It’s Been Minute…

~ Patty Radish ~ 9 Comments

Yes, I took another break from blogging. Mostly because I didn’t have a lot to say. I do that a lot, I clam up when I’m feeling all the feels, if you know what I mean. It’s not a bad habit as some people might call it, it’s just how I’m wired.

I actually took a pretty big break from art/junk journaling for the better part of last year, which I haven’t done in almost 20 years art/junk journaling.

And when I started up again, I found I needed a soft place to land.

Also, I felt as if I really needed to do more downsizing and using up, too much clutter stifles my creativity. I closed my Etsy shoppe last spring, and in doing so I just threw everything into boxes. So, the first thing I did this year was go through all my containers and reorganize…I have a lot of stuff!

Then I tackled my supply of kitsch and colorful. I still love color, but I’m over my pages looking like a hippy bus. I don’t want to go completely neutral, but our art/junk journaling needs to…has to…reflect our state of mind and spirit. If gluing sequins onto paper is what puts a spring in your step, I say go for it, absolutely and unapologetically!

Lately, I have been drawn toward glueing small bits of paper to page, the smaller the better and the more neutral the calmer. I’m struggling with the current state of the world and just need a soft place to land when things feel a bit too much, and this has been really helpful for me to change my focus a bit. (Over the years people have accused me of caring too much, of course until that particular person required me to care about them…that’s kind of a chuckle!)

I don’t really know what inspired me to jump back on here with words and pictures. Maybe I needed a bit of quiet time over the past year to gather my thoughts, or find the courage to be honest out loud so to speak.

I have shared a few photos on Instagram, but the sense of community there has disappeared. This feels more like home to me, I hope you feel the same.

I’m not going to put any stress on myself to be here on some kind of schedule, just when I have something to say. If you are still here after my many absences, Thank You, it means the world!

Until next time,

Have a great day,

Hugs,

Patty

It Looks Like I Found Some Words

~ Patty Radish ~ 9 Comments

Over the years I have gone back and forth about sharing. Maybe it’s life that gets in the way, or it could be me getting in the way. At any rate, it occurred to me over the last day or two that ‘creating things to share’ is very different from ‘sharing things I create’, which is where I may have gone wrong and created way too much stress and anxiety. This goes double for making videos.

Asking the right questions.

I don’t know about you, but when I search on YouTube for videos, I want to see how people decorate their pages, not just more tucks and pockets to bulk them up. Or it seems as if everyone wants to either make ‘projects’ to sit on a shelf or sell their journals. I thought I could fill this gap, but the enjoyment of creating can go right out of the window when you’re filming the process, but that isn’t quite what made me reevaluate ‘the why’.

How do you feel about this? I can’t believe I have never asked this question, but what kind of content do you look for?

Then the strangest thing happened.

Right about when I was going to dive into YouTube full on, a bunch of people I follow went dark, for issues ranging from health to burn out. I found myself waiting daily for my favorite creators to show up, and it made me a bit frustrated because it was the bulk of them, but it also made me think, ” At this stage in the game do I need all the hassles of creating content?”. Especially when I have zero intention of monetizing my channel, or Instagram, or this blog…uh no! I feel as if the people I follow struggle with this issue just as much as I do, but they are locked in because it’s how they pay their bills.

For the Love of it.

Now, I have a lot of sh…stuff on hand I need to use up, so I gathered all of the crappity crap I have been holding on to for the last decade or so and organized it into little bags and containers. I didn’t flinch, I stayed with it and worked with these bits and pieces until they were all gone, and this journal is the result. I was so happy with the way it came out I decided I had to share it with you. Believe it or not, it was finished 2 weeks ago, I was having that much fun!

A bit of a hot mess.

I would love to tell you that this journal wasn’t a struggle, just look at some of the things I was working with, it was! But now it’s filled with memories of Happy Mailings, thrifted finds, shoppe leftovers, and even a piece of backdrop paper from too many years ago to remember. There will be even more memories tucked into the pockets and envelopes in the form of my daily journaling printouts.

Looking forward.

Like I said, this journal is finished and I hope to create the time to share the rest of it with you over the Holiday Season. Truth be told I have also made an Advent journal filled with ‘self care’ prompts, it just needs some finishing touches before I can share it.

In closing.

