For the past two years, life has been rather stressful. At times, the social media world can become a suffocating place full of comparison and criticism. Heavy for my sensitive heart and restless spirit, I have had to learn to curate my online worlds and fill it with accounts, people and projects that inspire me in one way or another.
During this time, I made vow to honour my creativity, try out my ideas and learn to be playful through creating. Books and courses I studied helped me stay on track and reminded of this bond and along the way I found several creative initiatives that I admire. Some are artsy, some are business-y or culture orientated and in their own unique way they show me how people turn simple ideas and hobbies into projects, work, art, community gatherings or global initiatives. Below I share a couple of them with you, first some of the Cyprus-based ones, and then the international ones.
Cyprus-based creative projects
Joy of Origins: This is a YouTube account by architect and creative Chara Nicolaou which first launched in March 2021. Through short videos on food and crafts Chara explores what it means to be Cypriot and takes a look at the origins of recipes. All things I love so I interviewed her for a newspaper feature recently which you can find here. Chara films herself cooking traditional Cypriot recipes and tries on the ways Cypriots used to live back in the day. Joy of Origins is essentially a diary of Cypriot stories, remembering the old ways so that they are not forgotten.
Instagram: @joyoforigins
F l â n e r i e: This is a cartography project turning paper maps of your favourite cities into art prints. Architect Marina Kyriakou has spent years studying spatial planning and city structures and she’s managed to transform and translate that into beautiful frames. She shares her passion of looking at cities from above by offering art prints of a specific part of town you choose. My favourite frame of hers (and her most popular choice) is the Nicosia walled city but you can order a map of any city you desire. It’s next on my gift list!
Instagram: @_.flanerie._
Chez νού: For language-lovers and connoisseurs the title of this project is especially fascinating and clever. It blends the French 'chez', meaning ‘at the home of’ and the Greek 'νούς' meaning the mind. Their union magically creates a space that is a home for our minds and it involves a series of creative workshops. Anyone interested in exploring their personal talents alongside creative writing, philosophy, conversation and community is invited to join Christina Metaxa in weekly meetings in Limassol. No prior ‘creative’ expertise or knowledge is required, the workshops welcome all. It’s a project I hope to be more involved with in the New Year.
Socials coming soon.
Contact: christinametaxa@gmail.com, 99-335514
Conversation Café Cyprus: Meet up with strangers and talk about life, philosophies and world topics. The Conversation Café is a concept that exists globally aiming at bringing people from all kinds of communities and backgrounds together to facilitate meaningful conversation. How cool is that? In Cyprus, Charis and Gulsen started hosting such events about two years ago, meeting once a month with whoever wants to join and meet people to talk about important topics in a spirit of curiosity, respect and warmth. Their events, at a new location and city each time, follow a different conversation theme and hope to create the space for connection and I think that’s pretty great.
Facebook/ConversationCafeCyprus
Instagram: @conversationcafecyprus
International creative projects
Letters from Afar: Letters From Afar is an art and travel project turned business, globally. It’s mail subscription project where for $6 per month you receive an illustrated letter from an explorer called Isabelle. Isabelle travels the globe and at every stop she shares her discoveries about lands far away in gorgeous handcrafted letters. Isabelle is not a real person however, she is a character the husband-wife artistic duo behind the project created. She is based on the 19th-century female explorer, Isabella Bird - an English traveller, writer, photographer, and naturalist. She travelled the globe from a young age well into her 60s and was known for her descriptive letters to home telling of her travels. The Mills couple are reviving snail mail through sending globetrotting adventures straight to your door. My inspiration is ignited!
Instagram: @letters.from.afar
Chrstia Norman Studio: Christa Norman is a cyanotype artist making gorgeous prints using flowers and plants. Cyanotype is a photographic printing process that produces a cyan-blue print. Using light, a chemical liquid, paper and usually flowers or leaves, artists make these stunning blueprints which can be turned into unique wall-art. There are loads of artists who create similar work but Christa was one of the first who caught my eye when I discovered her on Instagram and her works inspires me to give it a go.
www.christanormanstudio.com/links
Instagram:@christanormanstudio
The Freelancer’s Year: Lindy Alexander is a writer who makes a full-time living freelancing. Her blog The Freelancer’s Year teaches writers and journalists how to earn a great living from freelance writing. It’s filled with tips, strategies and interviews with seasoned freelancers, editors and content marketing managers and it’s one of the most clearly-focus blogs I’ve seen. Her advice is insanely practical and detailed and most importantly, helpful! I discovered her a few years back and even subscribed to her weekly newsletter. Writers, check her out.
WWL Meal Prep: The Workweek Lunch is a meal prep service 28-year-old Talia Koren started in 2018. Every week she sends out meal prep ideas and recipes to anyone who signs up to her monthly subscription. Her plans include breakfast, lunch and dinner recipes that are meal-prep tested, meaning that they also last and taste good as leftovers. Her business has grown so much that it’s been featured in The New York Times and Forbes. Admittedly, I don’t meal prep often and don’t use her service but I enjoy following her Instagram account for recipe ideas, food organization methods and her intuitive eating mindset.
Instagram: @workweeklunch
________________________
Happy discovering!
