I’ve been quiet here because work’s been insane and my back is acting up and honestly I don’t really know what else. I just haven’t been feeling like writing or able to write. I am still making plans for next year. I recently reread a few old posts and if you’re busy making plans for next year, too, maybe this one will help you out: Making Three Lists.
I’ve decided what I need next year is a lot more pre-planning. One of the reasons I struggle when sticking to plans is that I have to spend so much time coming up with ideas. When I sit down to sketch, I need to spend hours online finding something to sketch. I figured that if I had it all ready ahead of time, I wouldn’t waste as much time coming up with ideas each week. And, of course, if I have a new idea, it can supersede my list. But it’s no pressure this way.
Or maybe I am fooling myself.
Either way, that’s what’s on my mind. Since I am all excited about my projects, I figure this is a good time to do research and groundwork. I’ve also been thinking about my list answers from the thee lists post above. And what kind of thoughts-posts I might like to do. And what projects I might want to do with David and with Nathaniel.
The planning is making me happy for now so I am trying to keep at it. Here’s a dump of all that I am considering in case it’s helpful for any of you. This is just a dump of what’s on my head at this moment. It might all stay and it might all go or some combination in between:
Things I want to learn/do in relation to Art:
- doodling – been on my list three years in a row now!
- sketching/painting faces – been on my list three years in a row too!
- lettering
- collage
- using my photos with my art
- sketching people in different poses
- drawing trees/wings
- making signs/sayings
- sketching scenes
- large scale paintings/drawings
- using some of the materials I haven’t used in a while: oil pastels, pan pastels, neocolor crayons, watercolor markers, etc.
- digital design – maybe
So when I am designing my art projects, I am thinking about these things.
for health stuff I am thinking about:
- pilates
- yoga
- weights
- incrementing daily steps
- no sugar
For thoughts posts, I am thinking about posting around:
- Learning: I plan to take classes/learn more regularly next year, so I’d be sharing these.
- Coaching: Some exercises, thoughts, learnings in the coaching area
- Listen: this is my word for next year so these would be insights/intentions around my word
- Getting things done, being organized, just random thoughts from that day, etc.
Also thinking about:
- volunteering more.
- building community again (this is a struggle for me.)
- gratitude
- whether i want to sell my art
- whether i want to videotape while doing art
- what classes i might want to take to learn new things
- maybe David and I can learn together for his project with me
- what can i do with Nathaniel? Maybe something that practices reading or writing?
- how can i organize my projects so they have a monthly theme within the yearly project?
Don’t be so hard on yourself. You have to be super organized already to get done everything you already do! I do agree thought pre-planning goes a long way and does take much unwanted stress off most of us!
How do you organize someone as organized as you?
Hello Karen, loved reading this post and guess what??!! I just spent an hour last night going thru your older goal/plan lists and getting ideas for me. You are so organized and do so much every year, don’t worry or stress. I’m amazed at all you get done and share here so this new year will be no different.
Please know your sketching of things and faces are sooooo good already, no need to learn them just do them for fun now. As for the sketching ideas, a dear friend of mine gets ideas from the books her kids read and magazines. You could write/type up a list that interests you and cut those up and put them in a jar and pull one each time you sketch. That way you save time and don’t have to search.
I wonder if there is a online art class you could do with David, he might like that. I love that you include your boys on your lists every year too, so awesome! What project did you do with David at Nathanial’s age? If it worked out maybe he would like to do that.
That’s all I have for the moment. Spending some time thinking of my goals too, so fun doing this. Not sure about the DD this year, still didn’t finish last years. If I do decide to it will be a shorter version, not all 25 days, seems by the actual big day I’m done and tired of it.
Thanks for sharing these thoughts with us, keeps me inspired!
Oh and what about adding Jay to your list this year, maybe you two could take a class or something together??