Make Something 365 & Get Unstuck

Bild & Mat

noreply@blogger.com (Noah) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 12:30:00 +0000

Camilla in Sweden was inspired by the Swedish edition of my book to create her own daily project Bild & Mat...

Why did you decide to do this project? I like food and I like painting and drawing. I eat often, paint and draw too seldom. Maybe one painting every second year. So after have read your book the 365: A Daily Creativity Journal (Kretivitetskalendern i Swedish) I decided to start my own daily project.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? Since two months ago I make an illustration every day inspired by what I have been eating or drinking, or something in relation to that. It really makes me happy although I´m not satisfied with the result every day. However, for me this is a part of the project too. Not having so high exceptions of my self. Better to make something than nothing. And to be honest I have actually been surprised, in a positive way, over the result many days. I just do it for fun. I don´t have any education in this field.

See all of Camilla's creations HERE.

365 TARDIS

noreply@blogger.com (Noah) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 12:30:00 +0000

Anna Hermanson in Kingsley, Iowa is using the prompts in my book to create 365 TARDIS...

Why did you decide to do this project? Art & creativity are a large part of my life and I've been in a serious slump for a long time. My job is stressful & I needed something to kick myself in the arse and get creating again.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? Well, it's confirmed to my friends, coworkers & at least one family member that I am truly a Doctor Who Geek (and proud of it!). But to myself, it's given me a new outlook on things. I have something to look forward to & I sneak peeks ahead in the book to see what's coming up so I can start planning ahead. Some of them are quite challenging with my theme.

Why the TARDIS? Yeah. A third question. I figured you'd have that in mind. Like I said, I'm a serious Doctor Who Geed, and the TARDIS is a relatively easy thing to draw, make, etc. Plus...it won my polls online and verbally, beating out snail, rabbit, apple, light bulb and alligator. I must have a lot of geek friends.

See all of Anna's Tardis's HERE.

365 Days of Creative Canning Follow-up

noreply@blogger.com (Noah) — Thu, 30 May 2013 12:30:00 +0000

On Monday 20th May, 2013 Megan Forsyth in Perth, Western Australia completed her 365 Days of Creative Canning!

What are the biggest lessons/skills you learned from doing your project? I expanded my knowledge of preserving recipes, using many new fruits and vegetables and preserving in a variety of ways - learning how to use all of the fruit. Canning is all about following what is in season for your region, growing your own fruits and vegetables or getting to know your local orchards and farmers markets. My biggest lesson was building a relationship with local orchards/growers, and meeting people all over Perth in the process. I have met so many wonderful people, of all different ages and backgrounds. Food preservation is a science, so my goals were simple: GROW SAFE, PREPARE SAFE, PRESERVE SAFE and STORE SAFE. Preserving is a skill that I can teach to my daughters to pass on to the next generation to live strong, self-sufficient and independent lives.

In what ways did the project change your life? My life has changed in so many ways! It was very busy - between my family, working and life in general - however I found it quite therapeutic having time to myself in the kitchen each day, creating something that I can then trade with or pass on to family and friends as gifts. I also started up Perth Jams & Preserves Classes, community cooking classes that I teach once a month, as well as private lessons. I quickly filled my notebook with my recipes, tricks and twists on flavours and ingredients. My family have enjoyed homegrown (or locally sourced) fresh produce all year long, preservative-free and artificial-ingredient-free.

Now what? Now I have time to write up the rest of my recipes to add to my website www.365daysofcreativecanning.com, and I am starting to put my recipes together to write a cookbook, as well as a few other community (teaching) opportunities in conjunction with my monthly community classes. I am still preserving and creating though!

Read my Megan's original 365 interview HERE.

See all of Megan's canned creations HERE.

Lonesome Liz's Mojo Sideshow

noreply@blogger.com (Noah) — Wed, 29 May 2013 12:30:00 +0000

Elizabeth Bissette in Nashville, Tennessee created Lonesome Liz's Mojo Sideshow...

Mojo Sideshow Sign by Wes Freed

She Explains, "The Mojo Sideshow began as a series of poems I composed for National Poetry Month, (they have a poem a day challenge each year). Each day in the month of April, I wrote a poem about a different Sideshow character. I later approached Richmond's Gallery 5 with the suggestion it be added to their Carnival of 5 Fires. The result was a multi-media show that included art by Wes Freed, Molly Crabapple, myself and others based on the characters. I added a central thread to the poems, creating a Southern Gothic Faust tale with my Outlaw Country persona, Lonesome Liz, as a modern Faust, in this case meeting the Devil at the Crossroads. The play also featured an Outlaw Country/Gospel score performed by JB Beverley, (Hank III) and myself, along with other talented local actors and dancers.

Why did you decide to do this project? I wanted to see what would happen if I wrote a poem every day!

