I always knew I was full of something...

I'm a wordie. I like words. Inherently, this means I like what words mean and I am one of those people who thinks looking things up in the dictionary is fun. Yes, fun...my life is a riot.

heather eigler --

[adjective]: Full of bees

'How will you be defined in the dictionary?' at QuizGalaxy.com

Thanks to Field Notes for posting this fun thingy.

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How to Encourage a Love of Reading by Nurturing an Interest in Storytelling.

A fantastic way to show your child the virtue of reading is by developing their love for a good story. Not only does an interest in storytelling encourage curiosity for what's between the pages of a book but nurturing that interest will also give kids some creative problem solving ideas as well.

Creativity is a skill. Use it often and it will grow, multiply and become stronger until creative approaches to challenges become almost instinctual. Ignored, this skill withers and becomes wrought with second guesses, dead end walls and the feeling of not knowing where to begin.

To me, beginning is the hardest part. Once I get rolling a story often takes on a life of it's own. So in helping your kids to come up with a story where do you begin? You begin with DreamStarters.

The DreamStarter Book: by Jennifer Karin Sidford is a collection of 50 story beginnings.

Here is what Jennifer has to say about her book:

In truth, DreamStarters began out of desperation and an inability to pull a creative thought from my brain at the end of a busy day. The day had come when my kids (three boys, ages seven to fifteen) had mastered reading, and they no longer needed me to read them chapters from their favorite books. Instead, they asked me to tell them a story. At bedtime I would begin the story, then (struggling to come up with something compelling and worthy of serious Harry Potter fans) I would ask my kids to tell me what happened next. What began as a solution to my creative drought turned into a favorite family tradition.

Soon DreamStarters made its way to the dinner table, as we found it was a great way to keep our kids engaged at the table a few precious minutes more. Even my teenager stayed to present his own plot twists!

Here's one of the DreamStarters from the book. This one is called "Ice Wind"

Justin and Nicole were hiking toward the top of their favorite mountain when the wind
began to blow. At first, the wind was light and warm, but it soon became fierce and bitter
cold. Even though it was summer, the wind turned everything around them to ice.
“There’s a cave,” Justin yelled to Nicole over the high-pitched scream of the wind.
They leaned into each other as they walked, bracing their weight against the powerful
gusts. The cave’s entrance was covered with icy vines that refused to move. Justin pulled out
his Swiss Army Knife and cut through the vines. From deep within the cave came a blast of
warm air. Justin pushed Nicole into the cave and followed next. It was very dark, and the
warm air smelled damp and…

Is this not a great idea? Engage with your kids. Spend time on something together. Encourage siblings to work towards a conclusion. Show them that daydreaming and being creative is something to indulge in. How could they not enjoy this activity and how could it not develop an interest in story and the written word?

Want a copy of the book? I have one to giveaway! And yes, it's signed :) To be eligible to win, visit the DreamStarters Website and read through this reader submitted DreamStarter. Come back here and tell us in comments what you see happening next. Make sure to leave your email address so we can contact you if you're the winner.

Bloggers, get an extra entry by posting about DreamStarters on your blog. Leave a separate comment with your url for it to be counted.

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Reflections on Maternal Spark

Being that it's the start of a new year, I've been feeling reflective on the past one. Check out this graphic that was made at wordle.net- a compilation of words used on Maternal Spark. I think it's quite fitting and love how the words "Spark Something Creative" are right in the center.

Go make your own wordle and see what it says about you!

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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A Cole Family Christmas - Book Giveaway!

Set in the 1920s, A Cole Family Christmas
is a touching story about the things that really matter over the holidays. It was great to read a story that valued family and simple things over shopping and gifts and extravagant feasts.

This lovely story could easily become part of your Christmas traditions. Gather the family, read aloud and enjoy the illustrations year after year. And yes, I have two copies to give away! To enter, leave a comment about the Christmas gift that meant the most to you - either one you received or one you gave. Make sure to leave your email address so I can contact you if you're the winner. Contest runs until Dec 19th

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Sarah Pinto Weekly Planners - Organize your life and get creative!

There are few things that inspire me like a blank notebook. I get all warm and fuzzy and feel full of possibility. I almost hate to write in them, tarnish their freshness and mar their potential. I always do though, and I always love to have a stack of different ones around.

Then there is one time of the year when a blank book not only inspires possibilities for creativity, but possibility for life. That time of year is now because it's time to buy your daytimer for the upcoming year!

This year I acquired a Sarah Pinto weekly planner and man am I in LOVE!

