Word for the Week - Rapturous - Creating in Faith Episode

Realityarts Podcast

Welcome to Episode 221 - I hope that you have had a blessed weekend. Today's word is Rapturous, is this a word that you have ever used in relation to your creativity. Think about it for a moment, get out your art journal and spend some time thinking about the kind of colours that could be used and ways in which you can express the word in your life.

Creating In Faith Encouraging Recordings are to bless and inspire you. It can be really great to pull out your art journal/Journal and express what comes up for you either with images and colour, with words or with both. Check out the weekly and monthly videos to help you spend more time in your art journal.

Listen to the Podcast

Art Journal Page

Check out an art journal page from start to finish which might give you some tips for starting your own.

Image Artwork

You can find the image Artwork on my Red Bubble Store, with a range of different images and merchandise -HERE

Arts and Health Network

I also have an Arts and Health NHS Network for information on activities and organisations working in the field. You are welcome to join, it is a FREE resource and if you have any activities or want to talk about your work you are welcome to send me the information and I will see that it gets uploaded. You can create your own profile on the network and connect with others who are passionate about the arts in health too.

Looking for ways to express yourself?

Creative Encourager - If you want to talk about creativity and the direction you are going and need a listening ear, sign up for two FREE 30 minute calls http://bit.ly/Encoura

Book Review - Sew U

Come and check out the book review Sew U 

Watch the Video

I have also found additional supplies on Amazon that you can check out to help you on your way - some additional books and sewing supplies.  Let me know if you have any favorite sewing books that you have come across.

Thank you for Joining Me

Poet of the Month - Gwendolyn Brooks - Inspirational Shorts - Episode 220

Welcome to the third week of poetry by Gwendolyn Brooks as part of Inspirational shorts Episode 220 on the podcast. 

The word today is Personal

of De Witt Williams on his way to Lincoln Cemetery

BY GWENDOLYN BROOKS

He was born in Alabama.

He was bred in Illinois.

He was nothing but a

Plain black boy.

Swing low swing low sweet sweet chariot.

Nothing but a plain black boy.

Drive him past the Pool Hall.

Drive him past the Show.

Blind within his casket,

But maybe he will know.

Down through Forty-seventh Street:

Underneath the L,

And Northwest Corner, Prairie,

That he loved so well.

Don’t forget the Dance Halls—

Warwick and Savoy,

Where he picked his women, where

He drank his liquid joy.

Born in Alabama.

Bred in Illinois.

He was nothing but a

Plain black boy.

Swing low swing low sweet sweet chariot.

Nothing but a plain black boy.

Check out some of Gwendolyn's Books on Amazon

Find her books on Amazon

You can check out more about Gwendolyn Brooks, her life and other poetry on the Poetry Foundation Website - HERE

Join me each week on the podcast - HERE

Thank you for joining me, stay blessed and be a blessing!

Art Journal Page from Scratch!

Come and join me creating a journal page from scratch.  The background can be added through play, the main thing is to start something on the page.

You can also go back and add journalling on the page you don't need to add it all at the same time.

Check out my Patreon page to see more of the process and be part of the network.

Join Me

Arts and Wellness Wednesday - Mental Health and Art Journal

Join me in the video or on the podcast for this episode of Arts and Wellness where I look at the effects of the varying lock down, social distancing, death, unemployment and mask wearing around the world there is a knock on effect on our health.  

Working in an Art Journal can have positive effects on our health and  well being, let me know how you use yours if you have one, or check out some of my art journal videos for some tips

Listen to the Podcast

.Creating backgrounds can be useful as a starting point

I create images in mine and journal as well.

Have a look at my Patreon Blog for more ideas

Creating in Faith - What are you 'Interested' in?

Word for the Week - Interested

Welcome to Episode 218.  Creating In Faith Encouraging Recordings are to bless and inspire you to be the best of yourself.  

The word for today is 'Interested'  What is it that you are interested in?  What sparks your interest in relation to your creative practice?  Are you surprising yourself and trying something new and stepping out of your comfort zone?  

I always encourage you to do some work in your art journal - see what comes up for you, get down your thoughts in written form or in colour and even shapes.

Pastel Art by Amanda Trought

The art shown in this series is taken from my 100 days of Pastels where I painted 100 paintings and it felt like a big achievement for me.  The pastel paintings are available as prints or you can get the images on other merchandise which you can check out HERE

Art created on merchandise by Amanda Trought

Why not also join me on my blog on Patreon, you can get access to a number of resources, art tutorials and videos not see anywhere else.

Join me on Patreon

Let me know how you get on as you look at some of the questions on the podcast, and remember you can also sign up for two free creative sessions and chat about your creativity.

Want to talk about your creativity?  Click HERE

Stay blessed and be a blessing

Book Review - Creative Paint Workshop for Mixed Media Artists

Creative Paint Workshop Review

Welcome to Inspirational Shorts Review - Each week I review an art supply, tool or book and today I will be looking at Creative Paint Workshop.  

You can check out the book on Amazon and join me in the video below to see inside the book.

Check out the video below

Stay Blessed and be a blessing!

