Art Journal workshop

Goodbye 2014.... Hello 2015

Well hello friends.....so here we are on the first day 2015..it just beckons freshness and possibility.There is something magical and special about a new year.

 I was talking with my little family on New years Eve on what we are looking forward to....everyone chimmed in ...".working less earning more, studying harder at school and my 5 year old declared she wants to be a grown up in 2015.lol. They asked me what my goals were and I said " I aim to be more gentle with myself and my wellbeing. I know if this is done then everything else for me will fall into place." Now that I am officially middle aged I can feel the changes taking place phycially and mentally, so I know I must make an extra effort to preserve my health and welbeing in order to be of a greater service to others.

That said I wish you all a wonderful 2015 and hope that all the goals you wish to achieve this year you have good health to make it all happen. Wishing you a wonderful 2015 and thank you for all your support,encouragement and kindness. I have made some truly wonderful individuals here in blogland....I remain humbled and grateful to you all.

A peek into my Art Studio

Hello lovely people...I hope you are all well..

Today I want to share with you where I work! As I am a very visual person there are lots of pics , so grab cup of something and enjoy this post.

Within my home I have a 7.5 sqm studio where I get to explore all of my creative passions. As a Visual Artist and crafter I like my workspace to be an environment that is a peaceful haven where I can be inspired. Natural light is really vital for me as it lifts my mood and is best to create in as I can see the true nature of my colours, so I positioned my work table directly in front my window. I hung sheer curtains, which gives me privacy but does not compromise the natural light.

Since travelling to Cambodia I have fallen in love with buddas. Having them around my space makes me feel connected to something bigger while offering me a sense of calm and tranquilty.....I have been really drawn to yellow in the past months and wanted to add more hints of yellow in my space so I painted my newest budda yellow.....why not?

On my desk (which in the photo looks much smaller than it actually is in real) holds my collection of sharpies, calligraphy pens, watercolour pens, brushes,gel pens, and scissors....I do quite a bit of Art Journaling at the moment so I tend to keep what I most use on my desk along with a few plants, framed cards, candles, water and glue sticks. I prefer my work table relatively clear and often clear up as soon as I am done a project.

This is my studio library which hosts my collection of books on crafting, jewellery making, self development, art history, cardmaking, art journaling and the list goes on..I love reading while gaining information and inspiration.

Luggage tags ....how I love them, always have...now I use them for art journalling too which I found is a  great way to experiment on a small scale with new media. Below you will find a few pictures of my favorite mediums.....oil pastels, chalk, watercolours

These are some of my many Art Journals and sketch books, I have about 50 in the studio and even more in storage in the loft.( my husband thinks I have  a serious illness....and so do I, I really cannot help myself, if I am not buying them  am making them!)

Storage ...strorage...storage is really important in my studio.... as I work in a  small space I have to be savvy in the way I keep my supplies...so wall shelves were essential for storage and accessibility. My husband installed 4 wall to wall shelves ..which gives home to all my mixed media, books,  small and medium canvases, sewing machine, sewing box, fabrics paper stock,filming and photography equipment (and maybe a few more things).

When I get ideas for my blog or creative projects, I find that writing them down in one place or 2 (if I can) really helps keep  a catalog for later reference, especially when I lack inspiration for some reason. So these lovely textured soft faux leather journal and diary makes it even more encouraging to keep track of myself.

On this wall a few visuals I adore, a list of things to do and a drawing from my little Erin..who was 4 when she drew it.....it makes me smile everytime I look at it.

I am so grateful for having this space ..... a little place where I can just be me, to explore, to connect, to create and to share with you.

If I could have a dream item in this space it would be this chair...

But then I fear I simply won't leave my studio .....which would make for a very unhappy household.

I often think I would love to share a workspace with other creatives maybe in a space from co-working company I can imagine it can be quite fun and inspiring.....Are you a creative? do you create alone or share a space with another? 


Well thats all from me today....Thank you so much for stopping by ...if you have enjoyed this post let me know and please feel free to share it with others....it may inspire them to create a similar space .


Always best wishes


Chelsea

Creative Window Boxes

Happy Friday everyone..!!! I want to wish you all a wonderful weekend.....what will I be doing this weekend???? I will be creating a window box for the front of my home. As you may already know we bought our family home nearly a year ago and it is still a labour of love as we make it into very own style. If you are a homeowner and espeially a mother, you know how important it can be to own your home and then start the process of creating the feeling of home to reflect the needs of your family and  personal taste.......I have spent the last few days thrawling through Pinterest for ideas and speaking to my local garden centers about the best plants to use for this time of year...it has been a pleasurable experience and I cannot wait to share the finished look with you. Until then....here are a few samplings I adore....let me kow which ones you like.

Photos from Pinterest ...

Quilts in the Garden

Hello Friends.....I hope this beautiful Friday finds you productive and well.

 As Autumn is looming I have been thinking of investing in a few more Quilts especially after attending "Quilts in the Garden" at Poppy Crafts over the summer. I was truly blown away by the quality and the craftsmanship of these quilts especially after learning that the women ( Poppy Patchers) who created these masterpieces had only been doing so since October 2012! here are some pictures I took of the day enjoy......

Just look at these quilts.....

Handmade goodies

Budding friendships were formed

Sewing classes were taking place in store!

 These women clearly love the art of quilting as their quilts were both stunning to look at and touch....there were almost 30 quilts and over 100 other handmade items on display for sale and raffle...all to raise funds for Harmony Therapy Trust which provide complementary therapies for terminally ill individuals. I took my famiy with me to enjoy the day and support a great cause....the events of the day raised £240.00......friendships were formed.....items were happily won and purhased and lots and lots of laughter and smiles all round. I had a truly remarkable time and I am not missing next years event for anything!

Have a wonerful weekend....