Painted Pages

I have been taking part in a few courses to stretch myself creatively, to keep my hand in and stay motivated while circumstances can be pressing in what seems like on all sides.  I did a workshop with Mika from Motley Soul called Painted pages.  In this workshop we find new ways to make fabric journals which allows you to combine fabric scraps or old clothes with paper that you might in the past just put in the recycle bin.  Everything takes on a new meaning when you start thinking to yourself exactly what you could make from it. It's not helping with storage space, but it means that I can create on different materials.

Here are some of  the pages I created for the basic pages

Once you start what your left with is a canvas book that you can use to your heart’s content, you can paint on it or sew in it by machine or hand. 

For the painted pages exercise I used different types of material which will give you different  textures on the page, which also responds to mediums in different ways. 

I’ve painted with acrylics, oil pastels, water soluble crayons and pencils and also sewed some of the pages which adds to the textures you can achieve.

Some of the pages worked better with paints than others, but then it meant that other techniques could be tried

This is the front cover, the pages put together as one signature, with a metal butterfly for decoration.  I still have a few pages to experiment on, looking forward to trying out some more ideas.  What new techniques have you been trying?

52 Weeks of Colour - Joy

Reflection 

It's your time to let love in for you

Quote 

All the way to heaven is heaven. ...St. Catherine of Sienna 

Scripture

"And has He not given you rest on every side?" 1 Chronicles 22:18.

Creating in Faith - Understanding (Special Request)

Good fortune can fall on the just and the unjust in equal measure, we know not when or where disaster will strike.

This week my brother was rushed to hospital, they had found elevated levels of calcium in his blood, he hadn't eaten for 3 days and was very weak.  The doctors did their tests, scans, mri's and  have come to the conclusion that multiple myeloma is back.  After his bone marrow transfusion, chemo and radio therapy last year we thought there would be at least a 10 year gap before we would have to worry about it, unfortunately the reports say no.

I tried  to understanding why 'our family'.  Why mum with dementia, Robert with this cancer and my father passing 20 years ago with an unknown illness.  There seems to be so many that have been struck down, we seem to be in a generation now where our parents were when we were younger when we can count the passing of friends and relatives that we know being affected by some illness or the other.

After getting the news I felt washed out, what words of encouragement could I offer to him when all I wanted to do was cry, as I sat thinking the words that came to me were, ‘....the effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much’ James 5:16.   It was then that I understood what I needed to do.  My tears cannot bring a cure but prayer can.  Despite it all we have to stand firm on the word of God.  There can be no compromises, no excuses, though at times our faith can be shaken by the very circumstances, I have found a renewed strength in the word.

I am not one who normally likes to ask for help, but the word says...were two or three come together ... I know that there will be strength in our prayers as we come together.  I ask you now to join with me in prayer for a miraculous healing for my brother Robert, and for his family, 3 children and wife.   We have to stand on the word of God, have faith and believe that we have the victory over defeat.  I would thank you in advance for taking the step for I know that God is working in all our lives and as we continue to move in faith,  a change will come and we will be blessed beyond our wildest dreams. 

As you go about your week, along with prayer ask God to enable you to understand the impact that your very gifts which you sometimes hide can, if nurtured, be a blessing.  Create a journal page or piece of art that expresses this.

Therefore I remind you to stir up the gifts of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind 2 Timothy 1:6-7

If you would like to see how I made the book mark pockets check out the post Bookmark Pockets

Come join the group - Creating in Faith, show us how you will be incorporating the words and scriptures and reflections in your art this week.  Step out and be a blessing and you will also be blessed!

Gratitudes - My Car

My car

For its warmth in the winter, and not giving any major problems.  It has been what I rely on to help me with caring for my mum.

What are you grateful for this week?