Quick Hand Print Art

My bed is in an alcove, and when I moved back into the family home three years ago I decided to fill the walls with favourite photos of friends and family, a framed map of my European travels, and other memorabilia, to make a sort of personal gallery. Recently I've been looking at a few of these and thinking that they no longer reflect who I am. Others I would like to frame differently, but keep, and some photos need updating. It already frightens me how young I look in my graduation photo, not yet five years ago!

I've also embraced my artistic side more over the past few years, and decided I would love more handmade pieces, and pieces I've created myself. I hope that they can be enjoyed when I move out again, too, so I've been putting a lot of thought into the pieces I want to create, and what they will say about me. (Definitely planning some more embroidery as well!)

Above is a piece I made recently. I've decided to try more free, expressive art this year. I really enjoy crafts and art which require me to be very precise, as I'm quite a detail-oriented person, but sometimes it's good to push myself to be a little more spontaneous, and to worry less about planning a project to the nth degree before making a mark on paper. 

So I got messy (such fun!), did a hand print, and then wrote five qualities I'd like to keep to hand at all times (geddit?) on the fingers, in my own handwriting - my handwriting being a unique part of my personality. 'Bravery', on the thumb, is my word of 2013. 

I think it's important to wear my heart on my sleeve, too! 

No doubt I'll be thinking up more detailed and skilled pieces as well, but this was a fun, and will serve as a reminder to go out into the world and be myself every day. 

Which qualities would you write on your own hand art?