Currently viewing the tag: "creative"
Life sometimes seems to rush by in a flurry of projects, field trips, kids commitments, keeping up with everything and home and trying my best to stay healthy. In those moments, it is sometimes tempting to push aside my writing, making and reading.
Squeeze in another load of washing.
Or dishes.
Answer a few more emails.
Maybe scroll through social media…
For a little while I pushed creative pursuits aside and squeezed in the extra work, at home, in the office, on the weekends.
You know what, life did not get easier, I didn’t feel like I was getting ahead. I just started to feel burnt out.
You know the feeling? Less patience, finding less joy and generally feeling a little blah.
So this month, I’ve been focusing on making time again for creativity. I turned to some super talented ladies for inspiration.
Pip Lincolne in her fab book Craft for the Soul has some fab ideas to carving out time to get crafty.
The absolutely delightful Beci Orpin for her quirky art ideas, fun site and I treated myself to one of her fab books – Make & Do.
Finally I re-read a fab book from one of the fave authors – Elizabeth Gilbert. Big Magic is all about exploring and examining creativity and how you can always make the time to create and nourish your soul. It’s super woo woo, but that just makes me love it even more.
I guess the golden thread through all three books is that you need to make the time to get creative as often as you can. Write in your journal, sew, crochet, sing, play music, whatever takes your fancy. Just make it a priority and carve out the time as often as you can. The lovely Pip is right, getting crafty is good for your soul.
Enjoy xx
*Please note this is not a sponsored post. I purchased all of the books listed above myself.
The finished product! All set up yesterday at the Mummy Tree Markets…
Yesterday I was part of the lovely Mummy Tree Markets at Everton Park. I had a lovely morning, my gorgeous sister helped me with my little tribe (super huge thank you!!), lots of lovely customers to chat too and friendly stall holders to gossip with between customers.
One of the questions I got asked quite a few times was ‘How do you find time to sew with kids?’
Which is a good question!
So I thought I’d give you the honest, no holds barred answer.
There is no magic silver solution where I can make more hours in the day.
The simple truth is I schedule in time for me.
Just like you would book in a playdate for the kids, a doctor’s appointment or a class at the gym. I carve out time in my day to be creative.
Sometimes it’s half an hour, sometimes it’s a block of a couple of hours. Then there are days where it’s a few 10 minutes blocks scattered throughout the day. The point is that I make time to do something creative every day. My creative loves include sewing, drawing, designing and writing.
Being creative makes me feel energised, happy and accomplished when I finish a project.
Just like exercising releases endorphins and makes you feel good, being creative gives me a sense of achievement and fuels my imagination and energy reserves.
Which makes me a more content person all round, not to mention a whole lot more productive in all of the other parts of my life.
So it is absolutely worth the effort to carve out time. Why not try it tomorrow?
Start with 10 minutes. If sewing or writing aren’t your cup of tea, how about baking? Or gardening?
Here are a couple of my favourite places to visit and some creative folk to inspire you…
- The lovely, clever and very creative soul Pip Lincolne from Meet Me at Mikes. Plus she’s funny to boot!
- For the literary buffs and writers out there – have you visited Allison Tait’s website? A fab writer, generous giver of advice for writers who are just starting out, plus she’ll even give you a friendly nudge to just get on with it…
- Cinta from My Poppet – subscribe, visit regular or buy one of her digital creations. Take your pick! This clever lady provides the perfect inspiration for crafty folk.
I’d love to hear what inspires you to get creative!
Enjoy xx
