13 Oct 2016

Life Creative (a review)

by | posted in: Books, creatives, mothering | 1

One of my favorite questions to ask moms is : what do you like to do, you know, besides being a mom?

That question can be controversial, but I really don’t mean for it to be.  What I want to know is what is inside this woman, other than being a mom.

We all know that with being a mom comes a ton of love, responsibility, and fun…but not lots of time for ourselves, or our former selves.  Motherhood has to be selfless – which is really hard, I’m learning.  And I’m not great at that – but God is teaching me in his generosity that that is what I need.

One of the ways God wired me is in creativity.  Actually, that is one of the reasons my husband said he married me – is because I’m fun – I love to be creative and think outside the box.  I also love to do that in my motherhood journey.  I love to try new recipes – all the time.  I go all the time, taking my littles with me to new parks, or library story times, or just to a new aisle in Target.  I love reading books with them and letting my boys be in the kitchen with me – or in the yard with me learning about new bugs (oooh, gross), or new flowers that seemed to have popped up over night.  It is never ending.  I don’t like boredom, whether in life or in motherhood.

And I love to be creative in my personal life too.  I have loved photography since high school.  Loved to cook since college.  Loved to letter and write for what seems like forever.  These are things that still excite me.  So, they are also things that fuel me.  How do these things help or help me engage in motherhood?  Well, I love to take photographs of our every day – or of our special days.  I love to cook for my family and for other families.  I love to letter to help me meditate on the Word (to help my heart) or to give to others, or to help with our family finances.

Life Creative is a book written by two women who seek to encourage moms to not only be creative, engaging with their creative side (and we all have one because we are made in the image of a creative God) but to also encourage moms to encourage their kids to be creative.  We may not be talking about painting and cooking.  Creativity can take on many different forms and be used in many outlets.

Whether you are struggling to find your creative outlet, think your kids are getting bored, or are maybe struggling to decide how to use your creative gifts right now (especially in the throws of motherhood), this is a great book to encourage thinking and discussion.  I would read it, discuss some of it over coffee or tea or wine with a fellow mom, and also, discuss some of your thoughts with your husband – who I hope will encourage you to use your creative gifts.

Litfuse, the group that gave me this book to review, is also hosting a giveaway for you and a Facebook party!

9 Oct 2014

Engaging Creativity

by | posted in: creatives, Uncategorized | 0

When I wake up in the morning – I stare at the bits of light streaming through our mostly-closed blinds.  I see creativity.  When I settle in for the evenings, I peak out and see the moon winking down on all the city.  I see creativity.  When I stare into the blue eyes of both my babies and see the wonder and excitement about everything that life will hold.  I see creativity.  When I scroll through bloglovin and see the many faces and pictures of blog posts that I read – of people I know and don’t know.  I see creativity.

I would say the first passion in creativity that I had was music.  Piano playing and voice.  I wanted to be Barbara Mandrell – and thank goodness I’m not.  I did sing on the stage at the Strawberry Festival – but that was a lifetime ago.

The next was photography.  I took pictures of everywhere and everything and everyone in high school.  That’s why I was class historian and presented a scrapbook of our class to the school upon our graduation ceremony.

The next was cooking.  I seriously had cooked and grocery shopped as long as I could remember, but not until college did I love doing it for other people.

I didn’t come to love writing until seminary.  In high school I was definitely NOT encouraged in my writing ability – and therefore never though I could write.  And even now, sometimes discouragement sets in, sometimes I remember that I helped create a curriculum and wrote for it the first year – and I remember that we all have a writing style.

Here are the ways I engage in creativity today:

Photography: here is a goal (thinking through my place in life) – I want to continue to take photos and learn and save and do shoots – for the end goal of not only capturing moments and people – but starting a small business when the boys start school.  I don’t have the time to do a small business now, but I can learn all I can for the next 3 years.

Snail Mail: lettering, art, and notecard making is an outlet of creativity.  I love it.  And it brightens mailboxes on other street corners.

Cooking: I still love to cook, plate, and photograph food.  It is something I have to do, but MOST days it is also something I like to do.  I love introducing my men to new foods.  I love making yumminess for other families as a blessing.

Writing: I still do write.  Maybe I don’t get paid – but I write devotionally.  I would like to get better at food writing.  I think all of writing is gift and practice.  My brother is a great writer.  I know many other great writers – and they all have a style that is all their own.  Embrace it!

