October review

I began October with my second week of school holidays and on my to do list was this challenge from school - we were given a blank canvas square and told to decorate it including a specific allocated letter. The letter had to stand out, and the way we did it could relate to our hobbies, career, identity in whatever way we chose. I covered the background with book pages and then cut out my letter from a piece of free-motion quilted fabric. Applied a thin layer of gesso to the paper background, and then hand stitched the letter on top. It's a great representation of me as librarian, reader, and creative combining paper and stitch.

These are going to be used to spell a well-known Whakatauki (Maori proverb) in our staffroom. Unfortunately not everyone has completed theirs yet. I will share when that happens.

Happy to share more cards created from my card bases

And a unique one for my brother's birthday - I just love the image

Fodder School 3 has begun. I know it's a big financial outlay, but since I've been in it from day 1 I get generous alumni discounts and always find several projects in the year that are worth the price of admission. Scroll back through all my fodder school posts HERE. Di Venter was a wonderful teacher for October (our first month for FS3) I didn't want to make a coptic bound book or to create with watercolours and ink but I watched all her lessons and they are forever access so there when I need them. I did have a moment where I got out some old painted fabric and sprayed through and then printed with a stencil to see if I would be inspired to take it further

It just wasn't exciting me enough, so back into the stash these pieces go but you never know when they may appear again! I did love her free challenge project from July which we now get to keep as part of our full enrolment. I didn't have time to do it then, but I am happy to be reminded of this...maybe in November. 

I've been reading good books and I recommend all of these

and these were my favourite movies seen last month

Watched "A man called Otto" on Neon, and went to see "Uproar" at Focal Point cinema with some workmates. It was a wonderful movie - a serious subject treated with a light hand. See the trailer here. 

I am currently thinking about whether to do a December Daily journal again, purely because Raspberry Blue Sky is already sharing info to sign up for #artjournaladvent2023 here and has a video here about how to make a journal for this project. 

Last year I was doing my monthly journal project and you can see my December journal here. In 2021 I made an accordian journal for a December Daily-ish project. I've also done them previous years and really love having that practice....

There may be other December options that come up later in the month and I will continue share here as I find free online art classes. 

I also managed to do a little more in my JIYA journal (online class with Megan Quinlan) 

The clear envelope on the right contains letters of appreciation from students from my new school about how I am making a difference to them as their new school librarian 💜

I have actually completed 1 of the 3 signatures. I would love to complete this this year...I'll keep you posted. 

When I started putting this post together I felt like I didn't have much to share from last month, but turns out I am still making progress, even if some of it is sorting out ideas in my head. I am trying to be kind to myself and hope you can give yourself some grace as well. Whatever we are managing to create in the midst of our busy lives and the sad news of the world is good enough. 

I post more regularly on my Instagram and Facebook Artist's page.