Journal 52 : Finished

Journal 52 was a weekly prompt from Effy Wild that I created on a deck of jumbo playing cards 3.5'' x 4.75'' (8.5 x 12 cm) for all of 2020. Each card included stitch, a found word, and was inspired by the project I'd been working on that week or what was lying on my work table. See the original post HERE. I thought it would be fun to look at all of the cards together.

This is the last post for this project! So proud of myself for making all 52 cards and now I've decorated the box to hold them.

Find all my Journal 52 posts HERE

Journal 52 : Week 52!

Journal 52 is a weekly prompt from Effy Wild that I've been creating on a deck of jumbo playing cards 3.5'' x 4.75'' (8.5 x 12 cm) all year. Each card will include stitch, a found word, and be inspired by the project I've been working on that week or what's lying leftover on my work table. See the original post HERE. So proud of myself for making all 52 cards.

#52 : Beloved I've been clearing my art space and sticking up new inspirations. I had peeled off this washi tape and although it's got some paper on the back it's too good not to re-use with some gel medium.

I adore tapa and pink so this was my inspiration.

I enjoy the subtle beauty of modeling paste through the stencil. And a butterfly had to be included. This isn't quite my final post for this project. I will decorate the box that I have to hold these and then I'll share a flip through of them all. Find all my Journal 52 posts HERE.

Journal 52 : Week 51

Journal 52 is a weekly prompt from Effy Wild (Free HERE) that I'm creating on a deck of jumbo playing cards 3.5'' x 4.75'' (8.5 x 12 cm). Each card will include stitch, a found word, and be inspired by the project I've been working on that week or what's lying leftover on my work table. See the original post HERE. 

#51 : Cleanse Time to let go of what no longer serves to make way for new intentions. Inspired to create the collaged base at the same time as the wedding card in the previous post. Blue and gold to symbolise water and the promise of new ways to shine. 

Find all my Journal 52 posts HERE. The last one will be next week!

⭐Merry Merry⭐

Journal 52 : Week 50

Journal 52 is a weekly prompt from Effy Wild (Free HERE) that I'm creating on a deck of jumbo playing cards 3.5'' x 4.75'' (8.5 x 12 cm). Each card will include stitch, a found word, and be inspired by the project I've been working on that week or what's lying leftover on my work table. See the original post HERE. 

#50 : Manifest Very appropriate right now as I think about what my intentions will be for 2021. What do I want to intentionally create? Inspired by a new stencil from Stencil Girl by Carol Weibe called Sacred Feminine

I'm thinking about my word for next year, and while I'm not there yet I feel like it's going to be about healing, digging deeper, nurturing, and definitely inner work. Spirals represent evolution and growth of the spirit and our never ending journey of knowledge. 

Find all my Journal 52 posts HERE

Journal 52 : Week 49

Journal 52 is a weekly prompt from Effy Wild (Free HERE) that I'm creating on a deck of jumbo playing cards 3.5'' x 4.75'' (8.5 x 12 cm). Each card will include stitch, a found word, and be inspired by the project I've been working on that week or what's lying leftover on my work table. See the original post HERE. 

#49 : Universe When you look up at the stars, do you see yourself as being a part of all of that wonder?  

Using a piece of the alcohol ink gelli print above for my background and a new stencil with a repeating pattern. Stitching by machine with metallic thread to outline the star, beads added, glitter glue to finish with sparkle ✩

Find all my Journal 52 posts HERE. 3 weeks to go!

Journal 52 : Week 48

Journal 52 is a weekly prompt from Effy Wild (Free HERE) that I'm creating on a deck of jumbo playing cards 3.5'' x 4.75'' (8.5 x 12 cm). Each card will include stitch, a found word, and be inspired by the project I've been working on that week or what's lying leftover on my work table. See the original post HERE. 

#48 : Melancholy For the first time all year (I think) this prompt doesn't fit my mood. I'm definitely experiencing times of feeling overwhelmed and exhausted but I had to search for a way to make this work. 

I made bookmarks for gifts this week and decided to use some cardstock as part of that process so I could use it for the base of this card.

