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?

52 Weeks of Colour - Gentleness

Reflection 

Amazing blessings will start to unfold into your life.. 

Quote 

The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change. ...Carl Rogers In the going I am there. ...Yevgeny Yevtushenko

Scripture 

...Everything is possible for him who believes....Mark 9:23

Creating in Faith - Belief

Whose report do you believe?  It can be far easier to accept a negative comment and spend time mulling over in your mind how someone could say or think that about us and we spend days going over the conversation even delving to the depths to ask ourselves what is wrong with us. 

When someone says something encouraging or complimentary do you find yourself going over this in your mind, agreeing with the positive comment about your life in the same way as the negative?  The chances are you don’t. We have all had times when somebody says something nice about what your wearing and before you say thank you start to put yourself down and say “this old thing, I’ve had it for years” you feel uncomfortable when people say good things about you and for every positive comment you can probably find 100 negative ones.    

Last year I did a course called Crafting my best life, and one of the exercises was ask 5 people (friends and family) what they loved, valued and admired about you.  I initially had difficulty with the thought of asking these questions, you know that they care for you but sometimes you get lost in the well of ‘stuff’  and can’t see the good things that others see and think about you.  I was really touched by the response and have put these reminders in a place for times when I forget my strengths and can only see my faults, for those times when all seems like it is lost and I get lost in the ‘stuff’ because I know that these times will pass for I am fearfully and wonderfully made!

Despite what you feel about yourself there are others that wished they were in the same room as you, could receive a smile or kind word from you, and who are really inspired by you and your creativity and find you a blessing. 

As you go about your day to day this coming week think about 3 things you love about yourself and 3 things you admire and place these in a prominent place and look at them every day.   How can you express these in your art journal or another creative way.  Please share your thoughts   Blessingsx

In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight...Proverbs 3:6

 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.   John 3:16

Gratitudes - Loss

Loss

It’s a weird one to be grateful for or to see as a gift. When we suffer loss we are minded how precious our lives and our relationships are.

What are you grateful for this week?

52 Weeks of Colour - Friendships

Reflections

Some friendships do not last as lifetime 

Quote 

And the trouble is, if you don’t risk anything, you risk even more. ...Erica Jong 

Scripture

...be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 Tim 2:1.......

Creating in Faith - Trust

What do you do when someone abuses your trust, how does it make you feel and what actions can you take to prevent it from happening again? Does forgiving mean that you allow them the space to change and back into your life? Do you constantly wonder if and when they will do it again, or do you keep them at arm’s length? How far does your trust go?

When we are young we have limited power to prevent some of the hurtful things that can happen, but as you grow up you begin to get a sense of yourself can exercise your power to decide who to allow into your space. Last year I took Melody Ross’s Soul Restoration workshop and it looks at the restoration of you, comparing your life to a house and the action of clearing out your space - deciding who to let into your home, through the front gate or even who just walks past the gate and says hello!   The post man delivers letters through your letter box he doesn’t come in the back door, put the post on the table, make himself a cup of tea while searching through the cupboards to see if you have those chocolate biscuits he likes....(well mine doesn’t).   We decide and should have control over the atmosphere and energy we surround ourselves in especially in the space that should be our sanctuary – our homes!

 How many times have you been hurt by someone you thought cared for you and you let back into your life only to have them stomp and trample over your feelings. We DO have to forgive and the bible says in Ephesians 4:32 “be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you”  I feel that the benefits of not having negative energy and abuse in my personal space and surrounding myself with supportive people far outweighs the value of the relationship I could have with someone who really doesn’t care about me.

We have to use discernment, the bible tells us to “speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord” Ephesians 5:19, but you can’t do that if your cussing and carrying on. At the end of the day you can’t have a relationship without trust, and as you go about the coming week, think of times where you knew you should and can make different choices, based on the different levels of trust needed for the situation.  Blessings...

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 - Patience

Patience

I once asked for patience and got a series of situations that really tested me to the limit.  I came out knowing I was stronger...

What are you grateful for this week?

21 Secrets - The Art of Texture - Christy Tomlinson

I've always loved using texture in my work and Christy's workshop encourages you to play and experiment with different textures including modelling paste.

Poly filler used with glitter and water soluable pencils

I experimented slightly and found that poly filler - the fine one works really well, and I got to use some of the stencils that I hadn't worked with for quite some time.  Here are two different examples from journals that I used the poly filler in.  The one above uses water soluable pencils and glitter and the one below also combines acrylics, stencils as well.  I do like how it raises the surface and will be using it more in my work.

 This is how it started out

I'm not sure if I am finished yet

52 Weeks of Colour - Choice

Reflection

Make the most of the time you have 

Quote

No snowflake ever falls in the wrong place. ...Zen saying

Scripture

Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,... Col 3:23 

Creating in Faith - Faith

We have faith about things that don’t even require us to even think about and often take them for granted.  Unless you have a respiratory problem you know without a doubt that you will inhale and exhale and that all the functions of the body will take place without very much assistance from us.  Depending on where we live in the world we know that night will follow day, and the seasons, as unpredictable as they have been will follow some sort of order.....

