Book of Days update

Back again to finally show you some art...

While I was away last week, I did do a few pages in my Book of Days which I can show you now.  I am a bit behind in art journaling the pages but because I am also working through Sarah Ban Breathnach's Simple Abundance I am writing it all down so I can refer to it later on. I am really enjoying this process as it stops me from sailing through each week unconscious of what is going on around me but also within me. If you feel like joining in, just visit Book of Days here.

This is a page with the challenge of doing a mosaic of some kind. As you know I love my spirals so this was the shape I first thought of. It expressed perfectly what I was feeling on the day, going within and listening to your inner voice instead of all the chatter that can sometimes send you off course.

  This was my first spread for the start of last week using crafters workshop stencil in the background (white sponged over the stencil on a blue background), glazing with various colours of Copic markers, white paint and punchinella, cut outs of thongs from a scrapbook paper collection, and a white signo pen for the writing.  

 As I had limited supplies, I actually used a few supplies that I don't normally use and it just shows how much you can do with very little. The background for this one was water soluble crayons, then white paint and punchinella and journaling with a black copic marker.

 This last page of the week was to celebrate my youngest sons 20th birthday 

(yes I did say 20 and this makes me feel.... ummmmm... well more advanced in age than I was last year lol).  I am not saying 'old' because I think that it is all in the mind but it did make me pause - in a good way :)

The background was Inktense pencils, a circle border stamp in Black Staz-on and journaling with a purple artline marker and white Signo pen.

The message on the right hand side describes how I was feeling after a lovely relaxing week away, realising that you don't need all the latest gizmos, the clutter of "stuff" and other distractions to make your life complete. Sure they can make it easier but I have found recently that they can also make it more stressful. The technology that was supposed to make our lives easier can often end up taking up more of our time as it gives us more and more things to do while we try to fit it into our already busy lives. 

Sometimes you just need to  

stop, breathe and listen to the stillness. 

Find a quiet retreat, even if for only a few hours and  

just "be". 

This is often when you realise just how much you have to be thankful for.

My quote today is the one I used on this spread.

"Who is content with nothing,

possesses all things."

Have a lovely day

Namaste

Lee

A days with friends and a vision board

Hi everyone,

Well I'm still in the land of the living but had to take a little break from blogging to recharge my batteries for the year ahead.

I have been working on my Book of Days, albeit slowly, and getting the samples ready for my next art journal class on Saturday at Scrappers Warehouse. When the weather is so hot it is hard to sit inside and paint, even with the air conditioner, so I have been grabbing little snippets of precious time to create.

Another thing I did do last weekend was a fantastic workshop called "Your Awesome Year"  with the lovely Louise Gale and Kathy Kirwin. It was so much fun to finally meet some of my blogging friends including the darling Wini and make wonderful new friends at the same times. We had a great day cutting, pasting, eating, talking, meditating and working on our visions for 2012. It was a very productive day enabling us to set clear intentions for 2012 and it was so motivating I recommend it to anyone if you have the chance to attend one of these workshops. Louise and Kathy were the perfect hosts, teachers, motivators. Thanks ladies for an inspiring day.
Here are some photos from the day

 

 

 Here is my vision board for 2012. I have wanted to join in on Louise's monthly vision boards for a long time now so it was great to finally complete one.

 Here I am with the lovely Louise Gale

And here I am with the lovely Wini.

Have a creative week everyone

Namaste

Lee

Book of Days update

 Hi everyone,

Well it's been a busy week, painting and art journaling. I've been having a lot of fun with my Book of Days and would like to show you today how I did the cover of the book. For this year long project we are altering a book and in her comprehensive videos Effy shows us the steps to alter an old book or to make a Book of Days out of a composition book. So I scoured the charity shops and found my book - From here to Eternity. I thought the title was appropriate for me at this time in my life. Effy suggested to use your word for the year on your cover so thats what I did and with out further ado I will take you on the step by step with me.

 So, after preparing our book I covered my book with Jo Sonja Blue Lagoon and Harbour Blue in a slip slap motion with a flat brush. I just love these colours together.

 Next I found some scrapbook papers with some script on it, ripped it up and adhered to the book with Atelier Binder Medium.

 i used my make up sponge to rub the two colours of paint lightly over the papers and the book to blend them into the background somewhat.

 I then used Jo Sonja Warm White and a circle dot stencil from Crafters Workshop. This is the centre of the Peony 12 x 12 stencil. Inside that I doodled with my white Gelly Roll pen. Now I love these pens, they write over anything and they are so versatile. I love circles as you know, and these two are representing the endless possibilities that await me this year in balance from beginning to end.

 I also used the 6 x 6 cosmic bubbles stencil with the make up sponge and Jo Sonja Lilac to stencil randomly over the cover. I picked up some Warm White as I stencilled so there is a variation in colour in the bubbles.