At first glance, it's very pretty and it's the perfect size. I mean perfect! At 5"x7" it is small enough to fit in your purse but large enough to have lots of space to write.

The cover choices are fun and whimsical...some of my favorites are the horseshoe and the pink tapestry...part of the proceeds from sales of pink tapestry journals will go to help support CPMC Pediatric Cardiology. It's near and dear to her as her son was born with heart problems and had open heart surgery at 2 days old.

Some of the features I love:

• Month at a glance with to do list in the margin
• Lots of room on the weekly plans
• Note pages in the front and back
• Telephone and address section
• A full month for January 2010 and mini months for all of 2010 and
• a "Special Days" section for the whole year so you can have a quick peek at what's going on easily.

Not only is this a functional planner, but it's mom made too. Sarah's planners are also eco-friendly and made with soy based inks and recycled papers. Staying organized is one of the best time savers you can find. I look forward to all the time my Sarah Pinto Planner will find me and I hope I can put it to good creative use!

Go and check out the product line and if you like what you've read, you better get yours. Last year she sold out.

Don't fret though, if you're an RSS subscriber you can have a chance to win one. Get an extra chance by blogging about this great mom made product line. Just leave a comment with the link if you do so.

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Random Tuesday Thoughts

Thought I'd join in this fun Meme today. It's hosted by my bloggy buddies Keely and Kelly...go check em out.

Ok - here are my random thoughts.

What is that on the floor of my minivan? Oh, a dirty diaper in a ziplock bag. Keepin' it fresh.

Go Sharon Go! I think it's great that this creative mom finished NaNoWriMo and found herself nominated for a Pushcart! (By the way, she has links to her poems on her blog...go read. Really.)

This is a cool link. And so is this. And this, um yeah, some of my stuff belongs here.

I finally spent some of my birthday money on a small, red leather messenger bag. I love that I can wear it across my body so it doesn't slip off my arm constantly when I'm chasing little H around the grocery store. It will also fit a diaper and wipes case so I can ditch the huge diaper bag (not the ziploc one although, that should also be ditched) for quick trips.

Curious...Red Skittles plus diet Coke = cough syrup flavor. Ew.

I wonder what Green Skittles plus diet Code equals? Om nom nom. Slurp. Weird! It's like there's no flavor at all! I wonder if there's a drink that can cancel out the flavor of Pesto? I hate Pesto.

Congrats to Katie for wining the Rebecca Martin CD!

Oh look! It's snowing. The first few snowfalls of winter are always so nice and pure. It's like everything is fresh again. Whoah, snow is nature's ziploc!


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You've just got to hear this

In my post - A Simple Way to Jump Start your Creativity
I write about how changing something in your environment can spur on creative feelings. One thing I find easy to change up is the music I listen to as I work. Normally I love classic rock, modern rock - any kind of rock really. I find the intensity of it provides me with a certain energy that I hope carries over to what I'm writing. If I'm not listening to rock, then it's classical I go for. The piano especially. I'm not really sure why, I just like it - mostly when I'm writing fiction.

Recently I've learned of Rebecca Martin. Her music is completely outside my standard rotation and I'm absolutely loving her CD The Growing Season. Her voice is like placing a premium dark chocolate on your tongue. At first it's sweet, then you feel the edge and it melts into smoothness and delight all at once. I'm elevated with the jazzy energy and spunk mixed with the piano I love so much - a perfect compliment to her voice. Rebecca is a mom and an artist who not only follows her passion in terms of music but she also spearheaded a civic community group to raise awareness of safety issues in her neighborhood. You can feel her passion in her songs and if even a 1/4 of that trickles through me into my work then it's all the better for it.

Rebecca and Shore Fire Media have provided an MP3 download for her song aptly titled "The Space in a Song to Think." Go ahead, grab it and have a listen. I'm interested to hear what you guys think of it.


I'm also pleased to say, I have a copy of Growing Season for one lucky Maternal Spark reader! This CD will go to an email subscriber. If you already get the RSS feed via email then you're entered. There's nothing else to do. If you don't get Maternal Spark via email, add your address to that box up there in the right hand corner, the one that says "Get Maternal Spark via Email", and you'll be entered to win. I'll draw the winner on Nov 30th.



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Maternal Spark in the Blogosphere

What a week! Maternal Spark had mentions all over the place.

My "Chicken or Egg" post which described my mental struggle with Little H's nightlight was chosen as the first "Featured Neurotic Mom Moment" over at The Neurotic Mom. I'm so proud to be the first in such a fun series!

