Proud days once again!

I've just been doing some research today for our after school workshop on Wednesday, when i started thinking about how I feel I have learnt so much more from the young people. They just love art, its their favourite lesson and "the best thing they've ever done!" hehe. I love kids art more than any famous artist. I miss the days when I was a little girl and art was the best thing in the world, so lovely and free. When I started high school art felt more like hard work and I lost my passion, I became too much of a perfectionist that I was never satisfied with my work and always brought myself down. As soon as my work was being graded it never felt the same; its just seems wrong to give art a grade. I want to feel the days when I was truly proud of that felt tip drawing I did of the little mermaid! Hopefully the young people will teach me a thing or too. After all its the process that makes the art beautiful... so get messy and have some fun! :)

Getting creative with wool!

I started off making these for some friends as presents and I loved making them so much that when ever I get a minute I'm knitting away. I have labeled them with our 'Button Love' name, ...one day we will own our own little coffee shop and run craft workshops! hehe :)


I just love this colourful wool, an excellent find!

I have a bag full of buttons and beads and I knew they would come in useful, now I just need to find some use for those boxes! :P

If anyone is interested in buying some, just let me know and I'll hopefully have some more images up soon of different designs! They look fabulous as corsages on bags, tops, hats, scarves, gloves, necklaces, you name it! They make beautiful presents, especially for you! :)

my film for a little adventure!

i have watched some great films lately that were very inspirational; into the wild and away we go. it got me thinking about how the films we watch determine where we are at a certain point in our lives and the things we value and aspire towards. for example adventure, romance, drama, comedy... i know that i am at a point where i've just finished university and i just want to get out there and see the world, travel and experience life and all that it holds for me. its the first time in my life where i haven't been in full time education and its very exciting to choose my next step in life. as in the film into the wild, he feels like he has just been born into the world, as he is the one making all his decisions. i watch gilmore girls everyday without fail; it reminds me of me and my mum and how close we are, which is so special to me and i do love a bit of drama. i also love a good romcom as every girl does, hoping to be swept of her feet like in the fairytales :)

happy new year to all, lets hope its full of happiness, peace and love (hippy or what!) XD ...oh and not to forget the little adventures along the way!

Love and traditional textiles!

I had a fantastical Christmas with my family and I hope everyone else had a lovely time too! :) Its such a special time of the year, when families get together for one day and we all get in touch with people we have lost contact with, throughout the year. We should be reminded of the love of Christmas time everyday, because family and friends shouldn't just be thought about at Christmas but everyday of the year and its nice to let them know how much they are loved and cared about. I think a lot about people who are alone at this time of the year and hope that someone thinks about them- a neighbour, a long lost relative; just to give them a bell on the phone or pop round to say hi, because a little love can make a big difference to someones life.

Christmas has lots of traditions like trees, baubles, lights, crackers, wreathes, turkey, etc... I received some lovely pressies this year and some were making traditional textiles, with techniques like cross stitch and using a knitting doll. I also got a book with all sorts of techniques like soap making, rag rugging and floristry. I personally prefer handmade than machine-made, as you may get more done in a short space of time however hand-crafted techniques, that you take your time over, are more personal and heart-warming. You get a real sense of achievement and they make wonderful gifts that will last forever. The work produced reflects you as a person and the things you value. I remember some of these crafts as a little girl, my grandma used to spend hours teaching them to me and even though I forgot them quite easily, that time was special and I will never forget. Me and a friend have decided to meet up once a week to get creative with tradition techniques and join workshops. Crafts is very sociable and for everyone, whats better than meeting up with your girls, chatting about old times and creating beautiful things! xD

diaries to share

1st year of college sketchbook

i posted my cards and finished wrapping my Christmas pressies today! then i started to watch a film with my feet up an a nice cup of tea when i decided to look through my college work (in the hope of sorting it out!hehe) i started thinking that my best work was in my sketchbooks, instead of my final samples and so perhaps my sketchbooks could become my final pieces. the most enjoyable part of creating, is experimenting and finding new techniques. i love creating when you never know whats gonna happen and the surprises that occur. the best thing is that you can be as messy and unfinished as you like. being honest throughout sketchbooks is a must as your work is about you, if intended or not, there will always be an essence of yourself when ideas emerge. maybe sketchbooks are too personal for others to admire, but its what we all want to see- the real you. :)

post traditions!

dear readers

today i was thinking about how most people don't send letters and Christmas cards anymore and are turning to texts and emails to contact friends and family. i just love the excitement of opening a letter or card and not knowing who it's from. i have been sending letters to my friends recently, who i don't get to see very often and even though we text and call each other to catch up, there's just something special about a handwritten letter and personalising it with sketches and quotes. i really enjoy writing them too, all the memories come flooding back to me and this makes me smile and laugh. there is so much joy from from writing and receiving a letter, its a connection you both share forever. i keep all my letters and cards and i like to read them again and again, it nice to read times there are forgotten and the history behind letters that are hundreds of years old, completely fascinates me. i do love the Wallace and gromit stamps this year too. with emails and texts we end up deleting or losing them over time and so i just hope that we keep this tradition alive. :)

i wish you all a merry christmas and a happy new year!

love from

rachael

xxx

Tape sculptures!

We finished the tape sculptures a couple of weeks ago now and they are very successful. We spend the half term holiday displaying the sculptures around the school, some in hidden places. This was very exciting for the young people to find them when they returned. They made their own little plaque's describing the work in their own words and signed their names for everyone to see. We placed 'hoping for peace' on top of a tall cabinet looking out over the young people, as we thought this was the most undisturbed place and 'feeling lonely' was put outside in a corner, amongst leaves and under a shelter to keep it dry. The decoration of the sculptures ties in with the concepts behind each one. We were so proud of the young people who produced each sculpture in 7 hours, spread over 7 weeks. They have been given a fantastic opportunity to create something truly unique and inspiring and have achieved so much socially with their team members, as well as creative skills they can pass onto others! :)

This has been a fantastic challenge for me too. I came into this wanting to learn about teaching young people and I have come out of it with so much more; I have gained confidence with each session and learned so many new techniques and ideas, from working within a creative team and from the young people themselves. When I first started I was very shy and felt as though I didn't know anything, but from listening to and observing the other staff and volunteers, I gained my own personal style of teaching. By the last lesson I was just getting into it and felt more comfortable, with having got to know everyone. But now its onto my next challenge of Egyptian mural painting with 8/9 year olds and I know I have a lot more to learn....