Tuesday, December 27, 2011

2012 One Little Word: Home

Ali Edwards popularized the idea of choosing "one little word" on which to focus each year.  I've been playing along with the idea for several years now - starting with "open," continuing with "flow," and last year focusing on "health."  For 2012, I've chosen the word "home."  It means several things to me.  I want to work on finding my creative home, tending the relationships that are the home for my heart; and fixing up my physical home.  Last year (especially the second half) was busy.  Too busy, really. I had a very full course load at work, traveled and did too much volunteer work.  
This upcoming semester will be much better. I will only be teaching one morning a week! So, I'm planning to use my extra time to tend things here at home.  It feels good, and it feels right. 
Creatively, I see myself focusing more on my original art - drawing and photography, especially.  I want to incorporate more of these things into my collage work.  I also plan to continue working with plaster.  I've signed up for a couple of classes that start in the next week.  Faces 101 with Carla Sonheim runs from Jan. 2 - Jan. 6.  It's all about drawing and painting the human face - I think the goal is to great 101 different faces!  Creative Jump Start Summit 2012 with Nat Kalbach is a free class with a month's worth of creative inspiration. I'm not sure what to expect, but I'm looking forward to it.  I also have two photography classes - a Photo Shop Elements class and a creative exposure class - that I bought and never started. So, those are on my agenda, as well. Do you have any creative classes on your agenda?
I'm looking forward to spending more quality time with my husband and children.  There's so much going on in the kids' lives these days, and I realize how fleeting our time with them will be - they will be off to college before we know it.  And, when they do leave, I want to make sure that my relationship with my husband is such that we are looking forward to many, many more years together.
Finally, there's a whole laundry list of things that need to be done around our house - from hardwood floors and fence repair to serious cleaning and purging of storage spaces and the back lot.  I'm hoping for a lot of "before" and "after" pictures in that regard!
So, have you chose a "word" for 2012?  And I'm curious if any of you took Ali Edwards' One Little Word class for 2011 and whether you would recommend it? Let me know!
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9 comments:

  1. Carola BartzDecember 27, 2011 at 5:00 PM

    Well Rinda, I just signed up for the 101 faces and the Amginary Creatures by Carla - it sounds like a lot of fun, and perhaps even my daughter wants to participate. I'm also doing Kim Klassen's Beyond Layers which is the entire year of 2012. I can't wait to start new classes!

    Happy New Year to you - it's great that you don't have to teach that much in the spring. However, you still seem to be very busy with all those plans! I haven't even thought about a word for 2012...

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  2. AnonymousDecember 27, 2011 at 6:12 PM

    My word for 2012 is balance, and I'll be blogging about it around the first of the year.

    I have Katrina Kennedy's class, "Exposure," to work through as I didn't have any time for such things in November. I've also signed up for Studio Calico's Photo a Day class. I have no intention of trying to do a Project 365, but it was a very inexpensive class & I thought the prompts would give me some inspiration. I purchased the e-book Take Twelve from Ella Publishing as well. I'm planning to take Cathy Z's class on Type in February.

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  3. The Mann FamDecember 27, 2011 at 10:05 PM

    Hi Rinda,
    I've signed up for the Creative Jump Start Summit as well. I also started the Exposure class but didn't really have time to do much with it. I'll be getting back to that.

    Been thinking about my little word and I think it's going to be "grow"

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  4. helenaDecember 28, 2011 at 1:20 AM

    I took Ali's class in 2011 but will not be repeating it in 2012. There is a prompt each month related to your word - some are goal setting, some explore the word creativley. I didn't do all the prompts because some just did not grab me.

    I found that the online community around the class petered out mid year.

    On one hand it is not expensive and there are some interesting prompts and the online community was fun in the first months. On the other hand you already have lots of ideas on how to use and explore your word so not sure you would be stretched by the prompts.

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  5. debs14December 28, 2011 at 2:14 AM

    Sounds like 2012 is going to be busy for you, but in a good way! Speaking as someone with grown up children, I have to say that your intentions regarding your relationships with them and also your husband is absolutely right. Enjoy the next few years but make sure that you are also prepared for going back to being a couple again. It's only with hindsight that you realise how fleeting these years are! Looking forward to seeing the results of the classes you have signed up for.

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  6. Deb @ PaperTurtleDecember 28, 2011 at 5:31 AM

    Sounds like a great plan, Rinda. I'm still tossing around a few ideas for my word for 2012.

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  7. laurieDecember 28, 2011 at 11:56 AM

    i haven't picked my word yet, still tossing a few around in my head, but it sounds like you have "settled in" on a good one. can't wait to hear about all the wonderful ways it manifests itself into your new year.

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  8. scrappyjackyDecember 29, 2011 at 1:00 AM

    It sounds good,Rinda....with lots of ideas around your word. I've got an idea for mine....though didn't do too well with last year's one....so p'raps I should try again with that!!

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  9. UnknownDecember 30, 2011 at 11:19 AM

    Like your word for the year - I still have not chosen one yet, got a few ideas still bobbing about in my head. Have also signed up for Creative Jump Start.

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