Come on, I miss you!

Ok, so I've moved the RSS feed over to www.maternalspark.com and I attempted to redirect this blog over to the new url but it just leaves a dead end here. Instead, I thought I'd post this and ask you to come over to the new URL. Please? I don't want to leave you behind! Besides, the new Maternal Spark is much cuter. Really.

Artists for a Cause -

Image via Wikipedia

One of my most favorite readers, Stacey from ArtSnark, emailed me the other day to tell me about a group of artists who are working to benefit the Australian Red Cross. In case you are unaware of the situation there, it's pretty dire. Over 200 people have died and many, many more have lost their homes.

If you wish to help out, visit the Oz Bushfire Appeal shop on etsy. All of the product has been donated by the participating artists and 100 percent of the proceeds go to fire victims. Oh, and it's free shipping too so be sure to check it out. So far, they've raised over $12,000!

You can read more and learn about some of the artists involved over at the ArtSnark blog.








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10 Reasons I Love Reading to my Toddler

1) Sometimes she asks me to read to her. I love allowing her to communicate so I fulfill her request and let her know I understand her.

2) She is at a stage where she's learning 10 new words everyday! What better way to help her language development than by reading a fresh variation of words from a book.

3) She has pretty much memorized her favorite books. As I'm reading, I pause at some words and she will fill in what I leave out. I love how her voice sounds as she's testing out words she understands but has never spoken.

4) My parents saved all the books I had as a kid and now I'm reading them to Little H. I enjoy the stories as much as she does sometimes!

5) It's fun to extend the story and talk about the pictures. I'll ask her to point out "where is the balloon?" and she giggles as she does it - sometimes repeating "boo-in!"

6) Reading has become the cornerstone of her bedtime routine. It lets her know it's time to relax, cuddle with mommy and get ready to go to bed.

7) I read to her everyday. She sees me reading my own book (almost) everyday. She is learning that reading is a normal thing people are supposed to do. And sometimes she will sit down and entertain herself with a book - it's a much appreciated break for me!

8) Sometimes I'll play a game where I say the wrong thing. "A cow says meow" then I'll look at her and wait. She knows exactly what I'm up to and her face lights up. "No, MOOOOO!" she'll say. This is another cute side effect to her having memorized some books and a fun way to make them new again. It also allows for more discussion about the pictures.

9) I really enjoy the cuddles - it's pretty much the only time she will sit still and happy on my lap, or beside me on the couch.

10) I know that in reading to my daughter, I'm playing a large role in her development. I can be secure in the fact that I'm helping her communicate, learn, and grow into a creative little person! Why wouldn't I love it?



Recommended reading for Toddlers (Little H's Favorites!)

Goodnight Moon

Moo Baa La La La

All by Myself


written by H.E.Eigler

Flash Fiction Submission Guidelines

Maternal Spark is now accepting Flash Fiction submissions. Pieces should be no more than 500 words and must be a complete story from beginning to end with characters and a plot. Please note that while Maternal Spark is all about Creative Motherhood - your flash fiction can be about whatever topic you like. In fact, I encourage you to write about something other than Motherhood.

Please copy and paste your flash into the body of an email and send it to: heddy.e[at]gmail[dot]com

Include: Name, email address, link to your blog or website and short, 50 word bio.

Use the subject line "Flash Fiction".

At this time, Maternal Spark is only accepting the writing of Moms. If you are not a mom (or pregnant) - I'm sorry you'll have to try again later.

You will receive a response to your submission within 30 days. Please don't worry about technical details too much. I'm really just looking for great stories.

I look forward to reading your work. Submit away!

Throwing it out here - what do you think?

I've been toying with the idea of accepting fiction submissions here at Maternal Spark. I'm thinking about flash fiction pieces which are no more than 500 words. I love the short format of flash fiction and it can be really creative and even busy Creative Moms can manage to complete a piece.

I would like to read pieces written by moms - not necessarily about motherhood although I'd consider those as well.

So, what do you think? Would you read them? Look forward to them? Submit them? Let me know eh?





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From the Intarwebs

I've come across some great stuff in my webby travels of late. Thought you might like to browse. It's a little random so I thought I'd do this today and participate in




Currently Crafting has found a super cute use for tiny mail boxes...I can see how kids would LOVE this.

Feels Like Home has posted a recipe for homemade bath crayons.

Fractured Toy shares my weird and magnetic attraction for vintage buttons. Isn't her collection pretty?

Dollar Store Crafts shows you how to make a stuffed chipmunk from a mini glove...you gotta see this guy.

