Course Review and Insights - Life Book and Soul Food

Life Book and Soul Food are in progress and as I said a few days ago HERE the focus for Tuesdays on the blog for 3 weeks out of the 4 will change slightly as I share insights and Ahha moments from the courses that I am doing, while sharing some of the work. In an ideal world I would just be doing my work on the courses, but the reality for most of us is that life still goes on in the meantime. There is no pause button, so being realistic you can’t get everything done at once, it just isn't possible and choices have to be made.

In both courses we have already had quite a few videos to watch and techniques to try out, while we battle with the ‘Critic’, and mine tells me ‘I don’t have the time’ and that it isn’t necessary to grow or stretch myself, and by no means climb out of my comfort zone. My critic is the one who wants me compare myself to other artists as I sit up watching anything on sky tv – flicking through the channels until at least 1am rather than be in my studio space being creative, perhaps what the critic needs is a holiday with a roller coaster ride of adventure to shake it up a bit!

Within all the chatter and the noise the still small voice says ‘don’t be afraid, everything will be alright, you can do all things, I will give you the strength, step out in faith, your steps will be ordered and when you can’t stand, I will carry you, standing in the gap for you!’  

What I‘ve been doing so far on the courses is thinking about what I am learning from each contributor, what is it that is an encouragement to my own work and the processes that I use. There isn’t always going to be something, but even doing something different from the way you would normally do it will help you come back refreshed. 

A couple of things that I am trying to do is be freer with the techniques and playing with the materials, thinking about colour and how I use it in my work and whether I can be bolder experimenting more with the materials that I have. 

In Life Book Tam did some useful exercises around the colour wheel and i thought about the different ways I use it and how I can experiment with colour more within my work.

My Encourager

Be strong in heart because miracles can happen 

This image came out for me as that gentle reminder that I just need to be who I have been called to be through my work.

In Soul Food, Mystele shared with us how she uses her gelli plate, I don’t have one but have been improvising with a Perspex plate using the tools I have and I created a few backgrounds which led to this image;

Fly

The perspex is hard and it dries quite quickly, so I’ll continue to experiment and see what I come up with over the weeks.

Yesterday I spent time watching Gwen Seemels contribution

working with coloured markers and pens and working in layers. I’ve been using Promarkers pens and more recently Spectrum Noir and revisited a page I did 

Love yourself..

And thought that I would spend more time working with the pens as I quite enjoyed it. I had stopped using the Promarkers because I felt that I’d hit a wall, but again just needed to push.

I intend to do more pen based images. What also resonated with some of the things she said was about layers and self portraits. Over the course of around 20 years I have only done 2.  I guess with all the faces I have done over the years there is a little bit of me or my personality in each.

Doing self portraits really gets us to look at ourselves and we need to do this from time to time. We can be too hard on ourselves, and walk with the perception of what we think others are seeing and then depending on your frame of mind see yourself how you think others are seeing you or how you think they think you should be seeing yourself! ((Really).... – did that make sense to you?).

I only want to see myself the way God sees me...

My Heart Overflows

When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings an crowned him with glory and honour...Psalm 8:3-5

I want to see the gifts and talents I have been blessed with used to bless others. My word for the year which I’ll remind myself of again is ‘attention to detail’ – what exactly can you hear, see, smell, feel, taste – and being present, all of me in every situation. I want to see the seeds that I planted and tended last year bear fruit this year. I am looking for growth, change, sometimes it will be uncomfortable and awkward, sometimes I’ll share, sometimes not, but we are going to see new opportunities, doors opening, new techniques learnt and we will be speaking of miracles. I don’t want to be the same or do the same things that I did last year and I plant to work hard to see those things come to pass.

Planted by the River

Let me encourage you as you face your own journey, to really see yourself, who you really are, the whole you, not a fragmented image. It is not an overnight transformation but a slow and steady pace, a get you up early and stay focused pace that calls on you to be here in the moment right now!

If you are talking either Soul Food or Life Book or any other course that is great, it would be lovely to hear how you have found the course so far, share your insights. If you hadn’t taken the step yet, it is still early days and you don’t need to worry about catching up. Whatever you do today do it with meaning, passion and intent. I am looking forward to sharing other insights with you along the way. Blessings!

Learning - Creating in Faith

Your life is your message to the world.  Make it inspiring...Lorin L Lee

Learning

Learning comes in many shapes and forms in a formal setting or non formal and every day we are learning new things about ourselves as we reflect on our lives and experiences.  How have you done so far with all the things you said you were going to do at the beginning of the year?  Granted it is only the first week, but you need to hit the floor running, or perhaps you already have and all we can do is look at your dust as you whizz into the distance...

