December and the year in review

As the year draws to a close so do a couple of my long-term projects. I shared my JIYA journal completed yesterday, and now I've finished my weekly #52cards2024 : to create a card that reflects the past week (ending Sunday). I must include stitch, the colour turquoise and a word. These are my December cards : 

And here's the last quarter of cards together (see the first 3/4 here)

I decided to make a snippet roll to cover the box 

I wonder what will replace this project in 2025? I have loved having something that has kept me creating every week even if that's all I've monaged some months. I am percolating ideas at present...

December is my month for Mum, Mum-in-law, and Auntys' birthdays. I always create their cards as a set. This year I combined some bases from when I taught in October with florals created in May. I think they've made very joyful cards.

I have read some great books this month, but have to smile cos looks like I've been following a colour theme. Recommend all of these for holiday reading

It's been a bit of a rocky year overall for us and the result has been less creativity. I have found this difficult because usually I use art to help keep me grounded and uplifted. On the bright side, I made progress in my Flowers Magic journal, made some lovely birthday cards, had fun with parts of Fodder School 3 lessons, had some rewarding creative teaching experiences, and do have a few finished projects to celebrate : This quilt for my sister-in-laws 60th birthday : 

And these projects that still live at my house : 

Affirmation deck "Advice from the Sea" inspired by Fodder School lesson with Megan Quinlan, Summer Journal, Fodder School 3 Portfolio with Susanne Randers, JIYA journal including December Daily-ish project, and my #52cards2024 project above. 

We added 2 beautiful kittens to our family at the beginning of the year and became empty nesters in November. This has meant more space in my studio as my husband has moved his music gear inside to the vacated room, and Oscar is now a regular studio supervisor for me ♥ 

Obi is also cute but keeps more to himself

As my thoughts turn to possible projects for 2025 I want to thank you so much for continuing to visit. Talk to you very soon.

November Review

November has been a month of big changes for us. Our youngest son (and his dog) has moved out to be with his girlfriend, and they are expecting a baby in April so more changes ahead. We are excited to be empty-nesters after 24 years. We know it will take some adjustment, but my husband has already moved from the room we shared into the vacated bedroom and turned it into a music room. This means I now have a lot more space to organise things in my studio so hopefully that will lead to more creativity. Progress so far : 

As I post this we are heading into December and while it will be busy, it's almost summer school holidays for me and I am looking forward to the break from work and fresh ideas for new projects. 

Only a few weeks to go to finish my year-long challenge of #52cards2024 : to create a card that reflects the past week (ending Sunday). I must include stitch, the colour turquoise and a word. These are my November cards : 

You will realise why the last is more pink themed when you read what I'm planning for December. I post these individually with a bit more info about the theme each week on my Instagram and Facebook Artist's page.

I started November by teaching arty junk journals to a group of students at school for "Be Brave" - a 2 hour session to try something different out of their comfort zone. They created a journal with recycled materials and I talked to them about using art to support positive self-talk and as a way to destress by spending time creating something for themselves. Thrilled with how they were engaged and what they took home with them. 

I love a December Daily or Daily-ish journal. 

Last year's evolved into a Summer Journal that lasted from December to March. It became what it needed to become. This year there are once again some free online offerings to take some self-care time and focus on yourself amongst the busy of December. 

Care December 2024 with Kasia Avery -the theme this year is Pink. 

Care December is 15 days of mindful, intuitive mixed-media art journaling. 

Then there's Art Journal Advent 2024 - an instagram offering with Michelle and Tamara.

Read more about it on Michelle's website. There's a prompt a day, and this year some other artists sharing their interpretation of the prompt. 

Also check out journal construction ideas on Youtube with MegJournals - she's one of the organisers of the Junk Journal January and July projects I've participated in previously. She's been doing a challenge called No Sew November which has great journal making ideas to create the base for a December Daily or Junk Journal January (fingers crossed she does it again in 2025). 

And not free, but a small price of US$18 is December Pause with LIz Lamoreux. Explore the creative practice of writing lists to anchor you in the midst of daily life. 

I wondered if I might make myself a new journal, but as I was thinking about the pink theme for Care December, I realised that I have 24 spreads left in my JIYA journal 

- last seen in March this year, I started it at the beginning of 2023 so it would be fabulous to finish it before the end of 2024. Not sure how it will evolve, but as I said above - It will become what it needs to become. If you haven't seen this journal, these are a couple of empty spreads

and a couple that already have something as a starter

And I've made pink gatherings - although obviously I'll need some other colours for contrast.

I have got quite excited writing this and can't wait to share more in December. Make sure to follow my FB Artist page or my Instagram for {hopefully} regular page posting. 

Another class which is available for Free for one month access from when you sign up is Wendy Solganik's Phone Photography and Editing Webinar 

It sounds good but I am waiting to access it until mid-December in the hope that I can make good use of it through those days that stretch between Christmas and New Year.

Now it's Summer and some of my stresses have lifted, you can expect to see me posting more regularly on my Instagram and my Facebook Artist's page too. Wishing you some pockets of creativity and peace in December. Take care of yourself ♥ 

September and October Review

As shared in my mid-September post, I delayed my monthly review for September and combined it with October since I had a trip away at the beginning of our school holidays. We were so lucky to have a wonderful holiday in Rarotonga - highly recommended.

