Annual Craft Accomplishments Report 2008 (part I)
Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be.
Emerson
I kept a photo record of what I made craft vise during 2007, and I did the same during 2008. I think I have photographed almost everything I have finished during the past year, and together it is a lot of creativity lived. And it’s beautiful! This is my part I (of III) Annual Craft Accomplishments Report.
And no, this is not a joke. I’ve actually made all of these things during the past year. 366 days of creating. First a few reoccurring themes, like the hearts and all of those stripes…
The Heart – a symbol of love
In the beginning of the year I went back to the heart as a symbol over and over again.
I made several embellished heart decorations to hang, and also sew a bunch of collage postcards that I sent out into the world. I’ve also experimented with making jewelry this year, and started using them! I think it’s so extremely satisfying to put on something that I’ve done myself. And as I’ve knitted caps, sweaters, scarfs, socks and even finished my first pair of mittens this year. I’ve been wearing something homemade (by yours truly) almost daily, and it’s a great feeling. I know I want to explore this theme more during 2009, and Ive signed up for a class to start that exploration. The class is an embroidery class with two artists I admire here in Sweden, it’s called Alla hjärtans gärna – brodera av hjärtans lust and I’m looking forward to this more than I can say.
My favorite thing to wear this entire autumn and winter has been the knitted Passion Shawl in fake Chinese wool. I love how fluffy and soft it still is. I wear it every day.
Stripes is another theme
I’ve always been a stripe fan and this year it’s been rainbow stripes and pink stripes on everything. I have been inspired by the rainbow on several craft projects, like the felted bead necklace that is one of this year’s favorite projects! I’ve knitted quite a few pink garments and I’m now longing for green and brown yarn projects in the future.
Among the striped projects are two of my biggest craft projects this year. The Poetry cardigan was 2008’s most time consuming project. The Pink Quilt with stripes is the first big quilt I’ve ever finished. I love it!
Paper crafts and notebooks
Look:
Among the paper craft projects you’ll find paper beads, a hand made wedding card for my aunt, several cardboard magnets that I decoupaged (tutorial here), paper patchwork notebooks (tutorial here) and a beautiful hand bound Art Journal that I made. This Art Journal is the first one I’ve made myself, and it’s filled with yummy Fabriano aquarelle papers and already filled with art! I want to create another one very soon.
I wanted to make another journal with watercolor papers before the weekend but I didn’t have time. This weekend I attended my first SketchCrawl which is a group of people gathering for a whole day making drawings and sketching away. Yes, it was my first big step being more outgoing and I had an awesome time! My sketch turned out bad because my mind was preoccupied with the stressful situation I’m in (that I’m trying to get away from), but at fika time I could let go of my own monkey mind and relax.
I think I want to practice my drawing skills a bit more during 2009, as I enjoyed the few ones I did in 2008, like the tulips and dad’s blossoming magnolia tree for example. For summer I want to keep a flower journal and spend more time outside creating.
Paper has been my main inspiration this year, but I’m not listing the art I’ve created with paper here, like the daily art cards, the Art Journals, my three filled diaries… No, because I’ve got more craft stuff to write about before this my Annual Craft Report is over, though the rest will come soonish.
I was just wondering…
If you had, which you do have by the way, 365 days to do any art or craft, what would you spend your time doing? Would you craft love? Or create soft comfort? Learn a new skill? Stay still to smell the flowers? Or stripe wool into a sweaters that would warm you through the winter? String hearts? Embroider with gold? Reflecting, planning for the future, dreaming or doing something creative with your time?
I was just wondering… what would you do with your days? How will you spend this one precious life you’ve got?
I would dance and play and sing and paint and imagine and watch and run and jump and swim and fly and love….
That is what I did as a child…
That is what my spirit still does on a good day…
How can I make it so any day…
Everyday…
Of this Precious life….
All I can say is, “Wow.” I am amazed by your catalogue of crafty accomplishments.
Haha, S?tergl?ntan!! Du kommer f?r det toppen!! Jag har anm?lt mig till sommarens kurs ocks?. hehe…
What a good question! I’ll have to think about it and answer in a post of my own I suppose! I love your little sketch and how wonderful that you went to a sketching group! There’s nothing of the sort close to my home (except for people over 60 I think.) I think that I might have to start such a group one of these days. So many ideas, so many plans, so little time!!!
Can’t wait to see the rest of your report. Your projects are inspiring. You make me want to try new-to-me things.
*hugs*
Sophie
Knit. If I had to pick one, it’s easy for me. But, I find that I am called to more and more crafts – I think it’s the high-tech business world I spend so much of my time in. It’s the antithesis of “hand crafted” – and it makes me tired. The crazier my day job is, the more crafting I feel compelled to do. Other choices would be sewing and paper crafts – no drawing (no talent for that, sadly).
Right now, I would learn how to shrink wool just enough.
Your output of creativity is truly inspiring. I do more writing: poetry and my one woman show. Taking pictures. Do more recordings of me reading poetry for my blog. This is all things I’ve done in the past and doing much more in 2009. Glad you went to your class to be more of your word: outgoing.
This is so beautifully said! Whatever I create this year, I intend to have fun doing it as “Playful” is my word for 2009. Since reading this and seeing how you included hearts in so many of your creations this past year, I love the idea of in some way, integrating my intention into my work (which is really my play!).
Thanks for the inspiration!
wow! you had a VERY creative 2008-I look forward to seeing all your new creations to come:)
If I had to choose one thing-that 1 thing that I want to do daily, even when I don’t do anything else, it’s drawing-whether it’s a simple sketch/doodle, I want to pick up that pencil (or pen, though I’m not a big pen sketcher, though I would like to get used to it) and do SOMETHING…..thanks for asking that question, it made me think about it:)
hop you have a creative and peaceful week!
trish
Amazing list of creations. I love the poetry cardigan. Pink and green go so well together. However long it took it was definitely worth it.
I would agree with trish above. Definitely picking up my rapidograph pen daily and drawing something.
Would you consider making and selling prints of your sketches & paintings? I’d love to buy one of the tape & scissors…”she liked to make pretty little gifts for her friends…” !
Wow, this is a really inspiring post!
Photography and Love. This is what I want to do with my time. I have just discovered the yummy world of Amigurumi, and I finally got the Diana cam I’ve been dreaming of. Putting art into everything in my life, watching art films, and being inspired by those I love…I want to spend my life that way, not just this year, but everyday of all the years to come. Paper and Pastels also touches a special part of me, and I’m also looking forward to this coming year.
I’m really excited to see more of your work, happy creative beginnings!
Hi, Hanna–It truly is inspiring, all the work you did last year. Your photos are sooo pretty. That SketchCrawl sounds great, and I know what you mean about going out and being among people while working. I have never been to a class by myself, and I don’t really know why! I’m not very comfortable in groups, but I also wonder how I can really be comfortable to create my work around people. It’s intimidating to me!
It’s been so busy this year so far that I only just now finished my first journal page, and I thought of you and how you inspired me to make this my journaling year. I feel so free!
Anyway, I guess if I could do one thing for a year, it would be painting. I love all the techniques, and the surprises.