‘For I know the plans I have for you’, declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future – Jeremiah 29:11

Organisation

I am currently surrounded by lists and schedules as I slightly run after myself in doing the things I want to do.   I had a great flurry of action towards the end of last year and now in the New Year schedules are still to be finalised, courses have started and I am wondering where the week has gone so far.  I am mindful though about keeping up with all the things that I have committed myself to do and in the midst of it still enjoy the process.

God had planned something better for us so only together with us would they be made perfect... Hebrews 11:40

Having made the decision to cut back on my posting for Tutorial Tuesdays, Material Mondays and Recycled Projects, I will be sharing what I have done in the classes and what it may have brought up creatively for me.  I am also looking forward to the growth and the insight which should come with learning new information.  I already know that I resonate towards more structured way of working.  I like knowing what is planned for the next week and what I am working towards.  It stops the wandering from one thing to the next as you get more and more distracted.  I learnt that I need to just go with wanting structure among the spontaneity of the creative practice.

Creative Sundays

Next week Sundays will see the beginning of my Creative Sunday’s posts – Expressing your creativity in a spiritual environment.  I look forward to sharing each week and producing a video of the process – as part of getting myself out of my comfort zone and moving forward.  My word which I shared for the year is ‘Attention to Detail’ which for me will require me to be more focused and disciplined as I am asking a lot of myself this year.

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed..Proverbs 16:3

Attachments

I am also learning about my attachments and my ‘you never know when you can use it’ mindset, we are spending time over the next few months to declutter the house.  My husband is more ruthless and when we talked about it last year I was all fired up caused it seems so far away.  This weekend he went and got the boxes and made a start and I have found myself justifying why it is alright for him to get rid of his things but some things (all of my things) need to stay.  I am realising the more I have been thinking about it that there are some strong emotional ties that I will need to deal with alongside the excuses that are already preparing themselves at the back of my mind. 

Last year I did a 30 day de-cluttering challenge and so I know that I can do it I guess admitting how I feel is the first step to moving on,  and there is a limit to how many books you can hold onto and read, or how many clothes you can keep, although since starting creating recycled projects I find a use for quite a lot of things, mainly boxes, packaging which I will have to limit or make sure that what I make goes to a good home (am I justifying again??).  

Making the way...

At the end of the day I know that I have done it in other areas and I will have to just work through it.  I know that God has much more for me this year - there are new adventures to experience, new environments to be in and new things to learn and sometimes you have to let go of things.  You can’t take these things with you, you have to make the most of them while you are living and share what you have with those who are in a less fortunate position.  

Let us step into 2014 knowing that we did all the things that we needed to do, we stretched ourselves, we were more than we were last year and we made a difference in the life of at least

one person.  

What are your plans for 2014, where are the changes going to be made in order for you to move forward?

Psalm 121 1-4– I lift my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.  He will not let your foot slip – he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber or sleep

Gratitude's and Celebration - Week 26 - Miracles

Miracles Happen Every Day!

We are just 3 days into the New Year.  Do you remember what you did around this time last year?  I know many made promises to themselves of things they would do, try to achieve or try to change.  How many have see these things come to pass?

Often we look for the miracles in life to be massive things that take our breath away.  Winning the lottery, getting that dream house (out of the blue) or landing that job that you know you aren't qualified for but they liked you.  I am sure you can think of other things that are massive that you might count as a miracle.  For some these things have been their reality and they are looking for the next big thing.

Gratitude's and Celebration page before completion

For the general population miracles are happening every day, yet we over look them or take them for granted.  One of the reasons for doing a Gratitude's and Celebration journal was to remind myself of those things that I very often take for granted and celebrate them. I am grateful that the backache I went to bed with stopped when I got up in the morning.

Miracles Happen....

I am also grateful that I get to see another year.  I celebrate being able to see new changes take place in my life.  With the loss of my brother last year I celebrate his life and the impact that he made on me. 

Me aged 9 and Robert aged 5

 I celebrate all those fun times we had as children and the fine man he grew up to be.

Robert is dearly missed

Whilst we only got to enjoy 45 years of his life some get even less time and every day someone is loosing a loved one, and we were able to let him know how much we loved and cared for him.

Miracles are happening every day, if you are having a hard time in seeing them, look out your window, step out of your front door, take a breath, feel the breeze on your skin, put on some music and dance - knowing that you are at this moment pain free - even if it is just for a moment.  Make a promise to yourself this year, if it is the only promise that you do make for yourself, and that is to live each day from today with passion, see the big and small miracles that are coming your way, and do not take one more day for granted.

Miracles happen everyday! - Gratitude's and Celebration Journal

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) Blessings!

Garden - Memories of Home

Well, it is the first day of the year and I wish you a very Happy New Year. I hope you enjoyed your celebrations seeing the new year in and where ever you are.