Michelle of My Semblance of Sanity has started a new vLog called the Mom Show and

ChristyNelson.net has a post up to tell you everything you need to know about knitting needles.

Hope you find something amusing in these posts, and maybe discover a few new sites!

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Featured Mom - Britt of StinkyKids

This weeks featured creative mom has taken her child's request to be painted as a ballerina and turned the resulting doodles into a brand. The brand has been growing since October 2005.

H: What do you like to create?

B: I have always been a doodler and enjoyed arts and crafts. When I was a little girl, I wanted to grow up to be an art teacher. I have always been one who doodles while talking on the phone and I am thank for this simple talent as it lead me to my current career. My business started as paintings which I still enjoy doing, but now my creative passion is growing StinkyKids into the hottest brand and household name in character driven companies.

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

B: I got started in my entrepreneurial journey from the simple request of my daughter to paint her as a ballerina. This request led to sales of custom paintings, to a retailer wanting to buy the rights of my characters for tee shirts, to starting a tee shirt line myself featuring the characters I created to now an animated series, books series and much more featuring the 10 divers StinkyKids characters. It has been a blast!!

H: Were you creative before you had children?

B: Yes, but in an arts and crafts fort of way. I never considered myself an artist before StinkyKids but simple art can make people smile and in a world that is so complicated, when people get happy from simple they gravitate towards it. So, my simple creative characters have made me and others very happy.

H: Have your methods changed?

B: Thanks to technology, once I created the 10 StinkyKids characters, I do not have to recreate them over and over for other uses. I can use the original drawings in many ways without having to pick up a paint brush.

H: How do you find time to stay creative?

B: Long nights, early mornings and luckily kids who love to draw and be creative too. When I am painting, my daughter paints next to me. When I am writing, my son is writing too. We are a creative family and without my kids, StinkyKids would not have been as successful as it is!!

H: Do your kids show any creative spirit?

B: YES YES YES. My daughter wants to be a wedding dress designer when she grows up and at age 5, she has a portfolio of all of her designs. She loves to color and draw. My son loves to draw monsters and has always loved to make comic books. When they were little, at night we would make up our own stories and adventures before going to bed.

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

B: My kids brought out the artist in me that has been hiding inside for so many years. I may not be the art teacher I wanted to be when I grew up, but I am teaching kids to save their best art work now, because you never know if one of those doodles will lead to a successful business.

Have a browse through the StinkyKids collection an see some of Britt's doodles turned brand for yourself - they are awefully cute! Thanks for joining me here on Maternal Spark, it was a pleasure having you as the featured mom this week. www.stinkykids.com

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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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The Must Have Mom Manual via Twitter

Image via CrunchBaseI have had so much fun on Twitter lately. It's a great way to meet other bloggers and keep up to date on what's going on around the net. Recently I received a follow request from @saraellington and I though "Hey! I know that name...why on earth do I know that name??" so I clicked through to her profile and discovered that she was one of the authors of The Mommy Chronicles.

I'd read the book during my pregnancy - it was a gift from my dear sister. The beauty of the book is that it's comprised of email correspondence between two pregnant women. They discuss their pregnancies, how their lives are changing, how they're feeling and journal their experiences all through an email exchange. This means that the book is written in bite size snippets - perfect reading for times when you're too tired to digest long paragraphs.

Anyway, I replied to @saraellington and told her how I'd loved her book. She responded with thanks and told me they have a new book coming out! Before I know it she's also telling me that she's sending me a galley copy for review! Yay!

So keep your eyes open for the review and I'll be following this mommy writer's endeavors to keep you up to date on when the new book is available for sale. And if you want to check out the Mommy Chronicles you can find it on Amazon - just click the image below.



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Monday's Muse - the Meme for Creative Moms

‘Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That’s because they were able to connect experiences they’ve had and synthesize new things. And the reason they were able to do that was that they’ve had more experiences than other people.’

— Steve Jobs

I thought I'd post a quote today. It struck me as interesting as I believe strongly in the first part and disagree with the last part. I've often looked at my need to create as more of a need to problem solve. For me, writing or painting is equivalent to completing a complex mathematical problem -only my brain isn't wired for math (nearly failed actually!).

Being creative is a challenge and that's what attracts me. The learning and personal growth I experience keeps me coming back. I think part of it is that I get bored easily, so I start to find ways to entertain myself. I challenge myself to stay engaged with something - anything and when I'm being creative, I get to define what that anything is.

