Inside the Studio: A Week of Santas, Stitches & Winter Magic

This past week in the studio has been a mix of calm, chaos, and creative sparks, the good kind. While life outside these four walls continues to ebb and flow (because when does it ever pause?), inside my little creative space things have been quietly buzzing along.

When forty Santas show up unannounced… you just make them a collection.

And yes… the Santas were a big part of it.
Forty whimsical, quirky, personality-filled Santas took over my screen like they were planning a Christmas parade. At one point I felt like I needed to hand out name tags just to keep track of them all. But they weren’t the only ones demanding attention.

In between their long beards and patterned outfits, I found myself jumping between a few other winter bits, paper snowflakes, stitched details, wooden trees, winter curios, stockings that absolutely refused to face left, and those sweet felted Christmas birds that are shaping up to become the start of a little colourway collection. The studio felt like a winter carnival, without the cold and without the overpriced hot chocolate.

And honestly?
It was exactly what I needed.

Last week I wrote about how creativity helps me reset.
This week, creating helped me focus.
It gave structure to days that were otherwise a bit unpredictable, the kind where life throws an email here, a responsibility there, and the occasional reminder that the legal chapter in my life isn’t done yet.

But in the middle of all that, something as simple as adjusting the tilt of a snowflake, balancing the layout of a preview, or refining a stitched texture helped me anchor myself. These little winter pieces, Santas included, gave shape to a week that might’ve otherwise felt all over the place.

There’s a comfort in colour palettes.
There’s steadiness in patterns and textures.
There’s joy in watching a collection slowly come to life, whether it’s a vintage winter set, stitched elements, or a flock of felted birds ready to fly into someone’s junk journal.

Not everything I’ve worked on this week is in the shop yet, but enough has landed to make the studio feel alive again. And that, more than anything, feels like progress.

So that’s been my week:
A little chaos, a lot of creativity, a winter’s worth of new goodies slowly taking shape, and a reminder that even when life isn’t calm… art can still be.

Thanks for being here, and I can’t wait to share more soon, Santas, stitches, birds, snowflakes and all. 🤍

Designing Through Chaos: How Creativity Helps Me Reset

Life has a way of throwing curveballs at the exact moment you’re already juggling too many things, doesn’t it? This year felt like a whirlwind with work, legal drama, long days, short nights, and that overall sense of running on fumes. Somewhere in the middle of it all, my creativity quietly waited in the background like an old friend tapping its foot, wondering when I’d sit back down.

And truthfully? I missed it.
I missed this space.
I missed creating without a deadline.
I missed sharing the process, the mess, the ideas, and even the half-finished experiments that end up sparking something new.

But here’s the thing I always come back to:
Creativity has this uncanny way of steadying me when life gets loud.

When everything feels chaotic, the studio becomes my reset button.

Not in a dramatic “I disappear into the woods and paint by candlelight” kind of way, but in the simple, grounding moments:

• trimming paper

• picking the perfect muted green

• stitching textures together digitally

• watching a design finally click

• getting lost in the details

• following curiosity instead of deadlines

Those little moments have a rhythm to them, and that rhythm settles the chaos in my head. Even if the world outside is messy, my workspace becomes somewhere I can breathe again.

My style shifted through the madness and I’m glad it did.

Sometimes change creeps in without you noticing.
This year, mine came through:

• more mixed textures

• softer neutrals

• stitched effects

• patchwork details

• vintage winter palettes

• a gentle, handmade feel

It wasn’t intentional at first… just something I naturally gravitated toward when I needed calm. And now it’s become one of my favourite directions I’ve taken so far.

Sets like Vintage Winter Curios and Stitched Winter Wonders grew out of that need for quiet creativity, little collections built from the scraps of peace I could gather between everything else happening in life.

Creativity doesn’t demand anything from me. It just lets me be.

That’s the part that resets me every time.

It doesn’t judge me for having an off day.
It doesn’t complain when I disappear for weeks.
It doesn’t expect perfection.
It just waits, ready to pick up right where I left off.

And honestly, returning to it now feels like taking a long exhale.

What’s next?

Things aren’t exactly “settling down”,  they’re just changing shape. The legal side of life comes in waves: quiet for a moment, then suddenly everything hits at once. It’s unpredictable, messy, and exhausting… but it is what it is, and I’m learning to move with the ebbs and flows rather than wait for a perfect calm that might not come for a while.

