more HERE.  I have been experimenting with the hand dyed fabrics and wax resist, and my favorite beads and other embellishments, and I am having so much fun.  

One of my biggest reminders is to not 'save' everything for that perfect project that never materializes.  I have so many fabrics that I became (or still am) too precious about, and this is something I have also done with art supplies - then when I go to use them, they are dried up and you have to throw them away.  

Sometimes you don't know exactly what you want to do with that 'special' piece of fabric, you don't want to cut it, but eventually I reminded myself that I could always create more eco dyed and wax resist fabric, but if I never used them then I would not discover what the pieces might become. 

Creative play is also one of the ways we learn.

We discover how our threads behave, which colors work together, how stitching changes a fabric and what happens when we combine things we may not normally put together.  Here is something you can try:

Make a Mini Fabric Cluster

• Gather five small fabric scraps from your supplies.
• Choose different colors, patterns or textures and arrange them into a small layered cluster.
• Add a few stitches to hold everything together.
• If you have them, add a bead, button or small piece of ribbon.
• Don’t plan too much. Give yourself 10-15 minutes to experiment.

Your little cluster could eventually become part of a journal cover, fabric book, textile collage, tag or larger stitched project.  With the scraps I had above I made a couple of snippet rolls that I will use in some of my projects.

Most importantly, allow yourself to play, there are no mistakes only opportunities to learn a little more about your supplies and your own creative style.  Use what you have! experiment, stitch, and see where your session takes you

Before You Go

I am teaching in Making Zen Online Retreat that is free to join.  We will be creating mini trinket tags, we will be gathering our fabrics, slow stitching and adding our embellishments, so if you like you can join us and practice some more with what you have.

Sign up to Making Zen HERE

If you sign up for the VIP Pass you will also get access to my course showing you how to make additional embellishments for your Trinket Tags or creative projects.

Learn More about Making Zen Here

Digital Art - Realityarts Creative Archive - September 2026

This month's release for the Realityarts Creative Archive, brings a fresh set of collectable digital art papers, available in four tiers - Sampler, Studio, Collector, and Atelier.

The September 2026 Sampler Edition, titled Heritage & Time is free to download until 30th September and offers you a chance to try the papers in your art journals and/or creative projects.

 

Heritage & Time - September Papers 2026

Join the FREE Tier on Patreon to access the papers, along with project ideas, behind the scenes video and early release posts, along with other 'member only' content.  Free members can enjoy the monthly papers while spending creative time. You can join us HERE

Additional papers for this month are available for purchase or by joining the respective tier, and also gives you access to over 900 videos, digital art and exclusive posts:

 

Studio Edition - Women and Memory, September 2026

 

Collectors Edition - Island & Nature - September 2026

 

Atelier Edition - Patterns & Structure - September 2026

As you can see we have some really lovely papers this month, available on the tiers as well as to purchase separately.  On my Patreon platform you get to watch Patron Exclusive posts, see behind the scenes content and get early access to the videos that I create and post on my YouTube Channel.  Each month I use the papers in different projects to give you additional inspiration when using them for yourself.  If you are ready to move your creative journey to the next step then come and join us.

As a Patreon Member you will also get a discount off any of the courses I create on my Course Platform - check out the 'Collections tab' to get your appropriate discount.  You can check out the course platform HERE. If you would like to add to your learning - then you are in the right place!  Our courses are regularly being developed for those who want to add to their learning and start to develop their own creative voice and style.

I hope you join us and use the digital art papers in your creative projects and art journals and I look forward to seeing how you get on.

Which of the papers this month are speaking to you?