Beautiful Sparkling Newness

Art journal spread made by me, 29 Dec

I simply love beginnings! Looking ahead, the world sparkles with newness and opportunity - anything is possible.

Another year of our lives will soon have passed! It is by these moments - minute by minute, month by month, year by year, that we grow older and the end of our lifetime draws closer. I know that my year could have been much fuller - what about yours? I intend to make up for that this year and have 2010 bursting at the seams next December.

Though I have never made resolutions (strict, quantifying goals are just too hard for me to keep), I have made three promises to myself for the start of this new decade. I will remind myself of them often and if I stumble or falter, I will simply try harder.

This year, I will take better care of my body.
This year, I will create more.
This year, I will take risks and this year, it will be okay if I fail.

If you want to welcome more creativity in the new year, too, I've gathered some ideas below. Two things I want to make: a hand-knit sweater and a travel companion!

* Keep a daily, weekly, or monthly art project:

• Take a photo a day - of yourself or of the world around you
  
• Try some Daily Art Cards
• 365 days of painting
• The 52Q project
  

* Choose a word for your year, to inspire you, motivate, and challenge
* Start a 101 in 1001 project
* Start an art journal
* Meet some strangers
* Make an art muse to guide you and to give you inspiration
* Keep a daily written journal
* Surround yourself with things that inspire
* Try NaNoWriMo or NaNoBloMo
* Start a blog!
* Make a travelling notebook
* Climb a tree
* Laugh more and worry less
* Give whatever you can to those who are in need
* Learn about fun
* Get involved in an art swap
* Pass kindness and love on to every person you meet
* Answer some questions
* Make your own Mission Statement
* Read, read, read!


PS. You are invited to introduce yourself!