a new collaged art journal for sale

 I've started using some of my favorite magazine cover to make collaged art journals and i have this one up for sale on etsy here  it was so fun to be together with hand drawn bits and some of my favotite images....

a new project....

 combining my love of bookbinding with sketching, i have adhered colored pencil drawings to a painted book with 60  9x6  watercolor paper pages , something that can be used as a journal , sketchbook or art journal for yourself or someone you love to fill with your own special words, drawings, collage and little bits from your day to make a special keepsake,  it is in my etsy shop here and it is 22.00 with shipping.

my new patreon page

I have started a patreon page and I have my first patron and this is the happy mail that I send out for the $7 tier with a letter and little journal bits and i thought i would share here in case anyone else would be interested...the link to it is the first image on my sidebar...

For the love of Victoria's special books

I was first introduced to Victoria and there special books at age 18 by my mom and they are now intertwined with who I am and what I love, filled with such nostalgia and everything it brings to mind for me like certain decorating ideas such as my most favorite which is desks with drawers and cubbies perfect for writing letters or a journal entry or keeping up on home care and the desk holds all the little trinkets that you may need like calligraphy and fountain pens with bottles of ink and wax and pretty rose wax seals which I have just ordered for the first time and am trying to patiently await there arrival.

Other ideas such as a small table with pretty white tablecloths to hold a journal and a cup of tea.

Shelving full of baskets and boxes and linen, I remember in my childhood room having floor to ceiling shelves put in my closet and what fun it was to decorate with baskets and boxes and folded blankets.

 Another favorite were the pretty pictures of vanity tables with a special  chair perfect for taking care

of hair and skin with the table full of pretty little bottles and trinkets . 

And finally  all the pretty pillows to place on your bed and make it a special place to retreat to after a long day.

There are just so many special decorating ideas to glean from these books and to me I think they

are timeless as well and just make a home and a bedroom feel so cozy and conducive to pastimes

that bring you joy.

The two books are Victoria Intimate Home and Victoria Bedrooms

some planner pics..

these are a few of my favorite spreads in my planner but I'm hoping to add some more that I will share...

this is my favorite section the self care part of my planner where i keep yoga routines and lists of my favorite things and things to meditate upon

 

and then my book reading section with books I hope to read soon

notes from my idea book...

here are a few images from a new notebook where are keep inspiration and ideas for little rituals and ideas and recipes for self care ...so first is a page of inspiration and an image of Pam Garrison's old studio from years ago that I have been saving...

 
then a little fairy essence and I used images from suzi blu and her girls that she draws that i just love

 
and next a grounding exercise sometimes I just feel so overwhelmed and it makes me lightheaded so I could really use this grounding exercise in those times...

 
and an end of day ritual with an image I love of someone writing in there journal surrounded by things they love a lovely way to end the day...

 and a recipe for gentle sleep oil because I can have such a hard time going to sleep and I love this image of a peaceful bedroom too, these kinds of things inspire me so much...I look forward to adding more to this notebook and sharing it here if any one else could use any ideas for little rituals and inspiration.

my life binder....part one...

This is my life binder, I found the notebook at office max and it reminds me of something from Cath Kidston, I just love it. So this is part one and I plan on adding a lot more to it but just wanted to show you what I have so far. So in the front pocket is some Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic inspiration and a little calendar sheet where I will add some important info...

 I also love having various sizes of paper to add in and have it layered with other bits peeking out and I added in things from magazines like these articles that I have in the front...here is one on meditation

 and creating...

and here is the beginning of my recipe section with a collage of pretty food images

and then I gathered up my various recipes that I have had in random places and now they are all gathered together and again I love the varied sizes

I will be back with more as I add in more info and inspiration
Hope everyone is finding time for creativity and other things you enjoy doing like baking or crafting  during our self quarantine and this strange time that we all find ourselves in ...stay healthy and I will be back soon to post more

my art tools..new and vintage....

I have gradually put together some containers of my favorite art tools and so happy that a few are special and vintage that I have had for so long like my tools for bookbinding and my paper punch for adding sheets to my planner and then I love my bone folder and wooden awl and I just think they all look so pretty in this anthropologie mug that I had ordered that was too big for drinking but just perfect for my precious tools....they are precious to me but I do not baby them I love them with paint splatters and even a bit of rust and then I just recently added a bit of decoration to them as well with paint and colored pencil

p.s. I just wanted to mention that I do respond here to comments but that I don't think they are being sent , I'm not sure something changed with it all a while back

putting together my inspiration journal...

I decided to put together an inspiration journal which is filled with images that I have had in a spiral notebook that is beginning to fall apart after having it for almost 20 years that I had filled with all my fave images from Victoria and Country Living  and I have decided that I want it in a bound moleskine. I am also adding in my favorite floral sketches from a sketchbook that i started 10 years ago and then I am adding in my favorite current images and things i love on pinterest plus my favorite inspirational quotes into a journal that i hope to treasure for years to come, so here are some of my first pages.....

I hope to blog more at my sadly neglected blog if there are still any of you that come to visit I would like to incorporate self care, planner ideas, art journaling, sketching, flowers and maybe even a recipe or two.....Thanks so much for stopping by :)