I then found an image off the internet that really represented my word of 2012 which is Balance. i printed it out on photo paper, then sprayed it with Matt fixative spray so it wouldn't run, tore the edges and adhered it to the cover with Binder Medium.

I then did some stamping with StazOn in Midnight Blue and a Kaisercraft script background stamp and Kaisercraft saying, wrote my title on the cover with the Sakura Souffle pens and there you have it.  To finish the cover off I rubbed perfect pearls over it although it doesn't show up on the photo. It gives it a subtle shine and shimmer.

Now I know the words balance looks out of balance ( I'm not very good at spacing words without measuring) and when I sat back and looked at it I was disappointed but you know what, that is to me part of finding my balance in my life at the moment, meaning that I have to let go of the little things and concentrate on the important matters. My choice was - do I rub it out and start again(which wouldn't have been easy) muck up my cover that I loved and probably put it away in frustration and probably would still not have been finished, or do I embrace it how it is with all its imperfections. After all, that is what I love so much about art journaling, knowing that nothing is wrong, it is your expression and getting it on the page is more important than fretting about whether it will be perfect or not.

Book of Days has a huge following with over 1000 members online and over 500 members on a very encouraging and inspiring Facebook page. Do go and check it out if you would like to join in on the fun.

I would also like to share a fun video from you Tube that is going around Facebook at the moment. Is is only me that recognises myself here. 

What else can you add to the list of crafters sayings?

So I have pinched the saying from my Book of Days cover for today's post

"Remember that something incredibly wonderful is always possible"

Hope you are having a creative week

Namaste

Lee

Almost back on board

Hi everyone

I hope you all had a wonderful New Year and break afterwards, I've been on a nice little break which has helped to re-charge the creative batteries and plan the upcoming year. Over the break I have dealt with feelings of overwhelm and excitement as I realise how busy I am going to be over the next 12 months. It is going to be an exciting year with new classes to teach and classes to take. I have also had a lot of time to think about what is important and what is not, what to concentrate on and what to let go and to ultimately prioritise effectively. Janet had a great post last week that expressed much of the same feelings. For years I have always been in a rush at the end of a deadline and have become stressed with all that is on my plate. This year I am feeling that it is going to be a year of new habits and different thinking. My priorities are changing slightly and I have committed to using my diary more effectively. Part of my daily practice towards that Balance is meditation, which helps to stop the scatter-chatter that is in my mind. 

And so on to the choice of my word for the year....  

Balance,

balance in all areas of my life

balance between family time, friends time, art time, spirituality and relax/recharge time

So having said all of that, I signed up for Effy Wild's Book of Days and have become a bit addicted to it. Effy has a wonderful program for artfully documented the next year and gives excellent instruction and encouragement through bi-weekly newsletters and videos as well as a very supportive group environment on Facebook. It has enabled me to sit and art everyday, even if for 15 minutes, which is something I have been trying to do for a while now. Along with Book of Days, I am doing Sarah Ban Breathnach's Simple Abundance. I originally thought it would be committing to to much but am finding that the daily reflection required for Simple Abundance goes perfectly with my journaling in Book of Days. I have kept a journal sporadically but never recording my thoughts every day and I am really enjoying the process. Anyway, if you pop over to Effy's website you can find out how to join in on the fun.

Here is a couple of photos as a sneak peak of my Book of Days. In the coming week I will be sharing my process for some of the pages and the cover.

Have a great day everyone.

My quote today is from one of the lovely ladies from the Book of Days group, thanks Kel :)

"Art has the power to unveil the mysteries if we look closely enough"

Namaste

Lee

Post Christmas reflections

Hi everyone,

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas Day. We had a lovely quiet at home. 
I promised to show you the photos of my Christmas cake this year if it turned out OK. Well it did apart from the fact that I think the sneaky ice cream companies have changed the make up of the ice cream to have more milk or water in it than cream. This therefore meant that it melted really quickly and it was more icy than last time. It was still thoroughly delicious and I will be making it again. Well I have to keep making it till I get it right, don't I??

So I started by making my triple chocolate brownie slice. Then when cooled I sliced it up and lined a pudding bowl with cling film, then pressed it against the sides to form a bowl inside a bowl.

 Here is my brother in law chopping the marshmallows for me with my husband looking on

And here is what was left of the brownie slice, well for a while anyway. It was quickly eaten.

In a separate bowl I mixed the slightly softened hokey pokey ice cream with chopped marshmallows, violet crumble, and frozen raspberries. Mixed it all around and then put into the bowl, covered the top with baking paper, folded over the cling film and froze.

So this is the finished cake...... Sorry it is a bit blurry but I was in a hurry to cut and get it on the table before it melted.

and here is the slice...... yum yum! It was perfect for the warm day we had.

The boys have grown up so no early morning wake-up which was good, but sad in a way. As Tracey has said in her post Christmas post, it was a realisation this year that things have changed. 

No more Christmas lists are written to Santa, no more hiding Santa presents; this year there was even no shortbread and beer out for Santa and his reindeers. 