Even so, I’m intentionally carving out space again, not just to design, but to reconnect:

• more regular blog posts

• behind-the-scenes glimpses

• new collections (some gorgeous ones brewing)

• creative chats

• and my newsletter making its way back

If you’ve stuck around, thank you. Truly.
Your support never goes unnoticed, especially during a year that’s been anything but straightforward.

Here’s to quieter moments, calmer breaths, and creativity that helps us reset even when life keeps shifting under our feet.

Chris 🤍

May's Newsletter & an Update

 

Hey lovely friends!

I'm absolutely thrilled to share the latest edition of my newsletter, it’s already winged its way to all you amazing subscribers!

As a special treat, the newest subscriber freebie is now available below, including both papers and elements created just for you. 

Not a subscriber yet? No worries! Just click “Subscribe to our Newsletter” on the top left-hand side of the page to join in on the fun and never miss a freebie again. 

Please remember:

This freebie is for Personal Use Only no commercial use allowed.

Thanks for being part of this creative little community, your support means the world! 

I Fought, and I Won

Many of you already know my story, that I’m a survivor of family violence. But what I haven’t shared until now is just how close I came to losing everything.

Trauma doesn’t just live in the past. It lingers. It echoes. It waits for moments to resurface, in letters you don’t want to open, legal threats that knock the breath out of you, and the deep, bone-tired fear that I might lose everything.

I had to fight for my home. Not just metaphorically, but literally. The place I’ve poured myself into. The walls that have held my tears, my healing, and my quiet strength.
It was almost taken from me.

And let me tell you: the fear of losing your sanctuary after everything you’ve already survived? It’s like standing at the edge of a cliff, dizzy, furious, terrified, but too stubborn to let go.

So, I fought.
Not just for bricks and roof beams.
But for my right to exist peacefully.
For my right to feel safe.
For my right to live a life that isn’t constantly in defense mode.

And I won.
Legally, spiritually, emotionally, I won.

I kept my home.
I protected my dignity.
And in the process, I took back parts of myself that trauma had stolen without asking.

It wasn’t glamorous. There were no balloons or victory laps. There were courtrooms and paperwork and long, lonely nights. But this win is mine, bruised, hard-earned, and deeply sacred.

Healing, as I keep learning, isn’t just about inner peace. Sometimes it’s about standing up, exhausted but unwavering, and saying: “No more!”

To anyone out there still in the thick of it, still battling, still scraping together pieces of themselves, please know this:

You are not behind.
You are not weak.
You are not broken.

You are becoming!

This space, this blog, this creative work, it continues to be part of my healing. Thank you for walking alongside me. For reading. For caring. For being part of a quiet revolution of hope and truth.

We don’t just survive.
We rise.

With all my heart,
Chris ♥

Newsletter & Life Update

 

 Hey there, friends!

I’m so excited about the next edition of my newsletter which has already gone out to all you wonderful subscribers!

Below are the papers and elements for the latest subscriber freebie so please make sure you are a subscriber.

To do so click on the Subscribe to our Newsletter on the top left hand side margin. ♥

Please note that this is just for Personal Use Only and no Commercial Use is allowed.

Life Update!

For those of you who may not know, I’m a survivor of family violence. 

It’s not something I often talk about, but I’ve come to realize that speaking openly about it can help break down the stigma that so many survivors face. We often hear the phrase “survivor,” but the reality is that healing doesn’t happen overnight.

There’s this common belief that survivors should just “move on” or “get over it,” but healing from such trauma is a process and not something that happens overnight.

Being a victim/survivor is complicated and complex in its own right.

For the most part, I am still very much a victim in many ways, and that’s okay. I’ve come to understand that “survivor” doesn’t mean you’re completely healed or immune to the realities of trauma. There are legal battles, emotional wounds, psychological scars, and the deep, lingering effects of trauma that you carry with you long after the event itself. But here’s the thing: I’m learning every day that all of these layers are part of the journey. They don’t define who I am, but they shape how I move forward.

Healing isn’t just about getting through the worst of it, it’s about facing the emotional weight, the psychological toll, and even the legal hurdles that are often part of this painful journey. It's about learning how to live with the trauma while also finding ways to rise above it. It’s an ongoing process, and some days are harder than others.

