Wanderlust wk 3 Mandalas

Over on Wanderlust, a year long on-line class, week 3 was with Jennifer Lee who showed us how to make Mandalas out of paper cut into different shapes.  I love playing with paper pieces and glue so I simply loved this class. 

Jennifer showed us how to do two different ones.  The first was a manadala bloom using three different sizes of circle cut by hand rather than a die or punch.  I chose warm colours for this one after sifting through my big box of paper.  I made a backround with collaged torn paper pieces, with gesso painted over.  You start by placing the large circles all around the outside and then build the layers inwards, going with the smaller circles on each layer.  I added doodled dots and dashes to highlight.

We had to make a compass mandala out of paper pieces cut from maps for the next one and I initially didn't have a clue how I was going to do this one.  However, after raiding all our travel books and even an old atlas I got to it.  For this one we worked from the centre out.  The starting point was a circle with four large, long triangles placed around it.  Then I took out my punches and had a play.  This is what I came up with and it was so much fun to do.

Using the different maps was fun:

Lastly I doodled a border the North sign:

I enjoyed the mandalas so much that I made another bloom one, this time as a flower shape in cool pastal colours:

I made another collaged backround and cut out the petal shapes in two sizes :

This was a really fun week on Wanderlust.  Its been a big help to have this to concentrate on - as I said in an earlier post, I lost my Mum at the beginning of the year and am devasted.  I've been really touched by all the messages of condolences and support, both from my friends in the real world and here on blogland.  Also on a Facebook craft group I belong to called Maremi's Creative Cafe which is a really great group where we can share all our creations whatever they are.  People are incredibly supportive, so come along and have a look.

I'm linking up  at:
Try in on Tuesday
Country View Crafts
Creative Every Day

Bye Bye Mum

My lovely Mum passed away early in the New Year and I am missing her so much.  She was 90 and all last year she was fading and had clearly had enough.  The last month her body started to pack up and we knew it was the end.  So we knew she was going to die and I thought I was prepared for it.....
But I wasn't!  I've been taken aback at how upset I have been - because I knew that she was dying and thought I had grieved and accepted it already.  I guess nothing prepares us for losing our mothers.  I am finding it hard to think that I am never going to see her, never talk to her, never share anything with her again - the pain of searing loss. 

When I was clearing away her things I came across loads of the cards which I had made her and which she kept.  I couldn't throw them all away so I hung on to a few of them.  This is the one I made her for her 90th birthday which she loved.  I sponged the backround with distress inks then stamped these Paper Artsy stamps which I love.

Grief is a painful thing and we've just got to let it run its course.  I take comfort in all the wonderful memories I have of her, of her kindness, generosity and love.  Also that I was able to pray with her towards the end and it brought her comfort and peace.

I'm entering this in the That's Crafty Feeling Blue challenge, very apt!
Also in the Country View Anything Goes challenge
Craft Stamper Take it Make it challenge
And Create with Joy

Thanks for stopping by.

Wanderlust 2018

I am really excited to have signed up for the Everything Art Wanderlust 2018, a year long journey in mixed media and art journaling hosted by Kasia and Jamie Avery with 2 guest teachers every month.  Its going to be really challenging and I can't wait!

I decided to make my own art journal for this.  I picked up an A3 acrylic paper pad from Hobbycraft for only £5!  I cut the pages down to size leaving several with flaps to make the pages:

I sewed these into an old book cover which I had painted.  I'll decorate the cover when the journal is complete:

Then I made an envelope to stick in the inside front cover.  I brayered several colours on a 12x12 piece of scrapbook paper:

I made a template from an envelope and used this to make the envelope:

I also added a few other pages using some papers which I  had in my stash made after taking Kasia' earlybird Dynamic Paper Painting class which was amazing fun:

We also had some freebie inserts to add to get our journals personalised and ready.  Here is my inside front cover:

I am so enjoying creating and sharing again after a long break.  Its good to be feeling better and able to do it again! 

I'm linking up at:

Art Journal Journey
Country View Challenges