Happy New Year! 
​
​As is customary this time of year, I am once again thinking about habits and resolutions. Having given up traditional resolutions last year, but unable to shake the desire to try something new, I decided to conduct a little experiment: Try out a habit for one week. Seven days. That's it. Then, move on to something else. Wait - what? 

I didn't realize I was on to something big until I shared this little experiment in the chat of a webinar, and it got a wave of interest. (Ok, so it was one person, but the host liked the idea too!) They asked about the rules and the different habits I would be attempting this year. 
​

​When the seven days are up, you can move on to something new. I suspect I'll likely loop around to the same few habits over the course of the next 52 weeks, but this method allows for variety and gives me the freedom to choose.
​
​So far, here is my list of habits to try, one week at a time: 
​

The trick? Attempt to work on these habits in weekly rotations, at roughly the same time every day (that is why they are split into AM and PM lists). That way, you train your body and your brain to do something at that time, regardless what the habit is; you're conditioning a response to the time, not the action.  The idea of using time is not novel, but I am suggesting you don't have to make one habit stick - you will be making the process​ stick. 
​

• You charmed (i.e. motivated) by the allure of trying/learning something new 
• You want to try all new and cool programs and offers that pop up on the interwebs
• You have a BIG goal (like self care, relationship building, professional development) but you don't know where to start 
• You want to use up some of those 'one week trial' coupons you bought 
• You know you want to make a change, but don't want to commit to it until you test it out
• You're a bit of a rebellious soul and want to feel like you can take up a habit or leave it without the guilt or the feeling of failure

​

During the summer, I started taking long walks every evening after work, and tracked my progress. It worked really well, up until the first severe winter weather warning. I tried indoor exercise, but that too lost its allure after several days. So I thought to myself, why not try a new healthy habit for a week? Just one. I can handle that! And if I don't want to stick with it it, I'll try something new on Monday!

​This week, I have committed to drinking a green juice or a green smoothie every day. So far, I'm 3 for 3 and feeling like a champ - probably because of the green stuff, though I cringe the whole time I have to drink it - but mostly because it's a small victory that motivates me to keep the streak going. Next week: Overnight Oats for breakfast. This is the recipe I use and adapt to my personal tastes.

I'm curious - is there something else that appeals to you about this habit experiment? 
​What will you be testing out this week?

Happy experimenting!

xo
​Katherine

P.S. ​If you are looking to make a particular habit stick, I am a fan of this lady's offerings. I plan on following her advice once I decide which one of my little experiments I want to stick with.

P.P.S. I did some Googling and found this lady who talks about habits in seven-day increments too! 

​Every so often I come across a new-to-me technique that I like to incorporate into my artwork. Here are some of the tools, tops and techniques I tried out in the month of May:

​1. Printing on acetate. 
When I worked in a school, I often found boxes of things labeled "please take" filled with obsolete materials that were once very cutting edge, like acetate sheets - the kind teachers used to layer on projectors instead of writing on the chalkboard. I held onto boxes of these, turning them into planner pockets and dashboards, until I too stopped using them. 
A  few months ago, I was printing out some images and one of these sheets had slipped into the cardstock pile. The following day, I saw an artist showcase some of her printables on acetate, done at a copy store. Was it serendipity? A sneaky muse determined to have her inspiration put forth into our world? Whatever it was, I was thrilled at the prospect of creating my own clear elements to use on my layouts. After printing out several sheets, I decided to try copying a colouring page onto acetate. The result was a line drawing I could overlay on watercoloured paper as an instant 'coloured' page, or over writing to add a layer of privacy when I shared my art journal. 

​2. Shammy for stamp cleanup
On my last visit to a local art supply store, I saw the clerk use a squeaky cloth sprayed with water to remove excess ink from a clear stamp. Curious, I asked to try it out and noticed it was the consistency of a shammy - the kind my father would make us kids use to dry the car after we washed it (you know, back in the days when people washed their own cars - or got the neighbourhod kids to do it). I found an inexpensive version at the dollar store and have been using it ever since. Once it gets saturated, I think I'll invest in a better quality one from the automotive department at the store (less fraying). Still a better price point than the branded one at the craft store!

​3. I found a paint pen at a craft store and although I really liked the way it could be used to make puffy lines that add some dimension to artwork, I wasn't keen on the colour selection and wanted to use the paint I already have in my toolkit. I found some containers with a relatively fine tip at an off-chain dollar store and added my own colours. It also works very well with masking fluid, which means I can incest in the bulk size container and stop ruining paint brushes when I use it. Best $1.50 I spent that month. Next I want to try mixing my own colours. To be continued...

