2022: A Brand New Page

2022: A Brand New Page

There’s something undeniably exciting about crossing from one year to the next. It’s like stepping over an invisible threshold, where we leave what we know for uncharted territory. Like leaving a beach covered in footprints and flotsam and jetsam from the ocean for a wide expanse of untouched sand. Or like finishing the last page of a diary that’s full of scribbles and doodles and dog-eared pages, and opening a brand new one with fresh white pages. 

It’s the promise and potential of what’s to come. We can do whatever we want with a brand new page, and that’s the exciting part. But we can’t do anything if we don’t have any brand new pages to work with.  

Introducing: the Thick Creative Diary, AKA your new 2022 BFF. (cue fireworks)

We know you’ve got big dreams for 2022, which is why we made this one THICK. There are 160 pages of premium stock pages for you to make paper planes with and write your hopes and dreams on. You can write love letters, limericks, shopping lists, to-do and not-to-do lists, and your favourite quotes. Think of it as your creative playground: a space where you can practice, play, learn, and make a mess. While the possibilities are endless, we’d like to show you three ways that we love to use the Thick Creative Diary, that will help set you up for success in 2022.

Vision Boarding

Vision boarding is a super fun activity and a great way to set your intentions for a new year. Grab yourself a stack of old magazines (we love creative, wholesome, artsy mags like Frankie, Peppermint and Breathe), a pair of scissors, glue, and whatever other fun crafty bits and bobs you can rustle up. We’re talking pipe cleaners, glitter glue, googly eyes, sequins, jewels and dried flowers. The more outrageous, the better! In this instance the paper will act as your board, so try and keep your ‘extras’ not too bulky.

Set the scene with some relaxing or uplifting music, or pop on an inspiring podcast. Cork & Chroma’s podcast, PAINT., has some meditations you can settle into before starting on your vision board, to help set the tone for your experience. There’s even an episode titled Vision Boards: Where Our Inner Self Meets Craftiness, where Cork & Chroma founder Hillary Wall offers simple steps on creating your own vision board from home. Give it a listen!

Flip through the magazines, allowing yourself to be inspired by the words and images you see. If something strikes a note with you and feels relevant for your 2022 intentions, that one’s for you! Cut it out and stick it on the page. Once you’ve glued everything down and the page is full, it’s time to jazz it up with your crafty bits and bobs, and let it inspire you all year long!

Painting

You knew this one was coming, right? These big blank beautiful pages are the perfect platform for practice paintings (try saying that five times fast). In your Thick Creative Diary you can test out different colour combinations, practice your brushstrokes, and try your hand at painting specific elements before going on canvas. If you’ve got your hands on a copy of our new book PAINT, and are looking to paint up some of the paintings in it, your creative diary will be especially useful here. Creativity is all about trial and error, after all. Getting all that sticky, icky, not-so-suresy stuff out in your diary will make for a better result when you paint the real deal on your canvas, or lounge room wall.

You don’t need to feel self-conscious about writing or painting ‘badly’ in your creative diary. Remember, it’s your creative playground. And just like when you were 13, no one has permission to look at your diary unless you say they can. While this one may not come with a lock and key, we’ve strapped this baby up with a thick custom C&C belt and buckle, so you can sleep soundly knowing your secrets are safe.

Journalling

While this one may seem obvious, it shouldn’t be discounted. When we write down the inner workings of our mind, it helps us compartmentalise and clarify our thoughts. As Joan Didion said: “I don’t know what I think until I write it down.”

When it comes to journalling, there’s no right or wrong way to go about it. You could take a ‘Dear Diary’ approach, and allow the pages to fill with your stream of consciousness. You could write a list of goals you want to focus on in the new year, or a list of things you feel grateful for. Or maybe journalling’s not really your thing, and you’re more into doodling and drawing.

Writing down your hopes and dreams can help bring them into existence. Seeing your own words makes them feel more real and helps hold you accountable. Oh, and we’ve heard that you’re MUCH more likely to reach your goals if you write them in your Thick Creative Diary. It’s something to do with strapping your goals in with the buckle, so they don’t accidentally slip away while you’re not looking.

Every creative needs a hub to store their inspiration and ideas. And with our Thick Creative Diary in hand, you’ll have space for it all. Vision boarding, painting and journalling are just some ways to help set yourself up for success in 2022, but there’s no limit to the possibilities. Dream big, friends, and happy new year from us to you.

Ready to start on a brand new page? Get your very own Thick Creative Diary here. This bad girl comes in two snazzy versions as part of our Capsule Collection 001: the Limited Edition Neon “Mountain Dew” Diary and the Clear Plain Jane Diary. Plain Jane is just as special, but less hectic.