From the Creative Moms

There's been a little issue with this weeks Featured Mom - nothing big, just a wee postponement. Not to worry though, because I've received many, many responses to my call for submissions. So many incredible moms have contacted me to share their stories and there are just too many to be able to post them all in detail. I thought I would pick and choose some snippets so I can share as much as possible - they are all inspiring and I hope you enjoy these pearls of creative wisdom:


"I always tell my now-teenage daughters, "If you try something and it terrifies you, that means you're growing because you're being stretched to the limit." I"ve been stretched a lot by life experiences - both good and bad - and so far, I haven't broken."

~ Linda Lowen, writer, guide to woman's issues for About.com

"I think in this day when computer games rule, it is so important to give children the opportunity to create, to make a mess, to try something new and even if it doesn't come out well, to make the effort."

~Kristen Weaver, Mom and Dance Teacher

“I am always inspired by the creativity of my children, the freedom they allow themselves to invent and willingness to be foolish. I remind myself to be playful, and try to bring fun into the workplace, to promote the happiness of our staff and to help keep us all inspired.”

~ Olivia Teter, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Vetrazzo®

"Some things we make stink, but we don't care. We just make something else... I just love to make stuff and it's not really important that I'm any good at it, it's the joy I get from the process. "

~ Sherri Arnaiz, mom, speaking about time spent with her daughter, Deziree, being creative.

"I can't think of any mom I know who isn't creative -- there are the ones who knit Afghans in one sitting or make table centerpieces out of cereal boxes, or the ones who invent countless ways to get their kids to eat their vegetables. And when our kids are small and we're pulling our hair out, crying in the bathroom, we come up with all kinds of things to get us through the day."

~Dina Santorelli, Editor and Publisher of www.workhomeyou.com


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Featured Mom - Michelle of Namesakes

Michelle has dedicated herself to a pursuit of all things creative and has also taken it upon herself to create a non-profit organization. Have a read of what this mom has dedicated her time and her arts towards.

H: What do you like to create?

M: One-of-a-kind personalized artwork using a child’s name as the focal point. Hand-drawn and hand-colored imagery can be catered to match bedding, nursery themes or hobbies of each child celebrating their unique personality.

H: How did you get started? Are you finding success?

M: I started the NAMESAKES (as I call them) while trying to come up with inexpensive baby gifts for friends. I do a lot of these throughout the year and have found that people are always looking for something unique and fresh!

H: Were you creative before you had children?

M: I have been an artist my whole life and an art teacher from part of that time as well.

H: Have your methods changed?

M: A bit. I used to just draw and design out of my head. Lately though I have been doing layouts on the computer using various computer images as a starting point. It is very helpful to see the idea laid out before starting all the work.

H: How do you find time to stay creative?

M: NAP TIME is my creative time! My brain never shuts off so no matter what I am doing I am creating…it’s sometimes a curse!

H: Do your kids show any creative spirit?

M: All three of them are very creative. With an art teacher for a mom, how could they not be?!

H: What have you learned after having your kids (in relation to your art).

M: My quick-paced style works well. I am not one of those artists who can work a little and leave it for a couple days…I feel uneasy if I don’t start and finish something all in the same sitting.

50% of all of my NAMESAKES profits go to it’s 4 the kids (its4thekids.blogspot.com) a non-profit I started this year that raises money for families struck by childhood cancer. Some families struggle with finances, some children have a wish that can’t be granted by the big wish foundations, etc. I also have a network of artists who share their profits to benefit these kids and their families!

http://michellekemperbrownlowwrites4kids.blogspot.com

michellebrownlow@yahoo.com

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Featured Mom - Gretchen of Chichiboulie

I've written before how moms are often inspired by the funny things their kids say. Today's featured mom, Gretchen of Chichiboulie, has taken her inspiration to her illustrations. She's also written her own post today, outside of the normal interview format (oh, how I LOVE when my featured moms mix it up!) So have a read!

Welcome Gretchen of Chichiboulie!

There are days when I just want to lock the door and shut them out. Unfortunately my studio doesn’t currently have a door so that’s not physically possible. Besides, I suspect they would find a way in. They always seem to. The fact that they outnumber me doesn’t help me in my defense. Where one fails, another most certainly will succeed.