Why do I disagree with the last part? I don't think creativity has anything to do with experience. As a kid, I often felt compelled to draw or paint or organize things (another problem solving equivalent), and I had little or no experiences at that point in time. Yes, the wider your knowledge base, the more things you will recognize and connect but it doesn't mean the process functions differently based on life experience.

So what do you think? Do you agree? Disagree? Have a totally different view altogether? Share your thoughts in comments or share your creative themed post in the Mr. Linky below.

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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Happy New Year!

Image by GraveBone via FlickrJust a quickie post to say Happy New Year to all! I look forward to sharing Creativity with you all in '09!

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Monday's Muse - the Meme for Creative Moms

Read about the Meme.

This is a picture of my Little H when she was about six months old (over a year ago, OMG!) Yes, she inspires my creativity and she is stinking cute but I'd like you to focus on the knit bunny in the middle. My cousin made him - Little H has named him 'bun bun' and he is her one and only special toy. The one she takes to bed with her and the one she takes to daycare. She's hardly left her crib without him pressed up against her cheek lately.

It's bun bun that has me inspired to learn to knit. He just has this subtle charm about him and I love that he's made of nothing but wool and some stuffing. I'm a long way from creating a friend for Little H with the few dishcloths I'm attempting this week but I hope to get there eventually.

Do you have any handmade items in your home that inspire you? What's inspiring you this week? Leave your link below to share.




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Call for Submissions - Want to be a Featured Mom?

I'm looking for Creative Moms to showcase on Maternal Spark! You are one aren't you? Or maybe you know of someone who is so fantastic that you think she should be featured here...tell her to email me. I love browsing so feel free to send me links, pictures or anything else you think will give me a sense of who you are and what you do. Please email all submissions to heddy.e @ gmail dot com. Use the subject line "Submission".

At this time, I can only respond to those who are chosen to be Featured Moms although, I'd like to thank you all in advance for your time in contacting me! And thank you to all the past Featured Moms for making Maternal Spark, well, Sparky :)

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Hope you all had a fantastic Holiday Season!

Hello! As you may have noticed (or not) I took a bit of a bloggy break over the holidays. Not so much because of the holidays but more because my darling little H is still having separation anxiety issues - especially at bedtime, and this has left me with little time for, well, anything really.

I was up with her at 1:30 last night for an hour. Yawn.

I really hope she gets over this soon. It's SO draining! And I have lots of projects in mind that I'm dying to jump on...like knitting. I've decided I want to learn to knit well. You know, like with a pattern. I also have one project in progress that I really want to finish. I've started a rag quilt and I guesstimate that I'm about halfway finished. That quilt calls to me on a daily basis and I just haven't had the focus to pick it up.

Anyway, I just thought I'd pop in and see how you all are doing. Things will pick up soon here with new giveaways and new featured moms and the Monday's Muse meme of course. What have you all been up to?

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Monday's Muse -the Meme for Creative Moms

Read about the Meme.

Today's muse is pretty simple and obvious and cliche but it's true nonetheless. Today and this week, I'm inspired by time away from work. By time with my family and by what is to come for the new year. I'm very optimistic for 2009. I feel like I have some clear goals and I feel like I really know what's important to me. I had really hoped to write something more, but it's gotten really late and I've run short on time. But please, tell me what's inspiring you this week. What are your plans for the new year?




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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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Monday's Muse - the Meme for Creative Moms

Image via Wikipedia

Read about the Meme.

It's quiet in the insulated way the snow brings. I know it's out there before I even rise and make my way to the window. Parting the curtains reveals a white and foreign landscape. It's fresh. Clean.

The icy sheath hides the dirt and dead plants away, hides anything that isn't pure.

All is white but one black squirrel in the center of it all.

The squirrel is digging frantically down to the grass and then through to the earth. It's burying treasure while the dirt will still move. Down goes the bits stolen from bird feeders and brazenly pilfered from outside cat dishes. Peanuts, sunflower seeds and kibble become packed into a musty treasure chest, ready for a later meal.

He works to conceal these pockets of nourishment. He plans for enough to last through to when the snow becomes damp, and the buds form on the trees, and the grass begins to sprout. He plans for enough to last until the nests are filled with eggs and sweet, tender chicks. Until then, he remains busy. Until then, thievery and frozen cat food will have to do and he sits, punctuation in the white, until his job is done.

Today a piece of writing was inspired by the snow. I don't really know what it is, it's sort of 'stream of consciousness' I guess. Just a little bit that trickled down from my mind and though my fingers to the keys. An observation about how when everything seems pure, there is always a touch of the sinister around. Did you know squirrels sometimes eat baby birds?

The snow was my muse, what's yours? Leave your link below to share.



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