December review

It's a little early but I'm ready to share my review of projects for December. I am very happy to say I am on my summer holidays. December is always a hugely busy time with school events and I don't get to create much in the first half of the month. I did manage to make birthday and Christmas cards which I shared HERE, and then went on to create a gift card holder inspired by BB Henry's instructions on YouTube

Mine has a wee variation in that my holder has a full lining

I've managed to start putting together my November Fodder School project and I'll hopefully get that finished to share soon...

Mostly I've been trying to do a December monthly journal. I did some gatherings at the end of November and created my base on my last remaining file folder

I decided to stitch in a couple of lovely cards that were sent with my order for the fabulous Ellen Giggenbach calendar this year (she has an inspiring shop in Petone, New Zealand, plus online although closed until mid-January). They will be extra space to write about my December events and feelings.

My cover is inspired by my fodder school Christmas card project which I shared here. 

These pages are again inspired by some of the techniques from Megan's class Journal into your Art. This time I used a lot more quotes and photos to capture my month. These are my favourite spreads and I've done a flip-through for you too.

The back cover is included in the first picture at the top of this post, and there are a couple of pages at the end of this journal reserved for a family gathering on the 30th and whatever we do to celebrate New Year's Eve.

I'm going to do a review of the year post soon and I'll show you how I'm storing this set of journals from the year. 

Another reason to share a few days early : Did you know that if you sign up for Megan Quinlan's newsletter, she's dropping a free mini class on 1st January just for her newsletter subscribers?

I'll be back soon with a review of my year and looking ahead to what 2023 may hold. 

See more regular postings from me on my FB artist page and Instagram. 

December cards

My Mum, Mother-in-Law and Aunty all have birthdays in a run of 3 days in December. This year, I went simple and stitched lovely pieces of gelli printing with meaningful words to my card bases.

Last weekend I made Christmas cards inspired by a couple of our bonus teachers for December Fodder School 2 : Karen Elaine and Rebecca Chapman. I was thrilled, because I didn't think I was going to manage to make any this year. 

Previously printed gelli papers, simple shapes, some pen work and Christmas tape for my words made this a fun project.

I am also thrilled to be using my new stamps on the backs

If you're in New Zealand I ordered mine online from Rubber Stamps by Montarga.

Wishing you days that are merry and bright this December ⭐ 

December Daily-ish 2021 Complete

It's time for my final share of my 2021 December Daily-ish project. In January I created an accordian book form and shared my first spread. My intention was to create a book a season, but it just didn't happen. Happily when I decided to do a December Daily journal this year I already had this book form ready to use.

I've been responding to Michelle and Tamara's #ArtJournalAdvent challenge prompts. I was wondering if I had totally unrealistic expectations of doing any pages, but wanted to give it a go as an act of self care and I've been sharing weekly without expectations about how many pages that will be depending on how life is. Sharing the final 6 prompts.

AJA 19 : The power of love. A double spread - I love so many things about this.

AJA 20 : To simply be. I love being with my family. Hidden photo from Christmas day with my Mum and Aunty. The facing page is a print of a piece of my art from 2018 that I'd attached in January.  

AJA 21 : Come to rest. I decided I'd use a lovely image that makes me feel at peace after the bustle of Christmas day. An opportunity to add stitch which is harder once the back side of the page is complete.

AJA 22 : Looking back. One of my favourite projects this year as been #52tags with Anne Brooke. It's been a weekly challenge and I thought it would be fun to do a variation of my first tag from that project. The theme was white which is lovely here. 

AJA 23 : Winter wonderland. This is not going to work since I live in New Zealand...changed to Summer shine. Very excited to use my new pohutukawa wooden block stamp (purchased from Trade Aid) - used paint, a mouse pad for cushioning beneath, and stamped onto lovely dense handmade paper. Facing our final prompt, AJA 24 : Word for 2022. Always Shine. It's been a tough couple of years with many personal challenges. I look forward with hope. 

And here's how my book looks finished ♥

Scroll back through my December Daily-ish posts to see more detail about pages.

52 Tags : Weeks 50 and 51

Time for my take on Anne Brooke's weekly Tag challenge. Two tags to catch up this week.

Week 50 : Circles. This was intended to be a simple option for last week thinking everyone's so busy but I couldn't even manage that until this past weekend. Done is better than perfect!

Week 51 : Wreath. Now on holiday and happy to spend a whole evening stitching this one.

