Material Mondays - Fabric Dolls

I have always loved looking at the many designs and varieties of fabric dolls.  As part of the Soul Food course over at Community Thrive.  I am still making my way through some of the lessons, and savoring the inspiring teaching.  Artist Susana Tavares showed us how she makes her dolls, and I gave it a go and came up with a couple of designs, one of which I will share today.

Mixed media art doll

It has been great making this one, which I first painted then cut out the pattern and sewed together.  I have made a few additions and she decided that she would be and ideas doll.  Her purpose is to hang around with a note pad and pens and be there when an idea strikes me so that I can take out the pad and write it down. 

Pocket created in the back to carry notebook and pens

To her back I put a couple of pockets that could hold a mini journal and some pens.  The pocket was recycled and painted from one of my sons old school uniform trousers.

Jeweled out with accessories

Her hair and head dress was made from wool and crocheted flower headband - it kind of reminds me of the 80's style

I made some simple earrings using beads and jewelry findings, and picked up a necklace and broach at the charity shop.

Weighed down with stones

I used small stones to weigh down the doll so that she would stand up, though you can use rice or other grain.

She likes going everywhere, and I thought that I would spend some time in the garden getting some inspiration, I might have to make another one to keep her company, and a few smaller ones with encouraging words.  Come back next week for Material Mondays to see what I make out of fabric  Check out Susana's site, she has lots of other things that will be a feast for the eyes and may be inspire you to create.  

Gratitudes and Celebrations - Week 52 - Celebrate how far you have come!

Gratitudes and Celebration - Celebrate how far you have come.

Approximately 52 weeks ago I decided to start a Gratitude's and Celebration journal, to capture and remind me of those things that I was grateful for within my life.  I shared with you how I made the journal and in the first week talked about 'letting the love in'.

The Gratitude's and Celebration Journal has served as a reminder to make the most of each and every opportunity.

It has been great working in a small way creating art on each page, and it has also made me focus on what was really important and what mattered in my life.  I have had my share of extremely sad times, as well as moments of joy, and all experiences there for a purpose and allow us to grow.The Journal has carried me through each and every week!

In everything, above all everything I choose to be joyful, and carry that joy with me everywhere I go.  While this is the 52nd week I have decided to continue with the journal, as I still have quite a few pages left to fill.

There is still so many things to be grateful for, I hope you continue to join me on the journey, and start your own Gratitude's and Celebration journal and spend time reflecting on where you are going.

Celebrating Joy

Tutorial Tuesday - Creating with Washi Tape and Buttons!

Ever busy in my creative activities I had a couple of products from Fantastic Ribbons to review, which consisted of a packet of their Candy Buttons, in assorted colours and some washi tape from their Pastels collection. It has been great to use both of the products in creative activities and I will be sharing what you can do to incorporate both of the products in different pieces of work.

I started out with the Washi tape and, I have used it in two mixed media paintings and a wall hanging.

The pink and blue washi tape was used in this painting called "Why Not", on the neckline of her top and with paint and stamps blended in with the rest of her top.

I used some of the washi tape in this painting called "Honouring your Story", I applied the tape in random places to add colour before the addition of acrylic paint and inks. It is great using different types of patterned paper within the paintings, and it adds different dimensions to the pieces without being too bulky.  

Wall Hanging

With the wall hanging it was great to be able to keep it simple and allow the colours of the washi tape to show through.  I had these wooden circles and covered them with the washi tape, then embossed it with embossing powder.  

With the bottom panel I added two strips of washi tape with the butterfly made from Fimo clay and then painted to match the pink in the tape.  I then added gel accents in gold to the panels.

With the buttons, I went overboard, there is so much you can do with buttons.  the colours are great, bright and fun and really bring your project to life.  Here are some of the other projects I made:

Fishes

I used some of  the buttons as decoration on this fish.  I shared how to make them HERE and the fish has two looks depending on its mood.  Using some painted fabric I cut out, sewed and filled a mini fish shape, added the tail using laces and then used stitching and beads to decorate.  You could make a mobile for a kids room or put an encouraging word on it and put it in a prominent place:)

Wrist Cuff

I made a crochet wrist cuff with the buttons, decorating it with a flower.  I had added the buttons and it showed the pattern well with the silver flecked wool of the main parts of the cuff.  A larger button served as a clasp.  This took around a couple of hours, and you could mix and match with different wool and designs.

I have had these mini Dollies for a while and arranged the buttons on the Dollie and stitched them together. I think that it will make an addition to another project such as a fabric journal.

