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?

Give Yourself Permission to Experiment - Material Musings

This week’s Material Musings has been full of fabric, thread, slow stitching, beads, eco dyeing and plenty of experimenting.

I’ve been working with Seth Apter’s One Layer Away fabrics and Aurifil threads, creating everything from small fabric clusters to a stitched landscape filled with flowers, a little house, prickly pear and wisteria.

I’ve also started another piece using the patterned fabrics to create a face, experimenting with translucent paint over the fabric before adding more stitching, words and beads.

And, of course, there has been more eco and solar dyeing, that I will be using in future creative projects.

 

I used Avocado, neem leaves, annatto seeds and aloe vera, which have all produced their own colors which I am really excited to work with.

We can learn so much about how our fabrics will respond when we take time to play around with them and the rest of our supplies.  We can ask ourselves the question 'What if' and do something totally different to your work, sometimes you will like the results and sometimes not. 

 

What happens when you fray the edges of the fabric, or combine fabrics with beads, stitching or a discarded piece of jewelry? Sometimes you have to step out of your comfort zone try it to find out. 

Here is something that you can try: Choose three scraps from your fabric collection and spend a few minutes layering them together, don’t think about making a finished piece, and just ask yourself 'What could this become?' and you might be surprised where it will lead. I have shared three creative activities inspired by this episode over on Patreon, including a small fabric storytelling exercise, a fabric cluster activity and a simple 'What If…?' experiment. 

Head over to my Patreon post after watching the video and choose one of the activities to try.  And most importantly give yourself permission to play.

Stay blessed and be a blessing!

Making Zen is Coming Soon!! Register Now

 

Are you Ready to Stitch and Create?

I am so excited to announce that I will be teaching a workshop at this year’s Making Zen retreat, hosted by Zen Stitching!

If you aren’t familiar with Making Zen, it’s a fun and educational five-day online retreat for creative makers. There will be around 30 artists delivering pre-recorded workshops throughout the week that are designed to help you improve your techniques and learn new skills. The best part - besides the community connections and all those useful skills - is that it’s totally free to watch each presentation for 24 hours when it airs during the week of September 28th - October 2nd  2026!

Register HERE for FREE

There are some really talented folks lined up for this retreat, and I can’t wait to take in some of the presentations myself! I’m particularly looking forward to Lauren Webers Landscape Broach, and Lisa Goddards abstract Landscape. My own workshop will be Mixed Media Art Trinket Tags and I can’t wait to share it with you.

Mixed Media Trinket Tags

The Trinket Tags can be used in so many cool art journal or creative projects. and can be embellished as simply or as detailed as you require.

This retreat is going to be a lot of fun, and a great way to improve your craft or learn a new one. If you want to join in, You can Register Here for your FREE Seat

Last Day of the Back To Creativity Summit - Get Your VIP All Access Pass!!

 

The summit wraps tonight and so does access to the free 24-hour sessions.

If there's a session you missed a workshop you want to rewatch, or a project you want to come back to all year long then the VIP Pass keeps every one of the 31 sessions in your library. Forever.

Here's what you get:

• Lifetime access to all 31 sessions — watch anytime, as many times as you like

• 20 exclusive premium bonus resources from our presenters (a $2,181+ value)

• Come back to your favorite projects all year long — and beyond

• Starting at just $47 for lifetime access, these rates close once the summit ends.

Get your VIP All Access Pass

These are all some of my favorite activities - I am Looking forward to seeing what you create - Join us HERE

Check out the Teachers

We have had so much fun so far, all the teachers are offering additional goodies for you to access.  Why not take your time and work through the sessions at your own pace which you can do by upgrading to the pass.

Before you Go

Take a look at my Digital Art Papers that I create on Patreon.  You can see all the papers across the tiers HERE

Art Paper Flip Through: Heritage, Time & Layers of Becoming

 

Art Journal Paper Flip Through: Heritage, Time & Layers of Becoming

This month’s digital art papers are here, and I wanted to give you a closer look at the different designs, layers, colors and creative possibilities within the collection.

