Blog moodboard

Well as you know I'm one of the many students attending bootcamp this October. Our homework this week was to create a mood board for our blog - mine is for how I'd like my blog to be.

We had the option of creating a digital mood board or an actual physical one. I've never made a digital one so would like to have a go at this but in reality I don't think I've ever made a proper physical mood board for a project myself either; so as I have a number of pin boards knocking about I thought I would use one of those as a base to lay inspirational bits and pieces on. Here's what I came up with:

I've gone for what I feel/hope is a clean fresh palette with blue/orange/grey, accents of colour to go on white. I want something simple, workable, not too busy. As once the look/layout and 'pretty' aesthetics of my blog have been finalised then my concentration will be on what I post about. I've included a lot of text on my board (using handwritten fonts), love these and want to use them more on the blog and in my photos; these snippets of text are my focus points, giving ideas as to the focus of my blog too. It's a work in progress at the moment.

So what do you think? I know there isn't any right or wrong but it would be good to get your feedback :)

One of my favourite blogs: Dispatch From LA

I know that if you're anything like me you probably have more than one favourite blog. However that said, I do have a few blogs that I perhaps favourite more than others, maybe this is because they inspire me in a different way, or a way that I need at this particular point on my creative road. These are blogs that I visit often to see what they are up to, what they've been doing/creating/sharing. Blogs whose words, views and work I am interested in reading and absorbing; learning from and being inspired by.

One of my favourite blogs is Dispatch From LA written by Mary Ann Moss.

I love her blog as she shares a mixture of bits of her life (teaching, etc.), her handmade journals and travel. The combination of her travel exploits with her journals is truly inspiring. I love that she is a keeper of experiences and memories in her journals, that she does them for her own enjoyment and benefit. She keeps travel journals, visual journals and written journals. It is also a relief that she has an attitude when working in her journals, that anything goes, there are no mistakes! Sometimes we can all be too precious with our sketchbooks/journals, thinking that they need to be perfect, when really they are our practice spaces, playgrounds for experimenting in and keeping notes/memories/thoughts as we please. Her views inspired me to journal and to be braver when working in my own journal(s) as well. I have done a couple of her creative online courses over the last few years and thoroughly enjoyed them. Her approach is fun and infectious. She teaches and shares her knowledge through written and visual ways, with easy to follow instructions and provides bags of inspiration from which your own ideas spring and evolve.

So what are your favourite blogs and why? I'd love to see. Leave me a link in the comments, who knows I may need to add them to my list of favourites too!

(images courtesy of Mary Ann Moss)

Inspiration: mosaic

I think that you can always be inspired by these, whether it's the shapes, the colour, the pattern or just the sheer skill that can go into making/constructing a mosaic. In some cases the attention to detail and the placing of all those tiny pieces of colour to create something bigger is amazing.

Three totally different mosaics and all eye catching in their own ways. It inspires me to use blocks/tiles of pattern/colour in paper and fabric; one for the 'to do' list! x

Where do you find inspiration?

I am looking forward to this week as I only have a 2 day week at the 'day job' (such joy!) and therefore I have finally been able to plan in a nice chunk of creative time for myself to play, experiment and just get back into things a bit more. It got me thinking as to where people look for inspiration or where they chance upon it without looking for it. It seems pretty limitless to me the places that people find inspiration.

I love finding mine in the natural environment around us, so many colours, textures and marks to be found. Inspiration can always be found hidden in the garden!

 

I love the colour combinations you can find, the shapes, patterns, lines and textures. I'm going to use the photos above for inspiration this week, using the shapes that I see, the colours, the lines, all evolving into something more abstract perhaps than a literal representation of what is seen.

So what fires your inspiration and creative imagination? Where do you look for it/find it?

Inspiration: journal (2)

I am a Writer by Michele Maule

Still feasting my eyes on some great inspiration for playing with paint, pen, paper and collage in my journal. Loving the layers and textures and how pages can become 'artworks' in their own right :)

Inspiration: journal (1)

Always continually inspired by Mary Ann Moss and Pam Garrison. Can't wait to get to the 'paint' stage and get creative like this too! x

(first 3 images Mary Ann Moss; next 2 Pam Garrison).

Inspiration: flowers

Being a country girl I have always been surrounded by trees, woods and fields. When I was small you could always find me with my head amongst the hedgerows, crawling amongst grass tunnels or see my feet dangling from a tree I had scaled (much to my mum's delight! sorry mum x). I love nature, the habitat around us, peering, looking, learning, being inspired by its colours, shapes, textures, smells. I love the beauty that each season brings.

This spring I captured some gorgeous frothy blossom with my camera

I find these blooms so inspiring in many ways. Their pale delicate colours and layers of petals as well as their full frothiness. I am not the only person inspired by blossoms and blooms and wanted to share a link with you from Kinfolk of a 'Blossom Party', how perfect is that?! Make sure you visit and watch the video, it's captivating.
I think if I was having a 'Blossom Party' it would definitely have to involve some of these paper pompoms below

Image from Snowy Bliss just how fab are these?!! Paper blossom if I ever I saw any

Oh for a party with blossoming pompoms hey?!! I bet they would look fabulous for the coming festive season in rich deep reds, golds, silvers, forest greens and a bit of sparkle.....

Inspiration: flora

Just some images to tease your optical senses.
Be inspired in your work and creative processes by the flora around you.....
the beautiful natural colours, the sweeping lines and marks, the shapes but again mostly for me the amazing
COLOURS!

Now I did think about putting all the flowers 'proper' names having once upon a time passed my general certificate in horticulture (don't you know!) but I just want you to revel on the fabulous colours!
All these gorgeous flowers are adorning my lovely mum and dads garden, heaven in my camera lense caught just for you, I hope you enjoy them.















And one little odd ball veg starting to grow in the garden! quirky shape to make you smile.

enjoy ;) x