I used to think that the weight of my past defined me, but over time, I’ve learned that it’s not the hardships we face, but how we rise from them that truly shapes who we are. The journey from surviving to thriving is a constant one, filled with little victories and setbacks.

For the most part, I am still very much a victim in many ways, as the scars of my experience are still so recent. While I may carry that label, it doesn’t define my future. Every day, I’m learning how to navigate life after trauma, and I’m learning that it’s okay to still be in that space. It doesn’t mean I won’t heal, but it does mean I’m still growing, still processing, and still finding my way through it.

Healing is a process, not a destination. Even though it’s ongoing, I know that taking one step at a time is all I can do right now. There’s no shame in being where I am, and I’ve learned to honor each moment, the good, the bad, and everything in between.

While I’m still processing and working through everything, I’ve found strength in the little things: the quiet moments, the creative process, and the people who support me along the way. Healing isn’t a straight line, and that’s okay. We’re all just doing our best, one step at a time.

Let’s continue breaking down barriers and opening up spaces for healing and understanding, together!

Chris ♥

The first newsletter for A&JjDesigns went out yesterday. Although it is only a short one and quite late, there's a free digital kit to all subscribers. 24 Papers and 20 Elements. Please note that this is just for Personal Use Only and no Commercial Use is allowed.

  

But please make sure you subscribe to the newsletter as you will receive free goodies on a monthly basis.

As the list grows, so will the newsletter and goodies in it.

Until then,

keep on creating ♥ 

Freebie Alert...

With one month left till Christmas, it was time to put together a little something from me to you.

A set of 24 Xmas Glitter Papers.

Please note the main preview does not show the 4 bonus papers included in this set! 
The last image includes the 4 bonus papers.

Enjoy ♥

You can grab them here on my Ko-Fi Shop

Link: https://ko-fi.com/s/37cfc8ce12

How Time Flies...

Can you believe we are already into the month of August?!

I know it's been far too long between blog posts. Unfortunately work has been very full on as not only do I have 2 real life jobs, I also have my Etsy store to create for.

With Father's Day here in Australia next month, Halloween coming up in October and Christmas in December, there is so much to do and create and design and work on.

I have the most amazing Creative Team ever and am so thankful for all they do with my designs.

Fortunate enough to have some of the best artists within the scrapbooking and junk journal world and therefore the best to showcase my products.

Below you will find a small selection of the most fabulous Creative Team projects.

I know names have not been added to layouts at this stage, however as this is just a quick post, I promise next time CT introductions will be made ♥

For now enjoy :)

Until next we blog ♥

Good morning (here in my neck of the woods),

Hope everyone is happy, healthy and doing well.

I have been creating and designing quite a few new goodies of late and they are all over in my Etsy store 

A&Jj Designs

A huge thank you also goes out to all my buyers, fans and followers and my amazing Creative Team for all their support.

I opened my Etsy store on January 20th this year, not expecting much at all. Then I received my first sale, then my second and now we're up to 201. That is pretty awesome.

Please don't get me wrong, but there is a lot of work that goes in to each creation and it's not a 5 minute job by any means. However, I love doing what I do.

I also have a real life job and work split shifts 5 to 6 days a week as a commercial cleaner. 

Life certainly is busy.

Okay new designs and links to Etsy below.

What Goes Around 

Whimsy Japandi Art 

Whimsy Blooms Volume 1

Whimsy Houses Volume 1

Peony Posies Clipart Images

Dried Flowers Volume 1

Dried Flowers Volume 2

Next blog update will be all about my wonderful and amazing Creative Team Members ♥

Hello and welcome to my blog!

I'm Chris, creator and designer of A&Jj Designs

Some of you will know me as the designer under the name of 'GeekGirl Designs' from days gone by selling at ScrapGirls and various other online Digital Scrapbooking stores.

Here is where I'll share life stories, new designs, freebies, amazing creative projects etc from my brilliant Creative Design Team and pretty much anything else.

You can follow me on facebook here

My Etsy Store here

ko-fi here

Vintage Elegance is a free collection of 20 papers in jpg format sized at 11x8.5" and a set of 10 tags in png format about 8" in height. All created @300dpi which is perfect for printing.

You can grab it here

New Products in my Etsy Store

Symphony Of Kids

Whimsical Butterfly Girls

Aged Glass Negatives Vol 1

Until next time ♥