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? During the course of the writing, I had the amazing opportunity for feedback from Beat Poet Charles Plymell. A few months ago, I took the play back out with the idea of revising it as a Wild West show. I not only again had his marvelous input, but he introduced me to another Beat Poet, who is a Grandson of Cole Younger. With their encouragement, a new production is almost finished. This time the central tale is that of the James/Younger Gang. Coincidentally, Cole Younger and Frank James had their own Wild West Show for a time. Bob Ford, James' killer, made himself a Sideshow act.

Deanna Danger as the Magician's Assistant

See more of Liz's Sideshow HERE.

Beth Nyland is Making 365 Somethings

noreply@blogger.com (Noah) — Tue, 28 May 2013 12:30:00 +0000

Beth Nyland a "writer/consultant/mama" from the Western Chicago Suburbs is Making 365 Somethings...

Why did you decide to do this project? Answering an item on my wish list, my husband gave me 365: Make Something Every Day and Change Your Life for Christmas 2012, just as I was finishing a year of writing a poem a day. I chose to save this creative project for my birthday, May 1. That day, my daughters (ages 8 and 10) began the Make Something 365 project together. Every now and then, my 15-year-old son contributes as well.

My theme is words, because I wanted to stay close to my passion for writing while stretching into new creative territories. My daughters chose cats and mustaches as their themes. Although they don't make something every day, they conceive of something every day. When they do produce something tangible, the results are always clever and often hilarious.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? I'm just 23 days into this particular creative journey. But I think I may be developing an addition to daily discipline:

In 2011, I participated in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), which taught me that through daily visits to the keyboard, I can generate more than 50,000 words in a month!
In 2012, I wrote a poem a day. Thanks to the leap year, I composed 366 poems. Not bad for a business writer.
At the start of 2013, I engaged friends and strangers in Just 99 Days: Daring to Dabble in Daily Discipline – an exercise I plan to lead again, tweaking the process and my support so the experience is better every time.
Then I learned that April is National Poetry Writing Month (NaPoWriMo), so I wrote a poem a day in April 2013. Another 30 works in my growing archive.
When my birthday arrived on May 1, 2013, I began Make Something 365, along with my children.

Make Something 365 is different, and I'm loving it. As a writer, I usually compose on screen via keyboard. Make Something is pushing me to work with my hands in different ways, to exercise my creativity in more tangible, three-dimensional forms. I'm no Picasso or Rodin, but the exercises are fun.

To keep myself accountable for daily results, I'm posting each day's work on my blog. I became accustomed to this discipline during my 2012 poem-a-day exercise. Still, publishing unpolished, fast work is, well, character building. But for me, this journey is not about turning out works of art. Instead, I'm enjoying the daily commitment to play, solve problems, think differently, and live true to my believe that we are all creative -- regardless of age or skill or confidence level.

Having my children along for the ride may be the best part of this experience. We talk about Make Something at breakfast, dinner, in the car, all the time. They are wildly creative in generating ideas for their own work and mine as well. They work fast, without fear or hesitation. Their bravery and wisdom are inspiring me to return to that childlike state as I approach creative challenges at work, at home, in relationships.

See all of Beth's somethings HERE.

365 Hands Follow-Up

noreply@blogger.com (Noah) — Thu, 23 May 2013 17:54:00 +0000

Kim Knapp completed her yearlong 365 Hands project on Saturday May 4, 2013...

What are the biggest lessons/skills you learned from doing your project? I’ve learned much over the past 365 days… here’s a list of the highlights

Success …. Reached my goal. I can do anything I put my mind to.
Support … I could not have done this without the support of my wonderful husband who had to live with my daily “hand” chatter, antics and photos.
I found the artist in me… I’m an Artist… commissioned the first 50 hands for Art-O-Mat
Time … NO EXCUSES… I found the time daily to be creative and blog. I learned that there are enough hours in a day.
JOY … I found joy each day … from creating, making a mess, the smell of paint, glue, crayons and markers, working under pressure, feedback from family, friends and strangers, to the simplest hand finds which brought a smile to my face, as I went out and about my daily activities
Sharp … my mind is clearer, I make business decisions quicker and easier and I am not so hung up in details and the “what ifs”. I’m more creative with my business and daily tasks at work.
I love hand prints in concrete… if I drove a cement truck and laid concrete for a living, I would leave a hand print in my work at every job. I’m sure they have rules about that. I wouldn’t make it long on the job!
I learned to Blog… this was my first…. Blogging is fun! There will be more blogs in my future
I appreciate my right and left hand… they are of value and I don’t take them for granted.

Now what? Four ongoing projects as a result of this blog:

Lend A Hand Project (helping others)
The Inkspot Family (children’s book)
Art-O-Mat (hand sculpture for sale)
Hand Art in Concrete (calendar and wall art)

Read Kim's original 365 interview HERE.

See all of her hands HERE.