Yes, I know my boys have been way to old for that for a while now, but I have liked holding on to that little bit of Christmas magic. 

But you know, really it is not as if something is lost forever, it is just a change in how we make that Christmas magic isn't it? 

We are evolving as a family and I do love seeing the way my kids have grown into wonderful young men. My youngest son has just received his drivers licence and I am such a proud Mum. This of course, means that no-one is dependant on me now to get them to and fro. It is a big change and a scary one at times. It is like a new phase in my life.

So that said, it has me thinking of my word for 2012. I am tossing up between two or three at the moment so I had better decide in the next couple of days. If you choose a word for the year have you thought about yours yet?

2012 is shaping up to be an exciting busy year for me so far and I am really looking forward to all the wonderful experiences that the universe has in store for me. I am in the process of making my first vision board for 2012 and have signed up for Flora Bowleys online course and Effy Wild's Book of Days. I am just hoping that I have not overcommitted myself and can keep up. I think that the Book of Days will keep me more committed to art journaling on a more regular basis.
Before I go I would like to show you some more bags

This bag is using Jo Sonja paints in Pthalo Green, Prussian Blue Hue, Yellow Green and Aqua. Stencils are Crafters Workshop 6x6 Daisy Cluster, Cosmic Bubbles, 12 x 12 Cosmic Swirl

 This bag was painted with Jo Sonja Prussian Blue Hue, Pthalo Blue, Brilliant Violet and Diox Purple, Crafters workshop stencils, 12 x12 Mums, Gathered Flowers and 6x6 Harlequin.

 Various stamps were used in each and a Bic Black Marker.

 My quote today comes from one of the stamps that I used on the bags.

Hope you are having a lovely week everyone, see you soon before my little holiday up the coast.

namaste

Lee



 

Christmas cake

 How is everyones week going? all your shopping done? all your presents wrapped? the Christmas Day menu is worked out and ready to go? Christmas Cards sent?

If  you answered no to any of the above questions you are not alone. I have done a bit off all of the above but just can't tick them off my list yet. I have just written my last Christmas card, still have a couple of presents to buy and then wrap and still can't decide what yummy recipes to use on Christmas day. It looks like we will have seafood and salads.Which leads me on to dessert.(no matter what I am talking about I always end up talking about food!! Didn't I start off with Cards and present wrapping??)

Anyway, a couple of years ago I made a frozen ice cream Christmas cake.....

 

.....full of yummy goodness including marshmallows, chocolate, ice cream, maltesers, and frozen raspberries and it was great on a hot day. 

The weather forecast is for a sunny 32 Deg C on Sunday so this might be the ideal dessert. 

For my northern hemisphere friends I hope this doesn't make you feel colder than you are right now.

Here is the recipe for you to try.

Ingredients

• 1 x 2 litre tub of vanilla ice cream left out to soften a bit for about half an hour
  
  
• 1 165g packet of Maltesers , cut each malteser in half with a very thin sharp knife. We tried smashing them but they ended up too crushed
  

•  250g pink and white marshmallows (ours are raspberry and vanilla flavoured) cut into halves or quarters depending on the size you prefer

•  2 handfuls of pistachio nuts lightly smashed but not finely crushed
  
  
• Half a 450g box of frozen raspberries, used whole and still frozen.

Method

Put the chopped marshmallows and maltesers in a big mixing bowl with the smashed pistachios and the raspberries, stir a bit till mixed.

Then scoop the ice cream on top and stir well till combined with the other ingredients. Try to be quick about it so the ice cream doesn't melt too much or it will be icy when re frozen.

Push the mixture into a round springform cake tin (I used the 20cm diameter size) so there are no gaps and smooth out the top a bit.

Cover the top with foil. I put it in a large kitchen freezer bags and then wrapped it in plastic cling wrap to stop any leakage dripping in my freezer and then froze overnight.

We served ours with a nice thick store bought choc orange sauce.

Enjoy!

I also finished some more bags. Trying out different colours and patterns, doodling and stamping.

 

For this bag I used Jo Sonja Pthalo Green, Pthalo Blue, Yellow Green, and Brilliant Green and Titanium White. Crafters workshop stencils Harlequin and Flower Shower

For this one I used Jo Sonja Prussian Blue Hue, Pthalo Blue, Diox Purple, Brilliant Violet and Titanium White. Crafters workshop stencils, Cosmic Swirl and Daisy Cluster

For this one I used Jo Sonja, Diox Purple, Brilliant Magenta, Brilliant Violet, Titanium White and Ultramarine Blue Deep. Crafters workshop stencils Cosmic Swirl, Daisy Cluster and Flower Frame.

Now how about this fabulous photo I found at Streetartutopia. How cool is it? This site is well worth a look.

Streetartutopia

The quote also comes from the same site.

“There´s tools and colours for all of us,

to lend from nature to make the world

more understandable and beautiful”

Have a lovely week everyone.

Namaste

Lee