Goode day friends and HELLO 2024. I hope this message finds you in good health and grand spirits. As I sit here sipping coffee by the fire the sun is shining brightly for the first time in days. Though it is a mere 24* outside the sun lends a warmth that the deare birds appreciate, as do we. A heavy fog settled in on Christmas night and lingered for five days an oddity that we’ve not experienced before. I do believe Winter has finally settled in as the unusually warm weather has departed and our temperature has dropped dramatically. We have a large storm looming and our weather folk are trying to figure out if it will hit us or not. I remember when I was young, way back in the 70s, sans technology, other than a television with rabbit ears and a kitchen radio, (oh, and a small tan record player that I loved) when the weather folks predicted 10” of snow….. we GOT 10” of snow. Now, it seems they have so many models to look at and so many variables, they are unable to make a decision. I completely understand this as, social media, apps, articles, and suggestions thrown at us every single day, do the same thing to most of us….myself included. Just another way technology has had a negative impact…. I never thought I would be one of those “older” people who would reminisce about the good old days however, as someone who is 57 years young, I can see the negatives along with the positives. With this in mind….…I took Instagram and Facebook off my phone. Now, if I need to post something, I must go into the studio and use my laptop to do so…. NO more wasting endless minutes scrolling for no reason…..
I am not a New Year’s resolution person, anymore but I do write a list with ideas, thoughts and directions I want to go in, regarding my creative life, and in the side margins I tend to add a few words that I want to guide me through the new year. Perhaps these are technically resolutions but I prefer not to label them as such.
A few days ago, I joined Wendy Mac’s 30-day drawing habit. It is not too late to join if you wish to…here is the link;
Anyway… our very first creative prompt was to create a list of things we want MORE of and things we want LESS of in the coming year. I found it to be brilliant.
The MORE column was to be on the left and the LESS column on the left. We only have 10 minutes for these creative assignments and, a fast sketcher I am NOT… perhaps by the end of 30 days I will be?? I am the type of artist who needs an idea planned out in my head before I ever commit it to paper. Then it takes me quite a long time, and several drawings before I am happy with the finished project. Drawing is a long process for me ~ which is okay, as I enjoy it immensely but I would like to learn to draw on the fly, to let my mind go and just sketch and I am hoping this course will assist me with that :).
DO you have a specific ritual for the end of one year and the beginning of another? Do you make resolutions, place things on your windowsill (we do….see photo below), or choose a word of the year? My word of the year is GRACE, which I did not think of until after I created my MORE/LESS page…so I will create a page with the word G R A C E and everything that means to me…..GRACE with myself, GRACE with others…. :)
I would love to hear your old/new year traditions/rituals/word of the year and the why behind them :)
Enjoy the day friends and THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. Doreen
I gave up resolutions years ago, a complete set-up for feeling bad about myself. And to start the year off that way too!
I do pick a word, after careful reflection my word is Possibilities.
A Blessed New Year my friend.
Thank you for the Christmas gift
you sent. The candle melts smell so good. 💕