Join me on Patreon

Poet of the Month - Gwendolyn Brooks - Sadie and Maud - Inspirational Shorts Podcast

Gwendolyn Brooks - Sadie and Maud, Inspirational Shorts

This week on the podcast I am sharing another poem by poet Gwendolyn Brooks.  In Episode 217 of my podcast you will here the poem Sadie and Maud.  

Listen to the podcast

Joyful

Art Journal Page - Amanda Trought

The word for the day is Joyful.  

Think about how the word can be incorporated into the things that you do and create an art journal page linking the word.

Let's look at the definition of the word joyful - 

• joyful feeling or causing great pleasure and happiness
•  with joy great pleasure and happiness,
•  a cause of great pleasure and happiness success or satisfaction.

Now how is it you feel about your creativity? 

Can you find those pockets of feeling joyful or joy and think about how you can find those little moments in your creativity because sometimes you just don't feel like creating.  

Sometimes you know you want to do something else but if you think about the creativity as a blanket so whether you going to your studio sear your table or wherever your space is and create something or write something or take a photograph it's all part creativity so it's all feeding you, feeding that 'well' that you can dip in-and-out of and grow.

Poet - Gwendolyn Brooks

“Poetry is life distilled.” ― Gwendolyn Brooks

Gwendolyn Brooks - Sadie and Maud

This week is the 2nd week of looking at the work of poet Gwendolyn Brooks, so today the poem that we are going to read is called Sadie and Maud. 

Sadie and Maud 

Maud went to college 

Sadie stayed at home 

Sadie scraped life 

with a fine-tooth-comb 

she didn't leave a tangle 

in her comb found every strand 

Sadie was one of the Livingest 

chit in all the land

Sadie bore two babies 

under her maiden name 

Maud and ma and papa 

nearly died of shame 

When Sadie said her last so long 

her girls struck out from home 

Sadie had left her heritage 

in her fine-tooth-comb 

Maud who went to college 

is a thin Brown mouse 

she is living all alone 

in this old house 

Gwendolyn Brooks - Sadie and Maud

You can find some of her book on Amazon

Find her books on Amazon

You can check out more about Gwendolyn Brooks, her life and other poetry on the Poetry Foundation Website - HERE

Join me each week on the podcast - HERE

Thank you for joining me, stay blessed and be a blessing!

Thanks for joining me - Amanda!!

Arts and Wellness Wednesday - Chat Episode 216

Arts and Wellness

Arts  and Wellness Wednesday

Welcome to the show notes for the Arts and Wellness Episode - 216, so glad to have you here.  If you have not yet seen the video you can catch it down below

You can listen to the podcast below

Part of my normal routine starts the day with herbal tea made from Moringa, Broad leaf Thyme and on occasion another blend, alongside a cup or ordinary tea as I head my way over to my studio.

Frangipani flowers from the garden and Scaevola cutting.

In the recording I share information about my art journals.  This is my Restoration journal, one among many.  An art journal is a great place to put your thoughts in images and words.  I work in several art journals depending on how I am feeling at the time.  I love making journals.

Art Journal - Restoration, Amanda Trought

Pages can be prepped before hand, and I usually see the process in 3 stages, depending on how much time I have to work on a page.  The page below has lots of texture, colour, and I have journalled on the pages.  I initially layered the background colours on the pages, then went back at a later date and added the images.  

When I felt in the mood to do some written journalling I looked through the pages to see which one was speaking to me then added the written text.

This is usually how the page starts out on the left, with layers of colour on the page

This is another activity that I have enjoyed doing, creating pieces to slow stitch.  These are quilted painted pieces that I then have been adding stitching to.  There are many more to start working on.

Slow stitch fabric

The pieces also have stencils gessoed on and I often add an image to them.

Closer Detail, painted fabric and stitch - Amanda Trought

What are you finding speaks to you creatively at the moment.  I would love to hear what you are working on.

You can also join me if you want to have a chat about what you are doing creatively where you want to take it.  You can book two free telephone calls were we can explore where you would like to go to next.  Check it out HERE

CHECK IT OUT HERE

I look forward to catching up with you soon, stay blessed and be a blessing!

CHECK IT OUT HERE

Glue Gun Review

How many glue guns do you possess?  If you have been using them for years like I have you will know that it is easy to go through a range of glue guns until you find the one you really like and need for your uses.  In the video below I share with you some of the ones that I have used.  

I do have my eye on another one I saw in the hardware store but I will have to save up and take another look just to make sure I wasn't enamored by the 'new store syndrome'

Check out the review below.

While you are there you can also check out some cool ways to create your own stencils using a glue gun.  

Glue Gun Stencils

You can make the glue guns to the size that you choose and custom them for a particular project that you may have.

Glue gun stencils - Amanda Trought

You can use them with spray paints that you may have, brushes and sponges will also work.  Let me know what your favorite stencil that you have made is.  

I have also used the glue gun to create outlines for art journals and paintings.

They are in the long run economical to use because you are create the stencil to suit your needs, and can be used in a variety of other projects.  They are also unique to you which is great especially if you are planning on selling your work further on down the line.

I would love to see what kind of designs you can come up with for your glue gun stencils.

Stay blessed and be a blessing!

Art Supplies

Darice Glue Gun Mini Hot Temp
from: CreateForLess

Glue Guns on Amazon

Check out these additional supplies on Amazon