Five A Day - Reducing the Clutter in My Home and Life

Penelope Samuel in Longview, Washington is doing a yearlong project she calls Five A Day – Reducing the Clutter in My Home and Life. She explains, "Every day for 365 days, I will find 5 items in my house and/or garage that I no longer need or want. I will either donate the item to my local thrift store or some I know can use it, or I will throw it away. At the end of the year I will have purged 1,825 items from my home."

Why did you decide to do this project? I have a lot of stuff, too much stuff, stuff I don’t use, stuff that is collecting dust. Recently, I joined a group on Facebook, The Non-Consumer Advocate, that encourages and supports consuming less material goods. I felt that if I made a commitment to downsizing my material possessions, two positive outcomes would occur: 1) I would be forced to deal with how much stuff I already have which would most likely make me want to buy less, and 2) by donating my stuff to the local thrift shop or someone who needs it, I am helping the local economy, the non-profit organization the thrift store helps support, and people in need.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? I’ve only been doing Five A Day since January 1st, but already my awareness of just how much stuff I own had increased dramatically. An example of this is that I have been, for the most part, focused on purging items from my bedroom. In 14 days, I have purged 70 items, most of which have come from my bedroom, and I am not finished in my room! I feel liberated, grateful, astonished, and determined! I also shared my blog on The Non-Consumer Advocate page, and have gained a tremendous group of followers, some of who have been inspired to do some purging themselves. I was asked by a reader if I would be willing to send her some of the crochet hooks I was purging. She wanted them as a gift for her granddaughter and she offered to pay shipping. I told her I would ship them for free, and then decided I would make that offer for everything I purge. I’ve had several ladies take me up on the offer, and it is a good feeling to share my bounty! I cannot wait to see what the rest of the year brings.



Follow Penelope's progress HERE. 

365 Haiku For Your Consideration

Ilona Jordison in Grimes, Iowa is creating 365 Haiku For Your Consideration...

13/365 Shadow Play
Sharply etched shadows
shift as the moon climbs behind
the slumbering trees.

Why did you decide to do this project?  I've recently felt the need for a challenge to broaden my outlook and was inspired by other 365 projects.  The combination of discipline and creativity appealed to me as did the notion of living a (somewhat) less private life.   

8/365 Fresh Snow

Soft and light a clean

blanket gently covers all

offering no warmth.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? I am about to post my first entry so the answer to this question is a projection of anticipated experiences.  Just having made the step from mulling to firm decision to "hit the button" has already given me a different outlook on my securities and aspirations.

2/365 - Squirrels

Saucy acrobats

perform in treetops framed by

my kitchen window.

Read all of Ilona's haiku HERE.

365 Days of Pez

R!ch Cihlar in Cleveland, Ohio is making 365 Days of Pez...

Why did you decide to do this project? I started this project based on influence from multiple sources.  I was introduced to the Skull-A-Day project, meanwhile commissioned to create custom Pez pieces for a collector, and positive critiques from other artists with earlier Pez pieces.  I'm not one to usually take on commissions; I feel that they are very stressful and overwhelming.  But I agreed to the commission and instead of making one piece I made 6 of the same image (in different variations).  I found the process fun and set out to do it for 30 days.  After 30 days, i said what the heck lets shoot for a year.  After 30 days I also noticed a lot of traffic and insights from friends and new admires on my social networks (facebook, twitter, and my blog).  Ifelt that i had an audience, minor as it may have been but an audience none the less.  I also work for Baldwin Wallace University (in the art dept) and felt i needed to assist in motivating our students in practice and outside work.



How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? My project started with stenciling/spray painting my work on skateboards and i had a constant flow of free broken skateboards.  But with Cleveland weather getting colder, less "free" canvas' came in and my supply ran out or is running very thin.  I also paint outside in a garage.  Spray paint has a hard time drying and curing properly in colder weather.  So i moved my materials around.  I've done a few acrylic transfer pieces, contour drawings, and plan on implementing other supplies i haven't used up or used in a long time.  This project has really strengthens my color choices or pallets.  It's also made my hands and head work faster and more efficiently.   It's funny to think you also get some "credit" in art/gallery scene.  I have friends go, DUDE! i'm following you and you're work is really nice.  Or people i don't know come up to me and say "Hey, you're the Pez guy."  It's fun and reassuring that what you think is a good thing, is interpreted by others as a good thing.  I hope that i spawn other artists/people to try something new daily or for a set time.  I really have enjoyed my project, and i don't think i'll jump into another 365 project right away, but i will continue to create projects in time lines (perhaps a project in a weeks time) or 52 pieces in a year.  One specific thing i realized in my project was that the first few pieces i did i tried to limit my stencil use.  I only cut 5 stencils (or 5 colors to my piece).  After 250 days in i recut that same image and it had 12 stencils.  I really started to make the works more elaborate or challenging.  There's an ongoing feeling that you have to one up your past works, and in hindsight that's kind of the goal, right?  An artist wants to be more creative, a leader in their field, and wants to perpetuate the creative juices indefinitely.  The coolest/unusual thing  that has happend so far in my project is that i've been giving my works away or mailing them to celebrities.  I mailed 3 original pieces to one of my favorite artists/internationally known with a letter that basically said "thanks for what you do, you've inspired my work, and my techniques".  A month or two after i mailed him the work, he mailed me 3 works back.  It was hands down the coolest thing about this project.  

