April Review

Daylight Savings has ended and I have to admit we are in Autumn now (leaves falling, lower temperatures at night, dark by 6pm) but we had stunning weather for our school holidays, including Easter and ANZAC weekends, and I'm only just thinking about swapping out my summer clothes for boots and warmer layers. 

In my work life, I started April with a couple of "Be Brave" art sessions at school (2 hour sessions with 20 students learning something different out of their comfort zone). I taught them how to collage master sheets and then use these to create a zine from a single piece of paper or make bookmarks. This is their work.

In case you are keen to make zines yourself, Camila Garcia has created a YouTube called Mastering the Art of Zine Folding and shares 5 different ways of folding a book from one piece of paper. Very clear instructions and useful to have a variety of techniques in one place. 

See her other beautiful zines here. 

I am also very proud to say that my Intermediate School Kids' Lit Quiz A team competed against 45 other teams and won their Regional heat of the Kids' Lit Quiz on the last Monday of term. The team of 4 answered 100 questions : 10 questions across 10 different categories (unknown ahead of the day). They will compete in the National final later this month.

In my last review I shared that I was making a secret stitchy project that had an April deadline. Here's the quilt for my gorgeous first grandchild.

I stitched these words around the borders : twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are, up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky. 

This was the song I used to sing my boys when they needed soothing and is a strong memory that will hopefully now get passed to our next beautiful generation. 

Still working in my yellow JIYA Journal - a place for written journaling. These are some of the spreads from April : 

I am half way through now and it is just what I need it to be right now.

I joined Brooke Henry's offering of BB Bash Beyond which I shared last month (no longer available) which gave me lifetime access to all her prompts from the offering plus fun bonus content. During April I managed to play with the prompts of Messy

Repetition

and Scraps - snippet rolls and a master sheet on a recycled coffee sachet box which is going to be a book cover!

She has also inspired me to rearrange my supplies : I have always organised paper and fabrics by colour so why not paints and markers?! Seems obvious when I always gather by colour story for projects! She made me realise that this way you can concentrate on using the whole variety of supplies you have, making substitutions and using everything because you can see it. I had such fun laying out the colour stories.

Seeing them this way I am even enthused to use colours that aren't my favourites - all look full of possibility to me ♥ I now have dedicated containers that I will pull out as I do my projects with limited colour palettes.

A few free classes around at the moment - I guess Spring in the Northern Hemisphere is a time for new ideas. I was thinking I'd do Messy May (you can sign up HERE to get prompts delivered by email or just follow along on Instagram or Youtube) but I might just give myself some grace and hopefully create a journal with the lessons I have from Brooke. I have the prompts if I change my mind as I get into this month. 

Tam is hosting a new venture in May with 35+ art sessions.

As is often the case with such a large offering there is a 2 week free showcase (1-14th May) and then you can sign up for lifetime access for a price. Find out about the artists and sign up here.

Wendy Solganik is also offering a free Mixed Media 101 series. 

As I write this she has a playlist on YouTube that so far includes Under paper, Paper stash, Know your glue and Limited colour palettes. If you are a beginning artist, what I've seen so far is highly recommended. You can also get these videos as a free class which you sign up to from her site. This would be the way to go if you are interested in joining her email list and getting information about other classes and special deals. It's also a useful place to read more about what videos and why she is producing in this series.  

Hope May treats you well. You can see me posting during the month as projects happen on my Instagram and Facebook Artist's page.

New Zealand Quilt

I don't make very many quilts now, but I had to make one for my sister-in-law who turned 60 this month. The theme is beautiful New Zealand with our gorgeous plants and birds. I made applique blocks by various designers including Jacqui Karl, Amiee's Homestead Quilts, The Cloth Shop and myself. This is what I gifted her over the weekend

I fused the pieces to the backgrounds, and then quilted and appliqued all in one pass of free-motion stitching. Here's each block closer up. Each has special meaning and I can't pick a favourite.