We have faith that God is working in our lives.  We know that there is a God who never fails, who carries us in times of need, and waits on us in times of plenty.  We can think back on things that really tested our faith and when we thought we couldn’t take it any longer an answer comes, though at times it might not be the answer that we are expecting!   

There have been times in my life where my faith was tested through ill health, death of loved ones and confusion and I know that there will be many other times where I will have to stand on his word, and I look back and wonder how I got through it.  It is in these times where I have to learn to step out in faith, knowing that despite the circumstances or what is being said I will not let go, and it is that mustard seed faith that will see me through.

In what ways can you think of where your faith has been tested? Produce a journal page which speaks to you about your faith   What scriptures around faith have you found to be encouraging?

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1

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 - Grace

Grace

In those times when I feel I can’t go on, it's the grace of God that keeps me going...

What are you grateful for this week?

21 Secrets - 15 Minutes to Sanity - Gina Rossi Armfield

In the 15 Minutes to Sanity workshop Gina encourages us to take the sometimes limited time we have and use it in a different way.  15 minutes to sanity is all that it takes to set you on the road to creativity.  By preparing our pages before hand and using prompts and selected materials, it enables us to snatch back the much needed time and create in our journals.

I enjoyed this workshop as I was able to just focus on doing what I could with the time I had.  I started preparing pages some time ago as this in itself can be a theraputic activity, especially at those times where you are not able to sit down and do a journal page, but playing with the materials on the page is definitely well worth doing.  The page is inspired by a poem I wrote - a piece of me still remains, looking at our memories, the photos that we collect and wondering what remains when we pass in the minds of others.

Here is my page before I started....

This is how it ended up.

52 Weeks of Colour - Attention

Reflection

The answers are there, you need to ask the right questions....

Quote

A man has many skins in himself, covering the depths of his heart. Man knows so many things; he does not know himself. Why, thirty or forty skins or hides, just like an ox’s or a bear’s, so thick and hard, cover the soul. Go into your own ground and learn to know yourself there. ...Meister Eckhart 

Scripture

What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus . 2 Timothy 1:13

Creating in Faith - Courage

Standing firm in our beliefs or stepping out when all around is shaky.  We can often think of other people who are courageous and brave when they go through a difficult time or make destiny decisions and can think of ourselves as cowards...., ‘I could never do that, go there, or create that’ we can find ourselves saying.  

If we take time to think back on our lives, we will begin to remember times we got through when we thought all was lost, when we had to carry the load, wipe the brow of a loved one, pace the floor waiting for results, or sell that piece of art.  We forget the victories that we have seen and how we had to muster our energies for what seemed like the very thing that would have broken the camels back.

 

When I think back at the start of my mums’ decline with dementia, I could never have imagined how I could have got through it and continue to get through, let alone find time to be creative.  I learnt to allow my creativity to be infused into my situation and got my mum to participate as well, using the art and creativity as a tool for expression and healing.  

This has allowed me to seek out my voice in my art and to just step out.  It also enables me to see mum express herself in a different way.  There will be many more difficult situations where it would be natural to be afraid, but we have to face them head on.  With God I have known not to have any fear, I know in those times where I felt I couldn’t go another step it was God that saw me through.

Think about a time where you found courage when you least expected it, how did it change the way you viewed your situation?.

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13

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 in your art this week. Each week I will be sharing words, reflections, scriptures and the bookmark holder.  Step out and be a blessing and you will also be blessed!

Gratitudes - God

The love of God

Whilst man looks at my faults, God see’s the real me.  My faith has been both a strength and a comfort.

What are you grateful for this week?

21 Secrets - Childs Play, Alma Stoller

I signed up to do 21 Secrets - Art Journal Playground, an online course organised by Connie Hozvicka of Dirty Footprints Studio back in January, and have only just got round to starting due to one thing or another getting in the way. 

There are 21 contributors and I have been spoilt for choice with where to start.  I decided to go with Alma Stoller, after having seen her Fabric bead designs.  Each contributor has been very generous with the amount of videos and pdfs that we have available.   In Alma’s course I have been making my own frames out of cardboard and recycled paper and they were really easy to make and very sturdy.

The oval and square ones have been my favourite and  the smaller frames really do look cute, once you start making them you won’t want to stop! 

My favourite technique was making the fabric beads, they do look pretty.  I will try a few variations with size and shape - you need a little patience with the sewing but they will look great in mixed media projects.

next on my workshop list is  Aimee Myers Dolich will be sharing how I get on soon, for now .......blessings!

52 Weeks of Colour - Light

Reflection

Letting the light in

Quote

In a full heart there is room for everything, and in an empty heart there is room for nothing. ...Antonio Porchia

Scripture

...stand and see this great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes... 1 Samuel 12:16