See all of R!ch's Pez HERE.

The Tangled Year

Chris Matthai in Salt Lake City, Utah is creating 365 sketches & doodles in The Tangled Year...

Why did you decide to do this project? I have wanted to develop my drawing skills for many years now. I have no formal art training except for having some really great teachers in high school 30 years ago. I needed something to force me to be more diligent in carrying my sketchbook everywhere and actually using it. By creating such a public project I know I will stick with it. I thought it would be fun and possibly inspire others as they watch my sketches (hopefully) get better throughout the year.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? Nothing has changed too much yet since I am only into this experiment since the beginning of this year. I am excited to see the enthusiasm some people have shown for the project, especially on Facebook. I noticed I am not just sketching just anything I see or just doodling everything that flies through my head. I seem to have become concerned with the actual content my sketches have. I seem to want some feelings to be transferred from me to anyone who might be watching. This could be good or bad. I haven't really decided yet. On one hand, that's what art is for right? On the other hand, these are just sketches and not finished pieces. I've noticed I'm not as hesitant to pull out my sketchbook as I was before. That's a huge leap for me. Now I need to not worry about what strangers think when I am drawing them.

See all of Chris's doodles HERE.

365 Things in 365 Days Follow-up

Laura & John recently completed their collaborative project 365 Things in 365 Days...

Hike to Machu Picchu in Peru

When did your project start/end? Back in the winter of 2011, my partner John and I decided to make 2012 a year of "firsts" for us. We made the decision to do away with typical "new year's resolutions" and instead do more of the things that could keep us inspired, connected to the world around us, and busy with our hands.

We made a big, long list and vowed to do 365 things in 365 days; things we've never done before, but have always wanted to do. Some were big things (like visit the Amazon jungle, hike about 10,000 feet, and build a 10-foot snowman) and some were smaller (like build a robot, carve a pipe, and learn to yodel).

The project ran from Jan 14, 2012 - Jan 13, 2013. It was an epic, emotional, fun-filled year. One that we'll never forget.

Build a 10-ft snowman

What are the biggest lessons/skills you learned from doing your project? Samuel Beckett once said: “To be an artist is to fail, as no other dare fail… failure is his world.” This year we learned to embrace failure. We learned that it’s OK to not do everything perfectly - that it's OK to weave a shitty basket, or make clumpy yogurt, or swamp our canoe. We learned that failure is a healthy and necessary part of being a creative person. Ultimately, failure gets us into the habit of trying new things and taking risks.

We also learned that life moves fast. Super, crazy fast. A year goes by in the blink of eye. We learned that there's no time like the present to grab life and run with it!

Throw a spaghetti fight

In what ways did the project change your life? This 365 project changed the way we understand "fear" and "failure." Once we learned to abolished fear as an excuse to not follow through with our goals – once we realized that it’s in our realm to get things done, that we have a CHOICE in the matter – the prospect of accomplishing these goals became much more realistic. We could start taking risks without worrying about failure. This was a huge "aha!" moment for us.

Moving forward with our lives and our careers, we are now totally open to taking on those big, bad scary risks. If we fail? So what. We'll try again. And try some more.

Make a tree swing somewhere

Now what? More projects. More travels. More art! We're lucky in that we run a creative business together. We've always got projects on the go (they often involve lots of people). If you're interested, visit our creative agency and art house for the latest: www.labspaecestudio.com

GT behind a motorized vehicle

Read John & Laura's original 365 interview HERE.


See all of John & Laura's 365 Things HERE. 

365 Crystals

Kelly St. Claire in Richmond, Virginia is documenting 365 Crystals. She explains, "My project is a study in crystals. I am exploring all aspects of the mineral kingdom, from their vibrant colors, to healing lore, and magickal properties. Each day I will either post detailed information, a story, a poem (all accompanied by lovely images.)"