Not sure that it looks melancholy, but one of the synonyms I looked up was "blue" so I started with that. It was fun to include some of the wool and tape that I'd used for the bookmarks too, as well as my beloved sari ribbon. Play led to symbolism with spirals and not knowing which way to turn. The antidote is the butterfly which signifies hope and new beginnings.

Find all my Journal 52 posts HERE

Journal 52 : Week 47

Journal 52 is a weekly prompt from Effy Wild (Free HERE) that I'm creating on a deck of jumbo playing cards 3.5'' x 4.75'' (8.5 x 12 cm). Each card will include stitch, a found word, and be inspired by the project I've been working on that week or what's lying leftover on my work table. See the original post HERE. 

#47 : Love I really enjoy the effect of painted fusible so decided that a heart using this technique would be fun this week. Inspired also by a couple of cards I completed recently which I don't think I've shared with you. 

Refreshing to start with a white background. This was an especially quick one because I have even less time than usual. Very happy that I have still managed to create a card this week including the colours and textures that I love.

I am extremely busy at work and also busy at home on a couple of projects I can't share yet. Hope you are making some time for things you love amongst the busy of end-of-year organising. Take care of you 💜

Find all my Journal 52 posts HERE.

Journal 52 : Week 46

Journal 52 is a weekly prompt from Effy Wild (Free HERE) that I'm creating on a deck of jumbo playing cards 3.5'' x 4.75'' (8.5 x 12 cm). Each card will include stitch, a found word, and be inspired by the project I've been working on that week or what's lying leftover on my work table. See the original post HERE. 

#46 : Hope. Another prompt that is so on point for my current mood. Inspired by my latest art journal page remembering my Pink Ribbon celebrations and all the roses in my garden are starting to bloom wonderfully. I just love the end of Spring - full of promise and hope ♥ I began with a recent piece of gelli printing and when I went looking for a rosebud serviette I changed to some spring blossom.

Find all my Journal 52 posts HERE

Journal 52 : Week 45

Journal 52 is a weekly prompt from Effy Wild (Free HERE) that I'm creating on a deck of jumbo playing cards 3.5'' x 4.75'' (8.5 x 12 cm). Each card will include stitch, a found word, and be inspired by the project I've been working on that week or what's lying leftover on my work table. See the original post HERE. 

#45 : Uncertainty Posting this Effy said : "It's like I knew or something. *lol* Hang in there, my peeps. ❤ They're still counting." As I made this card, Biden-Harris have won the presidency race, but there is still uncertainty about how the transition will happen. I chose a piece of paper that had uncertain beginnings (evolved organically) with red in the background. Among the blue elements I added were sari ribbon, some tissue and a heart....I am so happy for this Democratic result, but still worried about what might happen between now and the inauguration. It might get messy so I've left my card a bit messy with trailing threads.

Love those words at the bottom  - Boldest Self

Find all my Journal 52 posts HERE

Journal 52 : Week 44

Journal 52 is a weekly prompt from Effy Wild (Free HERE) that I'm creating on a deck of jumbo playing cards 3.5'' x 4.75'' (8.5 x 12 cm). Each card will include stitch, a found word, and be inspired by the project I've been working on that week or what's lying leftover on my work table. See the original post HERE. 

Although the prompt offered by Effy for this week is Memory, we already had this prompt in May.  I only want 52 cards in my deck, so although Effy provided a final 'bonus' card prompt at the end of last year to make up for that, I'm using it here. I don't usually look at last year's files and prefer to just see the prompts as they show up in the group weekly and then respond. It's amazing how pertinent they often are to my current situation. This one needs my attention right now. We are coming into the busiest time of the school year - I am responsible for some big pieces of work in my job at school, plus I usually make bookmarks as gifts for my librarians and I would love to do some lessons from online courses this month. Add to that in early December we have a wedding to attend, and my mother's 80th birthday the following weekend - not even thinking about Christmas yet! I need to manage my expectations about what is possible in the next couple of months so that I can enjoy balance and be very present in my day. I am still in recovery and there needs to be space for relaxation and joy. 

