Looking back, looking forward

Thank you so much for reading this blog, making comments both here and on Facebook and generally staying with me throughout 2019.  I really do appreciate you.

I have posted twice a week throughout the year - on Tuesdays and Saturdays.  I hope that wasn't too much for you.

That said, I write my blog for me and only me.  So if you find things of interest here, it's a bonus.  I don't usually look at the Stats but for the benefit of this post I thought I would.

My most popular post of all time was this one Playing which to my astonishment has had over 11,000 views.  Most of this is down to the fact that someone shared it on Pinterest.

The most popular post in 2019 was Further work in my workbook which received 567 views.   It is astounding to me that so many people are interested in what I do.  Especially, as I've said, I do this for me.

So thank you again to those who find me by chance, those of  you that follow by email or by blog readers or my Facebook page.  I appreciate each and every one of you.

So what is to come in 2020?

More of the same really. 

Photo tutorials.
Recording my creative journey.
The occasional post on mental health.
Photos of my travels - currently only Australia planned for this year.
Living Your Word of the Year

Sometimes I wonder if I should change it up a bit.  But if it isn't broken - why fix it?

If there are things you would like to see on my blog, please let me know in the comments below.

Thank you again for sticking with me
Bernice

Living Your Word 2020

Valerie Sjodin, Mary Brack, and I share insights through blog posts for creatively living a word of the year. In our Facebook group, we encourage one another by posting questions and prompts to inspire living out a word focus, keeping a journal etc. It is a safe place to ask for prayer and support. If you would like to connect with others in creative ways about living your word, you can ask to join our Living Your Word of the Year 2020 by clicking on the link below.

Join our Facebook group: Living Your Word of the Year

On social media: #livingyourword2020

To ensure you get updates from Valerie, Mary & I why not subscribe to our blogs.
Mary:  www.foundonbrighton.com
Valerie: www.valeriesjodin.com/blog/
This one: www.newlycreative.com/

Head, Heart & Hands

I have started working my way through a workbook called Head, Heart & Hands: A Workbook for Developing Your Creative Voice.  You can buy it as a book or as a download.  I've got the download which is useful because I have been able to print things on the back of some of the pages.

One of the exercises in the book is to choose two pieces of your work and ask people to give you 5 words to describe the work.  I used these two pieces and put them on Instagram and Facebook.

You could join in if you wish, by putting 5 words in the comments below.

Another exercise is to have a daily practice.  I have chosen the heart practice.  For this I have to take a photo, 6 days out of 7, for 7 weeks.  That's 42 photographs of things I love.

I've only just started so there's only a few!

It will be interesting to see where this leads.

Thanks for joining me today.
Bernice

Workshops 2020

Some of my friends feel I should join Workshops Anonymous!  If there isn't such an organisation perhaps I should start one.

I spent many months this year saying I wasn't going to book any workshops in 2020.  But then signed up for 3 in January & February.  Then I said I wouldn't book any past March.  Yeah right!

So what have I signed up for?

January: Unlocking the Mystery of Creative Play with Lesley Morgan.
‘How do I make better work?’ We will look at simple language and principles of design found in the physical world. Working from a personal starting point, discover tools to create contrast and harmony using colour, value, size, shape, and texture. Bring your curiosity to discover what you like and how to achieve the elements you need to work with your theme and create effective compositions.

February: Abstract Calligraphy with Simon Sonsino
In this workshop we will explore abstract calligraphy with expressive form. We will work through exercises creating abstract letter form with different mark making tools.

February: Poetry of Stitch with Christine Chester
There will be a concentration on using the sewing machine, but also looking at hand stitch as the heavier and more ‘spotty’ marks that is tricky to do on the machine (though not impossible). We will explore your machine’s potential through use of tension, straight and swing stitches, and the occasional use of an accessory or two.  There will be an emphasis on trying lots of small sample pieces rather than working towards a larger piece, but these can be combined to form a book towards the end of the course.

April: Colour Studies with Lesley Morgan
We will learn how to use procion Mx dyes to develop an extensive palette. Build harmonious colour and value schemes to create contrasts that will enrich, energies and pop!  Use mark-making to create a visual reference of colour relationships and establish a method to explore any colour and value scheme of your choice.

May: Improvisational Curved Piecing with Leslie Morgan
Improvisation is the act of coming up with something on the spot. Improvisational Piecing is drawing with a rotary cutter. The act of improvising is to act or to start a piece without planning ahead, spontaneously making decisions as you go. Improvisational piecing promotes muscle memory, intuition, innovation, creative mistakes, repeatable mistakes, freedom ...

July: Land - Marks Summer School with Cas Holmes
A mixed media workshop exploring the qualities of cloth and paper for creating a mark and as a surface for print. Spend the first two days printing onto layered cloth using a variety of techniques, and the last day using some of the pieces to create a stitch - collage.

November: Layers in Land & Sea with Amanda Hislop
A 2-day workshop to explore land or seascape imagery through a process of layering; working on a fine background to build layers of recycled and specialist papers, natural fragments and threads. Experiment with ways of changing the surface of papers which will then be incorporated into landscape compositions developed from your own personal material. Acrylic paints are then applied using techniques to enhance and give depth to the colour within the piece.

And that ought to be enough!

However Liske keeps adding temptation at Littleheath Barn Studio.  It's 25 minutes away and I can live at home.   Sooo tempting!

But looking on the bright side!  I've only signed up for one online course: Wanderlust.

Thanks for joining me today.
Bernice