Quirky Doll

My final piece was this quirky doll.  

The doll is originally made from two crocheted flowers that had been sewn together, and decorated with buttons from the Candy range alongside acrylic gems.  there were some lovely buttons in shades of purple that I was able to use to decorate the doll.  I attached a mini hat and eyes and the shoes are made from green and pink buttons.

Quirky doll

So as you can see, several different activities from a couple of products, there are lots more that you can do with them if you put your mind to it!  When you get a chance check out Fantastic Ribbons  and see what you can find to spark your creativity, and allow your mind to run free with some of the delightful products in their range.

Word for the Week - Psalm 120

Word for the Week - Psalm

I call on the Lord in my distress and He answers me

Psalm 120:1

Gratitude's and Celebrations - Are you ready to live - Week 51

Are you ready to live the life you have been given?

I have a big birthday coming up in a couple of months and as I think back over the years I think about those things that have made a impact in my life.  There are some sad moments that are mingled with happier times.

How many lives have you touched?

Most of all I think about the fruit that has come from my efforts, and wonder how many lives have I touched, did I make an impact in someone else’s life, and what do my achievements mean.

You can spend your life thinking about what you should have done, could of done and when tomorrow comes all the things that you are going to change, but when the time comes you give another reason why you can’t start just yet.

Watching my son grow up and finish his exams, and each and every day becomes a young man who is getting more and more independant I am reminded that I can’t wait until tomorrow, I have to do what ever it is today, I have to make those changes today, I have to step up and do something different today, because tomorrow might not come. 

Are you ready?

I am ready, as I approach another year, to live the life I have been given right now, not make excuses of what I should be doing, but experiencing growth, joy, happiness, along with everything else that comes with it – even pain.  I celebrate and I am grateful for this life, and look forward to the many adventures that await.

What part of your life do you need to kick start and how you going to do it?

Cat ....at the end of the Garden

The Painting starting out

My neighbors cat for some reason prefers to sit at the end of my garden, and he brings his friends along to sprawl under the palm tree, as if they are having a conference!. 

Every morning he strolls across the grass, after spending the night chasing mice and other things and gazes at my plum tree where I have the hanging bird feeder, hoping that one of the many birds that feast on the nuts and seeds would slip up and provide him some breakfast - as he waits to pounce on them.

He switches his tale backwards and forwards, until I open the garden door to shoo him away, surprized he makes a bolt for it to his own garden, caught in the act.

Other times you will find him stretching out on garage roofs, climbing walls and darting in and out of the hanging plants chasing the butterflies. 

But every now and again he sits on his window ledge, watching the world go by, I think that he secretly has dreams of making his escape much further afield than my garden and into other neighborhoods. But there is no time to dawdle evening comes round and the day dreaming takes a back seat to the coming adventures that await his night time pursuits.

Cat - Mixed media Painting

Gifts are waiting to be birthed...Gratitude's and Celebrations Journal - Week 50

You have so many gifts waiting to be birthed

I know that I have said this before, but you are a big deal, I don’t see why I shouldn’t  let you know today if your reading this or whenever you find the time, but it needs to be said again and again! 

From before you were born you were thought of as unique and special, and with every hair on your head being accounted for you are a pretty big deal.  It doesn’t matter what you have been through, your experiences, your trials, your tribulations, or the pain that you have been through or are currently going through, your story, thoughts, experiences, views and life matters more than you will ever know.

Gifts waiting to be birthed

And just as on the day you were born there was anticipation,  joy and perhaps a tear or two, your arrival into this world is a blessing and everything that you do is connected to others souls around the world, each one with a purpose and a plan for their lives.

You are filled with immeasurable gifts that are waiting to be birthed.  It does not matter how old you are and how many years, months or days you have left, there is something that can be birthed today.    Think about the dreams you have, the hopes you have, the changes that you want to make, the steps you would like to take and do something today.  One thing that will bring you a step further to uncovering those gifts that have been laying dormant, that only you can bring.  Take a breath, are you ready, now go......

Don't be afraid....

I celebrate and am grateful today for each gift that is laying within me that I have yet to uncover, and as I take a step of faith I come closer to uncovering more joy, more grace, peace and love.

Celebrate your Gifts - Mixed Media Art by Amanda Trought

Read about the Gratitude's and Celebration Journal HERE

Word for the Week - Psalm 27:4

Dedicated to my wonderful, brave, encouraging, loving Brother Robert, who was also a husband, son, father, uncle, friend, supporter, who was  all the things you could ever want in a brother and then some! Who is truly in the House of the Lord, who sought him and is gazing upon his beauty......

