Happy New Year 2023: My word of the year & art journaling

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Happy New Year!

I hope that the start of this year and the close of last has you doing just want you like to be doing.

Life makes it so easy to get caught up in things doesn’t it? Especially the things we don’t really care much for. I personally don’t like making resolutions or thinking that a simple tick of the clock hand means I’m going to be someone new-some idyllic version of myself.

Instead I like to think about intention.
”How do I want to feel?”
”How do I want to be?”

I like to move from one year to the next thinking about the things that have been working, the things that aren’t and making some gentle plans or rather, containers for the intentions I am setting for the year ahead.

Maybe that’s just a lot of words for resolutions but the energy of it is quite different I assure you! *smile*

Each year I choose a word for my year and this year I am also making an art journal to use just for that word.

I started by creating a workbook to help me choose my word (you can pick up your own digital copy in my shop here if you like) and I really wanted to make an effort to work with the energy of my word throughout the year and specifically to make time to work in my art journal.

I also thought it would be fun to make it a video series and share it with you.

If it sounds like fun you can follow along by choosing your own journal (or making one-I’ll have a video uploaded on January 7th where we will make a junky, brightly colored, textured journal together) and deciding on your word for 2023. I created a little video that goes into more detail about the year long series and you can watch it at the end of this blog post as well as on Dilettante TV.

In 2023 I really want to embody my creativity and to move forward with faith. That is why I chose “Faith Filled” as my 2023 word of the year. My husband asked why not “faithful” and I said that I wanted to be filled with faith and that really feels different to me.

I want to be filled with faith that I am here for a purpose.
I want to be filled with faith that I am being guided through all aspects of my life.
I want to be filled with faith that I am able to live the life I know I am being called to live.

It feels like a nice fit.

Do you choose a word? I would love to know and if you feel like sharing please comment below.

This time of year can be so many different things but it is my sincere wish for you that you are able to move through time in the way that feels truest for you. That the world that so easily distracts can be still enough for you to find your North and take the steps to living your fullest and most creative life.

Wishing you a beautiful 2023!

Much love,

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

 

Music by Julia Pauletti – Wild Ride – https://thmatc.co/?l=A4C2DBFE

Creating a Life You Love (That Loves You Back): And a Digital Detox

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I have been busy with the holiday season. Wrapping, making, wrapping. The studio is in chaos and this week, if I am honest, I am feeling a bit bah humbug.

I have decided to let some of my plans go. I had wanted to make lots of handmade gifts like I did last year but was quickly feeling overwhelmed and stressed as the days ticked by.  I reminded myself that while I love making the holidays special for the people I care about-it’s also my holiday and I need to give myself space to enjoy this time as well. To focus on what matters. To have the reflective time that is so important to me and mostly, to feel cozy and joyful.

I have been extremely intentional in creating a life that is not busy. I don’t want to be forever running to and fro or with an endlessly long to-do list. I prefer to have space in my days to allow for inspiration and the unexpected opportunity to arise. I have shared here on the blog before that I sometimes struggle with finding the balance between living consciously, leaving space for inspiration and at the same time moving forward with the projects that are important to me.

I have managed to launch my Etsy shop last month. I am still filling it but launching it felt like a big deal. I wanted to make the Digital Holiday & Christmas Card designs I had worked on available in time for the holidays. There are so many more ideas I have and I doubt they will all be done in time for the holidays and that’s ok. I could feel myself going from building a business I love to feeling stressed by all the things I thought I had to be doing.

Is it possible to create a thriving business that you love (creative or otherwise) without feeling stressful?  Can you earn the income you seek without having to work long hours and spending all your time and focus on aspects that do not fill your soul?

I believe you can.

I believe we are meant to do work we love and to receive the financial income that supports us. I don’t believe the way things have been done in the past are the way things are meant to be done and I believe there is a shift coming where we can enjoy what we do and be rewarded for it. I believe the world is thirsty for people who are living their authentic life and sharing that life without having to compromise on what is most valuable.

I am still working this all out but I have been thinking a lot about the digital detox I mentioned in the last podcast. I think that I am going to focus the month of January on the work I want to create in the way I want to create it. To let go of all the wonderful things I have seen my fellow artists creating and to instead focus on what it is I want to create and share. To really delve into who I am as an artist without thinking about who I should be to make a living as a an artist.

I will be sharing here with you of course as I go through this journey. I am going to spend the rest of December thinking about what this will look like and I will be giving you an update to let you know what you can expect here.

If you like, you can subscribe to my newsletter here and you will receive all the updates. Anything I update whether it’s a blog post, video or podcast goes out in the weekly newsletter. I really do keep it weekly (or less) so as not to bombard your inbox. If you would like to know about my digital greeting card and wall art shop you can sign up for that newsletter here.