I blushed reading the featured Design Focus over at Apron Strings Aflutter - the designer of the new Mercantile Spark blog.

and

I had a guest post go live at The Velveteen Mind. Megan is having guests at her place all month and I am finding myself in great company. Come check out my nut factor.

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1 Great Project - 3 Reasons to Do It

I've recently corresponded with Creative Mom Jenna McCarthy, Author of The Parent Trip
She was telling me about how as a writer, she walks around with a notebook to capture all the funny things her kids say. She says her children are "pure fodder" for her writing endeavors. She then told me how she takes those notebooks and turns them into a special project that allows her to do three important things:

1) Use and encourage her creative mind.
2) Include her children in that creative process and
3) Encourage her children to read and enjoy stories.

Here's what to do:

As your kids say funny things write them down. I know that many of you are bloggers and chose to journal these silly snippets in a digital format - that works too and in fact, might be a nice way to keep everything all in one place for later use.

Once you have a nice collection of quotes, start transferring them into a small journal or scrapbook. Here is where you can include your kids. Ask them to doodle on the pages or decorate with stickers. You can also have them choose photographs of themselves to be included in the book. Don't forget to add a title that includes their name.

When it's done, you'll have a storybook that your kids will want you to read over and over again. What child doesn't like being the main character in a story?! Especially a main character who is funny, silly and smart too! You'll have loads of fun reliving memories and your child will feel special and loved in a whole new way. Plus, they will be learning without even knowing it. These books will help them to recognize their name in print, as well as the names of any siblings or other 'characters' in the book such as pets. Older kids will learn to see why you thought what they said was humorous and laugh at themselves too. What could be better?


Here are a few gems from Jenna's collection -

At the park:
Sophie (4 years): Mom, why is there a hole in this bench?
Me: Well, what is the bench made from?
Sophie: Wood!
Me: That’s right! And where do we get wood?
Sophie: Home Depot!

In bed at night, singing songs:
Sophie: “This old man, he played seven, he played seven up in heaven…” Mom, what’s heaven again?
Me: That’s where grandpa lives, with God and all of the other people who have died.

Sophie: God DIED?

I know you have a funny quote from your own little one in your mind right now don't you? Go on now, start their book you can always come back later.

About Jenna McCarthy's book:

The Parent Trip: From High Heels and Parties to Highchairs and Potties is a must-read for expecting and new moms. Packed with wit and wisdom, The Parent Trip is "smart, hilarious, incredibly useful and so honest it almost hurts,” says Peg Moline, Editor-in-Chief of Fit Pregnancy magazine, adding “Every pregnant woman should read this book."

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Monday's Muse - The Meme for Creative Moms

Read about the Meme.

Today there is a different kind of muse for me. Not a link, not an image or a quote or a photograph but instead, I have been so inspired by some of the creative moms I've been corresponding with as I write my posts for this week. These moms are writers, musicians and crafters. These moms have stayed on their creative path and embraced it not only for their own lives but also the lives of their children.

I know I'm being kind of vague but I don't want to be much more specific at this time. Today, it's about the general sense of inspiration I'm feeling from these ladies. Because of this, I'd like to ask you not what is inspiring you this week but who?

If you've written a post about your inspirations for the week, please share by signing the linky widget below!


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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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Some very fun posts are in the works

I wanted to just do up a quick post to let you know that I'm working on some fun things for the near future. You see, when I started this blog I had a vague plan of what I wanted to write about. I feel that I've slowly lost a little focus here and there and life got busy and new plans started up and over time, I've moved away from my original goals for Maternal Spark. Now I want to get back on track and I have a new plan of action. I'll be focusing a little more on the core ideas of Creativity and Motherhood by writing a few article style posts.

While I still love hosting giveaways, they will now be posted on weekends only. (If you have a giveaway hosted with me, watch for an email with your new dates outlined. Most will only be moved a few days here and there)

I'll still be showcasing the Featured Moms as scheduled :)

I hope you'll all come along as we explore the intricacies of being a Creative Mother.

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Fast and Easy Winter Soup - Potato, Cauliflower and Leek w Bacon - Gluten and Dairy free!

I don't post recipes often, well, because I don't cook that often. But when I find something that is yummy, fast and can be easily made in batches for freezing I feel that my fellow moms will appreciate the time saver.

This recipe is dairy free and gluten free however, I served it with dinner buns which aren't. If you wanted to get really fancy you could sprinkle with some shredded sharp cheddar before serving or grated carrot would add color too if you want to skip the cheese.

