Hello world!
As I approach my 50th birthday (or as I prefer to say thirty-twentyth) I thought I would look for a new platform for my passion; the world of craft, in particular sewing little books, making them pretty with trims and using just about all I had to hand to make them. It would appear they are now referred to as Junk Journals!
I have chosen to start a blog, a You-Tube channel and a facebook page as platforms to feature what I make.
I sewed my first journal when I was only eight years old. I never left home without it. I recorded all our family travels in it; most centred around visits from our Australian family visiting the UK. I would record all the junction numbers we passed on the M4 from South Wales to Heathrow, all the castles and stately homes we would visit whilst they were here too. I suppose these days they would be a cross between a junk journal and a traveler's notebook! I would then save all the paper bags from the souvenir shops we visited with our rellies where I would buy my postcard or badge and then all my collected items would form the next journal.
I had another for our own holidays, mostly in West or North Wales, in which I would paint too - I suppose that would be now known as an art journal, junk journal and traveler's notebook combined. We had so many happy holidays.
Who would have thought that some forty-something years later these journals would take off in such a huge way!
Well, I'm starting these platforms off with a garden journal, which has truly been a labour of love; it really is a bit of a monster, as you will be able to see from my YouTube flip through. (Gosh, that sounds so "with it"!) I am embracing the next part of my life and attempting to move with the times. The craft fair will no longer be my only platform! It really is great fun and truly the best therapy I could ask for.
I am a survivor and do not think of myself as a victim. and I make my items to regain my feeling of purpose, independence and enjoyment of all things life once again. As we get to know eachother on my journey as we share my work, there will be good days and bad. With all that I am truly blessed with I know that the good will far outnumber the bad.
I sewed my first journal before my life changed forever so that is why they are so important to me and can hopefully help me to mend. If I can also help anyone by chatting I will be more than happy to do so but all I ask is that you keep the comments for this blog for my creations and contact me separately if you need my help.
Armed with my husband's love, my parents' love, my brother's love, my best friend's love and my baby girls and cousins there is nothing I can't accomplish... nothing.
Well, that's the boring bit over folks; it just needed getting off my chest and now for the prettiness and all things journally!
Just a quick note: I don't contribute to Tim Holtz's pension/retirement plan! I think there's plenty of fellow creators out there doing that already! I make my own inks, sprays and pastes and remember fondly of a time when a "medium" was just a size. I like my pages and decor to be originals. I make my own covers, that way I have exactly what I want. On occasion I "alter" an existing book if it has something special about it and it must be perfect for my theme. I suppose that's about 5 percent of the time or less. I'm afraid I don't do commissions; my art is something I want to say and not what others want me to say. That's just me. Now you know the basics I hope you choose to stay with me on my journey. We are all different and so is our art and that's why there's enough room for us all.
Lots of love,
Ruby XXX
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