Welcome to Memories of Home, if you would like to find out more information about the series, Click here

Being in a supportive environment is important to our growth as individuals, not everyone has had that opportunity and as adults we try and create an environment that will nurture and bless our children and indeed ourselves.

Garden

With the new year brings exciting changes for all. I took time yesterday morning to spend it in the garden seeing what needed to be cut back in preparation for the spring, what needed to be cleared. I really enjoy this time as what you do now can impact the development of the plant and prepares it for the next stage of development.

When we were smaller we lived in a flat (apartment). We had a balcony which was small, but no garden space. My mother loved plants and had a wide array of houseplants dotted around the home. She would take her time walking round to each tending to them applying water and removing the dead leaves. She seemed in her own world and would often be humming or singing a song. Watching her and spending time in my own garden I realise the therapeutic benefits that she enjoyed as she spent time with the plants. 

I too find it relaxing, regardless of what I am doing even if it is getting rid of fallen branches. It is a lovely feeling to know what will be coming and how the plants will take shape as the weather gets milder. I have a plant that produced bright yellow flowers in the spring and yesterday noticed that one of them had decided to come out early and give me a visual taster.

This is the plant in its full glory and the flowers will last until the summer.  It truly is lovely to feast your eyes on it. Whether big or small do you have a space to grow plants, what is your favorite plant you have grown?

I would love to hear what type of plants you have in your own home environment that allows you to be comfortable. I hope you continue to join me on my journey over the weeks, as I share my mixed media houses and look back to the memories of home. I look forward to hearing about some some of your own memories. Blessings and peace to you!

Happy New Year and Tutorial Tuesday!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Better late than never, I wanted to start out by saying Happy New Year and wishing you a blessed year filled with peace, growth, insight, understanding and much love.  This is my last post of this year and Tuesdays are usually filled with tutorials.  I shared in yesterdays post the changes that will be happening, I am taking a few courses that I hope will bring new knowledge and change will come through in my work.  I want to step up and do more.  I don’t make new year’s resolutions but build on the plans that I made this year which will carry through to next year.

One of the changes that I will continue to work on is my health, getting fit, getting rid of clutter and making sure that nutritionally I have a balanced diet.  I am going to continue to clear the clutter and we are all going to make a big effort at home to get rid of those things that are just there ‘because’ rather than serving a purpose.

Rather than weekly to fit in the new courses I will be posting Tutorial Tuesdays on a monthly basis.  I will have lots to share from the insights and techniques gained on the courses and wanted to make some room for this.  I will be trying my hand at videoing and will try and do some video based technique videos.  There are so many things that I would love to do that there isn’t the hours in the day, but I will try and do a few of them.

If you want to take a look at the past tutorials click on the link below and it will take you to the topics.  

I hope you find ways to experiment and learn new things in the coming year.  As always share what you are doing and remember to be a blessing.

Happy 2014!

Material Mondays - Looking back on 2013 and changes for 2014

I have been spending time over the past few days with family and there have been quite a few late nights.  I am trying to get my body clock back to getting up early, so that I can catch the house when it is quiet and get on with a few things before everyone wakes up.

I have been trying to set myself some schedules, planning my learning for 2014, which starts today with Soul Food.  I feel that it is important to ensure that you do something for your self-development.  I will also be taking a few other courses including Life Book in January and Bloom True which starts in February.  

I am really pushing my learning next year and also intend to learn about quilting, book binding and photo shop.  I am intending on using them as ways to capture stories, my mums, mine and my role as her daughter and carer.  I hope to develop some creative activities that others will be able to use and be inspired to use with those they care for who have dementia.  I will be sharing my journey on the courses and recommend that you take a look at some of them as you think about your own learning for 2014.

I will be changing my posting schedule to make room for the courses and to be able to share what I've been learning and all the new art work that will be produced.  Material Mondays, Tutorial Tuesdays and Recycled Projects will all be posted once a month. I thought I would share with you the projects I have made so far with Material Mondays and put a link so that you can go and take a look.

I started Material Mondays as a way to show some of the creative work that I had done with textiles and crochet.  As I progress in my mixed media walk it is really enabling me to explore and experiment with all the techniques and equipment that I have always wanted to try.  I may find that as I progress there are some that I will not be trying at all, but the main thing is that I will have a taste of many of the techniques then decide if I want to incorporate it within my mixed media work.

I started sharing around October this year and have been posting pretty much every week, here is what I have created so far, if you want to take a closer look click on the image and it will take you to the post:

Crochet Choker

Crochet Necklace

Painted Recycled Fabric

Painted Fabric with Stitching added 

Recycled Bag Journal

Chunky button Fabric Journal

Crochet Neck warmers

Crochet Baby Hat

Chunky Wrist Cuff

Fabric Journal

Crochet Owl

Reusable Crochet Journal Cover

I am quite proud of myself for keeping up with creating and look forward to seeing the projects I make next year, one of which I hope to be a crochet bag and doll that you can keep inspiring messages in.  I hope you do continue to join me in my creative travels.  I am looking forward to the growth and expansion that will come from stepping out and not worrying about what you are creating but enjoying the process. Blessings and much love!

