It's been a while...

It's been a while since I've updated this blog and I feel bad about that but have been busy with work and family..and creative stuff in-between. I had my brother and his 4 year old daughter up from Christchurch staying with me and we've been painting the art gallery at work (The Bach) also sickness has meant I've been doing some extra days for others. I've been trying to "fit in" art and creativity as I can but some days I've been too darn tired to do anything but lie on the couch after working all day. And sadly, I've pinched a nerve in my neck due to vigorous cleaning prior to my brothers visit and have had pain in my shoulder blades/numb tingly arms ever since. So I've been shedding a lot of tears lately..and I'm over winter. Just want some warm weather and sunshine so I can get outside and potter in the garden longer than the two minutes I do to collect grass for my new baby bunny thanks to my daughter/s who wanted to do something "nice" for me. 

 I also received back some (surprisingly!) good news

 about my soap that I sent down to the South Island

 last month for the Riversdale Arts 41st Annual

 Mixed Media Exhibition. They sold all but 5 bars!

 So that was a really nice surprise and hopefully
 they'll invite me back for next years exhibition
 and I'll have other things to contribute.

ART JOURNALLING:

I have missed a few creative art workshops this month

with my brother being up and illnesses/appointments etc.

For the first Monday of the month our art journal prompt

 was Intuition. Janes class art 'technique' was to use our 

intuition in choosing one envelope (containing text) and/or

 one picture from a magazine or book to inspire us.

My text was about "Presence" and being present. 

I'd also picked up a magazine and as I flicked though

this image jumped out at me! Something I'm amazed at is 

way the light beams down from the heavens, reminding

me their is a Greater Power...a Great Love above!

 I used a credit card to apply the paints choosing colours

from the magazine image. As I worked, The words 

BELIEVE, TRUST and LISTEN come to me. 

They are three fundamental things in being intuitive.

 This is my page...

 I really enjoyed trusting in my ability to make this

 page "happen"..and really love the colours, 

especially the gold paint I found in Jane's supplies.

 (I must get some for myself)

After being unable to get to the last couple of 

sessions I'm really missing the connection and time

of quiet creativity within a small group setting.

TAPESTRY:

I am now the proud owner of a 4 Shaft Loman

 loom! It was offered to me by one of the women

 who runs a local month weaving group. It belonged 

to a man's mother who passed away 20 years ago

and he was looking for a new home for it. Beverley 

and I took a trip out to his place in Maungatapere

 last week check it out and that afternoon he 

and was wife brought it over on their truck

 as it was too big to fit into my little car.

 It needs some repairs done and I'm so 

fortunate to have Beverley Compter who is a

 weaver/artist at The Bach and 30 years experi-

ence to help me get it up and running again!

 It's currently on my back porch/covered deck area

under a tarpaulins until I can make some space for it.

 Yesterday, I went up to our monthly get-together for a 

few hours and had help from Beverley getting my little

rigid heddle loom warped up. I've also purchased some

how-to-do-it books so hopefully very soon I'll be posting 

photos of my first rigid heddle loom project!