Wanderlust - Poems & Quotes and Boundaries

Catching you up on my Wanderlust class work from my blog break. I really loved the Poems & Quotes theme last month and managed to complete 2 more spreads on this theme in my small Dylusions journal. The first was with Kate Crane - lovely playing with black framing and found poetry. 

And the next with Vicky Papaioannou - I didn't know her work and enjoyed using modeling paste and sprays in my work again. This time I printed my quote on gelli-printed paper. It's an easy way to get colour for your word backgrounds and to use different fonts.

Now I've just finished some pages inspired by Marjie Kemper on the theme of Boundaries. Marjie demonstrated a mini tag book, but I decided to make 3 interactive spreads in my journal. I have space since I've skipped a couple of lessons that didn't inspire me. Using distress ink pads for the backgrounds, stenciling and stamping this time.

Our next 4-week theme is Texture which I am very much looking forward to playing with. See all my other posts about this class HERE.

52 Tags : Weeks 23-28

I'm still participating in Anne Brooke's weekly Tag challenge. You can view her demo each week on Youtube #52tagshannemade. While I was on my blog break, we reached Week 26 and half way through this challenge. Here's the collection so far : Weeks 1-13 

Weeks 14-26

So cool to see them all together. The last tag you saw here on the blog was Tag 22, so here's a catch-up for you.

Tag 23 : A bunch of flowers using a colour you don't often use. I love red but don't often use it in my art. Fun to use a mix of stitches and buttons and more lace.  

Tag 24 : Tatting. I cheated - I mean interpreted this in my own way! I didn't want to do my own tatting as the lesson demonstrated, so used a lovely old piece from my stash and celebrated my birthday week. Loving to incorporate more paper again in this one too.

Tag 25 : Woven threads. Loving the textures on this one.

Tag 26 : A medal for making it half way through the challenge and the year ♥

Tag 27 : Beads and Tassles. Discovered I already owned beading needles! Very cool to learn something new.

Tag 28 : Spider Wheel. 2 methods - woven and wrapped. 

This was last week's tag so now we're all up to date on this project. This link will take you to all of my posts about this challenge.

Sharing free classes - I'm back!

So I've reassessed what I'm doing and how I'm doing it as per my last blog post and I've decided I want to keep blogging. Instagram and FB have been great to get me to focus on sharing a photo of the finished piece without a lot of time taken on process photos, but I miss writing out my inner dialogue about projects so I can remember my thoughts at a later date, I miss having a place to look back on free online art class opportunities, I miss the way this blog can bring a whole project together with one click like my 52 Tags, and I really miss links - to artists, to classes, to bringing strands of my thoughts together for a project or sharing where I got inspiration. The beauty of blogging is that it's an online journal that captures my creative journey and also connects me with a global community. I really value the friendships that have evolved through that. Because of my labels, I can always find my way back to how I did something and I can investigate my past patterns of creating. I started my blog in July 2010 so this month is my 11th bloggiversary! But in 2014 I said Farewell in May and then returned in July. Four Years later in July 2018 I almost stopped again, but realised  it was because I hadn't been as productive....here we are three years later and some of the same issues have come up. Now I've captured this information it will hopefully support me next time - probably mid-winter - in realising that we have seasons of creativity and blogging is something that helps my process. 

I have a few projects to catch you up on. The photo above is my art created in June - some you've seen here, some I've only shared on my Instagram and FB. I will remedy that next week. I am nearing the end of my first week of school holidays and my husband and I are off for a long weekend to Napier leaving tomorrow. Before I go, I want to share a couple of free online art opportunities you might want to get in on. This first one needs quick action!

The Painted Paper Project is available again HERE. 

This Kindness Project, with the simple message of SPREAD JOY, has thousands of creatives making “heart bundles” to share with others. Featuring a number of artists, the doors are open to new sign-ups for only a couple more days. Rae Missigman announced 7 days open on Insta HERE - that was 5 days ago....you have anytime access once you've joined. 

You might remember I've previously shared that I was inspired by the Collage Fodder 100 day project - especially the work of Megan Whisner Quinlan and Willa Wanders. Willa then announced a FREE Fodder Challenge collaborative classroom.

Free access to the classroom June 7 - August 8. Lessons available right now from 9 different artists. You can still sign up HERE with time to play. 

I've been thinking a lot during my blog break about what I create and I've been missing creating little books. I really love what I've been seeing on both Megan and Willa's accounts linked above. Willa has recently announced a new class which has evolved from the above challenge - and while it's not free, I'm sharing as something that I'm doing next. It's good value for a year-long collaborative experience with 12 teachers that make me excited. 

You can sign up HERE. Currently US$147 until August when price goes to US$187. Registrations close August 31 and class start 1st October. I was gifted money for my birthday last month so I'm in. Might see you there. Talk soon - it's good to be back!