​4. Using tracing paper, rice paper, and tissue paper
I knew all that tissue paper I was hoarding would come in handy one day! Using it as a canvas is the most therapeutic form of art. I highly recommend it as a relaxation technique. That week, I saw no less than 4 others online using tissue paper. Ok, it may have been because we all watched our Patreon master do it (Hey Courtney!) and it instantly became a favourite. There is also something very satisfying about using your own creations in, well, more of your own creations. I had been using a half-empty pad of tracing paper from high school as onion paper to write letters, so I decided to use this too with paint- the crinkle factor is divine (paper lovers will understand this bizarre obsession with crinkly paper). The final paper type I used was japanese calligraphy paper, also called rice paper. I found a few packs of these at a secondhand store a day after i was searching for it online. Serendipity at work again? I like to think so! 

​5. Labels as mixed media canvas
About a year ago I started buying small blank labels and using alcohol-based markers to create a colour-coding system for my planner. Since then I have printed or stamped images on them and used the disjointed imagery in my art. I saw someone else layering paint over labels and tried it as well, adding different media, layer after layer. Sometimes this works great, other times the layers are too thick and stick together. I have since discovered that acrylic paint works well if layered on very thin, watercolours will interfere with the adhesive on the back of the labels, stencils work great when you dab them with stamping ink, and stamps are always a good idea. 

I hope you have been inspired to try some of these techniques. I love experimenting with art, so feel free to message me or tag me in your posts and videos. 

xo, 
Katherine

YT Video: https://youtu.be/I4oQFgKmdMg
Instagram: @plancultivatecreate

There are a lot of quotes on social media reminding us not to compare our beginning or mid point with someone else's finish line. We are reminded to celebrate the small wins along the way. But what about the road blocks, the losses, the rejections? They are all stepping stones on our journey, and each one helps us move forward, or correct course along the way. 

​The developmental stage of any given project is anything but glamorous. It's a series of chats with potential clients, meetings with possible partners, and building relationships that will hopefully lead to collaborations. It's the cold-calls and the intro emails, the hours of research and the awkward networking. It's the unglamorous, uncelebrated backbone of achievement. 

​Tracking your efforts creates a visible timeline and a framework for your success. It is a repertoire of the steps that guide you and give you hope when you feel like you don't have anything to show. It is progress. Every step you take leads you closer to your goal, or helps you redefine your vision. 

​It's my hope for you that you populate your path with guideposts of your journey, and that you take a moment to be grateful for every tentative step, every fumble, and every leap you make. 

Feel like trying it out? Get your copy here. You can fill in each starburst with the steps you take: sending something out for publication, each cold-call, every CV you send or interview request, every pastry you bake or artwork you make. Download this handy progress tracker and keep tabs on your efforts for the next little while. If you feel like sharing the journey, tag your pictures with #PCCtracker or mention @plancultivatecreate on Instagram and I'll cheer you on! Feeling ambitious? Print out a few to keep the momentum going, or use a different one for your various projects! 

So go forth and track you efforts. You'll be glad you did, when you are in the thick of a project that is taking up your time and you feel like giving up. It will remind you that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and that the process is part of your progress. 

xo
Katherine
​

P.S. What others are saying and doing to track their progress:

​Sarah Von Bargen from YesAndYes.org wrote about tracking your efforts, not your accomplishments. She wisely reminds us that the only thing your can control is yourself, not others' responses, and gives some concrete examples that apply to a work scenario, but are adaptable to your particular situation. 
​

Tiffany Han leads a course on getting 100 rejection letters. For every negative answer to a proposal, you get a gold star. It helps you see that you are doing the work, even if that means you are not getting the results you want in the moment. It makes it that much sweeter when you do. I have not taken the course, but have learned about it through interviews on podcasts and the introduction video to the course. I love the idea and think it too can be adapted to your personal situation. The most important part is to put your work - and yourself! - out there! I decided to send out some art and photography over the last year. One of my creations was published, while the others have earned me gold stars. I haven't yet reached 100, but I plan on filling up my tracker with them. 

​Lastly, there is a planner system developed by Angela Jia Kim, The Daily Action Planner that I was sent for review (you knew this was coming, can't talk tracking without talking planners!) that integrates tracking your efforts, the "seeds and weeds" that move you forward,  and prompts you to celebrate your success(es) at the end of the week. Want a peek? You can watch the video review.

Have you read or seen any interesting posts about tracking your progress?
​Share them below, I would love to add them to the list!