Arts and Wellness Cafe - Personal Growth and Development

Come and join me in the Arts and Wellness Cafe, it is always great to have you accompany me as we ponder on the various aspects of Arts and Creativity.

In todays video I wanted you to think about ways in which you invest in your creativity and work on your growth.  It is important that you are constantly learning.  It might be a subject that you want to experiment in - there are so many free tutorials around that you can access, books that you can read.  You only have to decide what the subject will be.

I have been one of the teachers who shared a taster session on Life Book recently and my session was all about creative play.  I love working with different and new supplies and constantly look at ways in which I can do more with the supplies that I have.  If you didn't get to see my finished piece it is below.

Life Book Taster Session - Amanda Trought

The great thing about Life Book is the amount of lessons that you are getting, a wide selection of teachers and techniques, so you will be spoilt for choice at the range of techniques, you also get to continue to have access to the FREE taster sessions if you didn't get to complete them all.  It is also a useful idea to redo some of them using different supplies.  I would love to see what you do using different supplies with my session.

You can sign up for the Full 2021 Life Book Course HERE Remember to use the 20% discount code FEELHAPPY20 at the checkout.

The other thing that I am excited to share is some of the Eco-dyeing with Avocado seed.  Artist Dylan Sara shared how to create your own inks as part of his Life Book Taster Session.  I decided to experiment and see what effects I would get dyeing fabric, and here are a few of the designs that I did:

Avocado Eco Dyed

I created a paste and applied the avocado seed to fabric

Avocado Eco Dyed Fabric

I allowed it to dry in the sunshine and it acted like a resist.

I will be sharing the process I used in another video, you can see in the video above some of the results once the avocado has been washed off.  It was great fun to do and I shall be looking forward to adding them to my fabric stash and getting to use them.

Creating a Sculptural Loom - Recycled Materials

Sculptural Looms 

One of the things that I have always done is make something out of the things that I have, looking at things with new eyes and seeing what else I can do with them.

Sculptural Loom made with Paint Brushes

In this video I will be sharing with you how I alter old paint brushes and marker pens to use in another creative project. I will be showing you how the sculptural looms came about for me. It is essentially a loom that you create a woven piece on then you decorate with beading and jewelry and create a mini wall hanging.

In the next video in this series I will share with you how I weave on the looms.

Thank you for joining me on this creative journey.  One of the things that I want you to leave with is that you can try any creative activity that you would like.  You don't have to stick to one thing you can see what it is like and make your mind up from there - life is too short to be holding yourself back!!!

Other Great News!!

Life Book Taster session have been EXTENDED until 18th October, so you have a bit more time to go through all the FREE sessions.  Let me know how you get on with mine, and there is a question about the critic that it would be great to get your perspective on.  If you haven't yet had a chance to sign up you can do so HERE

Registration has opened for Life Book 2021 if you are considering Signing Up you can get 20% discount using the code FEELHAPPY20

I have two great sessions to share (we will be working with a clay project and a slow stitched project)

SIGN UP HERE

When you get a chance subscribe to my YouTube channel if you haven't already.  I have lots of tutorials and art videos coming up for you to continue to wet your feet and enjoy.  Tomorrow I will be sharing in the Arts and Wellness Cafe, you can see back recordings HERE

Creating with Neocolors

Do you have art supplies that are just sitting there waiting for you to use them but you said they were for 'best'?  You were waiting for that time to come when you would use them, but when you eventually did go to use them you found that they had either dried up or disintegrated.

That has happened on a number of occasions and I should have learnt by now, but from time to time I still use the cheaper products on myself and the more expensive ones for the 'professional work'

I know Neocolors are not the most expensive water-soluble wax pastels you can get but they did cost quite a lot back in the day and they were definitely not going to be used in my art journals but I had to wait for a canvas before I used them.  Well - No more!!  

I decided that all my supplies were fair game and that if there was anyone that I should be using them for it should be me and my creative growth.  This would mean that to value myself I needed to use supplies which I value on myself rather than wait!  It is not a nice feeling to go to use your supplies and find after years of putting them on a pedestal they are not useable.  

The video shows you my creative play with the Neocolors, and when you are playing it doesn't have to have a specific outcome, just spend time with the supply and this will also help you to get to know them.

Neo  Colors come in tins of 10, 15, 30, 40 If you would like to try working with Neo Colors you can check them out on Amazon HERE

Arts and Wellness Cafe - Nurture and Unleash your Creativity

Come and join me in the most recent Arts and Wellness Cafe where you are encouraged to unleash your creativity.  Start trying new things, revive some of those art supplies that are just sitting down doing nothing.  If you are not familiar with the way they work then ask, take a course - you can even connect with me and I will show you how - you can take a look through my YouTube videos and you may find the answers there, above all, just don't give up.

Another thing that you need to be mindful of is 'self nurture' - it is alright not to have everything planned out all the time.  Sometimes you need to take stock, take a break, really look at where it is that you are going creatively and in other areas of your life.