365 Days of Basset Hounds

noreply@blogger.com (Noah) — Thu, 09 May 2013 12:30:00 +0000

Lisa Northrup in Colorado is creating 365 Days of Basset Hounds...

Why did you decide to do this project? I have two pure bred year old basset pups referred to in my work as "the boys". They are such a ray of sunshine in my life that when I was looking for an idea it came to me while I was thinking and scratching them on the head.

I am a perpetual planner and love daily tasks. For the last two years I have posted a "prompt of the day" on my FB wall to inspiring my friends to take a moment and think about something every day. It is very popular apparently because people think something has happened if I miss even a day. I also post up on my FB wall a post quote/picture each day. This reminds me and hopefully others to start each day of with a positive thought.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? On a personal note, I embarked on a lifelong dream to learn to paint and draw this year. I now belong to an art group. This challenge has been instrumental in keeping my creative juices fresh and flowing every day. While I don't always have the time to paint or draw I can always find time for a craft project. On another side note, I am loving following others who are on their journey and supporting them. I found a 365ers - 2013 FB group and follow your 365 Day Project FB page. I have made some great new friends.

While I am only 62 days into my challenge I am absolutely certain that after I complete this 365 Challenge I will be ready to start on another one. Thank you so much for the wonderful book and idea. It's great!

See all of Lisa's Bassets HERE.

Imelda's Cat A Day

noreply@blogger.com (Noah) — Wed, 08 May 2013 15:10:00 +0000

Imelda Hinojosa in Southern California is doing a 365 day look at her drawing table called Cat A Day...

Why did you decide to do this project? Two years ago I did a "CAT A DAY" project, where I drew or presented a cat of some sort, each day. ( drawn, clay, bread, photo, etc) The following year I missed the daily challenge and habit that it had become. I decided to do a "Look into the work space", as a way to encourage myself to face that blank surface each day. And to expose when it is not a blank surface, but instead a cluttered mess, a collection of spills and paper shavings, cat hair and coffee cups molding away...

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? I find that I look forward to posting, mostly. I find I am more productive and aware of how something can be photographed or used on the blog. I enjoy the humor of my cat sprawled out on the surface, just as I'm about to start working, or the stillness of seeing the sun pour in the window and lay a pattern on the surface of my table...It keeps me rolling, instead of stalled: " wishing I was doing my art". Setting up my own guidelines; that my posting can be ANYthing, as long as it is in by the magic midnight hour, frees up the imagination. (In comparison to the more specific-CAT A DAY-where, some days I "didn't wanna".)

See all of Imelda's days HERE.

Make or Do Something Every Day

noreply@blogger.com (Noah) — Fri, 03 May 2013 12:30:00 +0000

Shelli Mosteller in Fairfield, Ohio is using my book to Make or Do Something Every Day for 365 days...

Why did you decide to do this project? The journal was a gift from my daughter's best friend, in thanks for carpooling and whatnot throughout the year. So, of course, I'm obligated to use it, right?

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? It's been really interesting so far. It's like exercise for my brain and creative muscle, finding my spin on each daily prompt. Some days, it's really fun. Sometimes, I come to the end of the day and think, "Aaargh, that Infernal Journal!" But I do it anyway, and I've always been glad. My projects aren't artistic masterpieces. I'm not a visual artist. I'm more of a director/videographer/entertainer. But I love that the prompts are open enough for a wide variety of interpretations. It's just enough to spark a little – oh yeah, I could do this… I'm having fun sharing my daily projects with my friends on Facebook.

Ann's 365 Days of Pattern

noreply@blogger.com (Noah) — Wed, 01 May 2013 12:30:00 +0000

Ann Kilzer in Austin, Texas is creating 365 Days of Pattern...

Why did you decide to do this project? After studying both printmaking and computer science in college, I made the more practical choice to pursue a technical career, but always aimed to maintain my artistic interests. Now that I'm finished with grad school and have a more balanced life, this project gives me an opportunity to rekindle my creativity.

Why patterns? I've unknowingly been dabbling in this area for awhile, but I finally have decided to focus my work. As an art student, I often received comments that my work always had some "all-over pattern" to it. I doodled pages of repeating coat hangers in my math notebooks, admired vintage wallpapers and islamic designs, and secretly desired to become a textile designer. Now that I'm in my late 20s I feel inspired to make my dreams possible, even if it is in a small way. A year ago I discovered the works of Florence Broadhurst, who really elevated wallpaper and textile design to high art. I feel inspired to explore what kind of patterns I can make.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? I'm finally putting my art studio and drafting table to good use. Doing this project has been really fulfilling. I have plans to start block printing on fabric in the coming weeks. It's really exciting to be making something with my hands again.

One unexpected change is that I'm getting lots feedback from friends on social media; specifically, many people are sharing patterns with me. It's very rewarding to see that my project is making other people think about art.

