Hey everyone! Today is an exciting day — the first installment of the Creative Collective!!! In case you missed my initial post, detailing what this whole thing is about, then the Creative Collective is a year-long community building, creative program. I’ve thought up 23 fun activities for us to do (roughly two/month), which are designed to help you exert creativity in all its forms — from writing and music to painting and bartending, we’re going to get creative in the best ways! Just visit this post to read all of the year’s prompts. On the specified day, I will hold a link up here, on my blog, where you can share a blog post or photo related to YOUR project. Then, we can all peruse each other’s artwork and make new friends to fuel our creativity during 2014. Can I get a WOOOOOHOOOOOO?
SO. Today is the day of our first linkup! Here is the prompt for today’s posts:
Think of a word that you want to focus on in 2014.
Find a piece of paper, cardboard, old pizza boxes, whatever, and write your word out. You can include photos, magazine clippings, paint splotches, random household items, or anything, really, that embodies this word to you. Make it colorful, if you like. Then hang it somewhere in your house or bedroom where it can inspire you and help you maintain your focus throughout the year.
I spent SO much time trying to choose a word for this year. Some top contenders that didn’t make the short list were “grow,” “refine,” and “innovate.” But something felt like it was missing. I even thought about “radiate” and “ecosystem” for the longest time. The former reminded me too much of radiation and the latter only conjured up images of deer and insects living in peace.
As I kept sifting and searching for what I felt I needed MORE of this year, I realized something big.
About four years ago, I got a small infinity symbol tattooed inside my wrist. To me, this tattoo was a reminder of the value that all beings hold — that we are connected to everyone who comes into our lives and that there is always something special and meaningful about these people (and other creatures).
During the past couple years, I feel like I lost touch with this side of myself in certain ways. The perfectionist in me has fully taken over and I’ve become more critical of others and less love-filled than I would like. And as with anyone who has built their own business, I spent much of 2013 focusing on me. Building my blog. Starting my design studio. Me. All the time. It made sense, of course, and focusing on my goals and life for an entire year led me to some beautiful revelations and welcomed changes to my lifestyle. I was happy, thriving, and excited by everything I was doing.
But as I look at 2014, I don’t just want to think about myself and my goals — I want to think about us. All of us. How I can be a better human to the rest of the world, rather than just to myself.
And thus, “All Together Now” became my word(s) of the year.
All Together Now reflects my desire to commit myself to others. It might be as simple as saying more enthusiastic greetings to my neighbors — learning about who they are as people and leaving them with a warm, safe feeling each time we part. Or it might be more complex, like my role in Bloggers Giving Back and striving to do as much community service as I can. But at the end of the day, I want to want to do things for others. I want to intentionally make people’s days. I want to remember the absolute importance that we all have in this world — that our lives are all changed and distinguished by the fact that we exist here, together. I can’t wait for this year ahead and can already feel my mind gently shifting to meet this goal. It will be a good year, I know it. 🙂
For my art (above), I chose to keep things simple. I experimented with watercolors, stamps, and fine-tip black Sharpies and had a ball doing it! I had a couple failed attempts before creating my final piece, but enjoyed how those failures just got me thinking in new ways, even if I didn’t like the end result. I framed my final piece and it is now sitting right in front of me on my desk. 🙂 I can’t WAIT to see what you all created! Link ’em up below!
Creative Collective Linkup RULES
- You MUST leave a comment on the person’s blog who linked up directly before you. Check out their post, share some love, and make them feel like a creative all-star. (Don’t worry, the person who links up after you will return the favor!…Comments for everyone!).
- Please link up your posts or photos related to our Creative Collective prompt. Do not share links to unrelated DIY projects or to your blog’s homepage. They will be deleted.
- If you like this project, share it! The more the merrier, ya dig? I even made a cute little button for your blogs, which links back to the Creative Collective page! Just copy the code and you’re good to go. 🙂
I am so excited about these little projects and yours is very cute!
Thank you Bailie!! 🙂
I really love your finished piece!! It’s simple and pretty and love that it’s in a frame already!