Why did you decide to do this project? I am a lifelong crystal enthusiast as well as a certified crystal healer. I use crystals daily to help myself as well as others. I am so hungry to learn as much as I can about each stone I decide to work with. I was running into the same information out there and was really interested in getting to know their properties and gifts personally, and develop a unique relationship with meanings revealed to me in creative ways rather than just from books. I also wanted to have a project that would stretch me in ways that will help me not only jumpstart my creativity, but to add to my knowledge about each crystal. In other words, I LOVE crystals and am passionate about them. I want to spread the love through my project!

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life?  I have done one before which was about the tarot and haiku. It was 365 Days of Tarot and Verse. Each day i would generate a photo and a haiku about a Tarot card, it was awesome to be able to follow my life by reading my haiku and the cards chosen, and to push through on those days when I did not feel like writing. It was an invaluable lesson for me. This time I am pacing myself a bit more, not expecting brilliance every day, it is teaching me to temper myself and to not be such a perfectionist (which is huge for me.)  In my last project I learned that even when I feel uninspired, if I push through and do it anyway, when I look back on it, magic has occurred, the entry has more depth and meaning than I thought and my creative muscles were loosened up through regular use!

Read about all of Kelly's crystals HERE.

Iens Way

Ineke Jansma in the Netherlands is creating a daily creativity project inspired by my book...

Why did you decide to do this project? I decided to do a project since I have read your book about a month ago. It is difficult to find a project doing a whole year. That’s why I decided to start with the ideas in your book.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life?  They bring me out of my comfort zone and I think I learn the most if I do so. I will loose my job about half a month and that’s hard to accept. That’s why I decided to start a project for a year starting on 1 January.

See all of Ineke's projects HERE.

Down The Rabbit Hole

Megan Carrell in Muncie, Indiana is going Down the Rabbit Hole...

She explains, "My starting inspiration is Alice in Wonderland. It's a subject that is easy for me to elaborate on and obsess over, for sure! However, I wanted to make this project flexible instead of stressful, so the subject is welcome to interpretation and deviation. I use both 2-D and 3-D mediums; all of them are then posted on the photo site Flickr."

Why did you decide to do this project? Well, you would think being a full-time graphic design student is enough art for one person. Apparently not.  After getting 365: A Daily Creativity Journal for Christmas a few years ago, I was inspired to try a year-long project. This is actually my third official project attempt (and my eighth unofficial one), but I'm hoping that with more experience and more publicity I'll be able to stick to it this time around!




How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? I'm definitely still figuring out how to balance my time and priorities. This project is teaching me how to better my time management and, much more importantly, how to better myself as an artist. I've also learned a lot about myself. One of my biggest discoveries is that I LOVE to play with my food! Also, my non-dominant hand is surprisingly ambidextrous.

See all of Megan's creations HERE.

365 Birds Project

Eduardo Silva Franco in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil is doing a 365 BIRDS PROJECT.

He explains, "The 365 Birds Project, is a personal project that consists in recording and writing about 365 species of birds in one year. That is, I need to push myself to register somehow [observation with the naked eye; observation with binoculars, photographic, sound recording] 365 species and, every day, create a post describing how was the recording and writing a little about the animal . Obviously, I do not need to observe the bird species on the post, which would be virtually impossible. Example, if on 01/01/13 I made a birding and record 30 species, will have at least 30 posts guaranteed. Over time and with the records repeating itself, I have to force myself to seek new species, increasing the level of difficulty of the project."

"It may seem easy suddenly to be the same, but just to get an idea in Belo Horizonte / MG are 347 species of birds recorded [historical documents, published works and direct observations]. Even though I watch all kinds of town, which is surely impossible because some are not seen in years, I could not achieve the ultimate goal of the project. So, I need to make some trips, short or long, to enable the record of 365 birds."

Why did you decide to do this project? The Birds 365 Project grew out of a sum of inspirations that came from projects and conversations of friends.

About the desire to write about birdwatching or birding [birding] on a blog, appeared after his friend Daniel Esser, who writes absurdly well and treats the subject with a special affection, start telling "tales" of our wanderings in search of birds. His blog, PEGANDO PASSARINHO, is indeed a great place for beginners quickly fall in love for the activity.

About the choice of format design, I opted for the 365 days / species in a conversation with his friend Marcelo Goes, who also has a blog, BLOG DO INTERCÂMBIO. It's worth checking, has received some awards!

