I am about to embark on a big creative journey that it will take me about 365 days to accomplish. It is a 365 Project of Somethings in 2018, and you are invited to join me!
Are you daring enough to give such a huge project a try? It can be scary and lonely out on the Creative Sea, all on your own, so that’s why I thought we could go together? If you’ll take the leap with me?
Attitude is the difference between ordeal and adventure
Bob Bitchin
I will set sail on January 1st 2018 and I aim to be back in the harbour with this project at the end of the year. If you can’t commit for such a long journey, you can join me here on the blog once a week and leave me encouragement and strength to continue. In case you’ve always thought that doing a year long project would be fun, maybe you’ll consider doing it with me this time?
I’m calling this project Project 365 Somethings because I want to invite everyone to join in and do their own things. To know what “something” you want to commit to, you must first look at your biggest passions and start from there.
My 365 project is about Collage
If you’re new to this blog or me, you might not know that I have some experience with doing big projects. I have successfully done two year-long creative projects, one with Art Cards and one of 365 Collages in 2013. But that was in another life, and a long time ago. Right now I feel very scared to announce this idea of mine. But I have been thinking about it for months, and 2018 feels like a “now or never” kind of year for me. If I can’t make next year a better year for me creatively, economically and emotionally, I must do something more drastic than this. So I will give Project 365 Somethings a try, and I will count on you, my dear readers, to help me along the way.
The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.
William Arthur Ward
I will do 365 collages again, with a pinch of mixed media and acrylic paint on top. Or at least that’s what I’m thinking right now. I have a pile of vintage target practice papers that are square (my prefered canvas form) and perfect for this project.
My 365 Project Velocity
Just like I have done in the past, I will aim to create seven square collages every week, and post finished artworks on this blog. I will not create daily, because I know myself to well to attempt that, but I will try to create 1-3 collage every creative sitting, or every second day approximately. It’s not important to me when I create these artworks, just that I do it.
If you want to be a cheerleader or a participant, leave me a comment below. You don’t need to decide today, but I wanted to get the idea out before Christmas so that everyone who wants to join will have some time to ponder their own “rules” for participating.
My personal rules will be easy on me: Start and see what happens Hanna. That’s it. This project for me is about creative joy, the square format, the playfulness of mixed media and having fun with all my neglected paper scraps. About being an artist and gaining momentum in my own way. About finding my own voice, one step at a time. It’s a way to get going every week with something creative, and to share the process with you guys here on the blog.
[tweet “A Project 365 Somethings is a great way to get going every week with something creative!”]
Join the Project 365 Somethings & make it your own
To join just let me know where you will be posting (a blog is the perfect place, but Instagram is also an option of course) and what you will be creating below, and I’ll compile a list here on the blog so we can help each other out and stay accountable.
You can start by committing to doing something weekly or daily for January, and see how that feels. A 365 Project is not for everyone, and maybe not as easy at it sounds. And it doesn’t have to be collage or even a finished piece of art that you do either. It can be a poem you write, an index card you fill, doodles in a specific sketchbook, an art journal page or a photo a day for the entire year. It all depends on what you enjoy the most, because if you pick what you enjoy the most you’re most likely to stick with the project in the long term.
So, what will your personal 365 Project Somethings be?
Personally I’ve got several BIG things I want to accomplish and plan out for next year, but I think I also need this thing that is just for me. For my creativity and sanity. To bring back the joy of art into my life. To bring me some calm moments that does not have to be about money and worry and health issues. And maybe for you, as encouragement and inspiration?
To simply announce this project today (finally) feels huge to me. So scary but also exciting. Have you ever heard the expression “do the thing that scares you most”? This is one of those things for me right now. I can’t remember being this scared the last time, scared of committing, scared of failing, scared of being disappointed in the project or in myself, or not making it go anywhere or…
Thank you reading and joining in what ever way you like. You’re the best!
Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Further reading for 365 Project Something Inspiration
- My 365 Creative Process
- How to plan for a successful 365 Project
- How to stay organized with a 365 Project
- Resources for a Wildly Successful & Creative 365 Project – how to join this 365 project, where to find peers, a blog list and some further inspiration
Wish me luck, will you? Just as I wish you luck in planning for a wonderful, creative and wildly successful year!
Oh!! I really like this idea. I reserve the option to refine my goal a bit, but I’d like to join this challenge. My project will center on “Doing the Things in 2018.” I have a room full of projects (books, yarn, art supplies, journals, ideas) that I’ve picked up, but I end up leaving aside because I am a perfectionist and I freeze up. The goals will be to (a) overcome my procrastination and perfectionism, (b) discover new creative outlets, and (c) enjoy what I already own. I can record my process on my long-neglected blog, Curious Mind Garden.
Now, I’m excited about 2018!
I was excited to read your reply as I saw myself in your words. I have so many projects in various stages of completion, they overwhelm me. Like you, a combination of perfectionism, procrastination, and becoming overwhelmed by everything made me freeze up and get nothing done as I had planned for 2017. And I became so disenchanted with how my blog was going that it suffered. I think we have found the perfect place to get ourselves back on track.
Excellent, we (along with the group) can nudge each other on. :)
Annie and Diane’s sentiments reflect much of what I see myself doing. I have major projects, mostly house DIYs, that need to be done, but I put them off because they seem so scary and impossible to accomplish. Yet I neglect the smaller creative projects, like collage or art journaling, that are manageable and once brought me so many small joys. It’s true that “the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”, but so many times it can be hard to keep putting one foot in front of the other. This 365 project seems like the first step and I’d be glad to exchange encouragement with others as I work on some of those big projects, learn new skills, continue historical research, re-discover collage, and update my progress on my blog, which I’ve neglected so much I can hardly recall what I call it these days.
I’m going to join you! I’ve felt like I’ve needed to get back into the creative side of my business for a while now, so I’m going to stitch 365 inchies – 365 1×1 inch cross stitch squares – using the extra bits from my other stitching projects. I’ll be posting them over on Instagram at @stitchybox. Thanks for the inspiration – I’ve had a project like this on my mind for several years now, but have never taken the plunge :)
Thank you for this much needed post! I need this to get and keep myself organized, to give my mind a rest from continuously having to remember things. My 365 day project for 2018 is to write in my planner and art journal. I have a blog but became disenchanted with how it was going and quit in October. I hope to reignite my passion for blogging by sharing my progress with this challenge. I look forward to spending 2018 with you and all the others who commit to this challenge!
I too want to join you in a commitment to a 365 creations 2018 shall we call it? Like you, I have lots of projects I want to do that are bigger. However, for 2018 I want to commit to 365 pages of Art Journaling. Years ago I was a regular journaled but never crossed my art with my writing. The idea of expanding my creative realm (in addition to all of the blank journals I have collected over the years) excites me and seems to give me the most leeway in my particular creative journey.
So, the hashtag for me will be: #365creations2018
This project looks fantastic. What kind of paper, do you suggest, to use? I like working with heavy paper and I was hoping you could tell me what I could buy to get started.
This is a fantastic idea.
Thanks,
Barb
NC
I’ll join in! I am a long-time collagist, but late in 2017 I got interested in hand embroidery. But not (I told everyone) counted cross stitch. And yet, I turned around and bought a digital download of a very colorful, Scandinavian-flavored counted cross stitch pattern. I will strive to learn the required skills and display this project next Christmas, if I’m spared, as I am told my Scots grandmother used to say.
You have definitely got me thinking on this! I will be back after some pondering . . .
A great project ! Sure I will visit at least every week to check how you are doing ! I have started building a daily creative habit last year and will try to continue in 2018, but I’m not sure I am ready to commit the way you do for the whole year yet. Thanks for the inspiration ! Will you be posting on Instagram about this project as well sometimes?
Wow! Very exciting project and something I’ve wanted to try for YEARS! I’m intimidated to join in and try to make my own 365, yet some little creative voice is saying JUMP in!!