Thank you Emma! I really like it too (it is the product of many failed attempts ;)). I’ve also gone frame crazy and love framing all of my prints now! Michaels has such amazing deals, I just can’t NOT! 🙂
I absolutely adore your piece! and I loved hearing how you came up with your words. hopefully I’ll make time to play around with watercolors later in the year, but for this first project I wanted to use stuff I had on hand. so excited to see what everyone comes up with!!
Thank you Jamie! There’s pleeeenty of time to experiment with all mediums this year — I’m excited! And I loved your piece! Way to be inventive with the things you had in your house!
I am still thinking about what to do.. I think I am going to use a quote or something.
Love your piece!! 🙂 Yeah to be more creative in 2014.
Awesome! Can’t wait to see what you make. 🙂
Love this!
Thank you Chelsea!
What a fun and happy print! I really want to get letter stamps like that–I’m afraid I would start stamping on everything in sight. Thanks for creating such a fun linkup that goes beyond just writing a post.
Thank you Alicia! I’m really glad you like this (and my print!! :)). I got the letter stamps from Michaels (heaven on earth) and they really are a lot of fun! My roommate used them to decorate a moleskin — the possibilities are endless. 😀
Like I already mentioned on twitter: I’m really excited to start this challenge, as I definitely need something that gives or pushes me to new creativity and such… Thanks for creating all the prompts and the idea! <3
Love, Midsommarflicka
Wooohooo! I’m really glad you dig this. I started it because I felt the same as you — really needing something to push me creatively. Glad we can accomplish that this year together. 🙂
Thanks for these prompts! I joined in this week. And the print with your phrase for the year is gorgeous – simple and creative!
Thank you so much! I’m really glad you joined in — I need to hop around and see which word you chose! 🙂
Loved this post, loved the words you chose, love how you chose to express them. 🙂 YAY for the Creative Collective!
Thank you friend!! 🙂
You are such a gem, Melyssa. I always feel inspired and positive after visiting your blog. And the art & word are perfect — bright, fun and engaging.
And I just decided my word — grace! It’s going to be a big, fat, stressful year for me and I need to focus on remaining grateful, considerate and poised through it all. Can’t wait to make something beautiful tonight 🙂
Sounds like a perfect choice! Grace is something we could all use more of. 🙂
You are too sweet. 🙂 Thank you so much for your beautiful words and I am SO glad this space means something to you. 🙂
totally love this, it’s just the kind of thing I was hoping to do this year! I only just found it today so for this linkup I linked to a post I did a couple of weeks ago that happened to mostly fit. looking forward to a fun year 🙂
Wooohooo!! So excited to have you join us. Thanks for sharing your post. 🙂
super cute idea! i’ve been thinking about ‘intentional’ lately. i want to intentionally give of myself and time and live like i mean it, dangit! haha also, this should probably go under that category, but i can’t ever get caught up on our own posts to do a link (i don’t even think i know how to link up?!) so i’m posting it here! xoxo
Thank you for sharing that, Annie! Intentional is SUCH an important word — love that you’ve chosen to focus on it. And if you ever want to add your link (to a blog post, photo, etc), just click the little blue button at the bottom of my post that says “Add Your Link.” Then you can just paste the URL to your post. 🙂
Thanks so much Melyssa for creating and sharing this…I’m so glad I decided to participate. I’ve already found some really awesome blogs to start following and got some great comments! Your word(s) of the year sounds like it is already off to a fantastic start with Bloggers Giving Back.
That makes me SO happy! I am really glad you’re having a good experience with this so far. Can’t wait to see what you create throughout the year. 🙂
Melyssa, you are such a great human being 🙂 I think this is such a good word/phrase for 2014. You exude genuine warmth and passion – hope you know that!
This comment made me all warm and fuzzy inside. 🙂 Thank you Caroline, I appreciate that so much!
