A JOY-filled workshop

It's going to sound a tad cheesy but what a JOY filled day I had last week! It was spent with the loveliest group of women that are part of the Angus Embroidery & Textile Artist Group and it was making JOY journals.  
I visited them last year with a box full of my handmade books for a "talk", that was more of a touch and feel than an actual talk! Amongst my books were some JOY journals I had made way back,which caught their eye. I was invited back to hold a workshop on making them...fast forward to last thursday!

If you missed my little forage into making JOY journals, I made and sold them several years ago. They were my little take on the "gratitude journal" and I especially loved them because they were made from 100% recycled household paper, from kiddie scribbles and envelopes to old maps and magazines. I  also created a JOY journal Tutorial which you can find here if you would like to find out more and make your own!

It's amazing how quickly a day can pass while gluing and cutting and sewing. The tables turned into a sea of colours and paper, some more overflowing than others!

It was so interesting to see the different designs and styles that emerged, and the paints didn't get a look in... 

You could definitely tell these ladies were lovers of textiles and textures.

Aren't they all just so beautiful and unique? The photographs really don't do them justice.

My most favourite moment was at the end of the day when there was a huddle of "journal-armed" ladies around a table, flicking and sharing the inner pages they'd embellished. By the time I'd got my camera out the huddle had dispersed..but I caught the last few "stragglers"!

Check the blurry pages.... :)

I am now feeling totally inspired to make another JOY journal...... the recycle box is jumping up and down in agreement!

Thanks to all the AETA ladies for such a fab day xx