I’m going to try the every day creative habit in the next week or so – while I’m off work for holidays – and see how that goes.
I LOVE your work and your enthusiasm – it is very inspiring and simply beautiful to look at.
Thanks for sharing both!!
I’d like to join in! Last year I did 2 months straight of something I called a “Scrappy Journal” – kind of like mini collages, but I wrote on the pages as well, so it was a diary of sorts. After I filled that journal, I started another one, which I now take along on trips to use as a travel journal.
So for 2018 I’d like to do an everyday “scrappy journal” again. Thanks for the boost, Hanna. I appreciate your creativity and your blog/newsletter more than you’ll ever know!
You sowed a seed in a recent blog that made me consider creating 7 postcards in a week.I thought it might be textile postcards with maybe vintage lace. I have joined in ATC and postcards swaps this year for the first time and enjoyed taking part. This feels like the next step.
365 days is too much to commit to straight off, 28 cards in January feels quite likely, then will likely choose to continue month by month.
I have some vintage paper I bought from a place in the Orkneys and it feels delicious to consider making 28 cards with that as substrate plus vintage lace on top…also planning to get some gold and copper foil to add to the mix. I wonder how we will all fare with out creative project in 2018?
Yup! I’m in! We’ve been wanting to do this again since w-a-y back in 2013 and now it’s time!!!
I have enjoyed your college work in the past, and look forward to following your journey. Self-discipline is a weakness for me. I start these projects then don’t follow through, usually after only a few days. I am in the process off sorting and organizing digital photos and could incorporate that into a 365 project, but will think about joining you and in what way.
I’m excited 💃💃💃💃
Yes please , count me in, I need the accountability! I’m going to do 365 index cards , mixed media , with the theme FREE – which is my #onelittleword for 2018. I screen shot a lot of art work I find online , so I’m going to use these to inspire me! Also when I have done index cards before , as soon as I finish it I scribble down a couple of lines on the back of a moment , thought , quote, anything that I want to capture ! So I’m doing a no pressure form of journaling as well. I also love the idea of completing 7 cards a week rather than one every day – 💞💞💞💞 I will be posting mine on my Instagram account
@andrea.sunshine
I bought an old Rolodex (the round style, not the tray style) at a thrift shop. I was thinking I could manage to do a small piece of art each day in 2018, the size of a Rolodex card. Your blog will give me some encouragement, but I’ll have to set up Instagram and post— just a week left til we begin!
I’d like to give it a go. I think it will push me to work with the art supplies I purchased to use “someday”. I will be posting to my Blog. All the best to everyone here for a Happy Holiday Season and a Peaceful 2018!
I’m going to join you, Hanna! Thank you for the inspiration…and fostering a sense of community and support around this! I want to continue art journaling and altering the many books I’ve purchased for this purpose. I have made a good start on one, but would love to see it completely altered with art journal spreads, and it may not even take me the whole year…so I’ll have time to start at least one more book. I think I will not be too ambitious…so not a spread a day, but some work in my art journal every day with the hope of completing spread a week is my goal. Looking forward to seeing what everyone creates! XO Sarah
I, too, would like to join you! Still pondering the subject and medium, as I really don’t like to be tied to any one thing, although I am leaning towards digital art. At any rate, I’ll come up with some kind of catchy Instagram tag, and I’ll be posting there @kelleyfewer. Here’s to 2018!
This sounds like fun! And encouragement to keep me focused, I’m like a squirrel when it comes to arts and crafts! Jumping from one project to the next. Sometimes my work gets in the way, and I miss several days or a week with out creating, and this is really not
good for me. Creativity is such a stress release. So with this 365 Project- I can commit to doing either Embroidery or my Art Journal, with all sorts of mixed media. I will post my daily 365 Project on my Instagram @Bluebird_Legacy I’m looking forward to all the joy that creativity brings!
iHanna, your blog and your artwork is very beautiful! I love to go to your YouTube channel and see what you have made, as the colors are so Happy to look at! Thank you for taking this challenge and encouraging us.
