WOYWW #808 - Making Zen Retreat

Well I had a textile filled week on the "Making Zen" retreat. Apparently they do them twice a year so I'll be on the look out in May 2025.

In the red tray is the beginnings of my December journal made from old Christmas cards and papers.

For my daily journal, I chose from the 4 retreat sessions we had each day:-

Day 19 - I added the paper cutting - cracked egg. (only non textile session)

Day 20 - the bee was my pattern for the one on the fabric collage below.

Day 21 - we sewed embellished words.

Day 22 - we did a bit of weaving.

As the week went along I tended to combine different techniques on one piece. Lots of appliqué and fabric collage plus embroidery. I did some Broderie Anglaise (gosh I always thought it was Embroidery Anglaise) plus some Japanese Sashiko work. Also some rug hooking. I only "shopped my stash" so some sessions weren't possible for lack of the correct supplies but I had fun all the same.

Back to my journal..

Day 23 - back to paper but I did add some threads to represent the tangled mess Jesus sets us free from.

Day 24 - Inspired by our church talk about the significance of the "corner" of a garment, I made my own. (see below)

Day 25 & Day 26 - Using up more paper scraps/pictures but I did add some of my dyed fabric scraps.

- Identity - 1 Samuel 24:5

- Marriage Proposal - Ruth 3:9 asking for protection & provision from guardian redeemer.

- Covenant - Ezekiel 16:8

- Tassels - Numbers 15:38-39 visual reminder of God's commands

- Healing - Mark 6:56 all who touched the edge of his cloak were healed. Also our main reference of the woman with the issue of bleeding found in Matthew 9:21, Mark 5:25-34 & Luke 8:43-48...

My back is improving slowly but now I have an issue with a sore mouth as well. Had an ulcer (lower right) and that healed, then thought I'd burnt the roof of my mouth (top left) but it isn't healing so seeing an Advanced Nurse Practitioner at my GPs this morning....

Happy WOYWW Everyone.

WOYWW #807 - Textile Retreat

I started a freebie textile retreat on Monday. It's called "Making Zen".

It's got me back into sewing just as my left hand has started tingling again after the Steroid injection back in June! Typical, but have managed to get an appointment to look at my hand for 23rd Dec!

The journal continues...

Days 13 & 14 the mop up sheets were essentially red and white. I added some images, extra marks and some words.

Day 15 & 16 brought me to the end of the first side of my concertina journal. I loved the mop up sheet colours on the right so actually got my paints out and replicated the colours on the left. I used magazine images and words for these. 

Devotion in Action dropped a devotion for November. 

It's about singing praises to the LORD.

My Psalms pages are filling up so couldn't use Psalm 149 so my watercolour is on Psalm 47. Psalm 33 was an option too but as it mentions a harp I really ought to do a harp page....Not played in ages though.

Days 17 & 18 were preceded by the back Cover. I used a piece of a tissue box as I love the design.  I doodled some of the design elements myself and used this for Day 17.

So to Day 18 and my first textile piece which is a "Calico Cottage", so cute, will certainly have to make more of those. 

The tin and box on my desk have my bits of fabric and embroidery floss in them, plus my craft notebook as I'm on the free pass.

Here's my start on Christmas! I got the little basket, lace mat & reindeer, from the Scout Christmas fair. 

Then Asda had the "Elizabeth Tower" ornaments in again and as I'd procrastinated too long last year and missed out I grabbed one plus the little embroidery hoop too.

Happy WOYWW Everyone.

WOYWW #806 - More Junk Journaling

Here's the desk yesterday after doing my journal page.

Still have loads of bits and bobs from the conference printables to use up, which are in the yellow tray along with various tags and items collected too.

My collage for days 5 & 6 includes a sachet from a new tea as a pocket. I sort of actually like Twinings Immune Support but maybe it being my favourite colour is more the reason!

I tried to google my favourite colour to find it's name but that's really difficult but I have kept a few notes and popped that in the pocket too.

Magenta, Orchid, Fandango, Lollipop, Lilac, Seedless Preserves - take your pick.

Collages for days 7/8 & 9/10 I just went with the flow, using up bits I'd come across sorting out an old paper box and various words and scriptures I had left over in my stash.

I completed the study on Mary Magdalene from the conference in the little booklet which was provided. 

Here is my centre spread.

I included a lady image from Gecko Gals plus items from other conference sessions and a magazine picture of a tower as that is what Magdalene translates to.

In my Faith Journal I used the extra resource from Charlene Warwick based on the nameless sinful woman. I made a pocket for the tri-fold sheet on the study for this session.

I love the single continuous line drawings of the women and have quite a few left so they will be popping up in my journal methinks.

Woman go in Peace, Luke 7:36-50.

Also in my Faith Journal I used some of the extra Esther pieces for another page.

The page edge label worked well with my previous pages above, that was a plus.

I church on Sunday we made a tissue Poppy. It was quite taxing for the adults let alone the kids but it's a lovely poignant reminder for Remembrance Sunday. 

For my last two collages for days 11 & 12 I included the second of the prayer cards which I got whilst out geocaching last month.

The pocket was from a conference resource (same as day 4 last week).

All the painting and big black marks, were from the mop-up sheet I'd used in the construction of the journal so there wasn't much to do, just add some words and pictures and doodle a bit more.

Happy WOYWW Everyone.

WOYWW #805 - November Journal

So I too a photo of my desk on Monday as I'd just bought s few things. Namely some more plasterers tape, a colouring book and some gel pens. I also found a tea I quite like, but we'll see....

The colouring book was an idea from an art journaling group where you can use the flower/images cut out on you colourful pages.

So I finished off the Bible water colouring series of more women of the Bible.

Susanna ; The Groupie. Named as one of Jesus's followers who was healed by Jesus and helped the ministry financially. Luke 8:1-3.

Tamar : What a mess! A bizarre story interjected into the Joseph narrative in Genesis 38

Jael : The hand of a woman! Totally hard-core! Judges 4:17-22.

I finished off my little 4" square signature journal for October (see photo below for the sunflower cover).

The cross was from the conference for colouring in.

The last 2 pages were just because...I fancied the colours and had a play around with techniques.

Then November came and it was time for my Bible Journaling Ministries page on Love, Loyalty and Redemption from the book of Ruth.

Then my Faith Inspirations page on loving your enemies.

I made a 5" square no-sew concertina journal for November's journaling, and these are the gel pens I got from Asda Monday too.

November's journal was made using lots of hand painted papers mop up or using up or otherwise...so the pages are kinda already started.

Going to try and use up all my bits and bobs in them too.

I got the Finding Peace prayer card from the last geocaching outing to a church. I had a left over pocket so used that up and have another pair pending the right place for them later in the month, yippee.

Happy WOYWW Everyone.