ART on Friday

The first Friday of the New Year - a perfect time to start fresh. I have resolved to make sure that I make time to create more this year - both art and writing. I need to focus on what makes me happy and ensure I just do it.

This week I started with creating my OLW canvas - to help me focus on the word all through the year.
My One Little Word is (appropriately) is FOCUS. (Check here to read how it found me!)

Focus Cards
I am starting a new project - a 52 card challenge, to create 52 cards to highlight my OLW..
I found some round playing cards (about 3" in diameter) and thought they would be fun to work with this year.
Here's the first.

Tag Tuesday

The first challenge of the year I joined was for Tag Tuesday. The theme for the next two weeks is:
New Beginnings.
Here are two tags I created:

CED

The theme for January at Create Every Day is Goals.
Although I don't do resolutions, but rather pick a word to represent the year, I do create a seasonal vision board, which does help me focus on the season ahead.
Here is my winter vision board:

Happy New Year everyone! 
May 2019 be filled with creativity, happiness and good health!


Linking with:

Paint Party Friday

Inspire Me Monday

My OLW - One Little Word for 2019

2019 is a brand new year and an opportunity to choose a new word that will carry me through this year.
For several years now I have followed the example of Ali Edwards. She has helped me every year since I took her OLW course and rather than make resolutions, I chose a word.

These are the words I have focused on over the years:
2010 - YES
2011 - Balance
2012 - Carpe Diem (Seize the Day)
2013 - JOY
2014 - Embrace
2015 - Bloom
2016 - Shine
2017 - Cultivate
2018 - MORE

Each word fitted the need I had for that year and helped me navigate throw the ups and down of the year, some more than others.
I had hope MORE would be a catalyst to more of everything - art, writing, fun, adventure.
But - not as much as I hoped. I felt scattered, stressed, less focused on what I needed to focus on.

It hit me in December that what I really needed was that focus; that I needed to clear away distractions to get more done.

Thus - my OLW chose me. I needed focus - the perfect word for 2019.

I created my canvas for the year, which I post in my art room, to remind me each day to focus.
And I chose a new daily calendar, to choose I or 2 things to focus on each day.

The definition of focus gives me guidance::
the centre of interest,
 clear visual definition and of course,
to pay particular attention to (something)

I plan to focus on:

my health

what really matters

creativity - through writing and my art

God

family,friends

fun, adventure, learning

I hope to make my word more visible this year by creating quote cards - one a week.

Here are a few quotes I will use to create these cards,  to keep me inspired through 2019:


Live life to the fullest, and focus on the positive. Matt Cameron

Change your life, by changing your focus.

Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it. 
Greg Anderson


I don't focus on what I'm up against. I focus on my goals and I try to ignore the rest. Venus Williams

Don't focus on negative things; focus on the positive, and you will flourish. Alek Wek

Change your life, by changing your focus.

Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Proverbs 4:25

Where focus goes, energy flows.

What you focus on grows stronger.



LINKING with: :

It's the first Thursday of the month and time to join Spiritual Journey First Thursday with my chosen word for the year 2019. Ruth is rounding up  posts today at her blog, There is no such thing as aGod-forsaken town.    

Friendship Friday Blog Hop

ART on Friday

2018 has arrived and with it the first Friday of the new year. I am determined this year to create more and blog more regularly.

This week I worked on some art challenges, as well as create some pieces to prepare for this year.

OLW / Dreamboard
My One Little Word for 2018 is MORE. (check here to see how I chose it)

With the full moon on Jan. , I created a dreamboard for the month ahead.

Challenges

Sunday Postcard Art

The theme this week is: CREATE

Take a Word Challenge

The theme this week is "Childhood"

Tag Tuesday

The theme this week is "New Beginnings"

Art Journal Journey
The theme for January is "New Year, New Adventures".
This quote by Neil Gaiman encourages us to make glorious mistakes - and can apply to writing or art.  A wonderful freeing way to start the new year.

Just Create
This week I played with my gelli plate - something I haven't done in a while. I used my bigger new plate and created some papers for backgrounds, using some new stencils I got before Christmas. I will definitely have to do more of that.

I may not have created every day, but I am creating more having fun doing it!




Linking with:

Paint Party Friday

Blogger's Pit Stop

Inspire Me Monday

Over the Moon Link Party

OLW -My One Little Word for 2018

Happy New Year everyone!

A brand new year means a brand new word to carry me through 2018. Instead of making resolutions (which never seemed to work), choosing OLW has become a treasured tradition, since 2013.
For the past five years, I have chosen a word to represent how I wanted the year to unfold.
My words usually announced themselves; it was never a challenge to adopt one.
I have taken Ali Edwards year long course on choosing OLW and living with it and I found it fascinating and helpful.

My words:
2013 - JOY
2014 - Embrace
2015 - Bloom
2016 - SHINE
2017 - Cultivate

Each word filled a need and helped me navigate through some challenging times - from retiring, to health issues with my husband.
During the past  year I found myself creating less, especially my writing, I have had little routine in my life and am frustrated at how little I accomplished last year.

So this year, I knew I needed a strong word that would force me to do more, to write and create more. The word more just seemed to apply to so many things I wanted to have in my life.

The over-riding theme for this year I want to embrace is:  "Enjoy Life More".

I created my OLW canvas for the year, that will hang in my art room, to remind me that each day I must seek more of life.

There are many resources to help you find your OLW.
Check at Ali Edwards and as well, at Susannah Conway's blog for a free 5 day course.


Join in at "Create With Joy" for the OLW Blog Hop.

What is your word for 2018??

A to Z April Challenge - S

Today for the A to Z April Challenge - S is the focus.

S is for SHINE

Shine is my OLW - here is the canvas I created to remind me this year of what I need to do.