Go girl! You can do it! I am a huge fan of your previous 365 collages challenge. They are awesome and I’ve gone back and looked at them quite a few times. Once a week sounds more reasonable to me than daily – totally support your idea on that. Also wanted to comment ion the square format – interesting to work with. May your creative juices flow freely!
Very excited for you, Hanna. I’ve been thinking of “somethings” myself as well and your approach of doing 7 per week, rather than committing to 1 per day, makes so much sense to me! I know I can’t commit to every day either! Best wishes! I may be joining you! I hope you had a wonderful holiday!
I can’t wait to see what you’ll create!!! I so love your square collages… but you know that already. You don’t believe how long I am thinking about a 365 project! …I’m simply too scared to commit – still ;)
Well, perhaps I should just go for it. If so, I am thinking square as well. What measurements will your squares have?
I would love to join you! Since I am rather eclectic in most areas of my life, I can see myself doing different things in order to complete all 365 somethings: index cards, doodles in a notebook, journaling, etc.
Thank you very much for the inspiration! I really appreciate you sharing your creativity with us!
I love this! I’ll definitely follow your journey! Can’t wait! Been big fan of yours for years :) I won’t join you in a project 365 but I’m counting on creating more this year!
I’ll be following your journey and try and do my own too. Fingers crossed!
WOW sounds great, would love to do it with you all. Not sure if I can commit to the 365 days but will give it a good go !
Thank you Hanna. I want to join you. 7 a week is good for me. I will do anything creative: writing in my journal, creative writing ( small story, haiku, poem etc), photo, collage, mix media, drawing etc.
I will create a new blog for this but in french which is my langage
Yesssss !
That’s a great idea and a huge challenge for me…I’ve never been able to follow a long challenge : the longest I’ve made was an “Advent challenge” last year with 25 ways to say “merry Christmas”…
So I will do my best to join your group…
I will post on Instagram and maybe on Facebook.
See you very soon!
This is so exciting, I’m joining in!
My goal is to work with combining art and prayer on a daily basis in 2018–
you can find me on Instagram @robinjeree and my hashtag will be #artprayers365project
Thanks iHanna and happy New Year to you all!
glad to report I made 1/365 today. I prepped some postcards yesterday and added paint etc today. Only 364 to go
I’m in Hanna – I’m going to make my challenge 365 hearts. A friend of mine did this a few years ago and seem to use hearts in my work fairly often. I figure it will see me through ICAD as well. I will usually use paint and collage but reserve the right to cut out a heart and write a word on it when things get really busy! Thanks for the challenge, and happy New Year!
I’m joining in, Hanna! I am grateful for your inspiration — and your suggestion that a 365-project could be accomplished as a weekly goal! My 365-project goal: 365 entries (collage, color, ink or handwritten) in my annual journal-planner.
I will be working on the art journal which I just made over the holiday break. I do collage (using papers, fabric, stitches), painting, doodling. I will post on IG (@designbyflair). Thanks for the idea. This will be my first year-long challenge!
What a wonderful idea! I have made a commitment to myself to get back to my art in 2018! I’ve been away for awhile, so this will be a great motivator to stay with it for 2018! I’m not sure what I’ll do yet …so many ideas! But, I’m in! Thanks for the opportunity to join in. I’ll be sharing on IG! Happy Creating and Happy New Year!
It’s a wonderful challenge! For some years now I have been wondering about mid-December whether I will do a 365 project by posting a small piece of art every day on my blog. Anyway, I’ve just posted number 1 but I’m not sure about every day .. :)
Count me in. This is exciting. I think my creative process will be in ATC’s.
How do we connect? Through Instagram?
Definitely joining you! Just made my first post to say I’m in! Looking forward to joining along with everyone.
