Daily Om Article

A good way to start your morning, is to read something positive and inspiring. This is the article I got in my inbox today from Daily Om. This site provides inspirational articles and if you sign up for their newsletter you  too can get daily articles. If you are interested in signing up, click here.

This is an article I can definitely relate to and thought I'd share it with all my fellow bloggers and creative friends. Read, enjoy and don't ever stop creating!!! It's good for your soul :)

Return and Reclaim
Returning to Creative Dreams
Our creativity is an important part of being a well-rounded human being. For many of us, this has been shut down.

As children, many of us entertained fantasies or even goals of being an actor, singer, dancer, artist, or musician. In some cases, we received enough encouragement to develop our abilities in those creative arenas, but somewhere along the way we stopped. This stopping may have been due to circumstances beyond our control or to our own unconscious acts of self-sabotage. Being creative can be scary in a world that seems to value logic over imagination and practicality over dreaming. We can forgive ourselves for shutting down or turning our attention away from our inner artist, but perhaps we can also take steps to reclaim our dreams.

In certain times and places, developing a creative ability was considered an important part of being a well-rounded human being. It was not necessary to be a professional or a masterly genius, because the act of creativity was valued in and of itself. It gifts are manifold—from the sheer pleasure of allowing our imaginations free reign to sharing and enjoying the fruits of our labor. Children share drawings and songs freely, without self-consciousness, and there is no reason why we cannot do the same thing. You may already be remembering some lost form of expression, such as making jewelry or writing songs. Your soul may be responding with an energetic lift as it feels its way back to a time when it was allowed to express itself freely. Your brain, on the other hand, may be throwing up obstacles, like the idea that you are too old or do not have the time.

The truth is, you are not too old, and if you have time to pick up a pen, you have time to make a doodle or write a haiku. Recognize that the obstacles you find before you have arisen from a place of fear and that they will wane in power every time you do something creative. Each creative act takes you deeper into a realm of beauty and magic, a realm that you have every right to return to and reclaim. 

Sticker Book

 
 So I was blog hopping one night and came across a really cool blog: Samster Mommy. This blog is so witty and funny and full of great ideas for my kids. My new thing is making things for Jake (2 1/2) and Kayla (1). My head is filled with so many projects I want to make for them. Either for when they get older or something they can use now. My problem is I have so many plans for projects but so little time! But I guess one thing at a time. I will eventually get to make them all!

I browsed and browsed and found a project I needed to make ASAP!! It is the DIY sticker book, which you can find a great tutorial here. What a great idea! Jake loves stickers but freaks out when he sticks them onto something and can't peel it off. So I had to stop giving him stickers, what was I going to use as a potty reward?  I ended up using M & M's but it has now been a couple of weeks since he's shown any interest in the potty. But that is a different story, back to the sticker book...Samster's Mommy used an old book, spray adhesive, card stock, ribbon and freezer paper! How ingenious! That way you can stick and unstick the stickers without your child freaking out! So I got all my materials and got to work!

It wasn't too bad making the sticker book but it was a very sticky situation hehehe. I ended up using "Funky Tape" that I found at Michael's as a trim instead of the suggested ribbon because when I tried to hot glue the ribbon to the freezer paper it came off very easily. I'd figured I'd try this material instead. (Btw, the tape started to unstick about a day or two after I gave this to my son so if anyone figures out a different trim, please let me know!)

I finally finished his sticker book and he seemed to enjoy it! That is until he started to take the stickers off the sticker book and put them on his arm. So all that work and Jake just wanted stickers on his arms not the actual book! Kids will be kids! I guess he is still not ready for stickers! I ended up putting the book away for a later time or else my little menace of a boy would eventually tear it apart lol. That has been his new thing...destroying books. I've had to keep them out of reach and allowed usage under adult supervision!

This is his "cheese" face...silly boy!

Coming back slowly!

Ok, so I am slowly crafting again :) Back in NY but living somewhere temporarily. So all my craft tools and accessories are still packed away, but I couldn't help to unpack just a few of my crafting tools and get to creating! I can't wait to get organized and unpack it ALL!! I miss all my stuff. Just the ease of using things without having to go digging for them in a box will be nice. Unfortunately I am going to have to go back to work soon, so either way I won't be crafting as much. I hope to find some time here and there to create, create, create!! Between the job, kids, hubby and house there won't be enough time in the day to get it all done. But I will face that when it comes!

My first project since I moved is another baby wipe case!! I made one for a dear friend who just had a baby girl...I have to go visit her soon! Loving the look of this case, you can't go wrong with brown and pink!!

 So after I made this one, I thought to myself...I need one too!! and decided to finally make something for myself. I am always making stuff for others, my turn ;)

I decided to go with a zebra pattern, hot pink ribbon and a hot pink flower. Let me tell you that my favorite color is brown so the one I made for my friend would be the one I would usually go for. But I wanted something different!! I wanted to go outside my box! and I am so glad I did...my zebra wipe case came out so COOL!!! Feels so NY!! hehehe. I am thinking of selling them on Etsy...do you think people would buy these???

Glad to be back home!!