January felt a bit different

Focus

Focus

This is the first time in since 2017 that I haven’t begun a 100 Day Project on January 20.  I never know for sure whether I will do one until January approaches and I settle on an idea.  The past few years, the challenge has seduced me.

If you followed last year’s project and are a reader of my newsletter, you know that I’ve been trying to slow down and focus more on process than product.  That is part of the reason for skipping the project this year.  It feels like the energy generated by such a project really works best if I do one finished thing a day.  Maybe that is just me, but that is how it feels to me.  In addition, for now, I think I have learned what a 100 Day Project needed to teach me.  Maybe there will be a time in the future where I have more to learn from this type of challenge.  I look forward to that.

So, what did I learn?

  • I am creative enough to make something different every day for 100 days.  I did not know this when I did my first project.
  • Rules help my creativity – they focus me.
  • Making every day helped me define my style.
  • The community that exists around this kind of project is a lot of fun and very rewarding.
  • The rules I set up helped me learn more about working in a series.
  • Making a lot of work really helped me learn and understand how making a lot of work is the best way to improve your work.
  • Making a lot of work really helped me learn and understand that some pieces will turn out better than you think and others will be worse – and that it will always be this way and is just part of the process.
  • Sharing my intentions helps me stay on track. (not always, but in this case, yes)
  • I love a good challenge!
  • I love setting up a challenge and choosing the rules and thinking it all through.
  • I feel more confident about what I’m doing and where I’m going.

This year, I have been participating in the weekly Solstice to Equinox challenge.  A weekly project feels more my speed these days.  I’m making a 30″ square quilt in a new series, called Patterns of Making, about productivity/focus/creativity (the first one is above).  Follow along on Instagram (@debbiegrifka) or Facebook.

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