Also, some time ago that I needed to organize my record of birds. The paperwork [but extremely necessary] just reducing my time dedicated to studies and technical side of birding. I thought nothing would be better than a great challenge to have reasons to come back to enjoy birding!

I hope throughout this project inspire more and more people to engage the birdwatching!

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? The project is phenomenal and I am very happy with the returns with praise from all followers. My family is getting involved too. It was a challenging choice and I will get!

Follow all of Eduardo's birds HERE.

Riff a Day

Paul Redling at the Appomattox Regional Governor's School for the Arts and Technology is composing a Riff a Day...


I decided to do this project to give myself a composition challenge.  I want to stretch my abilities as a musician, and hope to see major improvement by the end of the year.


I think that it gives me a good creative outlet to never forget my art.  I noticed a lot of the past year was spent wasting my time, so I decided all of those extra hours could be put towards something fun.  I figured January 1st was as good a day to start it as any, if not better. 


Listen to all of Paul's riff's HERE.

Let Go of Preciousness

Need some motivation in 2013? Here are the first two videos in an ongoing series on the keys to getting Unstuck that I recently created...





Want more? Check out my book Unstuck: 52 Ways to Get (and Keep) Your Creativity Flowing.

And stay tuned for additional videos in this series in the coming weeks!

1000 Free Pieces of Art

Noah Zark in Israel is making 1000 Free Pieces of Art in 2013!...

Why did you decide to do this project? I had been doing free art for many years now but never really thought much of it... I never even signed my name. I had recently started selling artwork online with the idea of selling original artwork (not prints) at an affordable price. I went to an event at a gallery for the artist "My Dog Sighs" who inspired me to take this concept of free art a bit more seriously. On the way out of the show I happened upon 2 pieces of free art by "My Dog Sighs" and the feeling that it gave me to find it was awesome. I knew I wanted to be a part of making people feel that as well.

Over the next few weeks I dropped a few pieces here and there. On New Year's Eve I had an idea of challenging myself to do an entire year of spreading free art. I settled on a nice round number of 1000 pieces figuring that it would round off to about 20 pieces a week. It is a huge undertaking but I must say that I am very excited and cannot wait to see what 2013 brings us all. :)

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? Well so far I have only been doing this for 2 days but I must say that the response has been uncanny. I have met people in town and online that are very happy with the concept and I am just happy to be spreading art and hopefully a bit of joy :)

See all of Noah's art HERE.

Going Analogue

Ian Rosenfeldt in Toronto, Canada spent 2012 going analogue, with one painting a day, for 365 days...

Why did you decide to do this project?  Let me highlight the essence...I've got a full time job and I'm working on my Masters of Science (in creativity, innovation and change leadership. Spending so much time in front of a computer for work and school meant that whatever free time I did have, I was loath to spend it watching tv... I decided that painting was a way to add some mindful and deliberate incubation and meditative activity to my already jam-packed day.






How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? 3 huge A-HA moments for me:

1. the unexpected bonus of a stronger memory...being able to recall the thoughts between the brushstrokes, even from work 12 months old.
2. the drive towards self directed challenge does not end after 366 paintings...it is merely cultivated and stronger than ever before.
3. the effect this project has had on others...very mind blowing and quite humbling.

I would love to share this with your audience, especially since I believe it shows that you don't have to have a huge artistic talent in order to undertake an artistic challenges. Just create your intent, and embrace the ambiguity of the challenge. You never know where it might lead.

 

Read more of Ian's story and reflections is HERE. And see all of his paintings on his blog HERE.

365 Days of Pugs Follow-Up

Isabelle spent all of 2013 making 365 Pugs...

What are the biggest lessons/skills you learned from doing your project? A new skill, though I would say "skill" is a bit of a stretch, is digital drawing. Since I can't draw, (looking back at some of the early pugs, I would say that they've gotten a tiny bit better) it's great to have the digital undo button.  As for lessons learned, there are a few: I have the perseverance to do a project a day, the creativity to adhere to most of the assignments and still make them pug-related, and to have fun and not take it too seriously. Oh, and how to get a pug to do just about anything.

In what ways did the project change your life? It gave me an outlet for a long-untapped creative side. Blogging the project also opened up a whole world of creative and interesting who I wouldn't of found otherwise and built a global network of pug-lovers.

Now what? I will definitely keep doing some sort of project routinely.  Right now, I'm thinking it will be a primarily photo based weekly project, still focusing on but not solely related to pugs.  Since it will be more photography based, I plan on learning more about digital photo editing. 

Read her original 365 interview HERE.

See all of Isabelle's pugs on her blog HERE and also in this fun video she made...