I've also extended my pattern blog to feature guest artists. I'm not part of any art community right now, so this is my attempt to connect with other artists online. I really had a great time interviewing Alyssa from Because Patterns. I found her work via Facebook, and am so thankful I reached out to her. Learning how she creates her work was very inspiring. See the full interview HERE.

See all of Ann's patterns HERE.

A Yin Yang A Day

noreply@blogger.com (Noah) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 14:09:00 +0000

Emily Adelman in Ann Arbor, Michigan is creating a A Yin Yang A Day...

Why did you decide to do this project? I saw Noah’s book online called 365: A Daily Creativity Journal: Make Something Every Day and Change Your Life! Being someone who is not likely to turn down a challenge, I decided to take it on.

I chose the yin yang because it is often a symbol of my astrological sign, Gemini, the sign of twins, which is dual-natured, elusive, complex and contradictory. I believe this correctly describes myself.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? I have done a lot of research on the Yin Yang symbol, its meaning and history, and have discovered parts of myself that really relate to the dual-natured aspect of the Yin Yang. I often find that doing art is a form of meditation for me because I tend to zone out (in a good way) when I’m working on my pieces. This project has also given me some excitement in my life, something to look forward to, I really enjoy hearing feedback from my friends and family who are following my blog.

See all of Emily's Yin Yangs HERE.

Richard Radstone: Operation-365

noreply@blogger.com (Noah) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 12:30:00 +0000

In September of 2012 Richard Radstone completed his amazing Project-365 in which he interviewed a complete stranger every single day for a year. He has now begun work on a brand new project he calls Operation-365. Below he talks about the inspiration for this new project and how his life was transformed by his original project...

September 9, 2011... the day my one-year journey began. For 365 consecutive days... approach, interview and photograph a complete stranger, then, every day process the photos and blog about the experience. It was a sleepless year, but well worth it.

I spoke with thousands of people and formally interviewed hundreds. All came from the greatest diversity of culture and outlook. I was hugged, fed and trusted, as well as ignored, spit upon and pushed aside. And, in all, one grand truth emerged... we are all undeniably in this life experience together.

Remarkably, the majority of those I approached subscribed to a similar hope for a more caring and connected people. Equally as impactful were the many who subscribed to and commented on the projects blog roll. Communications from just about every part of the free world arrived on a daily basis; and through it, grew a neighborhood far beyond my Los Angeles boarders.

I’ve grown to call us “The Silent Majority.” The you and I’s that pass shoulders every day in every part of this planet Earth; that sphere of perpetual movement that we label as society, workplace, and even, family.

That beginning blog, grew to own its own title, “Project-365.” And with it, the path of my career has been literally redirected, and, best of all, it is for the betterment of more than just myself. Sure, my outlook towards the world has blossomed, and my understanding of fellow human matured, but better yet, I’ve witnessed first hand that the world is shrinking in more ways than we realize.

Absolutely, technology has brought the information stream to our fingertips. A chisel has been placed in our hands; a streaming tool that if used responsibly, can help us to chip away at the walls of fear that separate far too many of us.

Walls whose foundations are weak from overly exploited media, hidden agendas, and destructive gossip. Virtual barriers that through our efforts are slowly falling as we stand up to shout in unison, “We are all human!”

One year of Project-365 past, conversations with over two thousand strangers, formal interviews of hundreds more, and comments submitted from all over the globe have taught us a unifying and powerful perspective.

The borders of fearful silence that have separated so many are beginning to open. I believe this in the deepest depths of my heart. It’s been proven to me not by my own means, but via the words of the many who have so bravely shared their stories through Project-365.

The world is growing to become a much smaller planet for all who have the courage, and stamina, to enlist in mutual cause. Absolutely, there will never be a time when we will all agree on any one issue. And, without a doubt, life has the potential to break us all with its vast and complex set of circumstances. But, with pause, as we examine this experience we call self... there is a universal builder greater than any other man created opinion, “The power of accepting love.”

Technology has given us a remarkable tool; one that let’s us look far beyond our own geographical limitations and biased perceptions. Project-365 has proven there are many who are willing to do the face-to-face work that is required to reach out within their individual neighborhoods and cultures. Yes, one sleepless year has taught me well, and anchored to my own life history of ups and downs, I have been profoundly and irreversibly affected. There is no looking back now, only forward, as I dedicate the rest of my breathing days to do all that I can to connect as many people as possible in sharing a common mission: To look upon each other with a greater desire to simply... “Understand.”

I wish a great wish: That we unite in this virtual world, only to use it as a starting point to a much more tactile and global effect – “Eyes up and open to the world” from hence fourth... our call as we charge forward into the next chapter of building this very attainable community.

Welcome to Operation-365 my new friends... we are no longer strangers.

