Fresh page, part 3: ART


Can you believe I've made three posts already for this year? 😁

For this year, one of my goals would be to bring back creativity in my life through personal passion projects. Creativity should not only be part of my job (which I'm thankful that it is), but also part of my every day life.

And this is how I plan to do start bringing back the art in my life:



Launch two additional sets of #100daysofshelley 

Okay, so I started #100daysofshelley using a new Instagram account @everydayshelley in October of 2016 to count down to my birthday in 2017.



I did it again last year to countdown to my birthday this year, but I became less strict with myself. I used old photos for the prompts (because sometimes you can't make a compelling photo for the prompt "water" when you only have a glass of water near you right?!?), and would be late in posting (because sometimes life really gets in the way). I also used tons of hashtags to increase engagement (and basically seek more attention :P), and well, the "likes" I got brightened up my day.

So I'm planning to do the birthday countdown challenge again this year, but I thought, hmmm there are 365 days in a year, so I can basically do 2 more sets of #100daysofshelley challenges. Obviously, those "likes" in my most recent #100daysofshelley really encouraged me.

But what would be the themes? What would be the challenges? So I'm stuck with that right now, but I still have time. The second set is due to start on February 21.

Do you have any ideas for me? 😀


52 book challenge

Confession: I am a hoarder of unread books.



So this year, I am challenging myself to read those unread books. I am spending too much time watching my TV episodes! I mean there's nothing wrong with that, but if there are unread books on my shelf, maybe I should set aside time for that too.

Another confession: I've only read one new book when I should've read 5 by now! That one book was Dan Brown's Origins, and right now, I'm in the middle of Austin Kleon's Steal Like An Artist. I thought it would be an easy read, but the book has SO MANY IDEAS, I need time to digest and reflect on them.

By the way, reviews / reactions will be posted on my Twitter so you can track my progress there 😊


1 page at a time for my 38th year

Since we're on the topic of (unread) books, I have to say that I also hoard a lot of journal type books, like Wreck this Journal and the Sharpie Book, both of which I haven't used. Guess who had the bright idea of getting 1 page at a time to add to her collection?



Okay, but the bright idea involves completing the book as part of my 38th year, meaning I started the book the day after my birthday. I figured 10-15 minutes a day to fill up a page would be an easy way to not only inject art in my everyday life, but also to take a breather and relax, and think of myself just for that moment.

And what a great keepsake when I finish it on my birthday next year! (Yes, OWNING IT!)

Update the blog at least once a month

Oh hey, being that this is the third post for the year, I guess I'm good until March, eh?

Would you believe that one of my far-out dreams is to become a published writer, through this blog? I would wish that somebody would discover my blog and be so invested in my life stories that they would be willing to publish it in book form, much like other bloggers who had their blogs published as books.

Now how can that happen when my blog is as empty as my bank account? 😆

But seriously though, I have missed writing my stories. So here I am sharing my stories again with you.



For the past two posts and with this post I'm writing, I realized a few things which I hope will make it easier for me to update my blog. First, I need to set a time and place to write. I may not have time to finish the post in one go, but at least I can start the post, and then add to it every time I've set aside time to write. Second, I realized I needed to do pre-work. I need to make an outline, and establish or decide on the images I will be using for the post even before I open Blogger. Lastly, I find it very hard to concentrate while having a new TV episode playing in the background. Therefore, no TV while blogging. (I'm doing this post right now on our porch)

So with that, I hope I can sustain the mojo, and you'll learn more about me and my life this new year.

(And to dream a little bigger -- I hope that you will be reading this post in my published book AHAHAHA!)

If you want to know more about any aspect of my life, just let me know 😄


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This ends my 3-part post on my new year. It took me longer (with regards to time and number of words) than expected, and it put me back to my blogging ~groove. I hope you all had a good month starting your goals this year. And if you haven't, I hope the top image in this post inspires you to start 😉

Just to bring it all together: Armed with my pretty lips, the universe's energy, and my creative endeavors, my 2018 is a fresh page I'm going to fill with ART 🎨, ARTE 👄 and HEART 💜

Happy new year!

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