#44 : Present Am I wholly here? Am I distracted? What needs to happen so that I can

show up with my whole self? Inspired by an envelope lying on my desk. Thinking about neutral colours and not getting distracted. 

It evolved into a mixed media collage celebrating nature - go to a place where you can sit and be present to what surrounds you. Dried hydrangea and honesty pod from my garden. Feather picked up on a walk. 

Find all my Journal 52 posts HERE

Journal 52 : Week 43

Journal 52 is a weekly prompt from Effy Wild (Free HERE) that I'm creating on a deck of jumbo playing cards 3.5'' x 4.75'' (8.5 x 12 cm). Each card will include stitch, a found word, and be inspired by the project I've been working on that week or what's lying leftover on my work table. See the original post HERE. I was inspired this week by my experiments with alcohol inks on the gelli plate that I shared in my previous post. Used a piece for my background and cut a heart out of another.

#43 : Listen I've always loved the quote "Listen to your heart, it knows the way"

Find all my Journal 52 posts HERE

Journal 52 : Weeks 42

Journal 52 is a weekly prompt from Effy Wild (Free HERE) that I'm creating on a deck of jumbo playing cards 3.5'' x 4.75'' (8.5 x 12 cm). Each card will include stitch, a found word, and be inspired by the project I've been working on that week or what's lying leftover on my work table. See the original post HERE. 

#42 =  only 10 to go til the end of the year! Inspired by this image which a friend shared from FB about the importance of smaller steps to attain your goals.

#42 : Reach

Find all my Journal 52 posts HERE

Journal 52 : Week 41

Journal 52 is a weekly prompt from Effy Wild (Free HERE) that I'm creating on a deck of jumbo playing cards 3.5'' x 4.75'' (8.5 x 12 cm). Each card will include stitch, a found word, and be inspired by the project I've been working on that week or what's lying leftover on my work table. See the original post HERE.
#41 : Centre To be grounded in the present - there is a busy term of work ahead and other things in my world that are uncertain and challenging, but to make art is to take a moment to sit just with what is in front of me. I always feel better when I create. 

Find all my Journal 52 posts HERE

Journal 52 : Week 40

Journal 52 is a weekly prompt from Effy Wild (Free HERE) that I'm creating on a deck of jumbo playing cards 3.5'' x 4.75'' (8.5 x 12 cm). Each card will include stitch, a found word, and be inspired by the project I've been working on that week or what's lying leftover on my work table. See the original post HERE.
#40 : Adorn Inspired by some tags I've been making, and since I've just started working in a new watercolour journal, I decided to start with a watercolour base with some leftover printing. The circles behind the words are also watercolour.

Of course once I started stitching pieces onto the card, it took an unexpected turn ♥ 

Find all my Journal 52 posts HERE

Journal 52 : Week 39

Journal 52 is a weekly prompt from Effy Wild (Free HERE) that I'm creating on a deck of jumbo playing cards 3.5'' x 4.75'' (8.5 x 12 cm). Each card will include stitch, a found word, and be inspired by the project I've been working on that week or what's lying leftover on my work table. See the original post HERE.
#39 : Puzzle My main puzzle at present is which project to tackle first! It's school holidays and I have a huge "want to do" list. Decided I would start with Laly Mille's lesson from the Free Life Book 2021 Taster sessions and see where it took me

Resolving the puzzle of what this card would look like was magical. 

I'll share in a separate post what I did with the rest of my papers. Find all my Journal 52 posts HERE

Journal 52 : Week 38

Journal 52 is a weekly prompt from Effy Wild (Free HERE) that I'm creating on a deck of jumbo playing cards 3.5'' x 4.75'' (8.5 x 12 cm). Each card will include stitch, a found word, and be inspired by the project I've been working on that week or what's lying leftover on my work table. See the original post HERE.
#38 : Intend. How perfect. My word for this year is to Shine with Intention. I've been doing my best in the face of Cancer and Covid, and this is a great reminder as we enter Spring and feelings of a fresh start, there's still a generous quarter of the year to go and I can re-focus on what's important and brings joy. Here's a quick revisit of my word : 

