August Review

August was a very busy month for me personally with seven birthdays, a trip to Wellington to watch the All Blacks and catch up with extended family, and at work our school library celebrated the NZ Children's Book Awards and our own library Book Week which included competitions, a school lit quiz and dress up day (I am the pirate)

I also gave a talk to a local quilt guild about my mixed media work which was a fun remembering of projects.  

As a result of all of that, there's not much to share, but I have managed to create cards and get some new supplies. I am very happy that I am still going with my weekly challenge, even though I had to catch up on doing 3 cards in a week this month! #52cards2024 : to create a card that reflects the past week (ending Sunday). I must include stitch, the colour turquoise and a word. 

These are my August cards. 

Note that the first three were made within a week (over half way through the month!) cos I was so busy. As a result the first 2 are very simple - Week 31 : Choose was a mounting of a tag I had already made and Week 32 : Exhale features a paper cutout from Ellen Giggenbach (a Wellington artist I love). Week 33 : Inspire was in turn inspired by the birthday card I made for my friend below, and my beautiful magnolia tree in full flower. Week 34 was actually created in the correct week and features one of my new art foamies that arrived. And Week 35 (last week) included Daffodil day - today is following through with the promise of Spring weather. I share these cards as they are created on my Facebook Artist's page and Instagram.

Last month's tutor in Fodder School 3 was Alison Bomber and while I didn't want to create houses this month, I did enjoy her lesson on backgrounds : 

These master sheet backgrounds will be very useful for another set of all occasion cards. I have managed this one so far for my friend's birthday - and you can probably see its influence on my Inspire card above

And this pair were for my niece and her daughter using some leftover backgrounds and previously created fodder.

I did a bit of thinking over August and have decided to not continue with Fodder School 4. One of the reasons is that while working full time it is a big commitment every month and when other things come up, like Junk Journal July for example, I just don't feel like I can do that as well. 

You can do anything...but you can't do everything!

One idea I'm excited about is that if I have nothing else on in a month I could go and do a previous lesson from Fodder School 1,2 or 3. Life-time access is wonderful. 

I did get some new supplies this month. When we were in Wellington, I had to go to Petone and buy some beautiful paper cut outs and washi tape from Ellen Giggenbach's shop (see one in Week 32 card above). I need more of her washi but this was the only design left in store that week

I was gifted money for both my birthday and my mixed media talk so I purchased stencils and art foamies stamps from America - designs from Megan Quinlan. Unfortunately the exchange rate and postage are both terrible so I think this will be my last such purchase for a while.

Plenty here to keep me entertained and excited to get back into art journaling. I was also gifted this amazing large stamp from a friend - hardly used as you can see. I am going to have such fun using it. 

Fav free inspiration this month is Angela Kennedy - a friend alerted me to her free online tutorial about paper dolls - worth a look for a different way to do faces

and she also has a curated free Facebook page called Ephemera for Artists - lots of wonderful imagery for your art journaling. 

I'm sure you've heard that Tam from Willowing has retired her collaborative year-long Life Book offering, but in its place is A Year of Light. She has a free taster event in September so here's the link for that in case you missed it. Runs 16-24 September. Might see you there...

September is our Spring month so I'm looking forward to extended daylight hours and more of a chance to get into my studio, as well as a couple of weekend breaks away with girlfriends to Raumati and Otaki - both to include lots of laughter, stories, walks on the beach and creativity. I've just realised this post has been quite full of creativity after feeling like I didn't have much to share. That's why I love to do these review posts 💜 Chat soon friends.

February review

February review time. I'm happy to say I've continued to make time to be creative and I think my weekly card project is definitely helping that. #52cards2024 : to create a card that reflects the past week (ending Sunday). I must include stitch, the colour turquoise and a word. These are my February cards : 

More detail about the meanings posted on my Instagram and Facebook Artist's page.

This month's tutor in Fodder School 3 was Jennifer Wilkin Penick. I managed to make fodder in the first half of this month which I really enjoyed

Her project was an accordian book of collage. I just wasn't feeling like it's my style, but then I saw some photos from a class that Anne Brooke recently taught, and I am inspired to think about combining paper and stitch...let you know if this happens in March.

In my January review I was hoping that I might finish my journal which I started as December Daily-ish and get back to working in my JIYA Journal. I have been supported in both of these by the 30 day challenge part of "Love your (Imperfect) Letters" with Wendy Solganik who has been running a cohort for all those who have previously enrolled in this class.When I tried to do it on my own (purchased the class on special last year), I only got to day 4. I have completed day 9 so although "behind" I am still calling it a win since I am still going, and further on than last attempts. These are the spreads completed in each journal for February and I am loving what is happening. In my JIYA journal :  

 

I have now turned my December Daily-ish into my Summer journal, and as well as the lettering, I have learned from Wendy that it's okay to jump around in a journal to find the perfect page that inspires you in the moment. Hoping to get this one finished before the Autumn Equinox on 20th March.

I love Sarah Gardner's art - she's been a teacher in Fodder School 1 and we're going to see her again in Fodder School 3 in June. Clicking here will get you to the places on my blog where I've shared art inspired by her. She's also produced a fabulous book

She is currently advertising a new art journaling class through Willa Workshops called Love Your {Imperfect} Art Journal 

To launch it she's giving access to a FREE inspiration class : Accumulate, Curate and Store Magazine Images for your Art. It's available now until March 18 (or in the workshop if you join). I've already had a look at it and it is inspiring ♥ 

I also enjoy Brooke Henry's art - it's colourful and includes stitching. She is hosting a Free Week of Inspiration, Connection, and Creative Freedom. She calls it the BB Bash and you can find out all about it and register HERE. Videos go up 25-31 March and will be available to watch through April 6. 

It's been really busy being back at work with library lessons, selecting teams for an area kids' lit competition, and training up keen student librarians. In my spare time, as well as my art journal fun, I've still been reading and this was my favourite in Feb 

I'm also trying not to purchase many new supplies but we had a trip to Wellington and I thought I would share a couple of great places if you are able to get there. In central Welly, managed to get this calligraphy paper - 3 packs for $10 at Daiso

And in Petone - these paper cut-outs from Ellen Giggenbach. Love her art and you can buy online as well. 

I enjoy her calendar every year. 

Looking forward to seeing what March will bring creatively. I post more regularly on my Instagram and Facebook Artist's page. 

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.