24/7… 365 days a year, we are an interactive, growing and forward thinking community… a living, breathing society of people of all beliefs, circumstances and mindsets. We are optimistic and inclusive, with doors open to all who embrace the embodiment of our mission: “To champion the individual voice, while building bridges towards a greater understanding of our neighbors.”

There are many ways people around the world can engage with us, and with each other… In doing so, they join together as active participants in a unifying global outreach. One that holds strong to a singular call to action: “To awaken and unite through a simple re-programming of the way we think of, interact with and view one another.” We truly are building an internationally vibrant community – one that is open-eyed and awakened. A place where mind and actions transcend the information stream as we all look up and outward; even towards one another.

Operation-365… A culture where the voice of the individual is remarkable!

Check out Richard's new project HERE.

Read Richard's original 365 interview HERE.

365 Days of Heather II

noreply@blogger.com (Noah) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 12:30:00 +0000

Heather Addley in Richmond, VA has begun another year of her 365 Days of Heather self-portrait project...

Why did you decide to do this project? This is my second year doing this project. I took a year off and really missed it.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? This project has really helped me concentrate on making a new piece of art every single day.

See all of Heather's days HERE.

Read Heather's previous 365 interview HERE.

Erin's A Face A Day

noreply@blogger.com (Noah) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 12:30:00 +0000

Erin Bunting in Huron, Ohio is creating A Face A Day 2013: 365 Self Portraits and Others...

Why did you decide to do this project? This is my fifth year-long project in 5 years, but it is the first one that I've made public via a blog and Twitter.

Noah Scalin's Skull-A-Day project visited the Sandusky Cultural Center a few years back. I loved it so much, and was so excited and inspired by it. I tucked the idea of a daily year-long challenge away in my mind until the time was right to pursue my own project.

My first 2 year-long projects were writing projects. My first photography project was 365 days of self portraits in 2011. Last year was "No Day Without Art," which incorporated self portrait photography as well as lots of other media, from papier-mache, to theater performance, to playwrighting, to stop motion animation, to masks, to sculpture, to painting, to jewelry, to a leather corset, to linoleum block prints, to sidewalk chalk. You name it.

For 2013, I really wanted to get back to self portraits, but didn't want to give up the freedom and discovery of exploring other art forms. Also, I wanted to look deeper into a style of self portraiture that didn't literally use my own face. Many of the faces on the blog are not my own, or even human, but the images are still, nevertheless, very personal and very much self portraits. Sometimes using another face uncovers even more emotional truth, allowing me to get even closer to the bone.

As I said, I am also a writer. This year, I wanted to blend my writing and my photography, as well as my love of self portraiture, and creating a blog seemed like a good way to mash it all up for 365 days. I don't write every day. I didn't want to put dual pressures on myself. But when the spirit moves me, I scribble a little something. I shoot the photos a day ahead, and I try to write the posts in one draft, without over-editing and re-working them. I want everything to feel spontaneous and fresh. I'm not trying to be super-profound. I'm just chronicling the 365 days as I go. I just hope that when people look at my portraits and read the words that go with the images, that they feel something, think something, understand something or discover something -- not necessarily about me, but hopefully about themselves or someone they know.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? My 365 days projects haven't just affected my life. They've saved my life. I began making self portraits as art therapy during a particularly difficult time, and got hooked on the art form as a way to say the unsayable. For me, self portraiture is how I journal. Taking pictures of my outside is how I look inward. And even if nothing else good happens on any given day, as long as I made my "face," it was a day worth living.

See all of Erin's faces HERE.

Artpojeckt - 365 Collages and Assemblages Follow-up

noreply@blogger.com (Noah) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:30:00 +0000

Anita Westin in Sweden completed her 365 Collages and Assemblages project on March 25th 2013...

What are the biggest lessons/skills you learned from doing your project? To do art-work even if I am not in the mood make me get into the mood. I get focused even if I am not when I start. In fact I was convinced about the process before I started the project but now I really know what I am talking about. Inspiration isn´t the beginning. It comes with working on it!

In what ways did the project change your life? The project changed me in a way, I am much more dedicated to art-work today then when I started. I did want to have a studio on my own again and now I have it! I did move during the 365 project, and that made me have a break. I did use the camera all the time though, just to keep it going, but I didn't include those pics in the project. An other thing is that in the project I have chosen materials that I have not tried before and it makes me feel free in exploring new ways to make art, and I think that will show in my coming works.

Now what? I am going to keep the project in order in my books of photos, and in the boxes I have got for it. Maybe there will be a small exhibition, including the best items. I have not made a decision about that yet. But the important thing to me is that I will use the project as a bank of ideas and I have already started to make a four-part painting from one of the ideas. I enjoy it. I guess after a while I will start a new project since I do miss working on it already!

Read Anita's original 365 interview HERE.

See all of Anita's collages & assemblages HERE.

