Happy new year of the dog!
I got two new books this weekend when P came home! Hurray, I’m such a lucky girl, not only because of the books, but because I have a man who loves me and comes home to me to hug me all weekend. Ahum, this post is about books and projects though.
The first book is Writing down the bones by Natalie Goldberg, first recommended to me by Marcia when we discussed The Artist’s Way over e-mail. I’m curious, but haven’t started reading it yet.
The other book is 52 projects by Jeffrey Yamaguchi, also on my wish list! (Non of the books with pictures was found, but I think I’ll treat my self to a Valentine gift and order one or two next month.) It is a lot about writing too, wish is great. When I started to read it I was really worried I wouldn’t like it, that it wouldn’t inspire me. Not that I need more inspiration, I have so many ideas and projects all ready that my head might blow up one of these days (at least it will if I ever try to do them all, but I won’t, I promise!). But since I got the book I wanted it to speak to me, specially after all the great critic this book has gotten from fellow bloggers… But after I browsed through the firt couple of pages (that I will read more thoroughly another time) I got to Project #1 and I was hooked, inspired, in love. I just have to do this, and #2 too, and… It seams to be a lot about giving and doing RAOK (random acts of kind) to the world, something I haven’t been so good at. I need to work on it.
Do you ever feel like you are the only person in the entire world (or at least among your family and friends) that are making personal cards and sending out for birthdays and Christmas? If feels a bit ungratifying to be the only one putting time and effort into gifts, when all you get is bought stuff and perhaps a thank you (if you are lucky)… I feel like that sometimes. But this book feels like a gift too, a gift to make me nicer and craftier! Wanting to start one thousand (or at least 52!) new projects this year – the year of the dog!
- Official homepage of Natalie Goldberg
- Official homepage of 52 Projects one of Jeffrey Yamaguchi’s many projects
Fun, fun, fun! I will post more about these projects as I read along, and perhaps even make a Project Category, to tell you how I progress? What do you think? Have you read ’em?
Hey Hanna, we have the same bedspread, good choice! ;)
Thanks for the review of 52 Projects, I’ve been wondering about that one. A project category would be great!
Hanna – you know what? I was going to do a review of MY new 52 Projects book on my blog this week ;) How funny! I thought it would go along very well with the whole Project Spectrum idea!
Great minds think alike!
I absolutely feel like the only person out of everyone in my circle and family that makes things for birthdays, or any other event/occasion, and get bought gifts back, and wish people would do the same thing back for me. I know the feeling exactly!
Happy New Year!
I?m very curious about the 52 Projects book, and the big question of course is: Does it work? A project category would be great!
The 52 projects book sounds great.
I’ve been handmaking gifts for years and always felt like people thought I was being a cheapskate by not buying them something. I realised this year that they really do appreciate them and a few people have said they are going to start making things too. Maybe your creativity will be catching.
Writing down the bones changed my writing life. I need to go back and read/write with it again.
[…] Once I was complaining that we give so much home made stuff away but friends and family hardly ever take the time to even send a card back… Well I take all of those complaints back today! I have so many crafty and nice people in my life! […]
Hi Hanna…
Just came across your thought about feeling ungratified…thought I’d tell you that (besides the joy of creating something where there was nothing) you’re adding something only you can add to people’s lives when you give something your hands have made. Also, found out one day that my dad (who’s 83 & the “gruff” type) has a secret stash of all the cards & little booklets I’ve made for him over the last few years. Someone you know might have a secret stash, too. Keep going.
Megan