Pohutukawa = NZ's Christmas tree and a favourite of Sandy's

Clouds

Pikorua = a powerful symbol for loyalty, friendship and love, signifying the strength and beauty of enduring friendships

Mountains to the sea 

Kowhai = NZ's national flower 

Sheep = they are now living on a lifestyle block

Kapiti Island = view from their previous home 

Piwakawaka = Fantail, my favourite NZ bird 

Cats = she has 2 

Harakeke = NZ flax  

Every stitch made with love. And a handmade card of course. 

Birthday Quilt

We had another great niece born last April. Unfortunately I was in the throes of cancer treatment and was not able to create a quilt for her like the one below which I did for her sister. 

I was determined that she would have one for her first birthday (which was on Wednesday) and it was delivered today at her party. It's a lot larger because she's running around not rolling on the floor. Love that I've used some of the same fabric in both quilts

I used a free pattern from Valori Wells, although I didn't follow her instructions exactly for the layout.I do so love pink and yellow together. 

And I found a lovely flannel to back it with so it's nice and snuggly. 

Wedding Quilt

Some very dear friends of mine got married this month. Their wedding breakfast was a picnic, so I made them a small quilt they can use for future picnics 

I wanted to include daisies, bees and tea bags

It looks large here but is only 1.4m square. Red for love and Yellow for Joy. I was thrilled when I saw her dress and bouquet 💛 

Wedding quilt

I don't make many quilts now; maybe 1 or 2 a year for special occasions. No question that I had to make one for dear friends who got married this past weekend. Blue and cream using simple strips for a lovely effect. I knew when I'd cut the fabric it was going to be pretty before the piecing even started

It even has Wedding fabric included

Because of my colour choices, my quilt is amazingly different from the original pattern 

I decided to do without the border too.

My finished quilt is a 47" (1.2m) square

You can get the PDF pattern HERE.

November review and December creative joy

To be honest, these last 2 weeks of the school year are slamming me and there has been no art this week! Luckily, I'd prepared the base of this blog post earlier and I wanted to share my monthly review.

The photo above is of the art I completed in November. You can find all the details if you look back through my most recent posts.  
I taught my final art journal class for the year - read about that HERE.

It's been a really rewarding and inspiring experience and I hope to have the opportunity to continue teaching in 2020.
I wanted to delay this post so I could share the finish of our school quilts. We completed them in November and delivered them to the Birthing Unit on Monday

I am the adult in the photo holding a couple of quilts for girls who were away that day. Again a very worthwhile project but I will never again try and do so many at once! I DO have ideas to do it again in 2020 in a more manageable way.
I managed to create Bookmarks over the weekend to gift my student librarian helpers at school this year - read about that HERE

Creatively inspired last month by the Royal New Zealand Ballet's original production of Hansel and Gretel. Loved everything about it - get a taste HERE

No new supplies but I shared Black Friday sales and temptations HERE and decided to buy these 2 classes that I have been tempted by every time I see them! I figured it's a good sign if I still want them after more than 12 months so they are now sitting waiting for my holiday time... 

Do check the sales and temptations link if you haven't seen it - has lots of FREE options there for inspiration too. Also an online friend pointed out there are lots of FREE online options through Jeanne Oliver's network - check all of that goodness out HERE.
I fell in love with Gina Ferrari's embroidered crackers and had to purchase the pattern from Etsy - instant download. Hopefully sharing my own versions once work is finished.

I also really want to participate in Kasia's FREE Advent calendar journaling event : 24 days of art journaling with prompts, exploring mindfulness, self-care and gifts of the season. Sign up HERE until 5th December (you've probably got until tomorrow given time zones). Everything crossed I can manage this in some shape or form 

I did my gatherings on the weekend.

That's all I can manage to share right now since I am due at a school function in half an hour. Sun is shining in New Zealand, Summer is here, and I am on holidays in 2 weeks. Can't wait to have more time to create and share with you. Hope you are looking after yourself in amongst the busy. I promise I am and will do something creative on the weekend.