I did it! Wrapping up my 100-day project
What happens when you revisit a childhood memory a day with paint and paper?
From curiosity to completion
I actually did it—100 days, 100 mixed media pages inspired by childhood memories. When I started this adventure (remember this post where I shared the setup?), I was full of curiosity but honestly unsure whether I’d make it to the end.
Looking at this pile of colourful, layered, and poetic pages, I feel stunned. It’s more than just a stack of paper; it’s a new visual vocabulary and a record of what happens when you show up daily, even when the magic isn’t flowing.
The original plan and how it grew
My goal was clear: build a visual language of shapes and symbols to enrich my painting practice.
I didn't want to use photos; I wanted to "re-feel" my childhood rather than recreate it.
Themes that emerged naturally:
Grandparents and food
Tools, ladders, and stairs
Cats, dogs, and board games
A surprising amount of memories about money!
By Week 3, I wasn't just "making pages", I was collecting the building blocks of future paintings.
My limited colour palette (cadmium yellow medium, cadmium red, cobalt blue, turquoise green, black and white — used throughout the 100 days), go-to tools, and setups for Day 18 and Day 44.
Reality check: around day 50
Around Day 50, reality hit. Life got busy, I was tired, and my perfectionist side wanted to rework everything.
I considered quitting more than once.
To survive, I allowed myself flexibility. I skipped days when necessary, doubled up to catch up, and gave myself 15-minute deadlines when time was tight. The ritual of starting became stronger than the pressure to "do it right."
That’s where the real growth happened.
Trying to fit 100 pages into one photo… not as easy as it sounds!
The final stretch, grit, joy and a few surprises
The last 25 days were intense.
I was juggling other work and a self-imposed deadline. But within the chaos, I found a new rhythm. I began seeing connections between pages: a shape from Day 10 reappearing on Day 80, or a colour palette evolving while keeping its "family resemblance."
A few favorites:
Day 51: A coconut with tools, strange, nostalgic, and intuitive.
Day 44: The hairdryer helmet, a piece full of memories of my mother and grandmother.
The Bonus: I actually lost count around Day 50 and ended up with a few extra pages!
From Day 1 to Day 100 — a scroll through the full series.
What I learned
More than anything, I’ve learned that daily practice — even tiny and imperfect — is transformative. You don’t always notice it in the moment, but the impact builds quietly.
Here are some takeaways I want to carry forward:
Limits create freedom. A fixed palette and small format freed me from overthinking. Less choice, more flow.
Paper is magic. I’ve always loved working on paper — this project just deepened that love. It’s fast, forgiving, and full of potential.
You can’t do this wrong. If you keep going, you’ll find your own rhythm.
Play leads to language. Without trying, I’ve built a visual language that feels uniquely mine.
Memory doesn’t need to be accurate. The feeling matters more than the facts. My childhood lives in colour, shape, texture — not in photos.
Framed a few favourites to see them better — sometimes that’s all it takes to make them feel finished. (Days 6 - 44 - 51 - 54)
What comes next ?
The big question: what to do with 100+ pages? For now, they are my personal archive and creative fuel, living in the studio as inspiration for larger works.
Next year, I want to keep this rhythm but make it looser, perhaps a mix of collage, sketchbook play, and larger pieces.
I’ve built habits I don't want to lose: daily sketching, mark-making, and mixing spontaneity with intention.
Want to try it too?
If you’ve ever considered a 100-day project, I highly recommend it,on your own terms. Define "success" however you want.
For me, it was about learning to trust what comes out.
I’d love to hear from you:
Have you done a 100-day project before?
What helped you keep going when it got tough?
What would you do differently next time?
If you’d like to see more behind-the-scenes from this project, you can:
Follow me onInstagram for daily art life
Join my newsletter for early access to new work and stories from the studio
Watch myYouTube for painting sessions, tutorials, and sketchbook peeks
And if you missed the first two parts of this story:
Installing the final pieces before photographing all 100 pages — a satisfying end to a big journey.
