Journal 52 : Week 34

Journal 52 is a weekly prompt from Effy Wild (Free HERE) that I'm creating on a deck of jumbo playing cards 3.5'' x 4.75'' (8.5 x 12 cm). Each card will include stitch, a found word, and be inspired by the project I've been working on that week or what's lying leftover on my work table. See the original post HERE.
#34 : Imagine. Our art practice is where we can invite imagination to play and develop. I decided to use another piece of watercolour play as my base and I'm imagining Spring around the corner and me finishing my treatment. I just have 15 sessions of radiotherapy to go. I forgot to take a photo to start, but this is a cropped image of the original page play that I trimmed to fit my card size.

And the finished card :

The colours spark joy and the feather symbolises my power to rise. I love the unexpected mixing of colours, the feeling that's it not quite in control, the simple mark making. I don't even mind the crease through the middle since it will always remind me of the project that inspired the card. I've only included stitch to attach the vellum feather, which I think is the least stitch so far for this collection, but I love the outcome.
Find all my Journal 52 posts HERE 

Journal 52 : Week 33

Journal 52 is a weekly prompt from Effy Wild (Free HERE) that I'm creating on a deck of jumbo playing cards 3.5'' x 4.75'' (8.5 x 12 cm). Each card will include stitch, a found word, and be inspired by the project I've been working on that week or what's lying leftover on my work table. See the original post HERE.
#33 : Wild. Effy's card was a wolf howling at the moon. I have more of an affinity with flowers, and was inspired by this collage image to use the humble dandelion as my inspiration this week. 

I had an old piece of cardboard - from a tissue box I think - with the seed head of a dandelion and decided to try a transfer. I used the packing tape transfer method HERE but once I rubbed off the cardboard, I really liked the white showing in the background so didn't persist. Some simple additions with a bit of wild stitching (my bobbin wasn't properly threaded!) and I was almost done here but not quite loving it.

Next day - seems obvious what was needed!

Another reminder that if I'm not happy with my art, I need to trust the feeling it's not finished and to wait for the inspiration needed to make me love it. Find all my Journal 52 posts HERE 

Creating a book a month : Shine

I began the year with an Intention to create a book a month : small and gorgeous, mixed media and stitched. This one's taken me 3 months but I have focussed on a different part of the process each month, and I needed to take this relaxed approach. 

In June, a friend gifted me Joanne Sharpe's lovely online class Art Sparks 1 : Words and Watercolour. We started by playing with watercolour to create base pages

and I shared in July how I had begun to put them together

I wanted to include stitch in some way and had more fun later that month creating stitched embellishments

Now in August I've finally been inspired to finish my Shine book. I love it and am so glad I took my time. 

I promised I'd share how my new uniball pens worked. It was really fun to use in combination with my Faber-Castell Brush pen to create this lettering - very smooth application and very black. I will be using again.

Here are my completed pages

Art Sparks 1 : Words and Watercolor is very reasonably priced and includes watercolour play, lettering, and bookbinding. Joanne's already produced Art Sparks 2 : Color. Collage. Concertina, and Art Sparks 3 : Pockets full of posies with more coming I believe. 

Hope you are inspired to create this month. 

Free classes coming soon

Love when I can share free online art inspiration with you.

Kasia Avery has a free colour confidence challenge : "Book your spot on our FREE 3-day challenge (+1 bonus day) to learn all you need to start using colours with confidence" HERE. The sign ups close on the 27th of August. The challenge will start on the 28th of August 2020. You'll receive all of the content via email and you'll be able to download all the videos and handouts and keep them forever.

Strathmore's second free online workshop begins Tuesday 8th September and is called Creative Watercoloring. Sign up HERE.

Hope you are finding creative joy in your August. Don't forget you can always find cheap and free options near the top of the right hand column of this blog.