Showing Sekani, Jorrell and Symphonie some moves!

Show your support HERE

One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. Psalm 27:4

Why not?..... change if you want to....New Art

What do you do when something is just not working?  I had been working on a piece of art in the studio and for some reason it just wasn't coming together, I tried to push in a variety of directions with my head and not my heart and this is what I came up with...

Starting out in one direction

I was feeling the sentiment, but wasn't really feeling the image, not at that time anyway and I wanted to do something that was different.

Normally I have tried to stick with it and make it work, but I wondered to myself 'what if I just started again?'  Why be so afraid of starting over.  We can get so stuck at times feeling that change is somehow bad, or that we will never make what we started work out.  

We have to learn from each and every step, fall, or turnaround and not look at anything as a failure but as a learning experience.

Taking a step towards change

Hesitantly I started to gesso over what I had done and add a little bit of color, not sure of what I had actually wanted to do but knowing that I was going in the right direction, why not try something different?  When coming up with a new painting I don't plan in the outset what I want to paint, but allow the colors I put down and shapes to reveal and visit the page.

Patience and a bit of prodding

Still undecided about the direction I decide to flip the page 180 degrees, to see what would present itself, and then I know that this is the direction that the paper should be and as I lay down some marks I begin to see a figure emerging, coming to join me in my creative journey.

A new image appears

There is no reason why you can't change your mind and see things in a different light, your still telling your story, stepping out into what could be your unknown and sitting in the uncomfortable-ness of it all.  I used to think that if I changed my mind I would never be able to create another thing that was as good, but I know that sometimes changing our mind is stepping out into better, and not settling for what we feel that we want or should have in our lives, but really going for what we dream.

Anyway, I stuck with this painting and the new direction, and much prefer how it turned out, there is a sense of peace about it, and I have a sense of achievement that tells me I can change my mind, or start over and it will be alright.  When we look back at our lives we can if we dare to look see the transformations that have taken place, they were not always easy, but when we keep going, acknowledge the fear but keep move on, we can often be surprised by the finished results.

Why Not?  Mixed Media art by Amanda Trought

If you would like to buy a print of this piece I will be putting it up in my Society 6 store

Material Mondays - Painted fabric

Material Mondays - Painted Fabric

Welcome back to Monday Makes, it has been a while since I have posted what I have made either from fabric or crochet.  I have been busy in the background and will be sharing with you over the next few weeks, getting back on track

You can do many things with fabric, it is so versatile.  I decided to experiment, and took sari fabric which was quite sheer and sandwiched a piece of paper between two pieces of the material.

This meant that I was able to stiffen it up prior to working on it.  After letting it dry I painted with gesso and was then able to add an image.

I also added some journaling and beading on the body of the image and also as earrings

 It was great to experiment by adding the beads, and being fabric made it easy to sew.  I found that because the material was so sheer you needed to take extra care to add enough glue to the surfaces, which resulted in areas where it didn't stick properly.

A remedy would be to use these areas as a part of the decoration and sew additional beads to these parts, try to flatten by ironing them out or cut and reseal, which will probably be the most effective remedy.  I haven't quite decided what I will be using the decorated fabric painting for, and this will inform to a certain extent how prominent the areas look.

Painted and decorated fabric

Why not see what you can do with the fabric that you have and do something different with it.  Do let me know how you get on.

If you are considering learning how to crochet, or any other 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. 

Have a blessed day, see you tomorrow for Tutorial Tuesday.

Creating....the process

I love looking at the process photos of how a painting comes into being, and every now and then share with you here.  I wanted to show you this particular painting that I had done recently and how it started out and what the finished result looked like.

I have over the past few months been attempting to paint a few more male portraits, it was something I was quite used to doing with graphite, but never attempted many paintings

After using my gelli plate to create a background this young man came to visit and I was able to capture him in charcoal.

Starting out using gelli print and charcoal to sketch the image

with each application of paint, he reveals a bit more of himself..

Image continues to emerge

he shares his dreams of travelling, and I wondered if they would remain just dreams or if he would be able to have some adventures of his own.

It had taken quite a bit of thought, planning and convincing that he was able too venture forth

He had already begun, he was living his adventure, travelling around the world, meeting new people and finding himself..

He knew who he was, where his talents and opportunities lay and he set out to share them with the world.

Valiant - Mixed Media Art on Watercolour