The theme for August is Heritage and Time: Layers of Becoming, and throughout the papers you’ll find many of the things I love bringing into my mixed media work -  faces, handmade stamps, doodled marks, textured surfaces, embossed metal, watercolor effects and lots of layered imagery.

August Sampler Edition 

One of the things I enjoy most about creating these papers is combining elements from my physical artwork with digital layers. It means that every page has lots of details that you can discover, cut, cover, paint into or use as inspiration for something completely different.

There are several editions available throughout the different Patreon tiers, beginning with the Sampler Edition on the Free tier - it is available as a free download until the end of the month. The Studio, Collectors and Atelier Edition are also available for separate purchase or join us on the tier.

August - Sampler Edition, Heritage & Time

You don’t have to use the papers exactly as they are, you might cut out one of the many tags, add paint, use one of the faces, make a bookmark, create a mini book or simply allow one of the color combinations to inspire your own artwork.

I especially love the black-and-white pages because they give you the opportunity to completely change the color palette and make the design your own.

Collectors Edition - Island & Nature

Sometimes we can put off creating because we feel we need a large block of time. But even five minutes of creative activity counts. You could spend those five minutes cutting out a few elements ready for another day.  The important thing is to give yourself permission to begin, experiment and especially play!!.

Five-Minute Creative Play

Choose one of your art papers and set a timer for five minutes.

• Cut out three small elements that catch your eye, perhaps the face in the image, a shape, or interesting color combination.

• Place them on a journal page without worrying about whether they traditionally “go together.”

• Move them around until something feels interesting.

• You don’t even have to glue them down.

• The purpose is simply to notice and explore.  

August Papers

You can see the full August paper flip through in the video, where you get a chance to see all the papers for this month.  Join us on Patreon where I share some additional ideas for using the papers.


I hope you find a little time this month to create, experiment and enjoy your papers.

Stay blessed and be a blessing

Art Journal Flip Through

 

Welcome to today's art journal we are doing a flip through of the pages.

You can access the papers by checking out the digital art papers that I have on my Patreon.  August Sampler papers are available for FREE until the end of August

Check out your papers HERE

Hand Dyed Fabric Experiments - Material Musings

 

Welcome to today's Material Musings.

I have been spending time experimenting with hand-dyed fabrics using materials from the garden and kitchen. Some pieces have been colored with turmeric, tea and annatto seeds, while others have been wrapped with bougainvillea, flamboyant leaves and sliced aloe vera.

One of the things I enjoy most about dyeing fabric is the element of surprise when you unroll the fabric and the randomness of the colors.  I have also been experimenting with solar dyeing by placing fabric, plant materials and water into glass jars and leaving them in the warmth of the sun. The fabrics were first soaked in an alum bath, which acts as a mordant and may help the color remain on the fabric.

You won't get a dramatic result from every experiment - it is just the beginning of the process and other things will be created from the fabric if it doesn't look how you imagine. Uneven pieces can be cut into strips, stitched into textile collages, added to a Kawandi inspired project which I have started.  The fabric can also be, stamped, painted, used for wax resist, handmade fabric beads and more.

Aloe Dyed Fabric

Sometimes the unexpected pieces become the most interesting ones.

Here are a few ideas to try out

Tea dyed fabric

Save used tea bags and soak a small piece of cotton fabric in strong tea. Fold, roll or tie the fabric before placing it into the dye to create lines and variations in color.

Experiment with color

Try turmeric for warm yellow tones or annatto seeds for shades of yellow and soft orange. Begin with small pieces of recycled cotton, old sheets or curtain lining.

Make marks with plants

Place sliced aloe vera, leaves or flower petals onto damp fabric. Fold or roll the fabric and allow it to dry before opening it. Notice the shapes, stains and marks left behind.

