Creative focus for 2021

I've been much less productive than I'd like for the last couple of months as I was consumed by work commitments. I know that November-December is always stressful and overwhelming, but it was made more so this year by not having my usual reserves of energy. I am therefore especially grateful that I have started my Summer holidays today! I now have time to create, and rest, spend time with my family and friends, and recharge from now until the end of January. After a very tough year I am counting my blessings, and thought I'd share what I'm looking forward to creatively over the next few weeks and into 2021. I'll be closing my year and finding my word using the free offerings I shared HERE.

And there are a couple of new ones to share this week : I'll be exploring some of Ivy Newport's free lessons in her 12 days of creativity : FREE videos, creative inspiration and discounted classes :

I never do watch all the lesson from Amber's online retreats, but I always find something I enjoy. Tamara Laporte and Kiala Givehand are 2 names you might recognise who are offering sessions.

Sign up here - begins 20 December.

And looking ahead to classes for 2021

I am already joined up for Wanderlust 2021 since I got in quick with the special US$99 pricing. You can still join HERE but it's now US$175 and only available to purchase until 31 December 2020. I've never done this before and I am looking forward to learning from some new teachers and getting a new class for inspiration every week. 

I purchased Kaleidoscope 2020 and didn't manage to do much with it this year so will be making time for that over my Christmas holidays and hopefully beyond. I've watched a few lessons and it's gorgeous and I'm not at all sorry I signed up, just sorry I didn't have the time and energy to do it with other class participants. Life time access....

I've also got other classes I've purchased in the past which I've never completed - this makes me hesitate over purchasing anything else new EXCEPT that

I have long been a fan of Effy Wild and can't imagine doing a year without some kind of class from her. See her current offerings HERE. In the past I've participated in both Book of Days and Moonshine and much more. For 2021 I've decided to do something a bit different and joined her Patreon - there are several levels and I'm going for the top US$20/month. For this I will get Moonshine : The Cafe (The Lite version of Moonshine 2021)

and A Year of Mary which will feature twelve paintings using the ‘lip up’ technique inspired by the poetry of Mary Oliver. This is also available at the $5 (speed painting) or $10 (full length tutorial and PDF) Patreon levels if you just want that. Starting 15th January the below is an Effy example of this technique. 

Bonus - I'll also receive the Darling Human Planner (also available separately from Patreon) which will support my written journaling.

I'm also a member of Effy's Wilderhood FB group which is for students and friends of Effy Wild, including alumni, patrons, etc. 

In 2020 this included Journal 52 prompts, links to Journal Jams and monthly workbooks including daily prompts for written journaling and occasional bonus lessons. 

I also would like to return to a more regular written journaling practice. My Inner Work journal which I began in September 2019 changed a bit this year. While my mixed media work sustained me in my time fighting breast cancer, I found it too challenging to write too much about what was going on. Instead I printed out messages and emails about what was happening in my week

and continued to keep a record of what I was reading and watching each month and the art I had produced over the course of the month

This is a view of my journal from the side - each tab is a month. 

I've purchased a new journal and you'll see I printed a list from the computer that I did when I was still in the thick of work. Also lots of lovely photos to remind me of the highlights of the first couple of weeks of December.

I need to set up this new journal for written journaling. I think I will probably use Susannah Conway's offerings to start this one. 

Only thing I'm not sure of at present is what I'm going to do for mixed media and stitched projects. I'm sure something will come to me at the right time. I need something like Klimt in the garden with Rumi (2019) or the Journal 52 weekly cards I've done this year. Maybe not a weekly commitment though....

I'm getting excited about my plans and I'd love to hear what you're doing creatively in 2021. Hope you are finding ways to make this a special time of year for you, despite the continuing challenges being faced, especially by my overseas readers. Sending you some extra wishes for a safe and joyful season 🌟