Four Each Day

noreply@blogger.com (Noah) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 12:30:00 +0000

Scott Lee Williams in Brooklyn is doing a project called Four Each Day. He explains, "Four Each Day is a blog in which I write four sentences each day, about something that happened that day (within the previous 24 hours). After some false starts over the years (I've been doing it on and off since 2007) I am well on my way this year to actually accomplishing my goal of 365 days of posting."...

Why did I decide to do this project? It started initially as a response to James Kolchalka's "American Elf" comic. I was frustrated by the fact that I love the webcomic format, but had very neither drawing skills, nor much inclination to learn.

Since I'm relatively fluent in the English language, I (rather stupidly in retrospect) decided to write a blog post as if each sentence was a panel in a comic, as if the two formats could somehow transpose in some meaningful fashion. Of course, what ended up happening had very little resemblance to a comic, web or otherwise, but I liked the restriction, and decided to keep it.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected my life? The format itself had an interesting effect on my writing style, in that I've had to learn how to construct sentences with both greater economy and greater density of information. If I only have four sentences in which to communicate the details essential to whatever story I'm trying to tell, I'd better be able to pack exactly what I need into what little space I have. This leads in two directions: simplicity, and byzantine elaboration. I've become conversant in subordinate clauses, abstruse punctuation rules, and in using the precise word in the exact spot. This has made my longer form writing more interesting to read, and more crafted.

The effect of doing something every day, on the other hand, has been of a different sort. The blog is a way of transforming my life.

A quote I read recently pretty much captures it: "Stories happen to those who tell them." If I'm paying attention to my life in order to have a story to tell everyday, I begin to pay more attention to my life in general. As I pay attention, my life becomes more interesting, more fun, and wiser. As I write out the stories of my life, more stories come to me, in an increasingly positive feedback loop. I also come to recognize how much the story that is my life is constructed, how much I create it in the telling. From this, I'm learning to tell stories more to my liking, and thus to create a better life.

Read all of Scott's sentences HERE.

ZOELAB 365

noreply@blogger.com (Noah) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 12:30:00 +0000

Zoë Edmonds in Elias Calles, Baja California Sur, Mexico is creating ZOELAB 365. She explains, that it's, "365 days of words and image (with additional music and video on occasion) every day for one year. A spontaneously unfolding autobiography about my past, present and future as I build a creative life with my husband and son off the grid in Baja, Mexico. The goal is to live life as art, and keep up my creative flow as well as balance, and inspire others to give up a little practicality in order to live an enchanted life."

Why did you decide to do this project? In September I was inspired by reading The Happiness Project and decided that I wanted to create my own improvised Happiness Project in blog form. The key features of my happiness project are: creativity, productivity and honesty. After moving to Mexico and becoming a Mom, I really missed my inner creative world as well as being connected to other people--and thought that this blog would increase my connection to a creative community. I wanted to chronicle and share the amazing and unusual life that we are living--which truly leaves me feeling grateful everyday. I have discovered that the keys to my happiness are: creativity, community, balance, compassion and honesty. I am using myself as a guinea pig and learning tool in these pursuits--to see how I can apply my lessons learned to my work as a creativity teacher and coach. (www.arforlifebaja.com)

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? This project has gotten me in touch with my creative dreams and my true self, which has sped up my path of spiritual, artistic and vocational development. My site creates a space of integration for dual aspects of self as well as my varied interests--and the result is I am developing deep compassion for the complexities of being human. I am learning more about how to be a communicator and have reconnected with my life long desire to use the arts to communicate on a large scale. I have been experiencing intense feelings of passion, creative flow, inspiration, intellectual curiosity and desire to connect with people in honest, yet aesthetic ways. I am also getting back in touch with the importance of feminism and empowerment--to support, not only women, especially women who want to be communicators and leaders, but also to support the feminine principle--receptivity, intuition, emotion, wholeness, right brain attributes--in a culture that overvalues the linear logic of the left brain. The most surprising thing that I have experienced is that this drive and passion has helped me to overcome the fear and shyness of putting my work and beliefs out in the world. I find myself willing to connect with people in the public eye with no fear of judgment or rejection. This challenge has made me far more capable and productive than I previously imagined I could be.

See all of Zoë's projects HERE.

The Amazing Link Follow-up

noreply@blogger.com (Noah) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 12:30:00 +0000

Cheryl Colee recently hit the 2 year mark on her daily project documenting the adventures of The Amazing Link the cat...

What are the biggest lessons/skills you learned from doing your project? I learned that it was really easy to find the time every day to create something that was important to me.

In what ways did the project change your life? The project taught me to prioritize, daily. To create enough time in my daily routine to create something that I've discovered makes me happy as well as others who view my drawings.

Now what? I'm going to keep drawing Link every day, searching for interesting and fun things for him to do (or at least until my friends and family get tired of me asking for ideas). I would like to get The Amazing Link published; kids seem to be incredibly intrigued by Link and his adventures.

