Material Mondays - Blue and Cream crochet necklace

Here is another crochet offering.  A baby blue and cream choker.  This one is designed to sit on the neck and be worn as the main focus for an outfit if you are dressing up or as a casual accessory.

I really like the blue base, which is a crochet circle, made in thinner material.  I added a bead selection to the top of the choker and around the edges.

You can do a variation on the design and create matching jewelry such as a wrist cuff or earrings, which I guess might be some of my next projects with crochet.

If you are considering learning how to take part in creative activity check out Craftsy online courses, at the moment they are doing a special offer on some of their classes, and they are offering some free mini courses. Click here. Blessings!

Creating in Faith - Reflections on the Series

Since July 2012 I have been posting a weekly post called ‘Creating in Faith’.  I started out taking part in a prayer journal hosted by Mika Diaz on Motley Soul and when it finished she asked me I wanted to continue and contribute to the group.  I began to write a weekly series taking a word and writing an encouraging message and insight around it.  I had also decided that I wanted to create what I call a ‘bookmark holder’, decorate it and it would hold a bookmark that I would write my prayer requests for that week.  

Bookmark holders

Here is the post to show you how I made them.  I wasn't sure how I would put them together, but proceeded to paint on them and fill them with imagery that spoke to me.

Each Bookmark holder has a bookmark enclosed

It has been great write the posts and have really allowed me to reflect and share on many things.

Thoughts, prayers and insights are written with the bookmarks holders

Over the year each week I wrote my thoughts and prayers, and I intend to continue to add to them and will be able to look back and see what the prayers were or a specific week, what transpired, the prayers that were answered and really see what other things will come up for the year. 

Who needs a reason to create a piece of art?

It has also been great to be able to create the book mark holders and I intend binding them together.  It will be something I can add to over the year once bound.

Experimenting with materials and colours

If you want to take a closer look at each of the completed bookmark holders and posts I will be putting a tab at the top of the page that will take you to each post.

What’s next?

I am stepping out stretching myself further and in the next couple of weeks will see the start of my video series called ‘Creative Sundays’.

In the same way as the Creating in Faith, posts I hope to give you a shot of inspiration, to get you on the road to creating yourself or giving yourself the permission to create be inspired or just play.

We can often find taking that time ourselves can get increasingly difficult with the demands of balancing life, family and work commitments.

I will aim to create a weekly piece of art and show you the process from start to finish, share some prompts, scriptures, encouraging quotes and uplifting music.

I hope you join me on my next journey and also share what you get up to.  Have you come to the end of a project that you were involved in, let me know how you got on.  Blessings

Recycled Projects - Mini Wall Hangings

What do you do with all your paper and card scraps?  Why not create some mini wall hangings?

Mini wall hangings

I have wanted to make these mini wall hangings for such a long time but kept putting it off and finally got round to it.  

What delights do you have in your scrap boxes

They are a great way for recycling cardboard, scraps and odds and ends in your supplies that are too nice to throw away but are too small to be used on their own. 

Simple additions make mini pieces of art!

I have 3 containers labelled as ‘scrap’ that had come from the off cuts when I was creating other projects and I am determined before the end this year to use them up and make room for other things.

On each of the sections you can also create them and apply a selection of images of your favourite things, encouraging words, even some art work.  

You can change up the shape of the arrangement of the wall hangings....

create a variety of sizes

......depending on where your imagination takes you and the space you have to hang them, choosing to make a feature of them or use them as creative reminders.

They could make lovely presents and you can create some that the recipient can put their own photos.   

Creative reminders

Some other ideas that I might try is trying some transfer images, or making them thicker and larger in size.  Because they are made from cardboard they are also lighter in weight than if you were to make them from clay.  I really like them and look forward to seeing what you create and how many ways you can come up with the layout. 

I hope you have a blessed weekend, and allow your creativity to push back the boundaries in order to allow yourself to really soar!

Come back on Tuesday to see how I made the Wall Hangings in Tutorial Tuesday. Do share creative ways in which you have used recycled materials and leave a comment below.

Gratitudes and Celebration Journal - Week 24 - Preparation

Gratitude's and Celebration - Week 24

'Prepare yourself for the journey - Your not alone...'

Sometimes we prevent ourselves from taking the journey, not because we don't have the tools or know the way, but simply because we feel insecure about ourselves.  It might have been a throw away comment that someone said or even a look that someone gave you or your work that starts you on the self doubting route.

We are all on the journey

Preparing for the journey takes all the slip-ups, mistakes, comments and anything else that will invariably come and gives you a reminder of why you started your in the first place.  They are the things that get you back on track, the encouraging images, the reminders of what you are working towards and keep you going when the going gets tough.  

Support is available as you make your journey

Today I am grateful for the support, seen and unseen from that are routing for me as I make my journey and I am grateful to those who are further along on their journey and every now and then reach a hand back to encourage me forward.

Today think of those things that you need to make preparation as reminders along the way, and decide what steps you will take next.  One small change over a period of time can make the difference. I would love to hear from you and share what you will be tackling next.

As this week draws to a close have a blessed weekend!  If you want to see how I made the journal (click here)