Friday In The Studio and Practice Makes Perfect.

Most of this week has been about planning how to perfect on-line workshops and the logistics of it. A couple of weeksI ago I was involved in a car accident while I was on my way to teach a workshop locally. The road was icy and a car coming in the opposite direction lost control and went in to me. Luckily no one was hurt but the car was damaged beyond repair so we’ve been juggling one car between all of us. Anyway, so long as that’s our only worry then we’ll be fine, there are worse things in life. Anyway, the workshop had to be abandoned and I had to decide what to do and that’s when I had the idea to make a video workshop this time. If it’s successful I could use it as a way to create other little on-line mini workshops which will reach a wider audience and fill in gaps between actual ones. I’ll keep you posted how it goes.

Meanwhile, I’m still filling my sketchbook and updating my planners and I’m also very pleased to say I’ve been asked to become part of the team of creatives at Paperpenandplan who sell all things planner related from their web site and etsy shop.

I look forward to sharing more from Paperpenandplan in the future.

Have a good weekend

Jaine x

Happy February From The Studio

Wow February is here and I for one am truly happy about that. January is such a dismal month with most of it spent trying to either catch up on stuff not finished from last year, feeling down because already the promises made on January 1st have fallen by the wayside plus the weather is usually dull and dreary like the mood. So…..February is here folks so fear not, all will be well.

February is the month of finding the first signs of an eventual spring. Only this morning I swear I heard the croaks of a bull frog coming from the pond next door. There’s alot to look forward to this month and yesterday was Candlemass or Liichtmess as it’s known here where light is brought in to the home to see us through those last weeks of winter and to hurry on the Spring. Here it’s a big thing with the children who walk from house to house with lamps chanting the song and asking for sweets. Like trick or treat without the trick! It’s a colourful and light filled occasion and of course the kiddies love it. Then at the end of the month it’s pancake day (shrove Tuesday). I love pancakes, who doesn’t?  In the middle of the month I’ll be off to Birmingham for the Stitches show at the NEC. This time last year I was all nervous and excited to be part of it on a stand of my own as part of the CHA designers section. I’ve learned alot in a year and realise how naive I really was back then. I’m happy to be going this year as a visitor, it’ll be more relaxing for sure.

Right now on the Canvas Corp web site, I’ve a little project using scraps of paper and fabrics to make prayer banners. They include motivational words to help carry me through the year and the banner hangs in my studio.

I’m pleased to say my planning is right on track and I’m really enjoying the process. I think I’ve found something which suits me and my style and is really working. It’s only taken a year of experimenting to discover what I actually like but I’m now using my A5 Carpe Diem properly but putting my own stamp on it, my Travelers Notebook from Websters Pages which holds my sketchbook and my personal which I’ve totally renewed making all my own dashboards and inserts for.

I’ve very pleased to say I’m involved with a wonderful community of people called Paper Pen and Plan who bring monthly planner goodies to you in the form of a subscription box. They have a web site here Paperpenandplan and a great Facebook group too.

My February planner pages have been created using stickers and downloads from their February Sweet Treat box the theme of which is Rainbows and Unicorns. What could be more adorable? They are also running a challenge within the Facebook group with the opportunity to win prizes. You can join the group here.

Have a good weekend everyone and I hope it’s a colourful one.

Jaine x

Monday Chat, Snowy Weather

I love our little valley in the snow. It’s so pretty. This morning we had a big snow storm and like a kid I couldn’t wait to get out there in it. I used the dog as an excuse mind.  I actually wanted to be the first one to walk up the lane and put our footprints in the snow, that’s a bit odd isn’t it?

Cooper loves it, he has his nose permanently down and his tongue out so he can lick it up.

Thursday evening we had a massive storm as did large parts of the UK too.  The forest path was a bit like an obstacle course over the weekend but none the less still beautiful.

It gave us a bit of extra exercise.

Stay warm everyone. I’ll speak soon.

Jaine x

 

Friday In The Studio – Planning Planning Planning

I really should call this Catching Up In The Studio as it’s now Sunday and I’m only now finding the time to do my catch up. It’s been a busy week as usual and the weather hasn’t helped. We’ve had some snow and having a dog who constantly wants to come in and out the floors are always wet and dirty so I spend my time cleaning up after him.

Anyway, that aside, I’ve prepared my planners and journals for this new year and I thought I’d share that with you seeing as I’ll be using them from time to time in blog posts. The four above are the ones I’ll be using on a regular basis and from the top they are, a Websters Pages Travelers Notebook which holds a sketchbook and journal in at the moment but I have the ability to be able to add other books as I go along. Next is my desk diary which is my daily agenda, always on my desk with my to do lists, money matters and notes etc, then comes my Simple Stories Carpe Diem planner which I started last year and abandoned after January! I’m hoping this year to really use it properly and after making new inserts and dashboards for it I feel it’s really my own style. Finally I’ve a gardening diary which was a gift a couple of years ago and although I’ve started it I don’t feel as if I’ve really got into it yet. I’ve lots of ideas for how I’ll use this one so you may see it from time to time here.

As I said in my travelers notebook I’ve included a sketchbook. I do have a much bigger sketchbook which I’ll continue to use from time to time but for a quick sketch on the go I’ll be using this one.  It’s a Moleskine as I absolutely love the paper even though it’s thin and buckles and warps when I use watercolour paint on it, this is why I like it so much.

A couple of sketches created after walks with the dog.

My planner is a Simple Stories ring binder style and now I’ve made my own dashboards it feels more like me so I’m hoping that will encourage me to keep up with it.

I’d love to know if any of you are using planners or journals this year and what system you’re using?

Hopefully I can inspire you a little bit to get out a pencil and maybe start something new.

See you soon

Jaine x