And who are they? “They” are my children. Three in all. Ranging in age from 2 years to almost 9. And “they” have a way of keeping me on my toes. From adding extra touches to my (in my mind at least) finished paintings when I’m not looking to rummaging rather messily through my freshly organized ribbon box oohing and ahhing at the colours, there is very little chance that I will, even for a minute, forget they are about.

But as much as their innocent antics can on off-days be a bother to me, they also have the benefit of being a huge bonus. Lacking in inspiration? All I have to do is sit back and watch them for a few minutes and something is bound to strike. But my favourite part? Not just watching, but listening. Because there are some truly brilliant thoughts that come out of children’s mouths.

I’ll admit that the 2 year old hasn’t had that much to offer just yet in terms of quotes. He’s still trying to figure out the difference between “Maman” and “Papa.” But my 6 year old definitely makes up for it. From telling people she’ll be there “in a jippy” to sleeping in “junkbeds” (and I hate to admit that she may be on to something there…we didn’t pay very much for them and it shows), my 6 year old is a treasure trove of silliness and I love every minute of it. She originally named our solid black fish Spot and Spotty, but has recently decided they need a name change.

“But Mummy, it’s okay if we change the names of our fish.”

“Oh really? Why’s that?”

“Because fish don’t have collars.”

The logic is fabulous and really makes me giggle. I generally don’t argue with her or offer up examples such as, in this case, people not having collars. It would ruin it and take away the magic.

My 8 year old has been known to have her moments as well. Like when she was shocked that her baby brother “was born with that thing!” I’ll leave it to you to figure out what “that thing” is.

I just love the thought process. I love the freshness of their ideas and the innocence with which they are spoken.

And it’s a whole lot of fun illustrating such thoughts.

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Giveaway - Custom art for your child's room from Namesakes!

Enter to win a custom piece of art for your child's room. Namesakes has offered to personalize a wall hanging just for you! And if you'd like to purchase, 50% of the proceeds go towards benefiting pediatric cancer causes.
To enter, visit it's 4 the Kids. Read about the kids (bring tissue). Once you've gotten to know those children a little bit, come back here and leave a comment for your entry. Tell us a little about what you read at it's 4 the Kids.
This contest is open until Nov 15th.

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Featured Mom - Bee of Witchetty

Today's featured mom is an incredible artist who, believe it or not, has only been painting for just over a year. Not only has she found her voice as an artist, but she's also finding her way as a business owner.

H: What do you like to create?

B: I create acrylic and mixed media artwork but to me they are so much more then mere paintings. I love to create whimsical characters, strange big eyed girls that live in the world of make-believe. They each have a name and a story that needs to be told and it is so rewarding to see them brought to life in my art.

H: How did you get started? Are you finding success?

B: It seems as though I have always been on this journey because I feel I am becoming who I was always meant to be. However, the journey began through my scrapbooking. Scrapbooking was something that I began after I became a mother and I found it to be such a lovely way to preserve my family’s special memories and it kept me creative. As time wore on I found that I was putting a lot of artwork and doodles into my layouts and I found I was looking for a way to express myself. This led to me rediscovering drawing and then finally to taking a leap of faith and attempting to paint in acrylics. I was quite surprised when my first attempt looked like a painting.

It really was love at first brush stroke and I was hooked. I set about recording my journey through my blog and created my art store through Etsy. To date I have sold 13 paintings, both locally and internationally and I hope one day to be a full-time painter.

H: Were you creative before you had children?

B: I have always been creative. As a child I was always drawing little characters and I would write stories about magical worlds. When I left school I worked in the child care industry and my favorite part of the job was sharing my creativity with the children.

I have tried everything from jewellery making and cross stitch to scrapbooking and card making. None of this has been wasted though as I use a lot of these techniques and supplies in my artwork today. Just yesterday I cross stitched onto a canvas to embellish my latest painting.

H: Have your methods changed?

B: My artwork is constantly evolving and I don’t think I will ever stop learning new techniques or experimenting with my style.

H: How do you find time to stay creative?

B: When my daughter was young I found it hard to even wash my hair, let alone have time to be creative. When she was about 12 months old I arranged with some friends to meet up one night a week at a different house and work on our craft projects. Each person would bring their latest work and we would drink coffee and catch up without the kids. It kept me sane for those few years when she was really young.

