Monday, January 5, 2015

where to begin?


It's the first Monday of the new year and I'm at a loss for where to begin ... making a list sometimes helps.

There's always stuff to do around the house so I made a list for that. I figured if I do one thing on the list every few days, I'll have an insanely clean house in a few months.

Insanity.


And then I made a list of art projects. I'm at a complete loss of creativity right now because the past month sucked the life out of me. I figured I could pick something on the list to restore my sanity.

Sanity.



So what did I choose?
Made a potato leek soup, cleaned some old paintbrushes, and made a birthday gift for my niece. It's a start.

19 comments:

Sandy said...

Congratulations on a start, the beginning is always a great place to begin. Look at your list as a
"aims" aim at getting them done but take the blissful detours on the way, enjoy the journey.

Unknown said...

OMGosh, can I borrow your list??? We are moving house in a few months and I've got to make a start, arrrgh! And because of the looming move I am completely creativless.
We don't do things in halves - not only are we moving we're moving to the North Island from the South Island of New Zealand...t's like moving countries! We've also just sold our business - a guided hiking and snowshoeing business - so are handing over everything to do with that before we leave. So you can understand I have no creative mojo left! One fantastic thing I am looking forward to though is building my own studio on our new property - sqweeee!

Unknown said...

Great reminder Sandy!

Unknown said...

Good luck on your move - it sounds like a huge change! And a studio to look forward to - fantastic!

marie said...

Sounds like a very good start...and a good idea. I think I need a couple lists myself!

cjsrq said...

Impressive lists, glad you detoured with fun projects. Love the last image with the reflections in the paint brush jar.

Jill said...

On the art project list:

#47. make my handwriting into a font

Unknown said...

And more painted birds on beach stones is moving to the top of my list ;)

Unknown said...

Oh my, what a compliment!

Tammy@T's Daily Treasures said...

I'm with you. Since going back to school on Sunday, I've got no motivation to do much of anything, and when my time is limited, my creativity takes a nosedive. Cleaning is not my favorite thing to do. Every month I say I will start with some sort of schedule but it never lasts. I think you found good ways to spend your time. Have a good week. Tammy

Rosemoo said...

Just love your blog! And all your projects! Stumbled onto you on etsy and so glad I did! :DDDD

Gberger said...

It's a great start - brainstorming first, and then choosing just enough to do, but not so much as to overwhelm. I felt the same way about December, and am glad it's January!
I love your paper stitching (posts below this one).

Anonymous said...

Great list but I suspect I would do all the fun stuff first and avoid the deep cleaning, although today I am doing some re-organization in the studio to purge again now that we've moved. xox

Halle said...

I hear you...I had a list a mile long as well. So many things that I find myself avoiding them all. I'm thinking about choosing a room to start in and continue on it until complete. See you in the spring. HA!

Gayle Price said...

haha....I love that you made potato & leek soup and cleaned old paint brushes ! I know where you're coming from tho; I made apricot chutney and did the ironing. I felt exactly the same as you until I got into my studio yesterday and once I got some gesso on paper it started to happen for me. Some one told me that creativity, like any thing you do with passion, will exhaust you, and you need "to rest". Talking exhausted, just writing your list would exhaust me !! So comprehensive and detailed. I do love lists tho, and am a list maker. It's definitely a fine feeling ticking things off a list. Wow, so glad to hear you have been to Byron Bay. It is quite a unique place in Australia, famous for it's hippy lifestyle, music festivals and beautiful beaches. My daughter now lives there, so I have a wonderful excuse to go there often. I want to thank you for your visits to my blog...your thoughtful and encouraging words; but also your "feedback" as I consider it to be genuine and sincere. Well, I hope you get lots of jobs ticked off that list and I'm sure your creativity will soon be back. Love the photo of the jar and paint brushes.

Elizabeth said...

Yes, it is a start, and I imagine that you'll be back to photographs and wintry walks and all the beautiful things you create in no time at all. As for the cleaning jobs --ugh.

Kim Mailhot said...

The thing about cleaning is it just get dirty, messy again. By the time you finish that ambitious list, you may have to start all over again !
I say do the minimum on that list and keep going on the creativity one.
Trying to get back into the swing of things here too.
Wishing you a happy, happy and creative new year !

Caterina Giglio said...

good start ... what a list... I love spring cleaning, one of the first things on my list.. and filing papers in the studio! happy new year! x

Becca said...

Sounds like the perfect start to me!