Hi everyone, Ona here, and welcome to September’s Monthly Muse challenge. Hope everyone is doing well in your little corner of the world. I will be your host for the entire month. We are looking at the moon this month and concentrating on four of the main phases; New Moon - New Beginnings Waxing Moon: Time for Action Full Moon: Completion Waning Moon: Conscious Endings So each week we will take a look at what each moon phase means and create a layout based on what inspirations we draw from the information. I will also supply you with some keywords, prompts and inspiration ideas to help you get started. Aligning with the Four Phases of the Moon The moon is often depicted as a symbol of the feminine. An embodiment of the rhythm of time. A metaphor for the cycles of womanhood. And a beautiful force that can impact everything from the ocean waves to our emotions. The lunar calendar is still used in some traditions today, and for many modern-day moon lovers, its energy marks a deeper connection with our intuition and seasonal nature. Working with the moon gives us an opportunity to regularly check in with ourselves, validate our insights, set new intentions, and plan next steps with greater ease. Let’s get started. Week 1 | New Moon - New Beginnings The new moon is when the moon is at its darkest, and is sometimes called the dark moon. It is considered the ‘start’ of the moon cycle and will gradually build and grow into the full moon which takes approx. two weeks. Then it starts to wane and grow smaller, which happens during the last two weeks, thus finishing off its monthly cycle. While the moon is dark, it is traditionally a time to draw inwards, to contemplate where you are at this point in your life and to perhaps make some decisions in getting rid of things that weigh you down either emotionally or physically. It is a time to set clear intentions for the month ahead like clarifying your goals as the new moon is associated with new beginnings. Keywords: pause and reflect plant seeds for the future release old thought patterns set intentions for the month Prompts: What’s working for me, what is not? What do I want to achieve this month? What do I want less of? What do I want more of? Inspiration Board Below you will find an inspiration board which may help you get started with your layout. Challenge for Week 1 Create a layout about the new moon, it can be as in depth as you like, or not. Perhaps you may simply want to create some art and not think too much, so that is certainly okay as well. Your layout however will need to have these components in it: a circular shape to mimic the new moon (no crescent shape moons ) that takes up most of your layout page and is the main focus the shape needs to be black (or a dark colour), or you can use some colour in it but it should have most of the darker edge showing to signify that it is circle create some art on top it, you can use whatever you like on your shape, you can clip various elements, paints, papers, flowers etc to it. (If you want to do some private journaling, do it on the page before you create your black circle shape, you will know what you have written but no one else can read it.) use a phrase, prompt or word that associates with what the new moon stands for Please ask if you have questions. Here is my page: I set down some of my intentions for the coming month as mentioned in rule #3 above so that it is private. The scribble you see on the layout is from Lynn's Load of Nonsense. Credits in the gallery You may create any style of layout (ie. clean and simple, artsy, pocket style etc.) you wish, with or without a photo, in any size or shape. This is for everyone, so have fun and see where the inspiration takes you. Please make sure to read the challenge rules in pink above! The challenge would also suit doing it in sections if you want to do it that way, but perhaps divide your page into 4 squares rather than 4 vertical rows. Please post your layout to the Art Journaling Gallery HERE prior to Midnight EST Sunday Oct 2nd, 2022 and then post it in this thread by copying the code (at the right of your gallery image) from the box under "Share BB Code". We will draw a winner at the beginning of next month for a coupon!! Every layout you create is equal to one entry in the random draw. So if you create 1 layout you are entered once, if you create 4 layouts you are entered 4 times. You can use any products in The Lilypad store or retired products from current Lilypad designers, (just make sure you follow our gallery guidelines). Looking forward to seeing what you creative peeps do this week!!
Thank you for this week's muse. It's helped me a bit to process how I'm feeling at the moment with my eldest getting ready to go to university. I'm not very well and in a lot of pain, so this page is probably much simpler than it would otherwise have been.
Such a trying and stressful time, watching your kids leave the nest, sending hugs Angela and hope you get to feeling better real soon! xxx I love your page and I love the fact that you were able to get your feelings out, that's always important. xx
Ona: You have the best ideas for monthly muse. I chose to completely hide my journaling as it is too personal, but releasing old thought patterns seems to say it all.
Jan and Carmel, wow!!! such fantastic layouts!!!!!! and Jan, so happy that you enjoy our muse challenges! xxx
Ona, thank you for all of the work you and the others put into these muse challenges. You never cease to amaze me with what you come up with. I just wanted to pause to say thanks to all of you - this is a great challenge and I love everything about the moon. Thanks for all of the research you do and all of the knowledge you impart in these challenges. I'm going to love working on this!
You are very welcome Cheryl, everyone on our little AJ team just love coming up with unique and different ideas for you! So we have lots of fun getting it all ready and playing as well. We are happy that you all are happy!!
I love this challenge! I really like how you explained the moon's phase and made it relate to us. I had such fun creating this page. Thank you, Ona!
Thanks so much for this challenge, Ona. I love the idea of new beginnings - they happen for me all the time and I'll never stop trying to find myself as I grow and evolve
Great idea for a challenge Ona! Thanks to each of the Polly's for your art journaling efforts! Here's mine...
Finally got week one done. The photo I clipped to the circle is my own. It's not a great photo but I thought it worked pretty well for the challenge.
Hello!! and welcome! not too late at all, the month of challenges closes at midnight EDT on Oct 2 so you want to do some more pages then go ahead.