And what we all must do:

Here are two tags with quotes:

OLW for 2016 - SHINE!

2016 has begun - and time to share my One Little Word for the year.
I have chosen a word to represent my overall aim for the year, for several years now:

2015 - BLOOM
2014 - JOY
2013- Believe
2012- Carpe Diem (Seize the Day)

Each word has had a positive effect throughout the year - most times encouraging me to look forward, with hope and joy.

Last year, I had hoped to bloom, to open up to new experiences and blossom as a writer and artist. 2015, though,   brought many health issues, especially for my husband. A fall on ice that I had in February resulted in a mild concussion (the fourth I've had). It also made me more fearful.  My writing suffered as a result and I withdrew quite a bit.

As I searched for my OLW for 2016, the word shine kept appearing and I knew that it was what I needed to move forward.

I found this definition of shine on google search:

verb

1. 1.

   (of the sun or another source of light) give out a bright light.

   
   

   synonyms:

   beam, radiate, gleam, glow, glint, glimmer, sparkle, twinkle,glitter, glisten, shimmer, flash, flare, glare, fluoresce; More
2. 2.

   be very talented or perform very well.

   
   

   synonyms:

   excel, be outstanding, be brilliant, be successful, stand out More

noun

1. 1.

   a quality of brightness, especially from reflected light.

   
   

   synonyms:

   light, brightness, gleam, glow, glint, glimmer, sparkle, twinkle, glitter,glisten, shimmer, beam, glare, radiance, illumination, luminescence,luminosity, incandescence

2016 will be a year to take a leap forward with my writing, to shine a light in the darkness - to let myself shine with joy, hope, love, and really believe in what I can achieve.
My OLW really will enhance my winter dreamboard I created Dec. 21.

The goals I laid out in it I plan to work to achieve throughout the next few months.



What is your One Little Word for 2016?

Happy New Year everyone - may this year be filled with wonder and happiness and peace for all.



Linking with

Paint Party Friday

Create With Joy  - OLW Blog Hop 

Express Your Creativity

Sunday Weekly Wrap-Up

First Sunday of the new year! First weekly wrap-up. Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season.I needed the long break and am now ready to return to my blog.

I take part in ROW 80 - a writing challenge that provides support and accountability. It helped my writing last year. There are 4  rounds of 80 days and at the beginning of each round, you set the writing goals you want to achieve. My goals are here.

If it works for my writing, I thought why not for my art? So after I wrote my goals for writing today, I wrote out what I want to achieve in my art for the next 80 days.

1.Create daily.
2. Work on stamp/quote cards.
3. Work on zentangles through "Let's Tangle" by Kathleen Murray
4. Work through "Sketch This" - might be fun to have a similar community sharing as "Wreck This Journal" hosted by Jamie Ridler (more later)
5.Go through 3 art/craft books - one a month and try a weekly project from the books.
6. Create collages for my picture book script.
7. Work on using up as many of my supplies as possible!

What goals are you working on?

One Little Word
Many people chose a word for the year. Mine is BLOOM. Here is a post I wrote on choosing it.

Full Wolf Moon Dreamboard
Tonight is the Full Wolf Moon and once again I have created a dreamboard. The question for consideration was: "What are you hungry for?"

I want to grow as a writer and artist this year. I have dabbled for too long. I need to step out and work harder and seek opportunities.

I was even able to include my last 2 words - embrace and joy!


Winter Vision Board
Just before Christmas I created my vision board (winter intentions) for the winter season. I have been doing this for some time. and along with the monthly dreamboards help focus on what I want to accomplish.

ATCs
Over the holidays I created a few sets of ATCs. I have a few swaps left to complete and then I plan to take a break from taking part in swaps. The postage has gone up and I have many other projects I want to complete.

Gelli prints with stamps

Bird APcs (6s)

P.A.T.(Pick a theme)

Linking with:

Creative Every Day

Inspire Me Monday

Paint Party Friday

Express Your Creativity

WOYWW and Saying Gooddbye to 2014

Hard to believe it is the end of another year. 2014 has sped by. I have been reflecting the past few days on the year that was and have chosen my word for 2015 - BLOOM. I created the canvas that I will place in my art room to remind me of the message behind the word. (See here to how I chose the word.)

Here is my work table after finishing the canvas.
(Be sure to check at "Stamping Ground" for workspaces from around the world - a great meme each week)

I really need to start fresh - a new cover on the table and the paints reorganized!

I have great hopes for 2015. I want to write more and create art more. There are several challenges I am already looking forward to. 

Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year!

3 New Collages

This morning I had a block of time to just create and have fun with 3 challenges.

 

Inspiration Avenue
The Theme at Inspiration Avenue is" birthdays".
I created a collage from some cards and scrapbooking supplies. A fun challenge.

Collage Obsession

The them at Collage Obsession this week is "incongruent". I had a leftover clown from the birthday collage and I tried to image a background that would be incongruent. On a day like today (40 c + degrees with the  humidex) I thought this might work.

 

 

 

Linking as well with:

 

 

Paint Party Friday

 

Art Journal Every Day

 

 

 

 



Monday Mantra - Surrounded

The power of words. They can build one up or tear us down. One word is all we really need - LOVE. With it we can do all things, be all things. Without it, we are lost.

I have recently discovered One Little Word's focus on a word at a time.  This past week the word was "surround" .  As well, Mantra Monday focuses  on quotes and thoughts each week - what has been inspiring you.
Putting the two together resulted in this piece:

I truly believe that if we could all love one another, there would be peace and no need for war, for hate, for poverty. We are our brothers' keepers.


Linking with

OLW

Monday Mantra/ Inspire


Creative Every Day

Inspire Me Monday