When the news is so grim ... do what makes you happy

Self care can mean many things, from yoga to meditation, prayer to taking yourself off to a spa. It's important to find joy in small things, and to find opportunities to do things that make you happy. That may seem like fiddling while Rome burns to some people, but we all take our different paths through life, don't we?

Which is why I spent yesterday morning crafting. I'd watched a video on (inevitably) YouTube, by Erin at eb_mixed media. She was showing how to make flowers from painted paper which could then be used in collages, art journals or on handmade birthday cards. So I thought I'd have a go.

I rifled through my storage tub of offcuts from gell prints, and pulled out greens and blue/greens for leaves, also pinks, oranges and yellows for flower petals.

I cut vaguely flower and leaf shapes, and got out the glue, sticking them on to a backing of either white copier paper or brown kraft paper.

It's simply a case of using a black pen to draw a spindly stem and to outline the bloom and leaves. Then the completed piece is carefully cut out.

As the stems are so thin they're rather fragile, so you need to handle with care until you've applied the piece to a suitable background, either a card or a journal page.

I was really pleased with how these turned out, and I ended up with quite a production line of 'em.

I think these work best if there's additional interest rather than flat colour to the leaf and flower. Some shading, stenciling or glimpses of text beneath the paint (where I've printed over a book page).

Well, that's how I spent yesterday morning. Oh, and I photographed my bed!!! Yes, weird I know, but it was looking pretty colourful, laden with quilts. Don't you think?

I'll certainly be cosy when the winter weather comes.

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Threads of Freedom and charity shop bargains

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