Welcome to '5 in 5' where on the 5th
of each month I post 5 photos that I have
taken in 5 minutes.
Two years ago I went on a 3 day workshop run by Hilary Beattie, called Capturing the Place. It was held at Forge Mill Needle Museum and Bordsely Abbey, and it was a spectacular setting. I had come home and put my journal and workbook away, meaning to one day finish it. Invariably I come home from a workshop with work to be completed, as ideas continue to develop and grow.
So I was frustrated a few weeks ago when my friend, who had been on the workshop with me, suggested we met up on Zoom and complete our journals together. A great idea in theory, except I couldn't find mine when it came to it. Then this week, it surfaced. And I was surprised and pleased to find that actually, it was complete, a part from the final page and half. There was a feeling of satisfaction and achievement, and looking through the journal bought back happy memories. So I thought I would share some of the pages this month. It might spur me on to complete other unfinished work, rather than keep starting new projects and ideas. I took over 25 photos in the 5 minutes so it is difficult to choose ones to share, but a decision has to be made, so here goes:
I chose an A5 landscape journal and one of the first things we were invited to do was to go outside, and using water colours, paint a pallet of colours that we could see. That was interesting and something I'd not done before. It made me look more closely and seeing this page in the journal reminded me that is something I want to do more of.
I specially enjoyed making backgrounds for the pages. It appealed to my love of experimenting and being playful. This sunflower head was huge, and I am always fascinated by natures patterns. These seeds are part of the Fibonacci sequence and these are really visible when the flowers die back.
This is another painted background and shows photos taken in the Forge Needle Museum. There is a beautiful collection of needle cases and exhibits showing how needles were made. As someone interested in sewing and the history of industry, I thoroughly enjoyed the visit and wished there was more time to explore.
The blue background continues, and I like how it showed the photo of the fern. Being a water mill there was lots of ferns growing out of walls and around the mill race. There was also lots of rusty metal, another thing that draws my attention. I did rubbings of some, including mill parts, drain covers and grates. These made interesting backgrounds for other pages, an idea inspired by Hilary.
And this final photo shows how some of the pages were added to, allowing them to open up and reveal more underneath. Within the grounds is a ruined Abbey, and a small museum that displays relics. Part of these are a collection of tiles from the Abbey floor, spectacular designs and photographs of the floor when it was uncovered. I used a stamp to replicate the pattern and also carved small stamps that I also used on this page on the centre spread, and throughout the book.
I enjoyed revisiting this journal and it's accompanying workbook. And before I put it away I will finish the last page and a half, because I realise the satisfaction and sense of achievement when work is completed.
Note to self: stop starting new projects and working on new ideas until others are finished! I wonder how many of you can relate this this?!
Thank you for visiting and
I hope that what
ever you are doing, you are safe and well. As always I invite you to join in this monthly 5in5
photo challenge. It's very simple, and it offers a new way of looking through
the camera lens and adding a spark of new ideas.
So here's how it works:
1. Choose a location.
2. Have your
camera ready.
3. Set a
mobile timer for 5 minutes.
4. Take
as many photos you can until the time is up.
5. Choose
5 photos to download and share by using the link tool
You have until the 25th of the month to add your photos and if you want to know more about 5in5 there are details here.
And one more thing - when you use the link tool, please click on your post title. This will show the web address. Please right click, copy and paste this as your link. This will take readers directly to your '5 in 5' blog page and be easier for them to find.
