You will need:
- A sturdy sketchbook or journal with paper thick enough to handle the weight of materials and wetness of media and adhesives.
- Various art media of choice - watercolours, markers, pigment pens, coloured pencils, etc.
- Adhesives
- Scissors
- Collage materials, other ephemera, found objects
- A phone (or regular) camera to take pictures with
These things could help give you a framework or structure to work within, while still giving the scope for creativity.
You could:
- Set a monthly theme or choose a letter of the alphabet - a for adventures, b for beginnings, c for colours, etc.
- You could choose a set of prompts to follow, either different ones each week, or set that you respond to each month.
- Use different creative styles each month, which gives you scope to experiment.
- Turn your outings, walks, adventures into a game that you can then add the results of to your book.
You could:
You could start one of these each month, put them all together at the start of the year and add to each each month, etc.
- A for adventure - create a map that marks out local places you want to visit. Paint a watercolour of one of the locations.
- B for beginnings - think of some new things you'd like to start this year, write about them, collect ephemera for them.
- C for curiosity - focus on learning something new. Try a class, new craft or hobby.
- D for dreams - set up a dream diary section. Illustrate a dream you had in some way, either painting or collage or image collections.
- E for earth - celebrate nature by collecting and pressing flowers or leaves, and maybe write something about each.
- F for food - collect your favourite recipes, memories of favourite foods and meals with others, etc.
- G for games - create a scavenger hunt for yourself.
- H for home - reflect on what home means to you, document a decorative DIY project.
- I for imagination - create something fantastical out of materials you have to hand.
- J for journeys - collect items from a recent trip, or go on a day trip and document it. Add a timeline for your year, your life.
- K for kindness - focus on acts of kindness, your own or those you've experienced.
- L for likes - document the things you like most, in writing, collage, photographs, etc.
Notes:
- Divide your book into sections by season, perhaps add a summary page for each, create a timeline or mini diary for each, etc.
- You could add pockets, fold outs and flip outs, envelopes etc. to collect small items you want to add and keep.
- End the year off with a list of hopes, plans, etc. for the year ahead.