Creative Every Day Theme for March: Nest

February 25th, 2011

At the end of each month I will announce the totally optional theme for the following month. For the month of March 2011, the theme will be Nest.

As always, this month's theme for the Creative Every Day Challenge is totally optional. Use it if it inspires you, continue being creative every day in your own way if it doesn't, or do something in between. You can sign up for the 2011 Creative Every Day Challenge anytime. More info can be found here and the sign-up page is here.

I'll be posting about the theme throughout the month on the blog to help keep you inspired. You can use the posts here for jumping off points or interpret the theme in your own creative way. If you need some suggestions, here are a few ideas to get you started. You could:

  • *Draw, paint, or sculpt images of our fine feathered friends.
  • *Feather your nest. Focus on bringing more creativity to your space.
  • *Build a nest of sorts to create in. Maybe something like a blanket fort!
  • *Get out in nature, snapping pictures of the building blocks of nests: trees, branches, bits of string.
  • *Remove clutter from your space. See how it opens up your creativity.
  • *Create an altar to honor your creative self.
  • *Write about your ideal space. Draw a picture of it. What's one small thing you could do to get closer to that?
  • *Create a piece of art inspired by Mary Oliver's "Wild Geese" poem.
  • *Pick up a home decorator's magazine and use a color scheme in it in something you're making.
  • *Use natural elements (feathers, branches, leaves) to create prints from.
  • *Ever had dreams you could fly? Paint an image of it or a write a poem about how it felt.

How to use the CED themes:

If you're feeling creatively stuck or blocked at any point during the month, use the theme as a source of inspiration to get you moving. Feel free to focus on the theme in your creative activities for the entire month or as much as you'd like.

Using the theme is entirely optional for CED participants. Use it if it inspires you, ignore it if it doesn't. I'll be sharing posts throughout the month around the theme (among other things) to get you thinking about how to incorporate it into your life. I'd love to hear how you use the theme in your creative world.

And have fun with it!

To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter; to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird’s nest or a wildflower in spring – these are some of the rewards of the simple life.”
~John Burroughs

27 Responses

My nest does tend to get a bit cluttered. I love things that have a visual impact for me, so I need to be selective about what gets included in my nest. Leah, this is a wonderful theme to concentrate on. I keep getting messages to clear the clutter in my life, what better way than to start with my studio (and the rest of my nest).
Janet
xoxo

this is as good a time as any to clean up the nest that is our studio and to spruce up the nest that is our home!

Another wonderful theme, Leah. I imagine that you are nesting right now. Your nest picture is lovely. Have a wonderful weekend, everyone.

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by HiroBoga, Leah Piken Kolidas, Jennifer Lee, Kim Nixon, Kristen Fagan and others. Kristen Fagan said: RT @leah_art: The (totally optional) Creative Every Day theme for March is: Nest http://bit.ly/hLla8z #ced2011 [...]

I noticed a nest in one of the trees alongside the labyrinth where I walked the other day. Fantastic synchronicity (and so perfect with your pregnancy.) Love it!

I absolutely love the nest photo….amazing!

Hi Leah
You are a champion for keeping this site going. I have been slack but now I am back, I hope! Hey, I love your photo.

All the best, Ev

What a great theme. I’ve only just signed up as a participant so I’m a little behind, but I love to be creative and go slightly crazy if I’m not creative everyday. At the moment I love to experiment with all things colour and express myself through creative writing. Can’t wait to see what others share for ‘nest’.

What a cute photo ant theme for this month!

This is a terrific theme–and something very near and dear to my heart as we really work at turning this house into a real Home…thank you for the suggestion…

Perfect for me, since most of my “creative” energy has been channeled into painting my dining room for the past couple of weeks.
Thanks!!

The synchronicity of the timing of this theme is inspiring in itself…. I have just unearthed a glass box in which a nest I found as a teenager is encased. I plan to dust it off, wiping away the accumulated grime of the years from each glass panel, as my first creative project this month. Then, I will display it in a place where it will serve as an inspiration to find, clean, and create more hidden treasures for the next 31 days. Thank you.

I decided to take the theme literally and made a necklace that included a nest charm (made from wire and fresh water pearls). You can see the result here – http://fionajphillips.blogspot.com/2011/03/look-what-i-made.html

Wow, last month’s passion theme was uhm accurate, but somehow the passion came out stress and angry expressions, bursting forths of things repressed. YIKES! Well, ok that can be good but when I ’splode boy do I!! Nesting and resting after such passion YUP YUP!

Hey . . . that nest looks familiar! Great shot.

xo, K

Kathy, I’m so glad you saw the pic!

Kathy gave me that sweet nest (and the egg and heart inside it) as a gift recently. It’s lovely. :-)

Hey Leah, loving the photo, love the theme. I have not kept up, but going to make a real effort. Thanks for the inspiration! :)

Oh – I just posted a “nest” collage on my blog a few weeks ago. I will have to do another. I love that theme, it’s so sweet and personal.

I just posted a photo of spring piglets. It was fascinating to see how the sows formed their nest.

My response is found here. I have a working nest preference.

http://createminded.com/2011/03/do-you-have-a-working-nest-preference-card/

I’ve been working on my nest in my studio and now I never want to leave:) I went on vacation to Vancouver and got lots of inspiration from the beautiful nature. I can’t wait to print some of the photos!! My focus is on honoring my past and combining with images of nature. Thank you for the inspiration to love my nest!! :)

I have been tidying my “nest” for sewing but its hard to keep it that way. During sewing projects I get bits out and leave them as you do because it might be useful in another part etc etc. The process is everlasting!
I have UFOs to finish to feather our nest. Snuggle quilts will be useful with winter coming on.

Nest….definitely been thought provoking, I really enjoyed my first efforts for the challenge, looking forward to next months word.

Really enjoyed the challenge. Have posted a pic of my little ‘Nest’ inspired Owls here:
http://gildedbird.wordpress.com/

They were so much fun to make!

What a delight! This was an opportunity for me to re-create two nest projects from the past that were destroyed in my last move. Thank you, Leah.

http://studiomothers.com/2011/03/31/miranda-nest/

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