I am IN! It was Tammy Garcia’s letting us know she is doing this that made me come and. Check it out! Mine will be patterns. Made in all ways & and different sizes. #365patternaday2018 and I will post on Instagram and my blog’s Facebook page: denysewhelanblogs.
I have a private IG account: @denysewhelan so need to have anyone wanting to follow me to make a request!
Thanks so much! Happy New Year from Australia where it is the afternoon of 2 January!
I was inspired by my friend Cindy and her daily hearts. Originally, I considered also doing hearts, which I’m sure will creep into my daily art, anyway. But after seeing your collages, I want to try making them, too. It will definitely reduce the amount of collage fodder I seem to have collected over the years and I’ll be able to make art in the process. Thanks for doing this and not making us show art daily.
I will be continuing my ninepatch a day, a paper project, which began a while ago and also a crochet square a day for my temperature blanket. I’m @crochetalongwithnuvofelt on Instagram. Is there a hashtag? Have I missed it?
Hi! It’s #365somethings2018 Enjoy!
Brilliant idea! Count me in! On New Year’s Eve I finally sat down to begin work on a scrapbook of my trip to Switzerland in May. I have over 300 photos plus a bag full of ticket stubs, maps, postcards, leaflets and other paper goodies from my trip. My goal is to put together at least 2-3 scrapbook pages a day until it’s finished. After that, who knows? I’m super excited about being creative again – 2017 was not a good year for arts and crafts for me.
I am planning my 365 things out in weekly themes. Most of what I’ll be doing will be drawing and painting, but I figure with a weekly chunk, I can change up my media if I want to. I’m excited to jump in and see how far I go.
I was intrigued, but totally intimidated, until I finally caught on that it’s not necessarily a DAILY challenge. Even so, 365 is a lot of somethings! I make cards, and I mail most of them (including around 100 Christmas cards). I counted the ones I made last year (I keep photos); I made 259. 365 seems like a good stretch, but not impossible, so I’ll be joining, using mostly my blog, and possibly my Instagram account @kathedmi Thanks for the idea/inspiration/encouragement!
I love this idea! I’m thinking of creating art on teabags, as I started collecting and using them in my art last year. On Instagram I am @craftytrog, and my blog is craftytrog.blogspot.co.uk. Thanks for the idea and inspiration Hanna, I came here from Daisy Yellow.
Alison
I have scampered over here after reading the post by Tammy over at Daisy Yellow.
Like many of the others who have so far commented this epic challenge is the sort of thing I need to get going creatively again….although my commitment to challenges does not have a very good track record.I did manage to do an enitire 60 days of index cards about two years ago which I enjoyed very much and am quite proud of.
I have been stuck in a creative rut for about 6 months and before Christmas was even thinking about get rid of all my “stuff”…I am not a very confident creative person being definitely the type to listen to self criticism and get easily deflated. I am also not the ideal person to think of a plan and stick to it…I am an expert in the field of procrastination!
I DO KNOW that I want to be creative, that I need something to get me started again and that I like the idea of not necessarily having to do something every day but in batches.
I used to have a blog but that no longer exists so I might be tempted to stat another purely for this challenge as an incentive to keep going in my darker moments but otherwise, once I have something to post, anyone who might be interested and care to have a look can find me on Instagram #catherinelwells61.
I think that this is intimidating AND promising. I only found out about it from an Instagram post by Tammy (@Gypsy999), and I am certainly interested.
I look forward to ICAD each year but this past year I allowed my feelings to be hurt by a rejected piece and I dropped out. Well, it’s a new year, a new day, and I am not who I was even just those few months ago.
I am looking to do mixed-media index cards and paste them 2 per page in a composition book. I would like to do cards inspired by songs that I really enjoy and/or are moved by. We’ll see how that progresses!
I’ll post on Instagram @aloquin777 and on my poor, neglected
blog.
Off to buy a composition book! Feeling fresh and invigorated :D
I just found out about your challenge today, and feel like I might be too late to join. I’m not sure what my something will be, and tomorrow is Jan 7, so I need to have 7 of them already. I like making postcards, so that could be my something, but I’ve been struggling with artist’s block lately, so making 365 is a daunting challenge. But it also might help me get my creative side working again.
it’s never too late, just jump right in!
