There’s been something in the air this month…I like to think its all of our creative collective consciousness’ putting our dreams out there into the universe and planting the seeds. Our own “Dream Seeds” to nurture and bloom. It feels like there has been so much energy in our blogging community, that I just know 2011 is going to be amazing for all of us.
The Big Dreams, Small Wonders e-course was a dream come true for me and this has been a fabulous way for me to also kick start my year. My year of Cultivating and stretching. Today’s post is the first in the new monthly series of “Small Wonders” where I’m inviting you to share accomplishments for the month just passed and what our intentions are for the month ahead. If you missed yesterdays post introducing this, pop over for a quick read. This is not only a great way to keep ourselves “accountable” for what we have promised ourselves, but to build a community to share, support and celebrate. Please join me on this wonderful journey. So here goes, mine are below…..
- Successfully delivering and hosting my very first e-course “Big Dreams, Small Wonders”
- Realizing my dream of becoming a creative life coach and signing up for the 9 month iPEC certificate program – it starts in March – woohoo!
- Running my first Vision Board workshop for paying participants. (I’ve been offering Vision Board sessions for friends for a few years now)
- Taking part in Misty Mawn & Brave Girls e-courses
- Being inspired at PrintSource NYC
- I celebrated my successes this month by taking time out (I’ve been glued to my studio desk for a month!) to meet up with friends, enjoy good food, wine and conversation. (I celebrated all of this weekend). 🙂
- Keeping 100% fit as I put my back out with an injury for over a week. 🙁
- Feeling okay about the “lull period” that occurs sometimes when you first put your dreams/goals out there. This is an area of self development for me as I am always wanting to constantly be doing something to move forwards. Recognizing this lull period and letting the dreams sit there and cultivate is so important.
- Planting my Dream Seeds for 2011 and beyond
- Hosting a fun Creative Color Challenge & Swap
- Offering content from my e-course in small digestible e-book chunks
- Sharing more resources on my blog
- Attending An Artful Journey (AAJ), seeing some old artful friends and meeting new ones. (CANNOT WAIT!)
- Opening my heart & mind up to exploring a new medium. (I’m taking the lovely Stephanie Lee’s class at AAJ where we get our hands dirty with plaster)
- Create some new work for an upcoming exhibition in March.
- What you are most proud of/what you accomplished this month
- How you are going to acknowledge these moments and celebrate
- If you had a theme for January
- Any challenges you recognized
- Your intentions and focus for the next month
If you would also like to share you are joining me on “Monthly Small Wonders”, I have created a blog button to shout it from the rooftops! (grab the code on from the button on the right side bar)
Hi, I'm Louise and thank you so much for visiting me here. I am a mixed media artist, who is passionate about combining the healing energy of nature and color with the meditative process of mandala making
Well done on your enourmous achievement Louise – so good!
Oooh I am happy to kick off Monthly Small Wonders!
My accomplishments for Jan:
– doing my tax return!!
– clearing my studio which was a bombsite after my exhibition at christmas!
– staring my first mosaic class of 2011
– getting tons of enquiries for my mosaic classes that have led to my weekly courses being fully booked til end of April (yay!)
– getting a big contract to do a piece of mosaic public art with children and young people in the care system
My theme for Jan was rhythm setting – in reality it has been a month of clearing the decks – catching up on so much backlog. Finally I have got over the brow of that hill and lots of possibilities stretch before me.
Feb – gonna get that rhythm for the year going. Gonna make some art for 3 different exhibitions I am part of. Gonna run two workshops at an amazing Art establishment here in London. Gonna go at a pace that is good and healthy for me rather than trying to do everything today. Now that's a challenge.
xxx
Congratulations to YOU miss Louise and likewise Concetta. I am definately feeling that 2011 is going to be a GOOD year!
My accomplishments for Jan
-oh yes TAX return done and paid on time
– going to yoga twice a week (apart from the 1st week)
-applying to do Yoga Teacher Training
– taking the plunge and signing up for the DO What You Love retreat, I am so excited it definately feels like a stretch and as if something magical will come of it
– trusting the Universe
– doing Experimental Art ecourse again and getting stuck into creating and experimenting
– giving up coffee, alcohol and meat and cutting way down on dairy. cutting down on sugar, eating more green smoothies and healthy stuff.
theme was -Poetry – focusing on the essential and beautiful, honing my thoughts, getting back into my yoga
Celebrating by going out with my friends and going out for some meals with my husband and son.
