The Simple Things

A quick project inspired by a regular feature in The Simple Things magazine.

Each month they print a list of things to try.

I have taken their words,

added them to background images from Emily at Sweetly Scrapped

& adhered them to a kraft card backing.

Each month the prompt card can be used

to help me start something new,

give focus in my journaling,

lead me on an adventure

or just spark my imagination.

April

I will be keeping them in an altered matchbox.

My cards are 7.5 cms by 5.5 cms

The kraft card is Tim Holtz Resist.

The Present always has a Past

A 6x6 inch piece made for the #ArtfulEvidence challenge.

The theme was

Spring. 

The Present always has a Past

Lateral interpretation for this piece.

Spring is a new season,
a time for new beginnings,
but none of that can happen without that which has already been.

This photograph is part of their story.

Intrigued?

Why don't you make up a story for them.

The base is Mixed Media paper by Daler Rowney.

I also used

free images from Cloth Paper Scissors

a bird image from The Graphics Fairy
fabric, black satin ribbon & old lace
a black Micron Archival Pen
& Ranger's Glossy Accents.

Going on an Expotition

This is my One Word card for April.

My word is

Explore.

As for the rabbit, well today is Easter Sunday
& they seem to be appearing everywhere!

The original aim of this monthly project
was to use up all those little bits & pieces,
scraps that might otherwise have been thrown away.

This rabbit has been sitting in my little piles of scraps since March 2009,
that's over nine years!

He was originally printed out to use on a specific project,
(see below)
but was actually too large for my Moo,
so I had to print off & use a smaller version.

You can see the original project here.

Moo 2009

So why did I choose Explore?

I am a curious person.
I love to explore,
be it my thoughts, creative ideas or new places.

I worked for a while in Pooh Country,
home of the Winnie the Pooh stories.

It is a beautiful place to explore,
where nature is all around,
where your imagination can run free.

There is nothing finer than a walk through the forest,
& you never know what adventures you may find.

The piece below is taken from a photograph taken on one such walk,
(see here).

I must do more exploring this month.

Digitally Altered Photograph with Haiku 2011

My previous One Word cards

Begin - August 2017
Change - September 2017
Inspire - October 2017
Believe - November 2017
Joy - December 2017
Thought - January 2018
Love - February 2018
Grow - March 2018 

Between Sleeping & Waking

This a collage page in my Wanderlust 2018 journal.

The theme for April is
Sunrise

Using inspiration from Eliza's Art Jar prompts

together with an image & text from her collage sheet
& a photograph I took of a sunrise earlier this year.

Between Sleeping and Waking

This uses another spare page from my Wreck this Journal book.

I used images of Eliza's fragmented word segments to create my found poetry.

"between sleeping and waking.
a consistent and visible sign.
a whisper from above.
today and tomorrow."

The blackbird has been singing so beautifully this Spring,
as he welcomes in the new day.
It has been a joy to listen to him every morning.

The blackbird is taken from a photograph
of a page from my Altered Coaster gluebook from last year.

I also used patterned paper from Brave Girls Club
a Faber-Castell Watercolour pencil &
DecoArt Media Black Gesso

Perfectly Imperfect

This is another collage page in my Wanderlust journal,

prompted by Kasia's A look in the Mirror lesson,
but my inspiration came from Eliza's collage collection.

Perfectly Imperfect

Apart from Eliza's images,
I also typed & printed the label
& used patterned paper designed by Vanessa Arbuthnott
for The English Paper Company.

Be in the Moment

A 6x6 inch piece made for the #ArtfulEvidence challenge.

The fourth theme was

Tea or Coffee. 

Be in the moment

The base is Mixed Media paper by Daler Rowney.

I used

a magazine image for the background
 a blue Dew Drop gem (on her ring)

Ranger Glossy Accents (as nail polish)

Tim Holtz Kraft Paper
Tim Holtz Tissue Tape
letters cut from a newspaper
printed text
& string.

Follow your Curiosity

A 6x6 inch piece made for the #ArtfulEvidence challenge.

The third theme was

Butterfly. 

Follow your Curiosity

The base is Mixed Media paper by Daler Rowney.

I used

scraps of printed paper for the background

white tissue paper

a Tim Holtz Paper Doll
Tim Holtz Distress Crayons
(mustard seed, spiced marmalade, vintage photo & walnut stain)
Faber Castell Gelatos (Pistachio)
Stabilo All Black Pencil
abaca & ric rac ribbon
printed text
together with a butterfly from The Graphics Fairy.

Spread the Joy

A quick 6x6 piece made for the #ArtfulEvidence challenge.

The theme this week is

Doodles. 

Adventure is always close at hand

The base is Mixed Media paper by Daler Rowney.

I also used

an image from a magazine

words from a newspaper
image from a notebook

Liquitex Clear Gesso

a Tim Holtz Paper Doll
Dylusions Black Paint Pen
Stabilo All Black Pencil
tissue tape by Tim Holtz

Escape

This a collage page in my Wanderlust 2018 journal.

During the week it was International Hygge Day,

so I wanted a page to reflect this.

Using inspiration from Eliza's Art Jar prompts,

I combined it with a page reflecting a portrait of me,

using another Wreck this Journal page.

This week I have been trapped at home due to heavy snow.

A perfect time to escape the hustle & bustle of everyday life,

as it forced me to rest & reflect,

to be patient,

to refill my jar of hygge.

'Tis the Season to Grow

This is my One Word card for March.

My word is

Grow.

March sees bright flowers bursting into colour,
from those tempting green shoots of February.

Crocus flowers
take over where the Snowdrops have been.

Bright sunshine yellow Daffoldils
gently nod their heads in the cool Spring breeze.

The Lilac buds grow even plumper &
little green buds appear on the Silver Birch branches,
soon to unfurl into glossy green leaves.

With March comes hope,
it marks the start of Spring
with all the promises of new life appearing
from the sleepy depths of Winter.

As we awake from the still quiet rest of Winter,
this is a month to grow ourselves,
to continue to become all we hope to be.

My previous One Word cards

Begin - August 2017
Change - September 2017
Inspire - October 2017
Believe - November 2017
Joy - December 2017
Thought - January 2018
Love - February 2018