Transform an imperfect piece

Cut hand dyed fabric into smaller sections. Add stitching, stamping, beads or paint, or combine it with other scraps to create textile clusters or, journal cover.  Here the fabric pieces have had stamps, and other marks using paint

The most important part is to give yourself permission and time to experiment.  Learn to enjoy the process and remember- there are no mistakes, only new possibilities.

Stay blessed and be a blessing!

Before You Go

Have you checked out the Free Digital Art Papers on the Sampler Edition, that will be available for you to download until the end of the month to use in your art journals or creative projects.

Mixed Media Digital Art Series - August Papers

Realityarts Creative Archive - August 2026

The August Digital Art papers that were release for the Realityarts Creative Archive, bought a fresh set of collectable digital art papers, available in four tiers - Sampler, Studio, Collector, and Atelier.

The August 2026 Sampler Edition, titled Heritage & Time.  Each month you can access these papers for FREE for that month and it offers you a chance to try the papers in your art journals and/or creative projects.

  

Heritage & Time - August Papers 2026

Collectors Edition Papers Activity

Papers used in creative activities - 

You can 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 1000 videos, digital art and exclusive posts:

 

Studio Edition - Women and Memory, August 2026

 

Collectors Edition - Island & Nature - August 2026

 

Atelier Edition - Patterns & Structure - August 2026

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.

Collectors Edition Papers Activity

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. Our courses that are regularly being developed are for those who want to add to their learning and start to develop their own creative voice and style. You can check out some of the courses HERE

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? Which one is your favorite?

Back to Creativity Summit - Reserve Your FREE Spot

 

Back to Creativity Summit - 18th - 20th August

HobbyScool is hosting the Back-to-Creativity Summit, a free, 3-day virtual event running August 18–20, 2026, built for makers who want to put down the to-do list and pick their craft back up.

No expensive supplies to buy first. No “you have to already be good at this” requirement. Just three days of expert-led workshops you can follow along with from your own creative space.

Grab Your Free Spot on the Retreat HERE 

VIP All Access Pass

Don't worry about falling behind as there is a VIP option you can access which will give you Lifetime access to all the classes so you can take your time, repeat them as often as you need to and make it work for you! 

Before You Go

The Sampler Edition Digital Art Papers are still available for FREE to download until the end of July on my FREE tier on Patreon, you can use them in your art journals or creative projects.

Creative Tech Summer Retreat - It starts tomorrow, have you grabbed your spot?

 

The Creative Tech Summer Retreat -  Starts Tomorrow

The HobbyScool Creative Tech Summer Retreat starts tomorrow — and if you haven't registered yet, this is your last chance to grab your free spot.

• No prep needed tonight.
• No software to install in advance.
• ​Just register HERE, show up tomorrow, and start making.

Here's a quick look at what's coming: 

• Day 1 Tuesday, July 21: Cutting machines & vinyl crafts
• Day 2 Wednesday, July 22: Digital art & illustration in Procreate and Canva
• Day 3 Thursday, July 23: AI tools & turning your skills into income

Each day's sessions are free for 24 hours, so there's no pressure to watch everything live.  Check out all the speakers, we have an amazing lineup!

Grab Your Free Spot on the Retreat HERE

VIP All Access Pass

Don't worry about falling behind there is a VIP option you can access which will give you Lifetime access to all the classes so you can take your time, repeat them as often as you need to - make it work for you! 

Batik Inspired Fabric Using Wax, Ink and Dyes

 

Batik Inspired Fabric

I have been experimenting with a simple batik-inspired wax-resist technique to create patterned fabric for my mixed-media and textile projects.

What you will need:

• Tealight and candle wax or bees wax
• Recycled fabric - tea towel, old bedsheet
• Inks and dyes, shimmer misters
• paint brush (keep one just for this activity)

I began with pieces of cotton fabric and applied melted candle wax and beeswax in loose, random patterns across the fabric. 

I then added a mixture of shimmer sprays, leftover inks and orange fabric dye. Some of the bottles were almost empty, so this was also a great opportunity to use older supplies rather than allowing them to sit forgotten in the studio.

