#Kawaii365

Daryl Januszewski in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada is creating daily in her #Kawaii365 project!

She explains, "Each day, I draw a simple Japanese cartoon-style face on something random, or I make one of out craft supplies and leave it in a public place to be found and documented by the finder. I want others to stop and smile, and take a moment out of an otherwise hectic day. It feels good to see people light up."

Why did you decide to do this project? I decided to do this project because I feel all this pent up creative energy inside my soul, waiting to get out. I have loved doodling smileys on things since I was a toddler, but as a pre-teen I fell in love with Japanese cartoons like Sailor Moon and developed an interest in anime and manga.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? Though I've only been doing this for a month, I am already excited about the next 11 ahead. I have become more confident and more apt to talk to strangers in malls and coffee shops about this and share little gifts with them. I have become a more open-minded thinker as well, doing things I wouldn't have thought of before (like creating a digital kawaii face out of symbols, or making 'pillows' with faces out of paper towels).

See all of Daryl's projects HERE. 

Scout and Scholar

Jag Nagra, in Vancouver, Canada, who previously created 365 Illustrations, has now started a new daily project called Scout and Scholar in which she heads out each day to ask one person “What did you learn today?”...

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? It’s incredible what kinds of personal things complete strangers are opening up to me, and has really helped bring me out of my shyness.  When I first started, I was horribly embarrassed every time someone would say “no” to the project, whereas now, it’s become so much easier to approach people.  I began to accomplish two things: 1) push myself so far out of my comfort zone, and challenge my shyness.  2) Since I work from home, I needed an excuse to get out of the house each day and talk to people outside of my computer screen.

Check out all of the responses to Jag's question HERE.

And watch a short into to the project here...

Projet 365 Collimaginours

Marie Tremblay in Québec city, Québec, Canada is documenting her teddy bear daily in "Projet 365 Collimaginours"...

Why did you decide to do this project? I had been wanting to do a project life for some time, but I thought I would not be able to see it through. Then, I saw Project 365 and wanted to try it too, but thought I wouldn't be able too either....

Some time later, on a road trip for Christmas, I had a brainstorming with myself... and my husband listening :) That's how Collimaginours was born!



How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? At the beginning, it was difficult to remember to take a picture every day, but now, it's like a second nature. I have so many different pictures ideas every day, it's difficult to choose :) 

Having something that comes back every day, like my teddy bear, helps me, I think.  Everywhere I go, Collimaginours come with me, and I'm not shy to make him do anything.

The best part of it is that I include my children and friends in the project. Sometimes, the picture comes from the other side of the country, or even the world, when somebody puts a picture on Facebook :)

So in conclusion, I'm making a Project Life 365 because my bear is there everyday and he tells the story of my life. I am now printing the pictures, and writing the text that goes with it, in my new scrapbook album Project life. 

I love doing that and now I know I can actually do it.  If I can, then I'm sure anybody can.

See all of Collimaginours adventures on Marie's blog HERE or on Facebook.

Jag's 365 Illustrations

Jag Nagra in Vancouver, Canada is doing a 365 day illustration project...

Why did you decide to do this project?   I started this project as a creative outlet.  I work as an in-house Design for a corporate company, and needed a way to make sure I did something each day that was separate from my 9-5 job.  Something that would keep me connected and challenged outside of my daily work, and something purely for myself.  I wanted to improve my illustration skills, and thought if I began a 365 illustration project, I'd have no choice but to challenge myself on a daily basis.  And so it began on January 29, 2012

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? Although I'm still only in the beginning stages of this project, it's teaching me to set a time limit for each illustration.  That doesn't mean I only give myself 15 minutes to create a portrait—but it means that I can't spend hours obsessing over it.

See all of Jag's illustrations HERE.