Creativebug Happy New Year! This is the time when everyone’s buzzing about new year’s resolutions, goals, and intentions. 2023 at Creativebug arrives with a new daily practice that will lead you on a bold and colorful painting journey and offers a beautiful reset for all creative practices. With Portland artist Abby Houston’s “Abstract Art Making,” you’ll explore mark-making, layering, adding details and personal motifs, and discover the magic of being open to transforming mistakes into thoughtfully layered creativity.
If one of your goals is to hone your sewing and pattern-drafting skills and grow your hand-made wardrobe, you can look forward to 3 more classes with master sewist Sanae Ishida: “Draft and Sew a Torso Sloper and Muslin” launching January 11, “Draft and Sew a Sleeve Sloper and Muslin” launching January 18, and “Draft and Sew a Banded Collar Dress & Button-Down Tunic” launching on January 25.
Maybe you haven’t quite figured out what to focus on, and that’s totally okay, too. Come have fun and hang out with Courtney and Liana on January 18th at 1pm PT / 4pm ET for our first Co-Crafting session of 2023. They’ll be creating vision boards to help inspire you and keep you on your path. Grab a glue stick, a stack of magazines, and some scissors, and register for free here.
Some people’s resolutions are extremely specific while other people’s might be more general. Some people don’t believe in New Year’s resolutions at all. Let’s see what some of the Creativebug staff are thinking about as we start fresh for this new year.
Courtney, Editor-in-Chief
“Somehow, I haven’t even made the time to gather my thoughts about the end of 2022 and the beginning of 2023. I think a few intention-setting goals in the new year can feel good and help refresh your spirits. I like making a vision board, which helps me focus (and visualize) the thoughts and ideas swirling in my head. Liana and I will make our vision boards on the Jan 18th live, so I’ll probably set my intentions then!”
Faith, Content Editor
“I love a resolution! Whether it sticks for five minutes, a month, or the whole year, the act of making one really gives me a positive charge (I just have to make sure to give myself permission to not feel badly when it inevitably fails). It feels like playing pretend which – now that I have a toddler, I’ve remembered what a delight it can be. Am I a princess? No! Am I someone who meditates regularly? Certainly not! But pretending I am is fun! Craft-wise, I’m committing to being less scared of paint and hope to do a better job of documenting everything I’m working on, whether “perfect” or not. I’m working on Abby’s DP and having SUCH a blast!”
Stephanie, Content Editor & Artist Coach
“When people ask if I have any resolutions, I say no. I feel like the word is really intimidating, like you’re a bad person if you don’t end up having any resolve….. I do want to keep trying more sewing projects, though. I bought fabric to make a Liz Liner or Ara Overcoat that will sort of make me look like a giant cactus. I have a vision. It’s gonna happen!!!”
Cobrina, Artist Coach
“I wouldn’t necessarily call this a resolution but I usually set a goal of reading 40-50 books a year. I like to set it pretty high so that I read anything that interests me. I usually put a long list of books in the library holds and read whatever becomes available first. At the end of the year, I share my list with other readers and ask for their top books so that I can add those new titles to my next year list.”
Katrina, Art Director
“My resolution is the same as last year – do something creative every day. Sometimes it’s working on a paper mache project (I’m currently working on a couple of dolls for a friend) or painting or learning to sew. Sometimes it’s showing my daughter how to draw a bunny rabbit, painting her face like a puppy dog or making up silly songs to sing in the car. As long as I’m doing one thing a day that I can use that imaginative, creative part of my brain then I’m fulfilled.”
We’ve invited some of our instructors to share their New Year’s resolutions on Instagram this month, so be sure to follow Creativebug on IG and watch our Instagram stories for inspiration from your favorite creatives.
Feel free to record your own intentions for 2023 in the comments here. You’ll inspire others, and it will be fun to revisit further into the year!