Now that I'm winding up the month with the Fodder Challenge 2026, I'm finding that inspiration I've missed snapping back into focus. Those great moments thinking "what if I tried this?" using new ways to do a project but still taking what I've done for a few years and pumping it up a notch. I love that I've learned to use what I seem to love in a different way without feeling stuck for long. For that, the gratitude is beyond measure for those creatives showing all of us who are in this very large tribe, how to use what we have. Seriously beyond blessed to have found these folks when I did.
The rest of my life, not involved in art, is a bit messy. I told my cousin it was a Yin Yang month and I do believe it to be true. For those not sure what that means, Google explains it well: "Yin and yang is an ancient Chinese philosophical concept describing how seemingly opposite or contrary forces are actually complementary, interconnected, and interdependent in the natural world."
We've had a few hardships these past few months and it has been difficult to navigate through but I'm doing it. Obviously ... I'm still here. Without sob stories (I got a million of them as do so many right now!) let's just say it's time to try to help not only me but my family in the only way I know. And so, I'm starting a Facebook Group on my art page and probably will share it as well on my personal one and share some mosaics for sale. I don't want to do a dedicated website at this point, sharing links is harder now to do on social media. I love Instagram but they don't allow links in posts, just in profiles. In any case, I'm going to start listing the mosaics, peace signs first, and probably offer an auction but I really don't know what I'm doing since I've never tried this before. Look for it or news about it on November 1, 2026. Here's the first mosaic I'm going to put in the group.
Now back to the fun part: ART! One of the things I really love doing and have for quite some time, is making what is called Master Boards using scraps of painted papers, magazine pieces, doodles and the like. I've done this since I started a few years ago but didn't know why I was doing it. Hahaha. I did cut out some flowers and vases and a few other shapes for journals with a few of them but mostly I used them as cards and put mark making on them or added them as a part of something else. It all gets used but I was building these great boards and really wanted to do some as great with them. I wanted them to have more of a purpose, I suppose. And along came Master Boards when I made those great pears in the beginning of the month! Here's the link to go back to take another look of them: In The Zone. They can also be called Mother Boards and I really kinda dig that description better because these boards give birth to so many wonderful pieces of fodder and collage art! And with the scraps left over from cutting out shapes from the boards, I make new boards or use the pieces in my layering techniques that I also really love to do. Here are just a few below showing what I have been up to on my own and then I'll share some new projects from Fodder Challenge 2026.
In the Fodder Challenge I've enjoyed a few classes that I haven't actually done the projects for just yet. Life got in the way. But here is what I have done and completely am in love with.
First up: Maximalist Mixed Media Birds taught by Lori Siebert. I've made a lot more but these are a good example. Made from scrap papers, acrylics, fabrics and ribbon and/or string. So cool!!
The other great lessons projects aren't started yet but hopefully I'll share those soon enough. What fun it's been!
Here are #235-243 in the Collage A Day Journal.
Enjoy your week!
Cindy, EarthMotherMosaics - Mixed Media Art
Instagram: @artbyearthmothermosaics
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