Looking after yourself using creative activities have an amazing effect, and you have to also look after your supplies and where your creative practice takes place.

I also mention Life Book Taster Sessions, I hope that you have signed up and making the most of the art activities and free gifts and who knows you may be one of the ones who win one of the 40 places that are being given away.  My session is going live on Tuesday 6th October and I hope you can join me and let me know how you get on.  You can sign up HERE if you haven't already.

On Monday I will be starting my Podcast series again and Mondays is Creating in Faith where we look at a word and spend time reflecting You can check it out HERE

Arts and Wellness Café - What is part of your creative practice?

 Arts and Wellness Cafe

Join me in the Arts and Wellness Café as we look at the idea of having a creative practice. What is it that you turn to to get you back on track.

I always begin my day in my studio with a cup of herbal and a cup of ordinary tea, light my oil burner and sage stick and then allow myself to play with materials and supplies.

Cup of Green Tea made with Flower petals clitoria ternatea

I have recorded a video on the flower, it has a lovely color and you can see it HERE on my YouTube Channel.

At the end of the Arts and Wellness video I share with you some of the projects that I am working on - I am really excited, I have been pushing myself in a variety of directions.

What ever you do in your creative space, make sure that you spend time on you!

While you are at it, remember to take a look at the Life Book FREE Taster Session HERE 

Life Book Teachers for 2021

Get 20% off when you Pre-Book

It will be starting Tomorrow (Monday 28th and continue to the 11th October)

I also share some of the things that I have been working on in the studio.  I have been experimenting with Leather and working with a wood burning tool to create patterns and designs

Designs in Leather

You can check out some of the wood burning tools HERE and HERE on Amazon  You can also take a look at some of my favorite supplies HERE

Let me know what your creative practice comprises of and how you deal with the times when you don't feel like creating.

Stay blessed and be a blessing.

Would you like 30 FREE Art Sessions? We will be starting Soon 👀👀

 

Free Taster Sessions Event  Life Book 2021. We have a week to go before we begin 2 weeks of fun creative immersion! All for FREE, it is going to be amazing! Have you signed up to join us yet? The team over at at Willowing have worked very hard to present you with another FREE Taster Event, This time, it's for Life Book 2021, which has is also now available to pre-order I began my Mixed Media Art journey taking the classes in Life Book around 2008!! and I am so stoked years later to be one of the teachers on the Year Long Course!!   Life Book 2021 will feature dozens of amazing artists of which I am proud to be one and will bring you the best art classes focused on YOU and your well-being!! You can pre-order the full course right now! :) Hop on over here to pre-order the course (Use FEELHAPPY20 to get 20% off!). However if you want to learn a bit more about it first, then: To learn More about the teachers CLICK HERE Sign up for the Free Taster Lessons

FREE Taster Alert! To introduce you to the Life Book course & the teachers (and just to have fun too), we are running two weeks of FREE Taster Sessions!  :)  If you want to learn more about this popular course and enjoy this Free Event (with free introductory classes, live faqs and giveaways), then make sure you:

Join the Life Book Free Taster Sessions by Clicking Here

The Taster Sessions are completely free and will start on 28th September 2020 (mark you calendars, we hope to see you there)! Should be so much fun!  What is it? A COMPLETELY FREE 2-week long exploration into art and wellbeing! The Sessions are filled with inspiring classes, art sessions, give aways, meditations and wellbeing activities to help you get present and connected to the healing power of your creativity! WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE?

30 teachers giving free classes over a two-week period, of course as your host, you'll get free lessons from Tam too! It’s going to be a big couple of weeks in our creative community!  We all can’t wait! Not only are these Free Sessions filled with inspiring classes by amazing artists, but there will be freebies from each of us, as well as the chance to win a free place on the full Life Book 2021 course! When you attend the Life Book Free Taster Sessions you are able to: Watch the sessions at your leisure! Join our Facebook Group with like-minded people from all over the world! Wear whatever comfy clothes you want and enjoy the Free Taster Sessions from the comfort of your own home!  Play, make mistakes, be fabulous or sad, it's all welcome! You are accepted just as you are! Enjoy free art & well-being activities

GIVEAWAYS Give Aways! If you want to win a spot on Life Book 2021, each teacher will be giving away 1 place (and Tam will be giving away 10 free spaces!) The giveaways will be held in the Life Book Taster Sessions Facebook Group, so make sure you join the Taster Session by going HERE and put your details into the sign up box! You will be sent an email with all the information. Before You Go - Pre-order Life Book 2021 HERE You can now pre-order the course early if you’re a 'YES' already. Use the Early Birdy Coupon Code to get 20% off!

To Recap Free Taster Sessions for Life Book begin on 28th September 2020  - Sign up here. Pre-orders for Life Book 2021 are open NOW! Check it out here.  Life Book 2021 the course starts on January 1st. Find out all about this course here.  Stay blessed and be a blessing.  Hope to see you on the taster week,  Amandaxx

Sign Up for the Taster Sessions by Clicking HERE

Arts and Wellness Cafe - How are you using your Creative Voice?

