Starting The 100 Day Project: Behind the Scenes of Week One

It’s official! Week One of my 100 Days of Making journey is in the books, and I’m excited to take you behind the scenes.

100 days. 100 pieces. 🎉

It was a good week. I had some alone time while my hubby was out of town so I felt more relaxed and the uninterrupted time was so nice.

It was an “open the windows” kind of week so you will hear the wind in the trees and even some birds in the background.

If you’re new to my series, I am doing things a little differently. Instead of quietly creating in my studio and sharing snippets here and there, I’m inviting you into the process with a weekly VLOG.

I’ve been wanting to do this for some time but have let my nerves get the best of me. It feels weird to be carrying my tripods and camera around for different “location” filming. I think it would be cool to have a camera helper to follow me around.

Okay, let’s dive into Week One—where I take apart an old flea market painting (because why not?), and start stitching together my first batch of EmbellishBits.

Embellish Bits: What Am I Making?

If you’re just tuning in, my theme for this year’s 100 Day Project is EmbellishBits—tiny mixed-media collages combining:

✔ Old photos & negatives (because they’re cool and I am interesting in exploring them)
✔ Found words (because they always seem to say exactly what I need them to)
✔ Fabric & stitching (because texture makes everything better)
✔ Whatever else grabs my attention in the moment

These little pieces can be stitched, layered, or tucked into journals, happy mail, or other creative projects. They're not perfectly planned out, which is a fun shift for me—embracing the unexpected and letting each piece unfold organically.

Starting Week One

Even though this is my ninth year doing The 100 Day Project, I still get nervous before starting. Why? Well, there’s something about committing to making 100 of anything that makes my brain go: "Are you sure? Like… really sure?"

Here’s what you’ll find in the episode:
•What made me decide to do The 100 Day Project this year
•How I came up with my project idea
•A fun flea market find I repurposed for my project
•My creative process
•My first finished pieces

Starting The 100 Day Project: Behind the Scenes of Week One with Roben-Marie Smith

Creative Curveballs: What I Learned This Week

💡 Old photos + typewriters = not as simple as I thought.
I assumed my typewriter ribbon would be permanent. Spoiler: it wasn’t. Some old photos absorbed the ink just fine, while others? Not so much. Solution: A quick spray seal.

💡 Flea market finds make great materials.
This week, I deconstructed an old canvas painting from a flea market to repurpose the fabric for my projects. This one is especially cool because of the rusty nail holes. There's something extra special about giving an old piece a new life.

Next Up: A Change of Scenery

Week Two is coming up, and I’ll be spending part of it in California with my friend Susan! New surroundings always bring fresh inspiration, so I’m curious to see how that influences my pieces. I’ll do some filming there to bring you along.

But for now, Week One is done, and I’m feeling GOOD about this project!

👉 Want to see more behind-the-scenes action? Watch Episode One: Prep Week here: 100 Days of Making – Prep Week

Let me know—are you joining The 100 Day Project this year? Drop a comment and tell me what you’re creating! 😊

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