Hi everyone !
My apologies for being suspiciously absent since we rang in the new year, but I’ve been indulging in some much appreciated extra holiday time! Now before you start boo-ing me, you can rest assured that Karma saw me, of course, and I got sick pretty much right away and have been slowly dying for weeks now, so I didn’t get to enjoy it.
But today I can proudly say I can finally almost breathe from both nostrils so I’m back, baby!
As I mentioned in my last post of 2016, I just couldn’t wait for 2017.
Last year was (mostly) hard and crappy and sad so I put a lot of hope on this one.
Yes, maybe too much, and I know it’s kinda asking for trouble, but I’m rolling the dice.
George Michael told me « I gotta faith » and I’m pretty sure he was talking about 2017 the whole time, (think about it).
Last year I started sharing with you the making-over of my tiny apartment, even though progress has been pretty slow because I’ve been working on other projects at the same time. Well, at the end of 2016 I realized something : this apartment is the only real (now not-so) blank canvas I have, and not using it to experiment with my style as much as I can is a total waste ! Yes, my new wallpaper is making me very happy, and bringing some much needed interest to the walls, but I need crazier and funner elements to play both with it and against it, more color, and boldness, more… unexpected !
So over the break, I was brainstorming the next changes in store : the entryway, the office space, etc, and decided to get a jump start on ideas for the “gallery wall” for the living room. I was attracted to gallery walls as soon as they started popping up everywhere. I think it’s a trend that’s here to stay. I was an Art major and have always had a soft spot for it and gallery walls perfectly fit with my shameless maximalist way of life : fill your home with as much art as your eyes can take, same as books.
So naturally I went right to my favorite site for cool unexpected art (that supports artists): Society6.
I know I mentioned them a few times here, as I already own a few pieces, and yes, it’s mostly because I’ve found my people over there, but it’s also because it’s affordable and I’m pretty broke.
If you can afford some pricier stuff though, check out places like Minted, 20×200, The Tappan Collective, Eyes on Walls, and Artspace.
I started saving prints I liked on Pinterest and ended up with over a 100 pieces on the « I can’t live without » list. Oops.
So the « gallery wall » extended to « every available surface in the apartment» and that’s how I realized my main obsession for the year was going to be art.
And I do mean obsession, apparently I have no discernable spectrum of emotions, just two levels : indifference and obsession.
Anyway, things are about to get weiiird !
This new vision in my head of my home covered in those wonderful prints and pictures made me positively giddy ! I know I need that daily : words, pictures, reminders to have fun, breathe, enjoy, dance, create. I have an inspiration board over my desk of course, always have, and I’ve been known to have an inspiration …. well, wall :
I know, crazy pants.
So yeah, I take that stuff pretty seriously.
And to me that has always been the power of art : it breeds creativity.
This little journey in my mind led me here: this year, no resolutions. I probably won’t workout as much as I wanted to anyway, or eat as well as I should, as usual, so instead of making a whole list of things I’m going to fall short of once again, I’m going for a theme :
« Creativity » .
This year is going to be about trying to be creative in all things, for my projects and for myself.
No guidelines, just letting it flow and not putting any restrictions on it. And not being afraid of where it leads.
For my home that means more sewing, painting, dyeing things, even making my own neon sign (wuuuut?!).
And for my life : making music, art, movement, … sky’s the limit.
And I want you to try it with me.
I want you to look around your home with a fresh eye, and write down every idea that comes to you over time, however wild, however different. It may not stick but you need to be open to it and let the ideas come. And with time, through all the possibilities, you will end up with a clear preference.
Maybe you saw a bright pink wall in a magazine you keep coming back to, or a mustard yellow couch, or a crazy chandelier you can’t stop dreaming about but you’re afraid it might be « too much ».
You need to know and remind yourself that nothing you love will ever clash with your decor.
Nothing that makes you happy will look “out of place”. Don’t be afraid to be bold and to be you.
So here we are, January 2017. I’m not preaching « new year, new me », instead I’m going to go with « new year, more me ».
Do more of what makes you happy. Be yourself, be bold, be weird, and be creative, always.
Let’s all kick ass this year and show the world who we really are !
A happy and bright new year to you all !
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