First, for the ones who don’t know what “Word of the Year” means, let me explain in short:

at the beginning of a New Year, a lot of people make resolutions. I am not one of them… A few years back, however, I discovered that several people, instead of making resolutions, choose just one word and consider that word as a guide for the year. Just one little word, to symbolize the intention you have for the new year. A word as in a ‘theme’, a word that stays with you that year and that will keep you focused in your plans and intentions, a word to use as a touchstone…

Six years ago, I picked my first ‘Word of the Year’ (2010; and my word was ‘smile’ 🙂 )

Now, several years and several words later, I have learned how powerful these words can be. It’s almost scary, how some words in some years turned out to be a burden. In 2013, for example, my word was Volhouden (‘Persevere’) and that word hit me right in the face during the year. Reflecting on it I realized that it was in a way a negative word… So for 2014 I choose a more uplifting and energetic word: Avontuur (‘Adventure.’) [You can read all about ‘persevere’ and ‘adventure’ in THIS POST]

So… was last year an adventure?
Some would say it was indeed because my beloved and I moved houses. Not a move within the city, not within the same province even, we moved to a place 100 miles away. From Eindhoven, the city where I’d lived for the last 30 years, back to my birth-region Zeeland. It was a life-changing move and we encountered many problems, but I would not call it an adventure. No! There was too much negativity and stress in my life last year to call it that….

I don’t have the need to recall, I don’t have the urge to share everything that happens in my life on the internet. It’s not that I don’t trust you, my faithful blog readers, it’s the fact that ANYONE can read this blog that keeps me against pouring my heart out. So, I won’t talk about all the problems we encountered but believe me when I say 2014 was just crap.

It was even thàt bugger, that I did not even dare to think about choosing a new ‘Word of the Year’ for 2015. No baby… this girl decided to live this year without “one word” weighing on her shoulders.

However, ‘blood is thicker than water’ and when I watched a concert of Leonard Cohen (Live in Dublin) on TV last month, the words of my favourite song struck me again.

The birds they sang
at the break of day
Start again
I heard them say
Don’t dwell on what
has passed away
or what is yet to be.
Ah the wars they will
be fought again
The holy dove
She will be caught again
bought and sold
and bought again
the dove is never free.

Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack in everything
That’s how the light gets in.

(Anthem - Leonard Cohen)

There it was again, that last sentence that became my motto a long time ago.  But listening to the lyrics, the text earlier in the song especially touched my heart.

I journaled the first part of the lyrics on the last page of my Chronicles 2014, as a closure and I start the Chronicles of 2015, and the year, with the theme that I embrace for 2015.

… and I will.
I will stay positive.
My life changed drasticly,
but there are still bells.
Bells that I can ring.

I hope 2015 will give me the opportunity to at least “ring the bells that still can ring.”

Then, in this post, I would show you the page and explain why
I choose this word.
I would tell you that I will try to live my life with respect for
my inner core.
I would have explained that my goal is to seek inside, going to
the very core of myself,
to see if the things I do and the choices I make are true and
honest to the deepest of me.

However…

This week I came across Scrapping the Music.
Seeing the new challenge that was up there, I couldn’t resist.
I wanted to make a layout in my ‘Album Cover Art Journal’.

Although I wasn’t really aware of it – that was my first test.
I listened to my deepest me.
I went to the core and I decided to go for the music.
Go for creating the page that I really wanted to make.

It left me no time to make my ‘core’ page,
but it showed me how good it feels to be aware of that deepest feeling.
My core.

‘Awareness’ was my word for 2011.
See how it all comes together?

I think CORE is the perfect word for me, for 2012.
I know that already ’cause the ‘planned’ blogpost is here too.
In another way than I thought I would write it.
Maybe even better!

I’ll show you the core page after I’ve made it.
Sometime next week.
Today, I show you the other stuff.

..

Last Friday I didn’t participate in ‘Haiku my Heart’ – because of the ‘crew’
(ahem, 2 people) of the Dutch television that came to film me that day about
the top 2000 blogparty that was going on on my blog…
(see the little movie they made of me here on youtube)

so;

Hi my Haiku friends!
I’m back!
Happy New Year to you!

Do you love haiku?
Rebecca started hosting Haiku my heart Friday in 2010.
I discovered her ‘haiku circle’ last May and am addicted ever since.
I will continue writing a haiku once a week and publish it each Friday.
For more haiku and photos, visit the haiku-post on Recuaerda mi Corazon.

I bet you’re curious to see what I did instead of making a ‘core’ page.

After a months long break, my friend Michelle is back at Scrapping the Music.
She and the team re-arranged the challenge blog – gave it a new look and
blew new life into it. The first challenge of the year is to create something,
anything inspired by the song ‘Piece of My Heart’ (by Janis Joplin)

Besides the STM challenge, Three Muses came with a prompt to use
song lyrics in your artwork… so this piece goes in there too!

Aaah, ‘good ol’ Janis’ … How could I resist?
Here’s the page I made in my ‘Album Cover Art Journal’

Size: approximately 30 x 30 cm – 12 x 12 inch

I’ve always loved this photo of her on that bike.
This picture is on the cover of a ‘greatest hits’ album.
In the Netherlands, we would call it ‘stoer’ (tough?!) and that’s exactly
the line from the lyrics I choose to work with.

I’m gonna show you, baby
that a woman can be tough

How’s that for my first artistic work in 2012?!

Before I go and step into the weekend – here’s one last thing for the people
who don’t know already.

In the first issue of FEATURING magazine we’ll be covering the topic
of Etsy shops and we’d like to hear your opinions on the subject through
our Etsy survey.

We’d like a wide variety of responses.
Whether or not you run an Etsy shop of your own and whether or not
you’ve ever shopped in one, all views are equally welcome.

I would be very grateful if you would be so kind to answer our questions!
The survey should only take 5 – 10 minutes to complete.

Click here to go to the survey.

Enjoy your weekend dear ones!
Take time to listen to your core!