This link will take you to all of my posts about this challenge. You can view Anne's weekly demo on Youtube #52tagshannemade. One to go! 

Merry Merry to you. 

December Art Journals 2021 : Free classes

I have 3 weeks left of work for this year and they are crazy busy in a school where I have a leading role in organising prize giving, editing our school magazine, stock taking the library books and creating a Summer Reading programme. So I may be a late starter when the prompts come out, but I do love a December Daily project. The following offerings are all FREE 💜

Tamara at Mara Kreativ Studio and Michelle from Raspberry Blue Sky are having another #ArtJournalAdvent project for 2021. Read all about it HERE - they have already posted links for how to make an art journal in preparation for this project focusing on mindfulness in December. December 1 - 24 : daily prompts in your inbox or follow their new insta account.

Kasia’s had an Advent Calendar project for the last three years. I participated in 2019 and last year I created an Autumn Journal using her 2018 prompts. She's doing it again this year but has changed the focus and name to explore a more holistic approach to self-care through mindful art journaling and celebrate the changing season. She wants you to focus on the process rather than making a pretty finished page. Sign up HERE. 20 days starting 4th December. 

If you are more inclined to stitch, Anne Brooke did a #12pagesofchristmas project last year that is still on YouTube and may appeal. This link will take you to the playlist of the 6 videos. Note you need to make sure the tin is big enough for the roll once all the prompts have been added. Anne's tin doesn't close now 💜

I adore Victoria Erickson's poetry, and these words have been in my mind since she posted them this week 

It feels like a push for me to do a mindful December Daily....Keeping Kasia's inspiration in mind, I went in search of a small hard cover book to insert some papers and secure them with pretty ribbon. What I discovered was an almost blank accordian book form which I had made in January and only done a little bit of work in. I'll start from the other end and just alter any spreads as needed.

It has 28 pages and some tag inserts - I can easily add some extra pages if I need them. 

I then hunted through my Christmas stash and found lots of scrapbook papers and embellishments that I had been gifted last year. They form the base for my colour scheme but it will be interesting to see how much of this I use and how they are incorporated. 

A few additions of recycled kraft and red themed cards and paper, appropriate words, some Christmas postage stamps and a few extra embellishments and I'm ready with my kit and my small journal. 

I will obviously be using paints and a few stencils and themed stamps which I haven't shared yet. So far I've only wrapped some lovely sari ribbon around and rested the words on the front cover. I've not committed to anything yet. Can't wait to see what's going to happen with this little book. I will respond to the prompts from both challenges as I feel like it until the end of the year and I'll share my progress as I'm able. 

Wishing you a happy December. I hope you are able to take some time for self-care and joy this coming month. 

Card making

Don't you just love December birthdays...my mother-in-law, Mum, and Aunty all had a birthday one day after the other last weekend

On Sunday, I wanted to create some Christmas cards for workmates. I was uninspired until I looked back through my previous Christmas blog entries and found these from 2016. 

This idea led to my first batch of cards - they started with a background stencil and Moon Shadow Mist spray for a lovely shimmer, then stars with iridescent paint, and extra additions. 

This photo was taken in the light to try and show the shimmer - you'll just have to trust me!

Stitching on Sari Ribbon makes me so happy, and that washi tape was a great find. Looking forward to finishing work and making another batch of cards to send to friends.

Meri Kirihimete 🎄 Merry Christmas

December Advent Journal

I absolutely adored my 2019 December Daily project.

Led by prompts with Kasia Avery I couldn't wait to sign up again in 2020. I'm sharing the link HERE today because it's FREE to enrol but you can only do so until the end of this week!

I've loved the prompts from the last 2 years, but will be approaching things in a different way this year. I am starting later in December because I just can't fit anything else into my days right now. Kasia is also doing things a little differently because she is 8 months pregnant so only offering 14 days of prompts. I'll share what I do if I manage something this year. I love Kasia's approach - it's about self care, time for you, the process of creating rather than what you end up with.

There's also this Art Journal Advent Challenge available with Raspberry Blue Sky and Mara Kreative Studio (use google translate for English) 

- includes tutorials from both of them on how to make a concertina journal and free prompts throughout December on Instagram. 

I have no problem with adapting northern hemisphere prompts to fit my New Zealand December and the start of Summer and highly recommend a December Daily journal project if you can manage it. You just need to find what works for you because it needs to be something that adds to your enjoyment of the season, not become an added stress. Please share in the comments if you're doing one of these projects or know of similar projects we might like to explore. Merry Merry 🎄