When I shared my creative plans for 2021 back in December, I said the only thing I wasn't sure of was what I'm going to do for mixed media and stitched projects. I wanted a regular "something" like Klimt in the garden with Rumi (2019) or the Journal 52 weekly cards I did last year. I was sure something would come to me at the right time and it has! Although I wasn't looking for another weekly project, I've discovered that Anne Brooke is hosting a weekly challenge on Youtube called #52tagshannemade. This will be a fun challenge including fabric and stitch and on the back I can write something about the week to create a set of memories of this year. Anne's tags measure 2"x 3" (excluding the top). Challenges will come out weekly (hopefully ready for the weekend) on Youtube, Instagram and FB. I've gathered my 52 tags - my working area is 2.5" x 4.5". Not sure if they were purchased or gifted since they were luckily in my stash! They are slightly narrower than my Jumbo playing cards (3.5'' x 4.75'') from last year and I think I'll enjoy this size. Will be interesting to see how my interpretations vary from the instructions given. I'm already going my own way since Anne is gathering her tags on a split book binding ring. I already know I want to add ribbons and fibre to the tops of mine and they'll end up in a box - I just need to find the right size. I love the look I achieved with this tag concertina journal project from last year and hope this year's challenge will turn into another gorgeous colourful project. I'm keeping all the tags banded together for now and I've got a couple of date stamps for the back. First tag challenge : All White. I always love the gathering stage Still room for some personal journaling on the back as the week passes. Take the challenge and make it your own. Mine includes machine stitching, paper, gesso, modeling paste, paper doily, tape, heart, embroidered flower, fabric, lace and ribbon.This challenge was all about texture and I love my first tag.
Lots of posts this week as I begin all my classes for 2021. I've joined Wanderlust this year for the first time. It's a collaborative-style year-long course with a new lesson every week. In the hope that I might be able to keep up if I limit my page size, I've purchased a small Dylusions journal just for these lessons. Can't wait to see how it blooms through the year.Kasia Avery is the main host and provides at least one lesson every month. This was the first - it was all about loosening up, being messy, and just enjoying the process. The hardest part was finding a collage image I wanted to use until I realised I could print one of myself! Our theme for January is Reflection. I'm celebrating the end of a hard year and now cancer free. Although there were dark spots, there were always elements of brightness in my multi-layered 2020. Looking forward with enthusiasm to what's to come. Shine is my word again for 2021.
I was up early Tuesday December 22nd (6am in holiday time!) so that I could Journal Jam with Effy in Canada. See a replay HERE. Journal Jam is art prompts drawn randomly to lead to page creation in your journal without having to think too much. Watching Effy is fun but I always try to put my own spin on things. Didn't manage to finish this time...Effy's was lovely at this stage of the prompts, and she moved onto tending which is adding finishing touches. This is Effy's completed spread from that session : Mine, on the other hand looks like a child's painting. I do know it's just at the stage where it's nowhere near finished, but I was a bit stuck. Then Effy had a New Year's Eve Day paint party which you can watch HERE. If you want to skip the general chat, at 34 minutes she shares how she's journaling this year. The actual painting starts at 40 minutes. This is how her page turned out : Because of this, I decided to go back to my unfinished spread and see if I could turn it into something I love. I didn't actually follow Effy's process very much, but just painting alongside her freed me up. I used my lovely stencils with iridescent colours for more interest and then glazed the flowers with Lumiere Halo Violet Gold (glazing medium added to thin down the paint) before doodling with a white uniball signo pen (make sure the paint is completely dry). Found a plastic word label in my stash that fitted perfectly with my colours and the act of creating this page. Happy to call it done. You can see the page just glows which fits my word of the year, SHINE, rather well 💜