Feb aims….READY FIRE AIM! is my aim!! and to continue to get the cash rolling in. decluttering. continue with yoga, continue with healthy eating. continue creating. devise a playgroup afternoon club and devise a workshop. set up my % savings to include 2 types of savings, play, education, give and 50% on essentials.
hi Louise,
this is a great idea, thanks so much for sharing. i have joined in and posted on my blog.
still trying to figure out how to add the button to the sidebar. typepad is a little more complicated than blogger it seems. maybe this should be an intention for feb ~ to figure it out!
here is the link http://sweetmyrtle.typepad.com/blog/2011/01/on-the-last-day-of-january.html
now we are accountable which feels good.
lots of love to you, you beautiful bright shining soul x
january, for me, was all about figuring out priorities, getting things in order and reorganizing and planning out the rest of the year.
now i am so ready to get back into creating, learning new things, staying relaxed, and sharing my art with the rest of the world!
-juliette
Louise, what amazing accomplishments for you! So great!
My January blessings were:
~Taking big dreams, small wonders course and putting in loads of personal time writing out goals, practicing forms of art that I haven't used in far too many years, and connecting with other beautiful women on the same path as me
~Posting a couple pictures on flickr.com for the first time
~Confronting my intimidation of running outside in the cold air, and finding myself absolutely loving it!
Celebrated by enjoying a day at the hair salon getting my hair cut and colored and by going on a date with my wonderful boyfriend to the best restaurant in town.
Feb. going to focus on continuing working out, reading books, setting up a retirement plan, travel hacking, spending quality time with my boyfriend, and clearing out my computer by using the new external hard drive I got.
WOW! that is one amazing list of accomplishments Louise! Congratulations on all that you have achieved =-)
Did Concetta say she did her tax return already??? WOW WOW!! Now that deserves some big big applause!
I love this idea Louise! I wrote my Small Wonders on my blog today…here is the link
http://amiartspott.blogspot.com/2011/01/small-wonders.html
xxoo
Lorrie
I am all about accountability these days, excellent suggestion Louise. My Small Wonders for January were:
– tax return done
– 2011 business plan done
– 2011 goal setting both business and personal done
– a complete studio inventory, you have to know where you are in order to figure out how to get to where you want to go.
– make inventory
– send in my 2011 craft show application, and add 3 new shows to my application list
– go to the gym 3 times a week (YAY!!!)
– have 2 social dates a week
February goals:
– before leaving for vacation on feb 21 have my spring craft show inventory done and packed up
– redesign my online store
– have my online store fully documented and ready to be handed off to my sister/assistant for while i am away
– pack fun supplies for while i'm away.
i'm heading off on a 2 month sailing trip and i want to use it for more than just vacation. this is a chance to explore creativity other than glass. time to remind myself there's a big wide world out there.
Hi Louise! Well done to you for all your achievements! Ok I'll have a go too.
My accomplishments for January:
Started my very first on-line art course with Tam at Willowing, Majical, Mythical Makings.
Did my very first mixed media piece on a canvas 18" x 24"! Only ever worked on A4n before this!
Had the courage to open my Zazzle 'shop' to get my art 'out there'.
Started writing another Monthly feature for my local paper, called "In The Spotlight" showcasing local artists/talented people.
My theme for January I guess was discipline – making time to follow a course, and enter in to it totally, not my usual half hearted attempts!!
For February I want to develop this discipline. Not only do I want to carry on through this particular course I want to extend the discipline of good time management so that I actually start writing that book, get my column/articles submitted before the weekend each week. I also want to complete a set of four canvases, A Goddess for each season, which I have sketched out, for my new dining room. I also want to continue to promote my Zazzle store and sell some of my art! I also want to make a little time to take care of me… I need to kick off this old, fat and frumpy image that seems to have taken over my mind and body of late
Ha ha! Nothing by halves eh?!
Have a wonderful February all!
Ro xxxxx
You are a DREAM MACHINE!!! I am so inspired by your focus and your ability to get things dome to the very end! What a great idea to keep us accountable. You are a dream whisperer Louise. I CANNOT wait to see you in less than two weeks!!!! xo
Ok, this is very new for me & my goals are a bit more basic, so here goes:
January 2011
1. Followed & still working on the big dreams, small wonders.
2. Pursued getting healthy w/my doc. even when obstacles were in my way.
3. Finished Xmas journal 2010.
4. Decided on kitchen remodeling windows.
Celebrated:
1. Play(year word) necklace from Hazelnut Cottage
2. Kimono fabric bought
February:
1. Sketching course w/alisa Burke
2. Order kitchen windows
3. Get healthy
4. Shell mirror finished & hung in mudrm.
5. Finish stuff.
Celebrate:
1. Play more – hike w/Hubby & Moby.