Recycled Projects - Looking back at the Creative projects

I thought that I would look back on some of the projects that I have done over the past few months.  I had been making quite a few things in my studio and once I began to share them I found that I began to have a bit more direction in what I was making.  I have quite a few favorites with the things that I have made so far, I have been quite taken with the mini wall hangings and have been experimenting with a few varieties, which I will be sharing in the new year and showing a tutorial of the process.  Click on the image to take you to the post that gives you a better look at them.  To see how they were made you need to go to the Tutorial Tuesdays posts.

These were great to make, you can use most of the scraps of paper you have in your stash, create little toppers and make some really encouraging wall hangings.  Because the foundation is cardboard they are fairly light in weight.

Mini Wall Hangings

The mini necklaces again use cardboard as their base, with the addition of the seeds or quinoa it adds some weight.  These were topped with air drying and fimo clay pieces.

Mini Necklaces

What do you do with the teabag box when you finished with it - make a treasure box, these can hold trinkets or even the teabag treasures below if you made any

Teabag Boxes Treasure 

These mini toppers are made from the out of date teabags that got lost at the back of my cupboard.  After emptying the contents the bags were decorated and I have used them as part of other projects.

Teabag Treasures

Chunky journals, the basis for these were toilet rolls and cardboard from packaging to make the front and back covers.  The tags were made from recycled card and paper scraps.

Chunky A6 Journal

This was also a favourite making the stamps.  There are so many designs and layouts that you can be inspired by and you can take elements of the designs and create your own one of a kind stamps for use in your journals or artwork.  The stamps were created using the foam from a sleeping bag mat.

Handmade Stamps

Every few months we seem to be getting new phone directory through the mail box, I found a creative use for them and made these journals.

Directories Journals

Another chunky toilet roll journal, these one is quite thick in size, and I made quite a few tags to go with it.

Chunky Toilet Roll Journal

Capturing moments journals are made from card and while they are bound require no stitching.  I really enjoyed making these!

Capturing Moments Mini Journals

Cereal bag journal takes the bag of your favorite cereal and allows you to add different enclosures before sealing with an iron.

Cereal Bag Journal

I hope to continue to find creative ways to recycle and up-cycle the things that we have in our every day life and can quite easily throw away and to see some of your ideas and things that you make, do share things that you have found or been inspired by that you either create for yourself, or give away. What has been your favorite recycled project in the ones above.  Blessings!

Gratitude's and Celebration - Week 25 - The Future

The Future is waiting for you...

....don't be afraid to live in your present

What will define your day for you, how differently will you go about your day from yesterday?  We can sometimes get stuck like a record in what should have happened, what someone should have done, or the other hand finds us making plans for what we do when the kids grow up and leave home or we retire.

We forget to live with the day we have today, right now. I am not one to say not plan, but don't stop yourself from doing something - if you have a book to write, start it, break it down to what you can fit in whether it is 5 minutes or 1 hour or 1 day.

With the rush of Christmas over, and the New Year ahead I am grateful that the coming year holds so much promise.  We have an opportunity to be more than we were, see more than we have seen. I also celebrate the many lives that I may get to be a blessing to next year.

What does your future hold, how can you make a difference, where will it take you.  Remember 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.  Blessings!

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

Children - Memories of Home

Happy Christmas. I hope that your day is filled with warmth as the family and friend get together. If you know that someone is going to be on their own, invite them round, visit and spread joy peace and happiness!.

Welcome to Memories of Home, if you would like to find out more information about the series, Click here

Being in a supportive environment is important to our growth as individuals, not everyone has had that opportunity and as adults we try and create an environment that will nurture and bless our children and indeed ourselves.

As children we used to get really excited at Christmas time. We helped decorate the tree and underneath the presents circled. We tried to get a peek feeling the size and whether anything shook beneath the wrapping. We had to wait though for our dad to get up and have his breakfast before we were able to open any presents and we felt as if we were going to burst because we knew that while we might not get all the items on our list we might at at least one thing. As we got older on some years our presents would be something more practical and a I remember how I felt when I unwrapped the nightey rather than the cassette player that i had my eyes on.

As we have all grown up and have children of our own we tried to hold on to some of the traditions and Christmas would be be spent in each others houses, seeing the children now filled with the excitement that we had at their age.

Our day though is singed with the loss of our brother who was an uncle, father, son, husband and friend. We take time to lift up his memory and think of the laughter, his humour, grace, understanding and love.

I hope you are having a blessed day as you remember those near and far and those who have also lost loved ones this year, do leave a comment and share what makes today special for you

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!