How do you engage in creativity – no matter the life you lead or the time restraints you have?

11 Apr 2014

#iometrospring: blogger night & giveaway

by | posted in: Arkansas, creatives | 16

IOMetro Blogger Night

Last night I had the fun privilege to enter through the doors of i o metro in West Little Rock – and be wowed by their new spring line of interior furniture and accessories for any home.

IO Metro hosted me and some of my Arkansas Women Blogger friends to help spread the word of their new spring line.  Their line is full of charcoals, grays, navy, cobalt, oranges, tangerines, and aquas.  The food was delicious and so were the beverages!

Mint iometro

Thank you iometro for hosting us and spoiling us with prizes and giveaways.

For the giveaway – are you ready???  This was my favorite prize they gave away – and I didn’t win it – but I did pick it up to give it away to one blessed reader!  You either have to be local  – or be willing to pay for shipping – or have it hand delivered.  The white bird cage is about 2 feet tall – and beautiful!

This White Bird Cage Candle Holder is so easy to use in every room of your home:

1.  Put it in your living room as a statement piece of light with a soft candle flickering in it or some bold flowers to let spring in your home.

2.  In your bedroom, you can light a candle to help a night of romantic chilling with your husband.

3.  If you use it in your bathroom – make a bath much more enjoyable by putting a soothing candle in it – just adds beauty.

4.  If you are hosting ANY type of shower you can put a candle, or flowers, or a show-stopper tower cake or the star cupcake or a tower of cookies in it.

5.  Use it when celebrating the birthday of someone you love by setting it in the middle of the table with their dessert cupcake with a flickering candle.

6.  Use it on your patio for adding elegance to your next outdoor party!

Creativity flows from everywhere. You don’t have to have everything from the latest magazine – but gather inspiration and look around you – incorporate your creativity into everything!

creativity & wonder

To enter giveaway:

1.  Leave a comment on how you would like to use the white bird cage candle holder.

2.  For an extra entry: follow iometro and thekd316 on instagram and leave a comment here telling me you are following both.

(Disclaimer: I was invited to the blogger party as a part of the Arkansas Women Bloggers, and was given the bird cage to giveaway, but was not compensated in anyway for this post.  All thoughts are my own.  Thank you IOMetro

I will announce winner on Monday morning!

16 Mar 2014

Link Love Creative Weekend Edition

by | posted in: Link Love | 0

link love

My older little is sick (as well as us parents), so I’m home with him his morning while the hubs is at church with our younger.  So, I’ve journaled some, listened to praise baby, and wiped up snot.  All in a days work.  When I’m at home a lot my creative juices get going.  Actually, this happens a lot anyway.  On this rainy Sunday, I thought I’d give you some links to look at and get your creatives flowing as well!  Enjoy!

To get your creative writing and typography juices going – I think these pens would be beautiful and practical.  The interchangeable covers and the different tips would make typography and sending letters so much fun.  And they are cheaper than fountain pens!

On a rainy Sunday morning, don’t you think your breakfast table would like to have these scones adorning it?  Maybe with some pretty spring napkins, fresh squeeze juice, and some scrambled eggs?  Maybe my breakfast table will look like this soon!

My son found a caramel from Christmas in our tea drawer and it got me craving some vanilla sea salt caramel sauce.  So, maybe if I can find some vanilla beans I’ll be making and giving some sauce this week.

My husband will be the first to tell you that I love a fried egg on top of anything.  This would be so yummy!

Since it is St. Patrick’s Day tomorrow…I ought to make these for our dessert of the week.  What’s not to love?

I’m trying to cook from my pantry/freezer.  And I think I have everything to make this warm-to-the-soul vegan soup this week.

My Little Rock friend Heather inspires me to make simple, cheap, delicious, homey food.

What a handy list of articles that I’m going to have to write to get to be more handy and creative with typography 

I’m usually inspired by my friends over at Pretty Philosophie even if it is just to pull out blank cards and pens and jot some notes to people.  I’ve got 5 thank you cards left to write and I’ll be caught up for the first time since August!  I’ve never been so far behind on thank you notes!

Well, I hope some of these thinks inspired you to be creative.  I love being creative in whatever avenue that takes me.  Enjoy you Sunday!