A Year of Rumi : June/July

I wanted to explore Effy's "A Year of Rumi" lessons this year in my art journal, since last year I explored them as monthly art cards.  I always wanted to do June's lesson in my journal so am very thankful that I've finally made time for my version. I began with a dark background for my page from using up paint from my May prompt which faces this one. This gave me the opportunity to start with gorgeous iridescent and interference paints for my background. First I painted over some book paper with Titanium Buff and drew an outline of my face - it was a good solution for adding light over the dark base as well as for sketching in my hair line before I began to add colour.

I adore butterflies, metallics and Rumi   

Sharing 2 images of my completed page. Above in daylight and below taken at night to show how this really glows

I already managed both a journal spread for July as well as the art card last year so am now ready for the August prompt. 

Find out more about A Year of Rumi with Effy Wild HERE. And see ALL my posts about this class HERE.

Journal 52 : Week 32

Journal 52 is a weekly prompt from Effy Wild (Free HERE) that I'm creating on a deck of jumbo playing cards 3.5'' x 4.75'' (8.5 x 12 cm). Each card will include stitch, a found word, and be inspired by the project I've been working on that week or what's lying leftover on my work table. See the original post HERE.

#32 : Pride. Pride is inextricably linked with self-love and self-esteem although as Effy points out, it's hard to find a quote that shows Pride in a positive light. I am proud of who I am and what I stand for. I am proud of how I have behaved this year in the face of difficult challenges.There's a link to a free tutorial with Effy for a journal page celebrating being proud of yourself HERE. 

Inspired this week by a couple of embellishments in my stash which I rearranged together to symbolise that self-love enables me to shine, and a piece of paper that made me think of a galaxy (salt sprinkled on watercolour gives this lovely effect)

Find all my Journal 52 posts HERE. We are back to Level 2 here in Palmerston North today. Everything crossed that our new community transmissions in Auckland can be contained (Level 3 there). Please take care of yourself while you are taking care of others 💜

Journal 52 : Week 31

Journal 52 is a weekly prompt from Effy Wild (Free HERE) that I'm creating on a deck of jumbo playing cards 3.5'' x 4.75'' (8.5 x 12 cm). Each card will include stitch, a found word, and be inspired by the project I've been working on that week or what's lying leftover on my work table. See the original post HERE.
#31 : Being. I began with scrapbook bee paper for fun and no real idea of what to do next. 

Still feeling tired after my treatment, surgery and the stress of the year, so trying to Be Kind to myself, Be Present to what is good in the moment, Be Open to doing what feels good instead of beating myself up about "should". In the spirit of all that, I let myself Be Delighted by colours and fabric and stitch that felt good to use today. As Effy said in her PDF for this prompt Being "means whatever I’m doing, I’m doing it with presence. I’m doing it mindfully. I’m fully engaged". 

I bought some new supplies yesterday with a voucher I got for my birthday from Warehouse Stationery. 

I have never purchased a proper bound watercolour journal so hoping this will inspire some new work soon. Joanne Sharpe recommended Uniball Vision pens in a recent class. These aren't Vision but they are permanent, waterproof, fade resistant pigment ink. I will report back when I've tested them. Have a lovely week. Find all my Journal 52 posts HERE 

Cards

I always enjoy making cards

The above card was gifted earlier this week. When I need to make one, I always create a batch. These will be easily personalised when occasions arise in the future.

The combination of old paper, stencils, butterflies and stitch makes me happy. Hope you're finding something to make you smile in August.

Journal 52 : Week 30

Journal 52 is a weekly prompt from Effy Wild (Free HERE) that I'm creating on a deck of jumbo playing cards 3.5'' x 4.75'' (8.5 x 12 cm). Each card will include stitch, a found word, and be inspired by the project I've been working on that week or what's lying leftover on my work table. See the original post HERE.
#30 : Bloom. Still inspired by my paper stitched embellishments and I decided to start with paper I created in April which I think will work well for my background. I trimmed it to my card size and already have my word from an old dictionary. 

I love the look of organza stitched over book paper.The purple layer below that is lutradur stitched over sheet music. 

Find all my Journal 52 posts HERE