Last weekend I went along to a creative getaway in Oratia, West Auckland with around 20 women. I love these weekends as they inspire me to keep creating and give me a time to catch my breath and do something I love – without interruption of home life.
Most of the group work on scrapbook layouts and/or mini albums, but this time I was drawn to do some of my Wanderlust classes from Everything Art as I had not been keeping up with these at home. I chose to attempt the classes by Mary Beth Shaw and Dyan Reaveley. Mary Beth’s class was in the serendipity category and based on collage and stenciling and Dyan’s class was in the silhouette category using distress inks, paints and figure silhouettes.
As always I use the class as a jumping off point and this time I really enjoyed Dyan’s explanation of how she works with 3 colours and how she uses her colour system rather than the traditional colour wheel. Mary Beths class used bleeding tissue a a basis, but as I didn’t have this I did a basic collage (including some tissue) as my first layer and then stencil and paint. I really enjoyed both styles and also adapting them to be meaningful for me.
As well as this I continued to work on and ALMOST FINISH by Covid 19 Journal. I have only a few gaps now, but as New Zealand is holding our own in Level 1, I feel inclined to take my time to add any thoughts about long term effects on both myself and family as the journey for this pandemic continues. I completed my cover using an old book and stitched the signatures inside.
Overall I am happy with the result, perhaps just a little disappointed that I didn’t start it until after the first lockdown and although I took pictures that I used in the album I am not sure I was able to capture my feelings the way I would have liked. Anyway, it is my record of 2020 and I enjoy to look through it and remember details that I would otherwise forget.
It was great to have a break away and to do some creating – of course, I have more unfinished projects to carry on with and lots more wanderlust to catch up, but I am happy with what I achieved.
Happy creating
Cherie
Yellow Azalea 