In 2020 I will SHINE with INTENTION

S = Self-care 
Stitch, make Art, read, listen to music - do what recharges me
Develop relationships - support others and accept support 
Believe in myself
Share - I'm an extrovert so this also recharges me
H = Healthy
Good eating + Gym habit = Energised
Be mindful
Rest
Nurture body and Soul
I = Intentional
Regularly spend time doing what I love
Reflection = improvements to habits
Be present
Align my actions with my dreams
Using Oracle/Tarot to strengthen my Intuition and Intention
N = Notice
Embrace joy - seek it out - sit with it
Practice gratitude and love
Be mindful
E = Ease
A gentle approach - self-compassion
Following the path that feels good for me
Letting go of the unrealistic expectations I wouldn't hold for others

Making space for silence 

Rest

At the beginning of this project, our first prompt was Heart and I included my words. 

This time I'm inspired by the colours of my latest art journal spread and a gorgeous Spring day

My journal spread is the last in my altered art journal. I decided to use a page originally removed from this book as my base so my card will also celebrate the end of the journal and include some extra lovely found words. Some pretty serviettes and sari ribbon = a Spring inspired card full of intention to Shine.

Find all my Journal 52 posts HERE

Journal 52 : Week 37

Journal 52 is a weekly prompt from Effy Wild (Free HERE) that I'm creating on a deck of jumbo playing cards 3.5'' x 4.75'' (8.5 x 12 cm). Each card will include stitch, a found word, and be inspired by the project I've been working on that week or what's lying leftover on my work table. See the original post HERE.
#37 : Patience As I shared yesterday, I wanted to complete 2 cards this weekend (last week's prompt being Release and this coming week Patience) so that I didn't feel like I was getting behind again. 

I didn't feel like my card was quite finished yesterday. The 4 hearts are a paper casting - great to use it at last

Today it was obvious what was needed....gold thread is always gorgeous to finish

I needed the messages of both cards this week. Read more about that in my previous post. 

Find all my Journal 52 posts HERE 

Journal 52 : Week 36

Journal 52 is a weekly prompt from Effy Wild (Free HERE) that I'm creating on a deck of jumbo playing cards 3.5'' x 4.75'' (8.5 x 12 cm). Each card will include stitch, a found word, and be inspired by the project I've been working on that week or what's lying leftover on my work table. See the original post HERE.

#36 : Release and #37 : Patience Inspired by my magnolia tree, using more of these papers, and lots in my head this week...

I'm reaching the end of my radiotherapy and I am tired. I have been managing all the usual things I do in a week, aside from going to bed earlier. My family are looking after me and trying to get me to rest this weekend. For me that involves Release (of my expectations) and Patience (things get done differently than I would). I wanted to do both cards today (last week and this coming week) so that I don't feel 'behind' again. I am grappling with things not being as I want, but not having the energy and motivation to be able to do anything about that at present. I need the messages of both these cards this week.  

Effy's Release card was inspired by Autumn and trees releasing their leaves. See her card and musings HERE. We are entering Spring in New Zealand, and my Magnolia is gorgeous and also wind-blown releasing petals to the ground.

I adore using sari ribbon and the small bird stencil was the perfect finish.

My second card has been an exercise in Patience...I don't think it's quite done so I'll share tomorrow.

Effy's been writing "Ten Things" again on her blog. I love her articulate writing style, and value her honesty. I often find her words resonate with me although our experiences are vastly different. Today this : 

VIII. The whole conversation about strength and how all that we experience ‘makes us strong’ and how sick I am of that story. The way I handle what I experience makes me strong. The experience itself doesn’t get any fucking credit. The way I do the work, the way I work to learn, grow, grapple, the way I do my level best to own and hold my own, the way I move through…that’s all me.

I am strong. I am resilient. I know how to Shine with Intention. I am ready to release the experience of months of dealing with breast cancer, and move forward being able to focus on other things. 

Find all my Journal 52 posts HERE