That’s a great statement Mel! Best of luck with the Creative Collective and getting your juices flowing! Have a great one! -Iva
Thank you Iva! 🙂
You know, I once said that the relationship I am in now, with the man I am about to marry, was foundationally different from any I had been in prior. The difference is this: in my past, the men I loved had the same things to say, “you make me a better person”. It wasn’t until this relationship that I realized why the others hadn’t worked – because THEY didn’t make ME a better person in return.
You, Melyssa, are that. You and your words and your textures and your colors, you team up and you make me better. You remind me what’s important. You refresh me. You’re like lyrical face toner. Or really aromatic whole leaf hibiscus tea with fresh meyer lemon.
And as a fellow creative, you always, always inspire me.
I just had to screenshot that to add to my sunshine folder because it is bursting with TOO MUCH inspiration that I couldn’t NOT save it for years to come. 🙂 Thank you for being such a sweet spirit.
I also LOVE what you said at the beginning about your relationship with your boy. I recently ended a relationship with a boy I really liked and appreciated, and he had the same things to say about me as your previous boyfriends, but like you, I realized that he didn’t make me better. I later realized that was the case with almost everyone I’ve ever dated. Now I’m on this solo quest to make myself better all alone and then find someone who just adds to that equation. I feel like something has shifted in me and it has helped me with immediately weeding out people who I know can’t fulfill that promise to myself. Thank you for reminding me of that important lesson. <3
Thank you, thank you, thank you for putting this together!! I’m so excited about it and ready to push myself that little bit with each new prompt! 🙂 I’ll admit this first one was “easy” for me, as it’s already something I planned to do, but I’m still so happy with how it turned out!
Your comment makes me swell up with happiness, Ashley! I’m glad you like how your project turned out, too! Can’t wait to see what else you make this year 🙂
I love your phrase! It’s a great thing to focus on this year. Kinda similar to my words. 🙂
Thanks Stacia! I need to go check out your post to see what you chose now!
The Creative Collective is a really fantastic idea. I hope lots of people get inspired by it.
Thank you so much! I hope so too 🙂
I saw your project and thought it was adorable, and thought about the words, okay yeah that’s cool. But then I read your post and the explanation and I love it so much. What a great thing to focus on! I love this whole Creative Collective thing!!
Aww you’re so sweet, Cat! I’m glad you like the meaning behind it!
I love it! I love how you displayed it too. 🙂
Thank you Crystal! 🙂
Hi Melyssa, I’m just dropping by to throw some love bombs your way and appreciate your creativity. I just discovered your blog and I’m in love! Also fascinated by your Japan story. I lived in fI Those we value,we remember and those we remember we pray for.may the protection of psalm 91, the security of psalm 23,the wisdom of proverb 9:10 the bles ndia for 1yr and loved every moment!
I am catching your love bombs and throwing them back at you, hot potato style! Thank you so much for your sweet comment (I especially appreciated your phone gettin’ cray cray at the end haha :))
Ok, I don’t know what happened with that comment, disqus is not displaying on my laptop, I used my phone and it’s still messed up. Too lazy to type everything all over again. So I’ll just say hi!
hahah I hate when that happens! Thanks for visiting though. 🙂 Hi!!
I just adore this, Mel! What a perfect phrase for this new year. It encompasses so many of the things I already admire so much in you and I can’t wait to see how it helps you evolve and grow this year.
Gahhh you are so sweet, Amy! I’m really glad you like it. 🙂
You really come up with the best link-ups and I can tell that you are seriously passionate about them because of all the work and love you pour into the entire process. Great link up and nice choice of words to get this year going with.
Thank you so much Crystal! Your words mean so much. 🙂
Kind of sad I forgot about this!! I see that the link up is open for 4 more days…so I’ll just be a late creator. 😉
I think I’m going to extend all of the linkups ’til the end of the year, just in case people find out about it late. 🙂 Would love to see what you create, Sheryl!!
Ahh Melyssa! I totally borrowed this first prompt to teach in my collage class, it was amazing! My 5th graders loved it and I’m so excited to see what my 6th graders do with it next! Think it would be alright if I shared their results instead of just my own?
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