So that’s all for today. I hope you are finding joy in the holiday season. Please comment below-I would love to hear your thoughts about what you are doing to take care of yourself this holiday season and also your thoughts on creating a life you love that loves you back.

Wishing you a beautiful week!

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

Doing What I Shouldn’t

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I am doing what I shouldn’t be doing.

I am spending my time doing things that I love. I am making things that excite me instead of the things I should be making.

I’m ignoring the to-do list in favor of the bucket list.

I’m not working on being what I think I should be and focusing much more on what I know I am.

I’m being creative, I dreaming big and I am making things that cause me to giggle like I’m 5 and squeal with excitement.

I’m breaking away from schedules in favor of authentic sharing and collaboration.

I’m not hustling, bossing, fixing or wearing a crown in favor of being my unique self instead.

It felt wrong at first. Like I should be doing my homework before I go play outside.

Why did I believe I had to do that now?

I didn’t do it then.

I was happy then.

I was free then.

Here’s to making a mess and leaving it.

 

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

Creative Input Detox: An Idea Has Started

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I am inundated with thoughts.

It’s as if the voices of all I have been reading, watching and learning are in my head chattering away about everything. They have lots of opinions. I have conjured up lots of pretend scenarios that go with them and as a result they offer a never ending, running commentary on all I do (or don’t do) throughout the day.

I think it’s time for another detox.

I do not mean a detox of the physical variety such as a juice cleanse but rather a detox of consumption.
I have done this before, back when I was first re-starting my blog and I found it to be very liberating.

Over the past few weeks I have been losing my focus. I am easily distracted with new ideas and as a result I am starting and stopping a lot. Normally I love having lots of creative ideas but when they interfere with the goals I have and result in my bouncing around from one thing to the next, I think it’s time to simplify.

To offer some examples, over the past week or so I have come up with lots of things I want to create. Paths I want to go down and while they are fun prospects I haven’t completed any of the projects I already started. Instead of seeing through my “in progress” works, I am being distracted by the next shiny thing.

I do embrace change and I can easily move on from projects that are no longer working. This is different though. I am so flooded with the “new and shiny” I almost can’t remember what I was working on. It’s similar to walking into a room with the intention of dusting and instead you end up sorting clothing-half way though leaving it still spread all over the floor because you went downstairs for garbage bags and are now cleaning the garbage can but you left that outside because the leaves needed raking….

You get the idea.

As a creative the new ideas are exciting and tempting. Sometimes, they point out what we want to add to our existing projects or what we need to let go of. Other times they do nothing more than keep us from completing anything.

So I am planning a detox and here is what I mean.

Last time I think I called it “No input.” Not a very catchy title but I was trying to share the essence of what I was going through. Basically for the designated time I didn’t read anything (no books, blog posts, newsletters, emails etc.). I didn’t listen to anything so no audiobooks or podcasts. I didn’t watch anything-no TV, videos etc.

I think I still listened to music and I went online for the purposes of paying bills and such but that was pretty much it. I focused instead on output. I used the time I would have spent consuming more information to sharing what it was I already had. Instead of learning a new mixed media technique I played around with the ones I already know.

Instead of reading a new book I worked on writing my own.

Instead of reading blog posts, I worked on writing my own.

Instead of listening to podcasts, I worked on making my own.

It was pretty wonderful.

Once in a while I allowed myself a video here and there when I just really wasn’t into doing anything and I think that’s grace. It’s also the difference between resistance and self-care so I was very aware of every time I did this.

I love having lots of projects but I also want to start finishing some. I want to feel I am gaining traction on my creative business and I want to start seeing some tangible results. So I think a bit of a detox is in order.

I haven’t worked out the when and the how and the how long. Part of me thought it might be good to have set days where I don’t have any input and then other days where I can. I think it might support me better to have some disconnected time through out the week rather than just not having any for a month and going back.

So maybe that looks something like only reading, watching and listening 3 days a week and the other days I focus on creating. I do like this idea because it becomes a regular practice of being intentional with each day rather than just pushing through a month of no content only to return right back to where I was.

Like giving up all snack foods for a month versus limiting what you eat through out the week.

What about you? Do you feel overwhelmed sometimes with ideas? When you sit down for your creative time do you not know where to start? I would love to hear any ideas you have. It might be a fun journey to take together.

I’ll be talking more about this in this week’s podcast and I will let you know next week what I’ve decided.

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

Finding a Groove

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Is it really just a few days until Halloween?

Halloween is a favorite around our house and we have been watching our Halloween videos. Tonight the kids and I watched “Nightmare Before Christmas” which we all love. Our drives usually involve at least one go of “This is Halloween” played over the radio. Tomorrow we are thinking “The Haunted Mansion” and then wrap it all up with “Hocus Pocus” over the weekend.