By the time Jade was 3 she had her own art box and I had learned to share my creative time with her. Whenever Jade wanted to get creative, she could pull out her box and it contained papers, magazines to cut, child safe scissors, colouring pencils and crayons, glue etc. One thing I learned from years of working with children was how important it was to allow them to get creative every day.

Now that Jade is ten and at school I have a lot of time to be creative (around school activities, sports, housework, work LOL). We also have an art studio set up in our house that Jade and I share. It really does help if you have an area that you can just shut away and come back to later. When I used to work on my kitchen table, I found that the thought of packing away and setting up again would sometimes stop me doing art.

H: Do your kids show any creative spirit?

B: My daughter is the most creative person I know. She is always building a sculpture, writing a story, painting or drawing some wonderful artwork. She leaves me in awe sometimes and I am so proud that I have helped to nurture her creative side.

H: What have you learned after having your kids (in relation to your art)

B: To never be afraid to make a mess or a mistake. I think sometimes as adults we hold ourselves back for fear of not being good enough. I have never heard a small child tell me that they cannot draw or paint, but I know very few adults that will even try. So I keep reminding myself to push through the doubt and get messy.

H: Anything else to add?

B:The internet has changed my life and the way that I look at art. Before discovering the thousands of talented artist out there on the net, my biggest regret was not going to art school. Now I realize that I can create the artistic life I want right now and live it. It has been through the many generous and talented women around the world who gave encouragement and support to me through the net, that I am where I am now.

Visit Bee in her Etsy Shop : http://witchetty.etsy.com. She also has a fantastic blog, go on and check it out - don't forget to subscribe !: http://witchetty.typepad.com

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Another Giveaway! Funky Felted Jewelry from KaleidoscopeStyle! Retail value $43

Just look at this! Isn't it the most unique, colorful, child friendly piece of jewelry ever!?!?

It's from Kaleidoscope Style and they want you to take it home free (retail value $43)! All you have to do is go and visit their online shop. Pick your fav piece, then come back here and leave a comment to tell us what it is. Make sure to leave your email address so we can contact you if you're the lucky winner.

I can just imagine what my toddler would think of this colorful item wrapped around mommies neck. She wouldn't be able to take her eyes off it and rightly so. Katrin has also offered a 10% discount on any sales during the giveaway period. Just type SPARK in the notes to seller field at checkout.

Enter until Oct 7th.

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Share your inspirations...Interested?

I thought I'd share these wee paintings which were done quite some time ago. They are 5x7 which I'd found the perfect size to complete in one sitting. I should really take some time to do a few more as I miss the fluid pace of brush over paper.

These days, I find it takes a bit too much time setting up my supplies, and then the clean up is another story. I guess that's why I haven't done any for a while.

My minis are pinned to a bulletin board in my office and I intend to add a few more images so that it becomes my Inspiration Board. Maybe I'll snap a pic of the board every time I add something new. How about we do it together and maybe add something new once a week? Are you up for it? I think it would be fun to see each other's boards grow and it will give us a bit of insight into who we are.

It could be like one of those meme things I keep seeing around. You know the ones - like wordless wednesday? Leave me a comment if you are interested and if there is enough response I'll make it all official like with a button and linky thing and all :)

Recognizing your influences - Part 2 of 2

In my last post I wrote about recognizing our influences. Today, I'd like to discuss using this information now that we've revealed what it is.

There are two ways we can go here. We can embrace our influences and work towards incorporating them as much as we can while still maintaining our originality, or, we can shut them out and see where our mind wanders when it finds itself in unfamiliar territory.

So what does this mean really?

1) Embracing our influences.

How do we go about incorporating everything we love and still remain truthful to ourselves? The key is in our awareness. In order to include or exclude anything we must be aware of our inclinations and that is why my previous post was important. If you haven't done a little self study exercise go and do so.

Once we know why it is we do the things we do; we are free to pick and choose which techniques, which feelings, which voice to incorporate into any given project. Not only can we choose what we want to do openly, we will recognize when we are losing ourselves amongst our influences.

2) Shutting out our influences.