After adding the color, I placed the fabric inside a plastic bag and gently scrunched it together. This helped the colors blend and move into some of the uncolored spaces.

As the fabric dried, the colors softened and the wax-resist patterns became more visible. I especially loved the areas where the wax had cracked and allowed fine lines of color to bleed through.

Those unexpected marks inspire the next stage of the project and I see where intuitively I want to go. This is one of the things I enjoy most about experimenting with fabric. The first technique does not have to produce a finished piece. It can become the starting point for collage, stitching, art journaling, a wall hanging or another mixed-media project.

In the full Patreon post, I share more about the process, the materials I used and three creative activities you can try with your own wax-resist fabric, including creating a sampler, using up leftover color supplies and responding to the patterns with hand stitching.

Visit my Patreon page to read the complete post - HERE, see the finished fabric and explore the creative takeaways.

You may also spot a special appearance from Cole, my helpful studio assistant! 

Before You Go

As artists, most of us have been collecting supplies for many years, this is a great time to look at what you currently have before you consider going out to purchase something new.  I had some printer ink left over that I had brought at lease 20 years ago and it just sat there gathering dust as I didn't have the printer anymore.  I experimented and found it stains fabric, and you can get some interesting effects.  So take a look and you might surprise yourself.

You can find additional videos I created showing different wax resist experiments below and access my Full Material Musings playlist HERE

Behind the Scenes

If you want to check out behind the scenes and early release content then join us on my Patreon.  You will find over 1000 videos and digital art resources for you to use in your creative projects.  You can access my Patreon HERE

Download this months Sampler Edition Digital Art Papers for Free - You currently have 11 days left to access these papers for free!

If you want to take your learning further you can start in the Artist Resource Hub on my Course platform, this is also Free and there are many other courses that you can take a look at when you are ready.  

For now, stay blessed and be a blessing!!

Dreamboard Art Journal: Creating a Vision for Moving Forward

Creating a Vision for Moving Forward

Sometimes a journal page begins with a clear idea. I find that my pages usually begin with background colors that I may have added from extra paint, or a collection of papers on the page, waiting for me to begin.

I returned to a page that already contained layers of paint. I have several pages in my art journal waiting to be worked on and this is useful for when you have a fixed time to create.  I also had a bag filled with words and phrases collected from newspapers, magazines and I started to select encouraging and motivating words and phrases:

The words became the next layer of the page. and I thought that rather than creating a traditional vision board, I used the journal spread as a place to explore my intentions, hopes and creative direction.

You do not have to finish the page today

I find that one of the most freeing things about art journaling is that you don't have to finish a page in one sitting. You can prepare a background one day, add collage another day and return later with words, paint, stitching, texture or reflections. Each layer tells a different story.

When you are short of time, ask yourself 'what is the one small thing that I can add'? It can be a shape, extra paint/collage or some words that have meaning for you. It is a small step and helps keep you connected, especially when time is limited. 

The Page Can Continue to Grow

The journal page is a starting point not the final destination and you can return to it, you might later decide to write about why you chose the words and what they mean to you.  Use what you already have, one of the best things about this activity is that you do not need expensive materials.

You can use:

• · An existing art journal page

• Newspaper and magazine words

• Old newsletters or brochures

• Scrap paper

• Glue or matte medium

• Gesso

• Water-soluble pencils or crayons

• Acrylic paint

• Stencils or sequin waste

• Metallic paint

• A paintbrush or palette knife

Here are specific supplies I used (do check what you have before buying something else)  

Inktense Pencils - https://amzn.to/4wNCfOC 

Gesso - https://amzn.to/3TkIDyb 

Shimmer Misters - https://amzn.to/4fFGG8d 

Gold Paint - https://amzn.to/3TFdUfj 

Sequin waste or your favorite stencils - https://amzn.to/4bt1I7A

Now, go see what you have in your creative space to start your own page and have fun!!