I have been busy creating a really fun Halloween project for what is my soon-to-be launched Patreon Page. I don’t have a deadline yet, I have just been wanting to make content and upload it so there is something already there when people sign up. I have some really fun ideas and am enjoying creating content.

I also plan to return to YouTube and maybe even work out a regular schedule. I think I just need to get over myself and stop taking it so seriously and just enjoy making videos. It’s so easy to make something a lot more than it is and I’m trying to just relax and enjoy doing what I love to do.

One of the projects I am working on right now is a miniature kit for Halloween. It’s a shoe box scene of a Magic Emporium. I have been construction a few pieces each night at the studio and filming it as a challenge to share with Patrons. It’s been so much fun especially since I haven’t really created anything like this. I started a kit last year but didn’t really get far and when I was a kid I made a piece of dollhouse furniture from a kit. I talked a bit about that in this week’s podcast.

It’s a bit of a lofty ambition but I am hoping to have the piece done by Halloween. We will see how I get on. In the meantime here is a sneak peak of some of the pieces I have created.

I changed a few things up in the studio. Moving my desks around to make way for my new printer and my Cricut machine. I have been working hard on my sticker creations and hope to launch my new sticker shop soon. Mastering the Cricut is part of that plan but I would really love to have it up and going in time for holiday shopping. I won’t rush it though, things happen in time and I am determined to enjoy the process and to make products I am excited about. I have come up with my shop name and just need to purchase the domain and set up my shop. If you want to stay in the loop on that you can subscribe to my newsletter here. I’ll be sending out a newsletter with shop updates and coupons but only once a week. I hate receiving daily emails so I won’t be sending them out 🙂

I am also going to be launching my digital download shop. I thought of having everything in one spot and I’ll probably do that here on the site but with my Etsy shop it seemed best to keep everything cohesive and theme based. I have been having lots of fun creating planner downloads and inspirational signs. It would be great to launch both shops at the same time but again, trying to keep the fun in everything but also taking advantage and harnessing the creative energy when it’s here 🙂 If you like digital downloads and want to sign up for updates about that you can do that here.

I know it may sound like a thousand projects but I am really learning how to make everything work in manageable chunks and making the most out of my studio time. I am excited to share more content with you here on the blog as this is my home base to connect with my fellow creatives. I would love to hear about the projects you are working on so please do reach out.

In the meantime I wish you a lovely weekend and a very Happy Halloween if you celebrate. I will be back with you again next week. Much love.

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

Just ‘Cause

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Fall has arrived.

The air is crisp and I’m finding myself reaching for a sweater through out the day.
I love it.

I have fallen out of the routine of coming to my studio. This past week I was hibernating and it seemed harder to stretch back out into the world-even to the studio I love. It felt as if I had just broken the habit of going and needed to get that started again. I see now though it was a bit more.

My mind had fallen back into production mode. I was silently thinking of what should be accomplished when I get to the studio. I made some really awesome digital artwork last week that I’m really proud of. I am imagining it to be the first collection I share and I was so caught up in what it was supposed to be that I couldn’t get myself back into the practice of making art again.

Digital art feels different to me somehow.
It feels ready made for production and profit.
The art I make with paper, paints and by hand feels more intimate, personal. Like it’s created to reach people, inspire them.

I don’t say this as a statement of fact. It is simply how the process feels to me and how this perception of mine colors my creative process.

I have to realign again with making art simply to enjoy making art.
To paint for no other reason than to enjoy playing with color.
To write because I enjoy telling a story and to share that writing because others might enjoy reading it.

So this week I am focusing on some time to re-connect with my art. To enjoy her once again and to play, once again, without worrying where it will lead but rather to trust the process. One tangible product I am working on is setting up my podcasts onto a new site. I’ll still host them here but the new site will offer some editing software along with the chance to be found on another platform. It will also allow for you to listen on your favorite streaming service so if that’s something you have been looking for I hope to have it up and running soon.

My birthday is this Friday and I am making more time this week for the creative practices I love most. I am hoping to play in my, “Year of Me Journal,” maybe do some writing. I am also doing a bit of a birthday “advent calendar” where each day from Monday-Friday I am going to do something special to mark the lead up to my birthday. Tonight, while making some art in my chilly studio (need to bring a space heater I think) I plan to watch “Hocus Pocus” one of my favorite movies ever. I am less excited for the second one now that I know they didn’t bring back the 3 kids from the original movie. I’m sure I’ll still watch it. Have you seen it? Please let me know if you liked it or not below.

That’s it for me. Wishing you a lovely, creative week!

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante