30 Days of Change - Healthier Lifestyle

I have committed myself to make a change in my lifestyle to hopefully impact on my health, starting today.  The changes include:

• Exercise - minimum half and hour
• Drinking Water - Minimum 1 litre
• Having a Smoothie - Once a day
• Pampering session - for encouragement - once a week
• Cut down on sugar
• Eat more fruit and vegetables
• Not eating after 8pm

There is no time like the present to make that change, however small you want to make it, do it for you.  I wanted to use it as a way to kick start my healthy routine, loose some weight and get into a couple of really lovely dresses in my wardrobe!  A small change each day can add up to something worthwhile.

I will be having a smoothie every day to make sure I get all those vital nutrients, here is what I had today, I mixed mine with oat milk but you can use water if you wish!

Here is the smoothie for day 1

I will be doing a vlog of the journey - (keeping it simple) and posting the smoothie recipes here.  Hope you come along for the ride, start where you are and make a commitment to your own health and well-being!

If you are going to join, do share what change/s you will be making, and let me know how you get on so I can come and cheer in your corner!

Material Mondays - who shall have a fishy on the little dishy

What do you do with your fabric scraps?  I had been seeing how you can use different products on fabric using paints, stencils etc and in my post on painted fabric I showed you how you can use old clothes and create some interesting effects.

I found that my sons old school uniform trousers and white shirt were good at holding the paint, and worked really well when making fabric journals.

Painted fabric used to make inside of journal that was previously a bag 

There is always some bits left over and there are several things you can do with them.  Here I decided to make some little inspiration fish.  These are little stuffed fish that you can put an encouraging word or phrase.

They are really easy to make and you can sew them by hand or use a machine, add some ribbon to decorate and some frayed bits at the end for the tail.

Put some encouraging words on the side, either stitched or stamped

They were then stuffed and the end sewn up.  The eyes were attached and you can also add words either stamped or you can stitch it on prior to sewing together.

 You can also add bits of string if you want to create a mobile of fishes, you can attach them to card, add them to your journal, or add some bling and give them as gifts.  This is a really great project you can do with the kids, give it a go and let me know how you get on!

Fish are having a siesta!

If you are interested in learning how to sew or make a range of projects you can check out Craftsy who run online classes and at the moment have a selection of free online classes for you enjoy.

Recycled Projects - Tissue Paper

Recycled Projects - Tissue Paper

What do you do with the tissue paper that comes either with a gift or wrapped around an item of clothing - throw it out? reuse it to wrap something else? or use it in your creative projects? 

Well I thought I would show you a couple of great uses for them that involve a bit of creative thought and a mind to play, and are always going to produce really great results!

Firstly, the tissue paper can be used to create texture in your creations.  You apply glue to the surface and then add the tissue paper, once it is dry you can paint it in your color of choice, adding additional layers to your work.

Secondly you can use the tissue paper to clean your gelli plate once you have got all the prints off.  You can build up a number of layers of paint, then use the tissue paper in your work in that way to create a background.

What I have been finding really useful is using either shop brought stamps or making your own Handmade stamps and applying to the tissue paper you can create transparent layers to use within your art work.

selection of tissue paper that has been stamped

Here is one of the stamps that I created 

Here are some of the handmade stamps, check the link above to see how to make some of your own.  They are easy to make and you can get your own unique designs.

Once you have decided which design you want to use you cut it out and apply it to your art.

Here are a selection of stamped tissue paper that I used within some of my art journals.

Handmade stamp flower design

From the brought stamps I used quite a few bird designs

As well as butterfly wings

Once applied I painted them to the color of choice.

Wings and the word inspire was stamped onto the tissue paper

Armed with a few ideas, I am sure that you will look at tissue paper in a different way.  Try it for yourself and see what you can come up with.  You can reuse and recycle it, and create so many things, let me know what you decide to do, and share your images! 

Gratitude's and Celebrations - Week 45 - Focus on what you can do....

Gratitude's and Celebrations Journal - The beginning page

Right now, focus on what you can do......

Are you one of those people who have a long list of things that need to be done.  You start the week out with a plan of how everything will get done and then when the end of the week comes you find that there are bits of things done and not much you can tick off your list?

I start to see the image coming out of the page

With the best of intentions and resolve I set out this week with an arm load of tasks.  I have always been one of those people who want to maximize the use of my time so end up trying to do several things at once.  To a certain extent I do like working like that, but understand that sometimes you need to try a different strategy and prioritize and move down the list one at a time.

Gratitude and Celebration - keeping the focus

Summon the toothache - it knocked me for six, what started out as sensitivity or so I thought has turned into a full blown infection some how and as I take antibiotics and painkillers while I wait to get an appointment with the dentist to decide either get root canal or have the tooth taken out,  the pain seems to be travelling around my upper and lower jaw, back of my neck and rests in a dull ache in my temple - all this from one tooth!

Page nearing completion

Life still goes on, and this has forced me to think about the priorities of what needs to be done, being active and going for a walk took my mind off it temporarily - not quite the way I wanted to start my fitness routine:) but it worked.  I had to look at what I could do within what I am experiencing, the toothache reminded me of what we (I) take for granted, and how in a moment our health can change.  

I am grateful and celebrate that I am able to make the decision to take better care of myself and see some results over time.  Beginning Monday, I am going to take the next 30 days to kick start my health and will share with you tomorrow what I will be focusing on.  Check out my post from last year about an all round fix-up - taking health for granted.

Time to Focus....

Will you take the time to join me to a healthier way of life? What can you do for you that will really make a difference to how you treat yourself. What do you need to focus on at the moment?

Gratitude's and Celebration Journal - Full of Inspiration!

Have a blessed weekend! If you want to see how I made the journal (click here) Blessings!