I am Starting a 100-Day Project - This is Week 1

I am beginning another 100 Day Project - This year I will be sharing 100 Days of Leaf Art!

Starting a 100-day project is both exhilarating and a little daunting. But imagine the joy of seeing your creativity unfold daily, step by step, through a project that connects you with nature and mixed media techniques. I just love it.  You can check out some of the other 100 day projects that I did on the blog!

I have been creating art on leaves for a while now and have found some of the styles and techniques that I prefer. 

In this journey, I’ll be continuing to work with dried leaves, using a wood-burning tool, stitching patterns, adding fabric clusters, and layering mixed media elements to explore the beauty of leaf art and you will also see some of my favorite ones that I created previously as well as new ones.

Are you ready to make the commitment?

There is something special about committing to a long-term creative challenge. It pushes you to develop discipline, embrace new ideas, and uncover inspiration in unexpected places. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed at the beginning, but by focusing on one small creative step each day, progress naturally builds.

The 100 Day Project started officially on 22nd February.  I am sharing my completed leaves at the end of each week on a Friday, over the 100 days so today you get to see the first set of 7 leaves.  

Creative Tip: Experiment with different types of leaves or styles to see which ones work best for your style.

Encouragement: The hardest part is starting! Show up with an open heart and allow your creativity to flow. Give yourself grace to experiment without expectations. and don't feel pressured to post every day, decide on a posting schedule to suit you.

Want to go deeper? Join me in my Leaf Arts - Transforming Nature into Art course for guided lessons on leaf art techniques!  Yes, I have created a course to share my love for working on leaves, and I hope to work with more natural fibers over time.  Come and join us on the course and learn to create your own beautifully designed leaves!

Creating Faces - Mixed Media Art, FREE Background papers

Creating a Face: Transforming Free Papers into Unique Art

I had so much fun working on this page! There’s something special about taking existing materials and making them entirely your own.

For this piece, I started with the papers from the FREE Tier and reworked them.

These papers are designed to be versatile -you can use them as they are, or you can completely transform them by layering, painting, or experimenting with mixed media techniques.

Ways to Make These Papers Your Own

If you're looking for ways to customize them, here are some ideas to spark your creativity:

Paint Over It – Add washes of color, bold brushstrokes, or subtle shading to shift the mood and texture of the paper.  You can also do some mark making on the papers as well - or even some stitching.

Working with Background Papers

One of the things I love about working with the background papers is that they serve as a great starting point for your creativity. Whether you follow their existing designs or completely change them, the creative process is all about making it your own.

If you’ve used the free papers in your work, I’d love to see what you’ve created! Let me know in the comments - how do you like to alter and personalize your materials?

Access the papers for FREE on my Patron Page.  

If you would like to see the video process for these papers you can sign up for the 7 Day FREE Trial on my $3 Tier.  While you are there you can check out some of the other posts and digital downloads.

 

How to Make Time for Creativity (Even on Your Busiest Days)

 

How to Make Time for Creativity (Even on Your Busiest Days)

It’s easy for creativity to get pushed aside when life is full of responsibilities. But if you want to make progress in your creative work, it’s essential to be intentional with your time.

Last week, I noticed how quickly the days were slipping away. Even though I was creating, I felt like I wasn’t moving forward. When I started tracking my progress, I realized I was doing far more than I thought!

We’ve already talked about strategies like time blocking, batching tasks, and prioritizing creative time. Now, the key is to actually use them. These tools only work if you make them part of your routine.

Ask yourself: Have I scheduled my creative time this week? Am I limiting distractions? What small moments can I use for creativity today?

Small changes add up. Even a few focused adjustments to your schedule can create more space for your creative work.

Creative Organization Tips

Once you’ve carved out time for creativity, organizing your space and ideas will help you stay inspired:

• Keep a Creative Journal – Document your ideas, progress, and inspirations. It’s a great way to track your growth.
• Organize Your Art Supplies – A clutter-free space makes it easier to jump into creative work without feeling overwhelmed.
• Create a “Quick-Start” Project Box – Gather materials for small projects that you can work on whenever you have a few spare moments.
• Set Up a Weekly Review – Take five minutes each week to reflect on what you created, what worked, and what you want to explore next.

A Gentle Reminder

Making time for creativity is a choice. The strategies are there—now it’s about putting them into action. Give yourself permission to prioritize your creative work. It doesn’t have to be perfect, it just has to be yours.

What small step will you take this week to stay on track? Let me know in the comments!

Uncovering Hidden Creativity: Exploring Art Through Backgrounds

Uncovering Hidden Creativity: Exploring Art Through Backgrounds

One of my favorite creative exercises is exploring mixed media art backgrounds.  If you have watched any of the projects on Patreon you will see how I create and searching for hidden shapes and figures within them. It’s a process of discovery—letting the background guide the direction of the artwork rather than forcing a specific idea.

This approach brings a sense of playfulness to my work, allowing unexpected elements to emerge. I’ve found it especially rewarding with my digital art floral background pages, as they offer endless possibilities for layering, highlighting, and transforming abstract patterns into something entirely new.

If you’re looking for a way to spark fresh ideas and deepen your creative practice, here are some ways you can experiment with background exploration:

Creative Activities Using Digital Art Floral Backgrounds

Shape Discovery – Print out your background and study it for a few moments. Do you see faces, animals, or abstract figures? Lightly sketch around the shapes you find, then enhance them with paint, ink, or stitching.

Cut & Rearrange – Print your background and cut it into different shapes. Rearrange the pieces into a collage or use them to build layers in an art journal. Try mixing different floral backgrounds for a dynamic effect.

Layer with Mixed Media – Use your floral background as a base for stamping, stenciling, or mark-making. Acrylics, watercolors, and even embroidery can add beautiful depth to the design.

Interactive Journaling – Glue a background page into your art journal and write or doodle over it. The soft floral elements create a unique backdrop for personal reflections or poetry.

Highlighting Hidden Elements – Use a fine liner or white gel pen to outline patterns that stand out to you. Maybe a petal looks like a bird’s wing, or a swirl resembles a dancer in motion—enhance what you see and let the artwork evolve.

Embracing the Creative Process

Letting go of strict expectations and simply exploring what appears on the page can be incredibly freeing. Sometimes, the most intriguing discoveries happen when we step back and allow the art to reveal itself.

If you try any of these techniques, I’d love to see what you create! Share your work or let me know what hidden gems you find in your backgrounds.

What unexpected shapes or patterns have you uncovered in your art? Leave a comment below!

This practice can lead to unexpected and intriguing discoveries, adding another layer of fun to the creative process.  Most of my work now takes on this form especially with the digital art papers I create.

You can access the papers for Free on my Patreon - Check them out HERE