Read Cheryl's original 365 interview HERE.

See all of The Amazing Link HERE.

Danny Collage

noreply@blogger.com (Noah) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 12:30:00 +0000

Daniel James Leznoff in Montreal, Canada is posting daily collages at Danny Collage...

Why did you decide to do this project? After creating 500 pieces in a 3-year period, I took my friends' advice to digitize and share my work. I realized that I'm lucky enough to fit this prolific output into a daily format. Stockpiling such a backlog of images has certainly helped.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? So far, the response has been wonderful. The images have been enjoyed and shared extensively on tumblr, and in just one month of operation I've received international press attention from Chile (A Normal Mag) to Sweden (Visual Cache). More in store.

See all of Daniel's collages HERE.

Field of Ponies

noreply@blogger.com (Noah) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:30:00 +0000

Julie Berube, a fashion designer from Montreal, Canada who currently resides in London UK is creating daily in her Field of Ponies project...

Why did you decide to do this project? I had my own womenswear label here in London for 6 years before having my 2 children and decided to put everything on hold. I'm preparing a fashion come-back for 2014, but right now I am mainly at home looking after my young daughter and son whilst I'm sketching and sourcing fabrics for my fashion line. I was looking for a project to keep me focussed on deadlines, to make me explore other mediums than the ones I normally use and also to generate a social media following (and get to grip with all the different platforms).

For many years I have been toying with the name "Field of Ponies" for a trade mark and when I got your book, I immediately new I had to make one pony a day. I'm not sure why, I know I have to do this project and that something good and exciting will come out of it (I've been asked to design T-shirts already!) My approach is to use stuff that I can put my hands on during that day. I don't want to buy anything specifically for the project nor do I spend too much time on it. I work fast and furiously!

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? I’m only two and a half weeks into the project, so it’s a little early to say how it has affected me. I try not to think about it too much because I want it to feel quite spontaneous. I find this challenging because I’ve had a small but faithful audience since day one – and I don’t want to disappoint them! I am very surprised at how people are responding to the project. Some have said it’s like receiving a gift every day and I hadn’t anticipated that reaction. In fact I thought they’d more likely be annoyed at seeing ponies every day on their Facebook feed! I feel it’s a privilege to provide my audience with a little smile every day, and bearing this in mind helps me to keep on going. I’ve had a lot of requests for t-shirts, which is something I will look into further down the line. I think what has changed the most for me since starting the project is that I now feel extremely connected to people. I haven’t been in an awkward situation as yet, but I think this will inevitably happen as I begin to create outside of my immediate environment. My motto is: start where you are, use what you have, do what you can!

You can see all of Julie's ponies on her blog or on Facebook.

Artifacts and Alchemy

noreply@blogger.com (Noah) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 12:30:00 +0000

Mistie K. Jordan in Michigan is creating a project she calls Artifacts and Alchemy. She explains, "This is a yearlong commitment by me to: simplify, use the stuff I have, get rid of the things I don't, organize and create with what I have."

Why did you decide to do this project? I decided to start this project to help with gnawing goals that have lots of thought in my head but seem to have trouble finding their way to actual physical activity to being completed. Your book made me think about how the days fly by and can be filled with the projects, ideas, and joy that we choose to fill them with, IF, we are willing to take action and commit to them.

Creativity is my goal. Respect, love, and delight in my creativity as a gift for myself and to share with others everyday. I will create with the materials I like (artifacts) , share what I know and learn and practice new techniques (alchemy). I will post on my blog at least once a week to record and share my progress. We are talking life change in little steps.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? I say on my blog that I feel like I cheated to get started. I read your book in the summer, and stirred around in my head while I had a bunch of other commitments to complete. I pushed through the summer doing stuff that I realized I really DID NOT want to be doing. All my creativity was pushed to the side and I was really frustrated and sad about losing myself in the projects of others. Then I started thinking that I have been doing that for a long time. So, in September I just dove in and started de-cluttering and rediscovering treasures. It has been amazing so far the space I have discovered in my house and the creative ideas I have that keep flowing and the centeredness I feel in giving myself permission to accept and act on those ideas. I have started documenting my progress on my blog now that I feel what my true goal for the year is, and that I feel really compelled to act upon my goal regardless of the other things that are happening in my life. I have been able to say "no" over and over again to projects that seem to be taking my time, but that have no respect for my creative passions. As the year goes on and there is less clutter and more creating space, I feel more excited rather than overwhelmed.

See all of Mistie's artifacts HERE.

Kathy's Poem-A-Day

noreply@blogger.com (Noah) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 12:30:00 +0000

Kathy in Stockton, California is writing a poem a day based on the prompts in my book...

DAY 15 - What can you do with just a dollar? Use a dollar bill as your medium or inspiration today.