 

Come and join me for Arts and Wellness Cafe as we look at the way in which you use your creative voice.  There are so many talents in which you can share and it is a blessing to many around the world.  It can sometimes take a while to find your voice, but with practice and perseverance you can see it blossom in a lot of different ways.

We also touch on a few other areas to consider in your creative walk.  Making room for your gifts by getting rid of those things that do not serve or are just cluttering up your space, leaving you little time to really be creative.

I have been playing with some of the items I collected from the Artists Materials Bank and made some small stitched items so that I can get a feel for the materials before moving on to bigger items.

You will see in the video at the end how the materials looks and feels.

Fabric Selection

I love making the fabric stories and this is also a great way to see how the materials work together or with other items that you may want to work with.

Fabric Stitched Stories

With the smaller pieces you can play about with designs and even see if you want to go larger.  The smaller pieces are very therapeutic to work on and you can then put the smaller pieces together.

Fabric Stitched Stories with Trim

I had also got some beads in a similar shade and was able to see how the colours looked together.

Fabric Stories

This mini cushion was originally supposed to be a purse and got changed at the last minute.  The fabric that I was using was very versatile and I also found that when you frayed the edges you could use some of the threads in the project.

Mini Cushion

I got carried away and made a fabric glass case, I used a similar method to creating a pillow case.

Glass case holder

Mini Art Journal Cover and holder with some of the scraps that were left from the main piece that I cut

Mini Art Journal

It is always great to be able to create and plant for new things in the studio, it has been a slight distraction while I ponder on other projects to be complete.  Do let me know what you are up to and what kind of things pop up to distract you.

Creating an Art Journal Page - Faces

Creating a face and journalling on top is a great way to work in your journal and you can not only create an image you can also journal on top.

In this video I show you from start to finish two art journal faces, do the journalling and then finish off with encouraging words on the page.

I love being able to come back to a page and add additional marks.  The words in the page serve as further encouragement in my art journal process.

Supplies used - click on the links for Amazon store

Neo Colors

Gesso

Posca Paint pens

Arts and Wellness Cafe - Artist Materials Bank

Welcome to the Arts and Wellness Cafe, in this video I will be sharing about the Materials Bank that I have visited and picked up some items to create with.

The Materials Bank was initiated by the NCF (National Cultural Foundation) to provide a space at the Queens Park Gallery for supplies and materials that creatives can access for FREE.

Check out some of the things that I got on this visit.

I would also love for you to share about your creative journey, what are you working on at the moment, what creative challenges have you been having.

As always, stay blessed and be a blessing.

Wood Burning - Harvested Wood

 

Moringa Wood

I have been harvesting wood from my Creative Garden to use in my art projects.  I harvested Moringa wood from the garden and after drying out I used my Wood burning tool and created a series of pattens.

I decided that I wanted to challenge myself by using one tool and see how many different ways it could be used.  Check out the video to see how the piece developed.

Wood burning designs

I will be sharing more of the different projects that I will be using them with.  You can check out some of the Wood burning tools and supplies HERE

Life Book Taster Sessions 28th September 2020 - 11th October 2020

Welcome, I am excited to share with you the FREE Life Book Taster Sessions.  I hope you will join me for some amazing & Free Life Book Taster Sessions which begin on September 28th! 

This is my lesson lots of creative play

Do you want to learn how to create more well-being in your life? 

• Do you want to create, express, develop and grow? 
• Do you want to play with paints, get messy with collage, enjoy mark making and drawing? 
• Do you want more hints and tips on how to use your creativity to become a happier person? 
• 
  

Creative Play Detail - mark making and colour

If the answer to those questions is YES then come join us on the FREE Life Book Taster Sessions!

Arts and Wellness Cafe - Getting Lost in the Busyness

In this video I share about taking time doing things that don't actually lead to your priorities and before you know it you are running out of time to do the things that really matter and you wonder where the day has gone.

Come and join me in the Art and Wellness Cafe

I also give you a tour of some of my work, let me know if you have a favorite!

Arts and Wellness Cafe - The importance of Nurturing

 

Welcome to the Arts and Wellness Cafe, in this episode I share the weekly creative ups and downs and the importance of nurturing yourself.

If you would like to listen to the podcast you can do so HERE

Creating in Faith - What is Motivating You?

 

In today's Podcast recording I look at the word Motivated.  What is it that is motivating you in your creativity and in the other areas of your life.

What about the times where you don't feel motivated. Here is a snippet on my YouTube Channel

You can listen to the full episode on my podcast HERE

The image has been taken from a series of pastels that I painted, if you would like to get a print or see it on other merchandise you can do so HERE

Creativity Tips - Feeling Creatively Stuck

When you are feeling stuck and not sure what to do creativity, just play with your supplies, check out my latest video of one of the ways in which I get myself back on my creative tract.

Join me on Patreon