Unfortunately, since we've been home, stress has stolen my mojo and I am feeling frustrated with myself but unable to feel inspired enough to create very much. I am so thankful to have my weekly project that I am managing to keep up with. #52cards2024 : to create a card that reflects the past week (ending Sunday). I must include stitch, the colour turquoise and a word. 

These were my September cards :

Week 39 = 3/4 way through the year so here's everything that far. 

And now to October : starting with Raro inspiration of course 💙

I post details about the inspiration for these on my Facebook Artist's page and Instagram.

I also had to make a few cards for birthdays in October. I decided to go back to the backgrounds that I had created in August 

and ended up these 5

I had the opportunity to teach a lovely group last month with a day-long mixed-media class. I taught my Star Book class as well as Tag projects, including how to make master sheets and Zines. These were my samples and inspiration for them

This was the master sheet I demonstrated and the week's card that came out of it. 

And these were their star books. It was a really fun and successful day.

Looking ahead to what's next, I haven't signed up for Fodder School 4 so I have more options for what to do when my creativity revives...and it always does 💜

Some free online inspiration coming up with another Zen textile-arts-focused retreat

The classes aren't available for long, but I am looking forward to watching Brooke Henry create this removable hand stitched notebook cover.

And of course there'll be December Daily-ish book projects coming up - will share those as I find out what's happening this year. 

When I am really stressed, I love to watch good movies and read good books. These were my favourite 3 books last month.

I hope I have more to share next time. 

August Review

August was a very busy month for me personally with seven birthdays, a trip to Wellington to watch the All Blacks and catch up with extended family, and at work our school library celebrated the NZ Children's Book Awards and our own library Book Week which included competitions, a school lit quiz and dress up day (I am the pirate)

I also gave a talk to a local quilt guild about my mixed media work which was a fun remembering of projects.  

As a result of all of that, there's not much to share, but I have managed to create cards and get some new supplies. I am very happy that I am still going with my weekly challenge, even though I had to catch up on doing 3 cards in a week this month! #52cards2024 : to create a card that reflects the past week (ending Sunday). I must include stitch, the colour turquoise and a word. 

These are my August cards. 

Note that the first three were made within a week (over half way through the month!) cos I was so busy. As a result the first 2 are very simple - Week 31 : Choose was a mounting of a tag I had already made and Week 32 : Exhale features a paper cutout from Ellen Giggenbach (a Wellington artist I love). Week 33 : Inspire was in turn inspired by the birthday card I made for my friend below, and my beautiful magnolia tree in full flower. Week 34 was actually created in the correct week and features one of my new art foamies that arrived. And Week 35 (last week) included Daffodil day - today is following through with the promise of Spring weather. I share these cards as they are created on my Facebook Artist's page and Instagram.

Last month's tutor in Fodder School 3 was Alison Bomber and while I didn't want to create houses this month, I did enjoy her lesson on backgrounds : 

These master sheet backgrounds will be very useful for another set of all occasion cards. I have managed this one so far for my friend's birthday - and you can probably see its influence on my Inspire card above

And this pair were for my niece and her daughter using some leftover backgrounds and previously created fodder.

I did a bit of thinking over August and have decided to not continue with Fodder School 4. One of the reasons is that while working full time it is a big commitment every month and when other things come up, like Junk Journal July for example, I just don't feel like I can do that as well. 

You can do anything...but you can't do everything!

One idea I'm excited about is that if I have nothing else on in a month I could go and do a previous lesson from Fodder School 1,2 or 3. Life-time access is wonderful. 

I did get some new supplies this month. When we were in Wellington, I had to go to Petone and buy some beautiful paper cut outs and washi tape from Ellen Giggenbach's shop (see one in Week 32 card above). I need more of her washi but this was the only design left in store that week

I was gifted money for both my birthday and my mixed media talk so I purchased stencils and art foamies stamps from America - designs from Megan Quinlan. Unfortunately the exchange rate and postage are both terrible so I think this will be my last such purchase for a while.

Plenty here to keep me entertained and excited to get back into art journaling. I was also gifted this amazing large stamp from a friend - hardly used as you can see. I am going to have such fun using it. 

Fav free inspiration this month is Angela Kennedy - a friend alerted me to her free online tutorial about paper dolls - worth a look for a different way to do faces

and she also has a curated free Facebook page called Ephemera for Artists - lots of wonderful imagery for your art journaling. 

I'm sure you've heard that Tam from Willowing has retired her collaborative year-long Life Book offering, but in its place is A Year of Light. She has a free taster event in September so here's the link for that in case you missed it. Runs 16-24 September. Might see you there...

September is our Spring month so I'm looking forward to extended daylight hours and more of a chance to get into my studio, as well as a couple of weekend breaks away with girlfriends to Raumati and Otaki - both to include lots of laughter, stories, walks on the beach and creativity. I've just realised this post has been quite full of creativity after feeling like I didn't have much to share. That's why I love to do these review posts 💜 Chat soon friends.