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PASSION PROJECTS FOR THE UNINSPIRED

We’ll be looking at Passion Projects – the kind that involve some serious investment of your time. The kind that get you inspired again and your creative juices flowing. After all, it’s about mid-spring now and it’s definitely time to get into full swing.

Here are some passion project ideas that will go a long way to making you feel connected to the world.

Start a blog.

Blogs are super easy and convenient to start up – even if you’ve never used a website builder before. Now’s a good time to learn. But blogs aren’t just about writing articles or journaling entries as straight text.

Because you can upload images on your blogs, you actually have a couple of fairly neat opportunities available. Such as literal journaling. You can take out handwritten notes in one of our sketch books using a delicate calligraphy pen (which we also have in-store) – and just jot down some thoughts about your day. Or any idea that comes to mind, really.

Then you can snap a picture of it with your smartphone camera and upload it into that day’s entry, with a short note of what it’s about.

You’re not limited to literal journal entries for your passion project. You can also post pictures of paintings you’ve done, doodles, anything whimsical about your day.

And why not?

Blogs have freebie versions, so it won’t cost you a cent. And you can pick from a couple of different blog-building sites, like WordPress (our personal recommendation), Weebly, or Wix. They also come with mobile versions, making it easier than ever to share your art or journaled thoughts with the world.

Set the scene.

Some of our PNA stores actually have scenery constructing kits. Remember mini-town when you were a kid? Anyway, reminiscing aside, we have the little trees, rocks, landscapes, and other objects which go into helping those with vision create a miniature scene.

It is a true passion project, because it requires a certain dedication of time to do. Did we mention patience? But it’s worth it, as your little scene grows… with each detail adding to the slice of a world you’re creating. You may even find miniature animals in our toys section. Now that will add to a pastural sense of a place!

When you’re done, you can zoom in close with a camera and snap some nice shots of it – and share it in your blog (if you’re also doing the first suggestion)! At least, it’ll be awesome for your friends to see on their Facebook newsfeed.

A visual diary.

It doesn’t matter if you’re not very good at sketching. Practice makes perfect! We have numerous sketching books, with nice solid covers, that will go nicely in a bag. Not to mention various pencils of shades and kinds. Like, have you enjoyed the magical glide of a charcoal pencil on paper?

Just keep it with you at all times, and when the moment strikes you, whip it out and sketch. Capture the spirit of the moment.

You can even choose a theme. Perhaps it’s about flowers. They’re really pretty this time of year. And if you’re in Johannesburg or Pretoria, it won’t be long until we hit “purple season” – when the jacarandas start to blossom and fall.

Or you can choose a wildlife theme, such as birds – we’re lucky in South Africa to have so many varied species of them. We’re actually a popular destination for birdwatchers from around the world.

Of course, if it’s dusk, you may instead be seeing a bat flapping its wings. Don’t get too close, though. They’re known to be vectors of the rabies virus. So what do you think of these passion project ideas? If you’ve got suggestions of your own, let us know on Facebook or Twitter!

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