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. 

January Monthly Review

January is always project heavy because I'm on holidays from my school job and I can work late into the night with long daylight hours. I am now back at school and it's been a particularly fabulous summer holiday break. I completed so many projects, you can catch up on my part one review post about cards HERE! 

We started the new year with a week away in Akaroa and Christchurch. So blessed to live in this gorgeous country and so hard to pick highlights so I will just share the artistic ones. The Giant's House in Akaroa - a garden of international significance. Created by artist Josie Martin, it's a sculpture mosaic garden. It's colourful, beautiful, quirky, inspiring - we spent a couple of hours here and this is a tiny taste. 

Christchurch had a massive earthquake in 2011, and the city has been remaking itself since that event. We went to the Earthquake museum and I was reminded of the initiative of Hearts for Christchurch. People from all over NZ and then the world created stuffed hearts and sent them to Christchurch. First they were used to create an amazing exhibition and then distributed to people affected by the quake. 

These were mine : March 2011. I even received a photo of a wee girl receiving one of the hearts when they were distributed 💜

And now to my creative joys this month. I had to stop all my other creativity from Christmas til mid-January so I could make this quilt for my sister-in-law's 60th birthday. 

See more detail about it HERE.

I spent most of January on my "Advice from the Sea" deck and starting my new weekly card project. Sorry I have to share another photo - I just adore these projects so much!

Erin Bishop of E B Mixed Media has released a class called Fabulous Florals. Free for a limited time HERE (no idea when the limited time ends but current as I do this post). 

On the last weekend of my holiday, I finally got a chance to explore her lessons and now have this beautiful floral fodder to play with. 

Such fun techniques. And even when you think they're not going to turn out, somehow the line work followed by fussy cutting makes magic. Highly recommended. You might also like to check her demos out on Youtube and I am always inspired by her Instagram account.

Looking towards February and beyond, I know I won't have as much to show you because I am back at work, but I am hoping that I might finish my journal which I started as December Daily-ish and get back to working in my JIYA Journal. There are a few reasons I am hopeful for this. I made good use of birthday money last year and now have a lovely supply of Megan Quinlan's Art Foamies - I have so many ways I need to explore these. Check out her YouTube for free ideas. 

And I was very excited to get my stencils from Leaca Young at the end of the year. I ordered them Wed 29/11 and they arrived on Thurs 21/12 in time to be a Christmas gift. Very impressive for postage from Alaska to New Zealand.  

As well as those things, Wendy Solganik is running a cohort for all those who have previously enrolled in "Love your (Imperfect) Letters". I signed up when she had a special on this class in March last year and while I did the drills and found my alphabet, I never finished all the lessons to experiment with gorgeous lettering. I managed to do some drills while on holiday 

And am hoping that I can share more work from this class soon.

Fav free inspiration this month - Roben-Marie offered a tutorial making these gorgeous neutral papers

I can't pick a favourite read this month - everything I've read in January has been great. 

And since this blog is about all of me, I'm finishing with an introduction to our 3 new family members living at our house. Meet Oscar (tabby), Obi (ginger) and Arthur (golden retriever puppy). We haven't had pets for a while and although a lot of work, they bring great joy and help us to slow down and be present 💜

You can see why I decided to split my January review in two! You won't hear from me as often now that term has started,  but I will continue to try and post here monthly and more regularly on my Instagram and Facebook Artist's page. 

April news and another free class.

I am grateful to be on school holidays. Yesterday was a milestone for me. It was my last visit to the oncology day ward for my final herceptin treatment. I have been going every 3 weeks since my chemo started last February. Grateful for the wonderful support of my beautiful family and friends. I feel very lucky 💜

I am scheduled for a full hysterectomy (fibroid - not cancer related) next month, so I am making sure I have lots of coffee and dinner catch ups with girlfriends before I am home-bound for some weeks. I am focussing on the blessing of some more quiet creative time ahead. I am making good progress on my secret quilt project (will be revealed at the end of this month) and also in progress with another art journal spread.

I am going to stay with my lovely mum tonight and will be stitching my next tag.

There's also another free online event happening this weekend

Jenny Grant has been very careful to make sure things are available in different time zones. I think the content is available for a week to play with - great timing for me. Might see you there...

The rest of me in September and continuing inspiration

If you're interested in seeing the art I've completed this past month, scroll back through my previous posts. I am particularly pleased to see how my Klimt in the garden with Rumi art cards are shaping up to be a connected series. I have completed 12 cards so far this year with another 3 prompts to go. 

At my work our whole school had a dress up day to celebrate our Founder's Day 

and I couldn't resist this pose since I'm not usually a shussing librarian! ;-)

I had a wonderful relaxing weekend away to Raumati beach with a group of girlfriends - highly recommended

Inspiration has come in the form of new supplies : 
Who knew Mitre 10 had some cool stencils?!

Loving "40% off any item" vouchers (Left - Spotlight now have some Liquitex products. Right - Warehouse stationery - been looking for a good Red) 

and spending some of my gift card with careful consideration....I still have money left. Landscape colours look awfully like great skin and eye colours to me ♥

These gorgeous oracle cards were lovingly gifted to me : 

Find the artist's blog HERE and her FB page HERE.
FINALLY Tam's new book arrived at my house. Happy to report it is lovely both with regard to style development advice and also the art projects.

I've also been creatively inspired by watching some of the lessons in the FREE Life Book Summit for 2019 16-30 September. Access has been EXTENDED UNTIL 7 OCTOBER - I believe you can still sign up HERE.

I started my new Inner work journal this month. 

I am continuing to focus on intentions rather than a check list of 'to do'. This journal contains my written practice and is evolving as I do - often I find this business of "writing things out" either in response to prompts or tarot or oracle card pulls leads me to personal insights and clarity. I've been doing less writing lately, but I still do a daily journal record and am thinking about how that practice might look next year. I began with shopping for a new hard-covered book and was drawn to purchase the mandala stencil at the same time

Used a cosmetic sponge to put gesso through the stencil onto the cover (dab on and off then pounce)

and once dry I sprayed the entire front cover with a Matte Varnish to seal and protect. I love the simplicity of it.

Looking ahead to October : the first 2 weeks is school hols. YAY. I am going into work for limited hours on only a few days so hoping that I'll have more time to be creative.
I cannot wait to go to the World of Wearable Art show in Wellington to finish my holidays. 

Check out the award winners HERE. I am not looking at them all until I've been to the show. 
In other news, it's far too cold for October today - I want to be swapping my winter woollies out for spring blouses....everything crossed that's something I don't have to wait until November to enjoy! Wishing you warmth with plenty of creative time at your house this coming month.