I will be posting…not sure yet what ..weekly at first on Instagram….@cherylphillips5. FIRST POST will be kind of random…a silly Christmas tree me and grandson did last week. Thanks for your encouragement
I’m so in. It only took me a few minutes to decide what I could do 365 of and make it work. I have other projects going on too, just like most everyone, so I knew it had to be small. I am going to gather my studio scraps each week and sew them into 7 tiny (2X2) journal cards. Even the cards will be made from scraps. I am off now to start the first 7!
Hello Hanna,
I’d love to join in.
I will be creating 7 index cards each week that form up a gratitude book, on the back of the cards i will be writing down each day for what I am grateful. I will be posting the 7 cards each Sunday on my blog
Gosh, I love the excitement this challenge has created!!
Does some smart person out there have a way for us to create a list each week of places to check for people’s contributions? It looks like people are using blogs, Instagram, Twitter, and I’m not sure what else. What a trove of creativity to explore!!
I just posted that specific list here on my blog: Resources for a Wildly Successful & Creative 365 Project – I hope you will check it out!
There you will find where and how to find everyone, on the different platform and participate in the 365 somethings 2018 project
I’ll join you. I have to wrap my head around this. I came across your blog 5 minutes ago so I have lots to read here. I’ll post on my blog at first.
Thank you for your leadership.
Ella Veres
I’ve been pondering and in fact even tried it for a week. I’ve decided I’m in and ready to commit. I’ll create on index cards, tags, playing cards or recycled materials. My plan is to use what I have and try techniques using mixed media, collage, markings, gel prints and more. It’s time for me to stop pinning and get busy. Now to figure out how to use Instagram. I’ll post on instagram under debcreating.
I’ve been thinking about this for too long already. I don’t think I’m too far from being able to catch up, but I feel like the medium I want to tackle doesn’t lend itself well to that many of an individual thing. I’d like to start with a weekly goal of learning and practicing at least one new embroidery stitch a week. Hopefully to the point that I wouldn’t have to go back and check the directions each time I wanted to use it. Also, I want to work on lettering and fonts in embroidery. Hmmmm…so as I’m writing this, I realized maybe I could stitch a word, or if they are larger a letter, a day. That would help me practice both different stitches (not the fancy rose type ones, but maybe I could use those to embellish) later, AND work on my hand lettering and following fonts in embroidery. Letters are hard man! ok…back to the drawing board for a minute. Hopefully I can figure this out by tonight! (so I can try and do SOMETHING and work on revamping my long-dead blog)
this is a great idea! I’ve been drawing in my little (approx.) 4″x6″ journal nearly every day, and plan to continue that in 2018. You made me smile when you said you know yourself, and that you may not create every single day…I can so relate! I have lots of ‘catch-up’ days too! but I’d also like to get back to working in other journals too, and doing more collages as well… I will post on Instagram as dbcarey_2000 and on my blog
Hi,
I like this challenge and have been doing it along with a One Tag Challenge as a way to get started in the morning. At this point I am working with collages on small (3 X 2.5) cards. I do post the pictures in my blog but will also post on Pinterest. Thanks for the challenge.
One of my followers just pointed out this project to me and so I’m checking it out… you and Tammy together, that for one is amazing! The idea of joining is lingering in my mind, I can think of several things I may want to do – I want to draw more so maybe that would be good to make a commitment to… Unfortunately, I cannot join on instagram ’cause I don’t have a smart phone to upload the photos there, and Instagram doesn’t really work when you want to upload photo’s via the computer… but that won’t keep me from joining. I’ll give it a thought and will let you know if I join. Now I’m off to check your other posts and see how you’re doing.
I love looking at all of your ideas!Your brain seems to be raceing all of the time!
Well, thank you! I sure do think up a lot of craziness… :-)