A few Creative Ideas

I’ve outlined a few ideas for creative actions in 2011. I think they are more wishes than goals this year.

My only real goal is to procrastinate less and move forward. Maybe that is enough. My intention is to keep creating and enjoy the process, as always. I’m going with the thought “do more of what you already love”. I think this is the last “thinking and planning” post for now… I hope I haven’t made you tire of my blog yet. Tomorrow I’ll follow Tally’s advice and “not just talk but get into action”, and post a quick and fun tutorial, I promise!

More Art Journaling

I love my art journal. I will work in it even more this year.

• I will add something into my art journal ever day starting in January [idea]
• I will post an update on art journaling week every (other) Friday [idea]
• I want to do more water colours, drawing & sketching
• I will follow the Sketchbook Challenge Blog and do any fun prompts they offer [idea]
• I will keep doing the Crusades and engage with + encourage other crusaders [idea]
• I will check in and add to Diane Trout’s Creative Nudges [idea]
• I will follow along with the free art journaling classes at Strathmore Art Studio [link]
• I will make more of my own journals (book binding with thread or spiral bound) and sell a few via my Etsy Shop

My Art

• I will continue to work with square collages, big and small
• I will explore vivid colours and develop my own collage style further
• I will put up new collages to my Etsy Shop when I finish them
• I will create an art gallery for my homepage + update the whole thing
• I will fill all the canvases I own during 2011 (cut woodblocks first)
• I will continue to explore abstract paintings

Embroidery / Textile

• I will start a new mixed media embroidery series, similar to Inner Landscapes
• I will finish and frame all half finished projects laying around
• I will host a Swedish ATC embroidery swap on Facebook [link]
• I will sew Jude Hill inspired cats and embroider the anatomic heart pattern
• I will embroider a couple of more ATC’s
• Second half of 2011 I will try to sign up for a textile class somewhere (probably online)

Writing as a writer

• I will find a good writing habit [link]
• I will write a daily poem through January (to start with)
• I will to keep writing good content posts for this blog
• I will write personal essays in Swedish, about life and books and such
• I will write a manuscript for a book
• I will participate in NaNoWriMo in November this year (or possibly just AEDM again)
• I will look for magazine’s calls for articles and book submissions
• I will publish at least one new issue of Mettazine (#2) and participate in Alma’s zine swap
• I will be open to guest blogging on others blogs
• I will be looking for a writing partner IRL that can help me be accountable and to talk about writing with

Organize more

• I will set up a mailing system that works better for me (rearrange folders first)
• I will host another international creative & fun postcard swap (soon) and be very organized about that
• I will strive towards Inbox Zero
• I will answer emails as I read them and not procrastinate writing back
• I will plan blog posts ahead using my editorial calendar
• I will plan actions and write in ideas of what to do in my daily planner for next day
• I will clear out my fabric boxes (use it or loose it) by the end of the year 2011 (gasp!)

Photography & editing

I won a photography class via Jamie Ridler Studios that started January 3, so that is going to be a great start for documenting 2011 with photos! I will also start my own retrospective “Blog Photo Project” soon (check back 15th of January) and I hope many of you will join me then!

• I will start my looking back at old photos project here on my blog as I mentioned on my camera’s birthday. I think it will be called beloved camera theme…
• I will do the assignments in Darrah’s class Slice of Life on time [link]
• I will engage with the class and edit my photos as I go
• I will work on finishing my personal project Photo Album’s for 2009 and 2010 published via Blurb (similar to my book of 2008 of course. I have started pages in both but then other things distracted me)
• I will add photos to the next Photo Album of 2011 as the months progress and edit the layout (in this way I hope I won’t have a huge chunk of editing to do at the end of the year next year too)
• I will create at least two one themed Blurb books for publishing (I want to start with the Book of Smilla!)

I will be open to new opportunities

The term “I will be open for opportunity” is great because you don’t need to commit to anything or promise or set it as a goal… Maybe you won’t even need to work for it? Just kidding! According to experts you just “open up” and what ever you think of will come! I will be very open and smiling as much as I can this year, to attract only good things.

• I will be open to buying a pink bike (when I find one I like + I have the money to spend)
• I will be open for teaching opportunities
• I will be extremely open to any income or money flowing my way
• I will be open to learning new things
• I will be wide open to editors, publishing companies, sponsors, magazines, and/or gallery owners, contacting me with offers! ;-)
• I will be open to love

Will you Hanna?

I have a lot of other wishes, ideas and goals, but I can’t list all of them or I would never end this post. Enough is enough, remember? I wanted to write I want to instead of I will on all of the above listed items, but the intention is stronger if you write will do, right? Though I know I want to do it I’m not sure I will follow through on all of the above. It is a big load of things to do and I still need to floss, feed the cat, eat my veggies, exercise, write in my diary, clean my space (over and over again) and so on and so on. You know the drill, life etc.

One little word

I choose creativity because I’ve picked “choose” as my word of the year! I love it already. I will tell you how I decided another time. Just yesterday at twitter @themindfulist tweeted; Every day can be broken down into a series of choices. Try making some different ones this week. So I choose to write when I came home today! I will make many choices this year, but creativity is always the biggest and the best one! I hope you are putting it high up on your list(s) too this year.

Time to move on.