…how very novel…

Every now and then, a random opportunity pops up, and becomes a snowball effect. For this particular snowball, we need to track back a bit, to an instagram tag in March last year with a couple of detours…

Detour one is brought to you by random instagram scrolling. I have long envied the talented people all over insta who have been making fabulous art with their iPads on the Procreate app. When I dropped enough hints to receive a new iPad for my birthday towards the end of last year, the first thing I did was download procreate. The second thing I did was race down to Harvey Norman and treat myself to an apple pencil while I waited for the iPad to finish downloading procreate. I had rather a lovely time learning how to work everything and downloading brushes, and within a day or so, had worked out how to create similar effects on the ipad that I like to use in my real life mixed media play. Once I got a handle on it, I felt brave enough to start sharing on instagram.

Before that though, there was that time, last year, when my lovely friend AJ tagged me in a rep search for NovelTea Book Club. I didn’t think I had a chance of being accepted, as I’m not predominately a book blogger. I got lucky though, and Angie decided to take a chance on me to reach a different audience beyond the usual bookstagram crew. I was super chuffed, and had a fabulous three months as a rep, and loved the monthly bookish mail so much I signed up for a sub once my term ended (I get the Classic/Coffee pack, though I’m contemplating going back to the tea pack as I also enjoyed that in my rep time).

Circling back again (yes I tell stories like this in real life – take pity on my friends who have to live through the process and don’t have the luxury of me having a backspace button to edit whatever word vomit comes out next…), Angie spotted one of my posts sharing my play with digital mixed media, and commented about a potential collaboration. Before long I had a DM to discuss the finer details, and after a minor freak out to my friends, I found myself officially a guest designer for the February parcels.

It was insanely nerve-wracking submitting the design files, but I think it was even worse waiting for the printed version to see it in real life. Finally it arrived and it was so very exciting to see my work, printed, in real life, going out to people who aren’t my friends! It was such an honour to be part of the process, even if it came with a fair side serving of imposter syndrome – I still giggle at how surreal it is to see my bookmark crop up on instagram when people share their parcels.

I am hoping to get a lot more digital art time in this year – much of my art stuff is still in storage from multiple decluttered of my craft room to make it presentable for open houses, and digital might be the way to get around that. The lack of clean up is also a plus…

Today, we’ve had a big whip around the house to get it clean and ready for the weekend, which leaves my afternoon free and clear for fun stuff! First up on my agenda is finishing a sewing machine cover to wrap up my improv triangle sewalong project, and then I’m thinking it audiobook & crochet time, or possibly setting myself up outside with some cross stitch since my blankie is too big for outside work. A weekend at home with no plans also bodes well for plenty of crafty fun – after the mowing, that it. After a couple of years of a dust bowl backyard, though, I will not complain at all – it is an excellent problem to have mowing and yard chores to do before the fun part of the weekend. Happy Friday friends, I hope you have an excellent weekend. Don’t forget to pop on over to insta tomorrow to join in the #saturdaynightcraftalong and show us what you are working on.