In the opposite direction we can attempt to abandon what we know and forge ahead into uncharted territory. This is going to be more difficult as our influences are so ingrained into us that they may even form the basis of our creativity. However, we can take drastic measures here. If we normally write in prose, we may switch to poetry. If we normally paint in oil, we can switch to sculpture. If we are comfortable in sewing, what would happen if we picked up a paper art? Changing mediums gives us a higher chance of leaving behind our influences and seeing our basic creative nature show through. Will we create a masterpiece? It's unlikely. We will though, get in touch with ourselves and how we work when our instincts are challenged. We will have fun and we will learn. Teaching ourselves how to be creative in a new way will help us to carry over those new techniques into our medium of choice. Like remapping our brains, we will be able to see things afresh and it may be the key to breaking out of a creative rut.

I hope you take some time for self reflection. Think about your influences and what they mean to you. Be aware of why you do the things you do and it will only elevate your art. All the best to you in your endeavors.

by H.E.Eigler of Maternal Spark

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Recognizing your influences - Part 1 of 2

Novelist and Blogger Charles Gramlich of Razored Zen (which I read religiously) has recently posted on how our influences can affect how we create. He writes

Being “unconscious” of one's sources has potential risks and potential benefits. On the risk side, it’s possible to stay so close to the original that you are simply writing pastiche. On the benefit side, being unconscious of influences allows a seamless mix and match of many influences into the blend that makes up true creativity.

It's got me thinking about how this carries over to other mediums besides the written word. Singer/Songwriters often speak about their influences and often those artists were the ones their parents listened to. I remember my Dad listening to Elvis, Alice Cooper and some other band with a song called "Chicken Train" on our 8 track stereo. And my mother had a large country music collection including Alabama, Kenny Rogers and Waylon Jennings. These influences have a large part in what I listen to today and I love that I can trace it all back to those memories.

We all know the rich history behind painters and the huge influence they had on visual artists. Many visual artists will rattle off their favorites -Mattise, Picasso, and Cezanne. If you look closely, you can see those influences in their work and they are happy to speak of them. Same goes for photographers.

What about scrapbookers, knitters and crocheters or sewers or jewelers? Where do they find their influences? I would imagine the mothers and grandmothers who taught them their craft had most of that influence when it comes to technique but what about style? Influence can come from many places. What has influenced you and how does that play out in your work? Take a moment to think back to your childhood. What was around you then? Who was around you then? What were your passions, your interests? It is important that we understand what influences us so that we can harness or ignore it - which is what I'll write about in part 2 of this series. Comment about your own work. I'd love to hear about who you see in your craft.

by H.E.Eigler of Maternal Spark

image via wikipedia

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So what are you into?

I've been working on developing a weekly "Energizer" post. The idea being, I would post exercises or fun projects or ways to jump start your creative projects and you would get so inspired you would rush away to work into the wee hours and come out with a masterpiece. That's the idea anyhow. Then it occurred to me that it would be a whole lot easier if I knew what my readers enjoyed most. Are sewing tutorials going to fall on uninterested ears? Who cares about writing prompts? Punch your answer into the poll below and give me a little direction wont'cha? After all, this blog is for you.

Lock yourselves away - How the simple act of bathing is great for your creativity

You've heard me mention before that in order to capture your creativity it is important to take time out for yourself to think. Think about the project you're currently working on. Think about where you want to take it. What obstacles are you coming up against? What are you going to do to over come them? If you have something new floating in your mind, think about what options you have. How are you going to make this project different and unique?

If you're saying to me that you don't have time for all this thinking, that it's impossible to think with kids running rampant and eating three week old cheerios from behind the couch I'll say I agree. It is impossible to think creative thoughts, thoughts that can expand and grow and take you somewhere down your creative path with chaos happening. So here's what you do.

Lock yourself in the bathroom.

Of course you need to make sure the munchkins have adequate supervision, or are confined to their cages cribs for bedtime. A half an hour is all it takes to make this work. You owe it to yourself to find a half hour. It's not long.

Go into the bathroom, draw a bath, grab a notebook and pen and relax. Let you mind wander. Think about your creative works in progress and if inspiration strikes jot your thoughts down. Lock the door so hubby doesn't pop in, ignore the calls of 'hey Mom, mom, mom, mom, mom.' Don't worry if the phone rings, if it's important they will call back. Maybe you need some light music to mask the goings on beyond the door.

Does it sound luxurious? Well, let's make it even more so. Win one small, one medium, one large and one heart bath bomb from Beyond the Bomb!