All your wonderful comments and encouragement in my last post warmed my heart more than I can ever tell you! Right now I can’t say where I’m headed with sharing on social media, because I have hit burnout too many times before. If you are here right now, Thank You for your patience. Many of you commented that you would be here if and when I decided to come back, I never would have imagined it would be this soon, but here we are.

So with that being said…

As always,

Thank you for the visit,

Have a great week,

~Patty

Struggling to Find the Words

~ Patty Radish ~ 14 Comments

I have come to the conclusion that I need to downsize my online shenanigans along with my crafty supplies. How’s that for an intro?! I have telling myself for months that I can keep up with everything, but truth be told, when I open up my blog app, I just don’t know what to say. I have been working more steadily on my journals over the last few months more than ever actually, but finding things to say about them has really been a struggle.

The same thing has happened on Instagram. Looking for the words to go along with the photos has become too much of a drama, so I stopped posting.

But, I don’t seem to have that problem on YouTube. Maybe because there is more of flow to communicating there. Also, I have become much more engaged with the people I follow there. I look forward to seeing their videos and I even comment once in a while.

I don’t know if this goodbye here on the olde bloggy, but I didn’t want to just abandon you and not say anything. This decision has been a long time coming, and it hasn’t been easy. Many of you have been following my blog for many years, and I cannot express how grateful I am to ALL of you for sticking with me for so long.

I understand that YouTube isn’t everybody’s cup of tea, but if you want to know where to find me, that’s where I’ll be for the foreseeable future.

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You,

From the bottom of my heart,

Much Love,

~Patty

July’s Journal: Beach Themed

~ Patty Radish ~ 11 Comments

Last time I was on here I was on my trip to North Dakota. I’ve been back for a while, but decided to take a break from posting and do a little research. I became obsessed with watching junk journaling videos, and I’m glad I did! SO much inspiration out there!

But, in the meantime I neglected to share my ‘Beach’ themed journal, so here’s a bit of it.

Still loving the vintage vibe.

I have a box I throw anything ‘seaside’ into in case I get inspired. You probably won’t be surprised to know I have several ‘themed’ boxes I throw things into when I find them. Do you do that too? I’d love to know I’m not alone here!

Well, somebody went to Hawaii!

As I said in my last post, my daughter and grandson went to Hawaii, so I have lots of photos of them in this journal. I love the mix of decor, memories, and journaling. I thought about doing away with my “Monthly” journals, but it’s working for now, and it’s keeping me creative.

My grandson at a luau.

Also, it’s nice to use up ephemera I have been holding onto (hoarding) for years. Mixing with digitals gives them new life. If you have inquiries about any of these digitals I can send you the links, just ask.

Two of my favorite faces.

Summer feels over where I live. As I write this I can smell wood fires burning (in chimneys to be clear), there is definitely a chill in the air. And I’m drinking coffee with pumpkin spice creamer, that makes it official!…right!

I don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to cooler days and Fall feels. We have a granddaughter on the way, due in October, so Fall is going to be pretty exciting. Let me know how you feel about Fall being around the corner in the comments, I’d love to hear from you.

Until next time,

Thank you for the visit,

Have a great week,

~Patty

On The Road

~ Patty Radish ~ 7 Comments

Right now I’m on the North Dakota trip I told you about in the beginning of July. It got put off because ‘somebody’ was offered a trip to Hawaii…hint: it wasn’t me! So I had to put my trip off for a week. I’m here in the wilds of the beautiful grasslands of the northern midwest, watching my grandson enjoy what’s left of his summer vacay. I’m glad I can be here to spend time with him while my daughter has to work. My idea of a great vacation, days with him and evenings with her!

A recently finished journal.

I took the train, and it went pretty well, until I walked to through the train while it was moving. Whoops, not a good idea. So, I spent several hours of my trip not feeling so good. I’ve made some changes for the trip back that I hope will make a difference. If you have any suggestions on how to make a 20 hour train trip easier, please let me know in the comments.

Using up lots of random ephemera with a few digitals.

I have spent the last week on long walks on the trails right outside their back door, dog walks, and listening to adventurous tales of my grandson and his gang of friends. Two of the most important things in my life lately, time with family and being out in nature. What an awesome opportunity to just walk out into nature any time I want, I’m loving it!

The last page spread and another journal finished! Sweet!

I’ve taken lots of photos on this trip that will go into my next journal. I made a beach themed journal before this trip, so I may have 2 journals this month, I’ll share those when I get home and organized.

I hope you are enjoying your summer,

Stay cool,

~Patty