Alliteration

The dollar depreciates, dated, but dependable, delegated to the dollar store for discovered daily deals dealt by darling diligent Donna, the damsel designated to dispense the desired discoveries from duct tape to dish soap.

Why did you decide to do this project? Stumbled across 365 while browsing on Amazon. It was intriguing. Now my husband has been inspired to start. He plans to do a pencil sketch a day.

DAY 6 - Look in the kitchen and work with the first thing you spot.

Ode to the Banana

Banana so bold
Vitamins you hold
With a nice thick coat
On you many dote

An apple a day
might keep docs away
But a banana a day
I say hooray

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? It has inspired me to write which I have loved to do. I take a creative writing class, but it covers only about 20 weeks of the year. In class I found that I love to write poetry. Each day brings a challenge, fun, and a smile - a wonderful way to start a day. I can’t wait to see what the day’s “assignment” brings!

DAY 9 - Make something with your breakfast before you eat it. 2/26

Used Cheerios for my food
Made something to be viewed
Spelled “poem” on a plate
Took a photo and then ate

3x5 everyday

noreply@blogger.com (Noah) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 12:30:00 +0000

Bryndie Beach in Carmel, California is creating 3x5 everyday...

Why did you decide to do this project? After taking Tina Seelig’s MOOC A Crash Course on Creativity through Stanford this fall, I liked the idea of doing a mini creative project every day to stay alert and pay closer attention to the work involved in making a small treasure every day for a year. Connecting and combining random items and thoughts makes for a great and surprising creative road map for the year ahead. So I started with the following:

Where will a 3 x 5 index card lead you? How can that tiny frame come alive? Can that small space hold the stuff of dreams?

Basic materials are 3 x 5 cards, which my Dad used on a daily basis, and found items in drawers, all loosely related to tea, a drink I love.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? I try to not look at the prompt until the morning, then, depending on the work day and how much is happening, mull it all over and usually latch on to a few objects. I like going beyond the first, second, or third idea, and seeing how many layers emerge to give each little 3 x 5 more depth and playfulness. Although I am only on Day 21 today (March 7), Noah's design challenges have filled me with energy and perseverance. I find that even though the format is small, the thoughts and results can be BIG!

See all of Bryndie's 3x5 creations HERE.

365 videos. A Year For Adventure.

noreply@blogger.com (Noah) — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 12:30:00 +0000

Tazie K in Bristol, UK is creating 365 videos. A Year For Adventure...

Why did you decide to do this project? I decided to start a 365 project after seeing all the fun my sister Luna was having with her 365 boats project. I'd known for a while I wanted to make videos, I've always had a love for the visual arts. I had been watching so many awesome YouTube Vlogers, musicians, creative types or reading blogs on blogger I enjoyed being part of the revolution of free media as a viewer so decided to step out from the shadows and start my own channel.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? Every day I'm coming up with a new challenge for myself, whether it be in the editing of a video or the filming im constantly learning new things with a lot of help from online tutorials of course. I love were each video takes me even if quite often there still filmed inside the house there always so much fun to create. So far I've got two Favorites. The slow-mo ball throw which was just great fun to film and edit we chucked so many paper balls at Luna and then playing it back at different speeds you could see Luna trying to dodge each ball. Number two is the speed crafts which was the 2nd video. This one was great it was the first video using premiere pro and i had to learn a lot that day in a very short space of time.

See all of Tazie's videos on her blog or on YouTube.

Nourish 365 Project

noreply@blogger.com (Noah) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 12:30:00 +0000

Jenna Powers in Boston, Massachusetts is celebrating what nourishes her life: photography, food, friends and family in Nourish 365 Project...

Why did you decide to do this project? Turning 35, preparing for a wedding, moving to a new city and moving in with my fiancé… oh, and 60+ hour workweeks that involve being away from home two or three weeks a month…

Photography is a passion, but it was becoming too easy to go long stretches without picking up the camera. The Project was a way for me to connect with my creativity and my passion, even if it is just for one iPhone click a day (though I have found myself schlepping the Nikon around more often!)

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? I knew I could do the photography part, but to my fiance and I's pleasant surprise, it turns out I can actually cook! (Did I mention that prior to starting my food-based Project I didn’t cook at all?) Don't get me wrong, I will never be a Top Chef, but after years of ordering takeout and watching any one of a dozen cooking competition shows, it looks like I actually learned some things.

It’s also been a great opportunity to connect with foodies, photography lovers, and culinary geniuses in my neighborhood and in cities around the country. Having a blogger “like” my post, or a restaurant retweet me or post one of my photos on their Facebook page helps me feel connected to my surroundings, something that’s generally a challenge for me—I haven’t spent more than two consecutive weeks in the same city in more than two years!

I really look forward to what the next ten months has in store for me, my camera and my stomach!

See everything that nourishes Jenna HERE.