Go to the Beyond the bomb site and have a browse, come back here and leave a comment telling us which specialty bomb you'd like to drop into your tub most. The draw runs from July 14th to July 28th and is open to US residents only. Between now and then I want you to take at least 1 time out for you bath! You deserve it!!

Oh and make sure you leave an email address so we can contact you if you're the winner!!

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15 Time Saving, Organization and Inspirational tips from my readers

During the Super Giveaway I asked my readers to comment with a creative tip in order to get an entry. There were a few gems in the group - here they are.

Organization

1) Use egg cartons for organizing craft supplies like buttons and beads.
2) Pour left over paint into pill bottles, label and store.


Time Savers

1) Keep the wrappers from your butter sticks in the fridge for quickly greasing a cookie sheet.
2) Set up your crock pot in the morning for a fuss free dinnertime (this is something I'm thinking of doing, any one with tips on crock potting is welcome to share!)
3) If you suffer from insomnia, get something done! Don't just watch tv.
4) When spraying your cooking pans with non-stick spray, place the pan on the door of your dishwasher. Any over spray will be cleaned during the next cleaning cycle. Geez, I think I'll start all my prep work on the door of the dishwasher!
5) Store any leftover broth in ice cube trays and freeze. They will be easily accessible next time you cook!

Inspiration

1) Look to nature for interesting patterns.
2) When making home made play dough - add Koolaid for color and scent.
3) Encourage your kids to make easy picture books with stickers.
4) Make bean or rice bags with left over fabric scraps.
5) If your kids are in sports, save all their jerseys and make a memory blanket they can take to university.
6) Save all those outgrown onesies and make a sweet memory quilt for yourself!
7) Save your plastic grocery bags, cut into 1" strips and crochet with them.
8) Carry your camera in your purse to capture inspirational moments or pieces of art in your travels throughout the day.

image from freefoto.com

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Why all this need to be perfect? A creative tip

I don't know if I've told you or not but my boss has approved (on a trial basis) that I work from home one day a week. Wednesdays. They set me up with a very nice laptop and all the needed software etc. Today is my first go at being a WAHM. Seriously, it's tough. Little H is not happy that my attentions are drawn to a shiny glowing box on the table so she's decided to rev up the shenanigans in order to draw my attention her way. She's trashed the house, I haven't eaten and I have to pee really, really bad. But I'm freaking excited to have the opportunity to make a go of this.

In the interests of sanity, I jumped on here for a sec after Little H went to nap land to write a quick post and center myself a bit. This brings us to our topic. Who cares that you don't have time to be perfect? Create something, as freaky as it may be, and be satisfied that you encouraged your brain to work in a creative manner. Get the ideas out, then the next time you go to make another use what you learned from your last quicky to make your attempt better.

If you are a painter - let the paint dry and go over it during your next session. If you are a writer - edit later. If you use beads, take apart some of your past attempts and tweak the design just a tad.

I'm sure you'll be pleased at actually making an attempt towards creativity instead of just hoping to do it someday once the kids have grown a bit.

Ok, gotta run I've got some work waiting!! (and I still have to pee!)

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A Creative Exercise

If you've ever found yourself with time to get creative only to sit down and draw a blank or struggle to function, then this post is for you. As moms, we need to use our free time to it's greatest potential. In order to do this, it is important to grease our creative machinery.

Here's how you play. We're going to do a type of word association. This exercise is intended to tickle the senses by working your mind. I'll start by contributing 5 words. The words should all bring to mind something sensual. IE. Smells, textures, sights, tastes, sounds. By doing this, we are asking the mind to problem solve and feel something it would otherwise not be feeling - these are the building blocks of creativity.

here we go:

moist,
smooth,
sweet,
red,
crisp

Now that you've read my 5 words, what are they describing? Can you imagine interacting with this thing? Play along in comments and guess what my thing is. Contribute your own 5 words. You don't need any special account to play, anyone can leave a comment.

Use this technique when writing, painting, sewing or sculpting to experience the things you are trying to bring to life through your art. Your brain is more likely to be accurate if it is able to visualize freely and this will allow you to make the most of your creative free time.

Don't be shy, I want to guess what your 5 words are describing and I'm eager to see if anyone guesses mine!

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