Pay the Love Forward

Tracy of InkyTwig is the first person I’ve seen to kick off the Pay It Forward Art-Making Project of 2015.  Last year was the first time I played, although I understand the concept has been around for a while, originating as a Facebook invitation.  But we’ve pulled it over to our blogs now, and I’m delighted to be playing again.

Here are the rules:

I promise to make a small work of art for the first five people who comment on this post and say “YES, I want in”.

You must in turn post this invitation on your blog and make something for the first five who comment and say they want in.  The rules are simple: – It has to be your work, made by you, and the recipient must receive it before 2015 ends. – It can be anything art-based: a drawing/illustration or a conceptual work of art, a photograph, a knitted item, cross-stitch, paper maché – or anything in between. I’m paying this forward thanks to Tracy at InkyTwig.

It doesn’t matter if you aren’t an artist, try something out, google/ YouTube how to make stuff, step out of those boundaries.  Have fun and spread the love!

 First five, GO!

What I particularly like about this project is the freedom to create what you want and a not-pressing deadline – until the end of the year allows for lots of creative time.  I created several different things last time and I think I’ll probably do that again this year – whatever the Muse is whispering to me at the moment.  Do join in.  And while technically this is set up to spread the word and connect via blogs and/or Facebook, I personally think you can play any way you want.  Don’t have a blog?  Don’t let that stop you.  Feel free to add your name here and I’ll send you something, and then it’ll be your job to pay it forward with a gift of your art to someone you know.  Let’s give freely, generously, and with love in our hearts!

Shifting slightly, I was reading an article this morning about how astonishingly short attention spans are.  The article went on to quote the average time people give to a web page before moving on, and of course the message was be spectacular and capture their attention instantly or else you get to wear a big loser L on your forehead.  I kind of laugh at all that.  Of course in one sense it’s true, and quite honestly, I’m way more low-key about my business than is probably wise.  But I have no desire to be more shout-y.

That said, I do have an offer on my website, slightly hidden like any tiny treasure should be.  I’m always delighted when someone finds it, because it means they’ve been poking around, exploring, and are a bit intrigued and want to engage slightly more with me.  It’s easy enough to sign up for my newsletter which I send out once a month at the new moon, with very occasionally additions when I have something time-sensitive to share.  It’s also easy to sign up to get notification of my blog posts – by email or in your reader.  But you have to dig a bit deeper to discover that I have a list you can sign up to get snail from me – random visits to your actual mailbox.   (If you dear blog reader are interested in finding the list to sign up, I’ll leave a little trail of breadcrumbs with this hint:  look at my website header under Love Letters.  You’ll have to take it from there).

The International Society of Friendship and Goodwill sponsors events and observations throughout the year, and the week of January 8-14 is dedicated to Universal Letter Writing week.  Alexander Franzen is offering a little guided way to play with this, but I think I’ll be using it to kick off my 2^nd annual year of love letters.  I think the world needs lots more love letters and we should all do our part to write them and celebrate receiving them.  Don’t you want to be part of spreading the love?