Oh The Hard Beginnings

I’ve been circling around my own ideas about how to approach the Creative 2026 since I wrote my last post - and even before that. The fact is, that the moment I start pondering, more and more ideas flow in. And then they start brushing at each other and canceling themselves out only to be resurrected again ever so slightly different. It would be really easy if I had only one way to go but probably way too boring for my inner being that just loves to explore and create.

So here is what I currently have on my brain-table:

• illustrating with pen and watercolors ALL of the 52 prompts on separate pieces of paper and storing them in my own handmade book/journal. This book would have more than 52 pages because it would be really nice to write about the ideas that the prompts spark and the way my brain handled it aka made the final call,

• still illustrating all of the prompts but using gouache because I would still like to learn to handle it better - and then storing them in the above mentioned book/journal OR a box. A box that looks like a book :D (because I already have one, it just needs some make up to make it more special to me),

• allowing myself to respond to every prompt as my creative soul wants to - which means I could be drawing this week, writing the next, then needle felting, making a collage, etc. Now all of these different things I would not be able to put in a box nor in a book but I could write in the book, illustrate/draw on separate pieces and take photos of my 3D works and then glue these into the book/journal - this one I really like :)

I noticed another issue in myself and it has everything to do with how I used to go about these things. I would go really heavy on myself and demanding to finish what I started in the way I started it. And that over time became quite a task. Not a very “I’m really looking forward to this” thing at all. So this time, I definitely do not want to thread this path again.

And I will also allow myself to do something else. I will not push myself to figure this all out just yet. I will walk with this into my beloved forest and ask there because I am very sure the answer will come. But! I will start sketching out the first prompt - The Candle - because I already had an idea for it and I want to see how it evolves. And I see no point in holding myself back and waiting for the Week 1 of 2026 to start to be able to do so.

With all this said, if you need permission to ponder on your own Creative 2026 “project” you have it. Wholeheartedly so. Because at the end of the day, ALL OF THIS is really only about STAYING in our creative zones for as long as possible. And I’ll share why I think this is important, in my next post. So until then…

I am wishing you a year that is filled with love, light, happiness, magic and lots of creativity flowing through you.

With much love,

♡

Nina