Here is my Potato, Cauliflower and Leek Soup w Bacon.


Ingredients:

4-5 strips of thick cut bacon - diced
2 large leeks - sliced
3 stalks celery - sliced
one med. onion - diced
1lb potatoes - cubed
2-3 bay leaves
1 head cauliflower - rough chopped
S&P to taste
a wee shake of coriander seed (optional)
about 2 liters chicken or vegetable stock

Prep time 10 min, cook time 20 min

Instructions:

In large soup pot, saute bacon until cooked do not drain. Add onion, celery and leek and cook until soft. Add in the rest of your veg. Pour in enough stock to cover the veg and add in your bay leaves and seasonings. Cook until the potatoes are soft - about 20 min.

Remove 1/2 the soup and puree in a blender, add back to pot stir and serve. I like to keep my soup chunky so I don't puree it all but you could if you like a smoother soup. I love this as it allows for a thick, creamed soup without actually using cream or flour. If you find your soup is too watery, just simmer until it is reduced to a consistency you prefer...in reverse, if it is too thick just ad a little water or left over stock.

You can make this soup in big batches by doubling the recipe. It freezes well, just thaw, heat, stir well and serve.

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A Google Giggle

From time to time I've seen bloggers post funny Google searches that lead web surfers to their respective blogs.

Typically, search terms that lead people to Maternal Spark are: 'creative moms', 'mom crafters', and my favorite, 'the best mom blogs'.

Today I saw one that made me giggle.

sunglasses went down toilet. clogged

I like the use of the period in the middle there. So apropos.

Of course, it lead the searcher to this post. If you are new and haven't read it, welcome to my life.

ps. we had to get my father-in -law to take apart our toilet to get it working again.

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One for the Writer Moms - Paying Market - ApronStrings Mag

If you are looking for somewhere to submit your writings on motherhood check out ApronStrings Magazine. It's new and although the website looks a bit rough, the premise behind the mag is great.

From their Mission Statement:

ApronStrings is a magazine for mothers with a mission to portray the rich and varied experiences of women as they adjust to motherhood. We want to make this very different to other parenting magazines which are filled with the usual product pushing and often patronizing, advice-filled columns.

There is more so check out the writer's guidelines. Payment will be agreed with the author prior to publication. At present they are looking at approx €60 - €100 per essay, depending on length.
ApronStrings Magazine is based in Ireland but is accepting submissions from international writers. All the best to those who submit!


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A writing update - Chicken Soup for the Power Mom's Soul

As you know, I submitted a story to the Chicken Soup anthology group for their Power Mom issue. Yesterday, I received an email asking me to sign and fax a Permissions Release Agreement (for copyright stuff). They also asked if I would like to approve any edits made. This means I'm outta the slush pile and moving forward! Yay!

It doesn't guarantee that they've accepted me for publication for sure, but it does mean I'm in the running so I am pretty damn pleased about that.

Everyone think happy publishing thoughts for me - I could use a good credit for my writing resume and this would fit the bill!

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Monday's Muse - The Meme for Creative Moms

About this Meme:

Monday's Muse is all about inspiring creativity in our fellow moms. Maybe they are having a bad day. Maybe their children are puking or throwing a tantrum or refusing to nap. Help them use their creative minds, if only to ponder our Monday Muse-ings. Join in and post with me - anything that inspires your creativity. It could be a photo, a quote, a piece of writing or an idea. Please respect the copyrights of your fellow artists and refrain from posting images or artistic works that you do not have permission to post. Anything public domain or created by you is game!

My pick today is a quote from Edmund Burke. I've adapted it to fit our gender :)

"Nobody made a greater mistake than (s)he who did nothing because (s)he could do only a little."

I think it is very fitting for us Moms. It's tempting to put our creativity aside while we raise our babies. After all, it is hard to find the time and we can often only do a little. Make that little bit count. Don't give up on it. That little bit will keep you going, keep your mind flexible and your skills fresh until you find yourself with the ability to do more. If we don't cling to that little bit it will be like starting all over once we decide we can really begin.

If you participate(and I hope you do) please email me and I'll link back to your post...eventually I'll put up one of those auto linky things.

Visit Monday's Muse Participants:

Plan, Party and Repeat!

All About Kimberly

Nellie of The Reconstructed Life

Our Family

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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 :)

Got 60 seconds? Write a story!

Go to One Word. Read the prompt. Write.

Time is not an excuse this go round Mammas!

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