Hand-Stitched Patchwork Journal Cover Workshop

I’ve always loved art, drawing and making things. After I left school, I had a strong urge to try many new things. I think that willingness to learn and play led me to the work I do today. In maybe 2019, I started doing bullet journaling, and it was the first journal to ever stick for me, because it was not only writing, but art and collage as well. I remember seeing junk journals on YouTube for the first time. I thought, that looks cool but I’m not getting into that… I really didn’t see myself binding them. Maybe a year later, I started making junk journals. I explored junk journal making throughout COVID, while I was also studying a Masters in creative arts therapies (drama therapy). Even though it was drama therapy, I found my passion for art overlapped. Towards the end of my studies, I discovered artist teddy bears while scrolling on instagram. I was dying to try make some, especially as I’d always loved teddy bears, and I made myself wait until after I finished my degree. Luckily, I still was excited to make them by that point, as sometimes my obsession does wear out. In fact, there was one point when I wanted to try oil painting but made myself wait until after I finished a play I was in… I bought a bunch of oil paints $$ and then when the time came where I could finally try it, I started a painting, got distracted, and never used them again. I still have them for when I want to get back to it. Anyway, back to the bears - I am still in love with making them, and many have been adopted now which fills my heart. After I graduated, I worked as a drama therapist and school counsellor at three different schools. It was very challenging for me and I felt myself turning to my art more and more. And then I realised that I had ADHD. After a year of the work, I moved on. I started to work at adventure playgrounds and continued to work on my art business. From 2019 or I’m not sure when, I had been doing art illustrations and markets on the side, and had called my business Meraki Magic. I was the first to have that username on instagram. By 2022, I noticed a few businesses with that name and it no longer felt right. So I changed my name to Pizzly Pages (Pizzly for bears and pages for books). I enjoyed working at the playground and my favourite part was running activities, a bit like facilitating workshops. In 2025, I started curating and selling beautiful craft materials and original kits on top of my handmade work. It has made my addiction for trims, fabric and paper ten times worse, but also given me a lot of inspiration along the way. I have really enjoyed meeting many junk journal enthusiasts as well, and it reignited my passion for making them. I also discovered paper flowers, and am building my knowledge constantly. I feel the mixed knowledge of different crafts expands creativity and playfulness in the process.In 2026, I decided to go full time as an artist. I have run workshops at various events and am looking forward to including them in my work more frequently. I am excited to share my work with others. Alongside my creative business, I have a background in acting, theatre devising, prop building, puppet making, psychology and creative arts therapies, including a Master of Creative Arts Therapies from the University of Melbourne. I have many years of experience in facilitating workshops, with adults, kids, and people with intellectual disabilities. I bring a warm, encouraging and playful approach to my workshops, with plenty of room for creativity and discovery.