Tag: crafts

Photo Challenge for March | Breathe

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I am not someone who is easily bored and lately I’ve been in creative overdrive. It’s helping to balance out the monotony of life under COVID-19 restrictions. I have a few projects that are taking up most of my time this month. I’m preparing for the April A to Z blogging challenge and will have my theme reveal post for that project on March 8th. I am also currently spending weekends fixing up a family beach house as we get ready to transition it into a rental property. We’re still in the fixing the broken stuff phase but I did paint some sample colors on the walls this past weekend so the fun stuff is getting closer. 

And, as I do every month, I’m working on my One Little Word® prompts. My vision board came together quickly for February and this month we’re focusing on developing a monthly practice. Last year I actually did two monthly practices – meditation and working on my blog. They both went well and I enjoyed them but this year I want to do something a little different. I loved the approach of the guest instructor Victoria Calvin which was to focus on tackling something light, creative and easy. I really want this prompt to have more of a creative connection to my word Breathe and not add stress to my life. Continue reading →

An infographic on spending a fun filled socially distanced weekend in Maine.

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During my first year of blogging, I created an infographic that highlighted how to spend a perfect weekend in Portland, Maine.  Now that we’re all staying home and access to public spaces is more limited due to the pandemic, I thought it would be fun to create a new infographic focused on how to spend a perfect socially distanced weekend in Maine.

Even if we can’t currently visit our local restaurants, breweries, museums, shops and all the other amazing places that Maine has to offer there are still many ways to support our local businesses while practicing social distancing and having a great time.

The links to all of the sites mentioned in the infographic are listed at the bottom of the blog post. Wishing everyone a fun filled virtual weekend!

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#AtoZChallenge | Z is for Zeitgeist and crafty protest during tumultuous times.

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These are challenging political times. This post is not aimed at spending time in that space. As I wrote about earlier during this challenge, I think podcasts and other formats are a better place to discuss complex topics especially when there are strong opinions on both sides.

What will the final verdict be on the current political zeitgeist? I don’t know, but creativity will definitely be a component, as it has been through many of the social and political upheavals our country has faced in the past.

In my research, I came across the word Craftivism which is a combination of craft and activism coined by Betsy Greer. What a perfect description!

There is also a manifesto which is shown below and was previously available on her site which is no longer active.

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#AtoZChallenge | M is for Making a pegboard jewelry organizer.

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I always have a craft project in the works. Some fail spectacularly. Others succeed, although often much differently than they originally appeared in my head. Either way, it doesn’t stop me. I love the creative process and enjoy trying new skills. Having something you made yourself is so satisfying.

It is no surprise to me that my daughters both decided on creative career paths. One is a visual artist, the other a creative writer. In the “could have, would have, and should have” of lost opportunities, I would have gotten an art degree. Not that it matters. The beauty of art is you can create it however and whenever you choose. It’s deeply personal.

And there are so many ways to express creativity. Making crafts that I can use in my home is one of the ways that I do.

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#AtoZChallenge | K is for Kindness and other random acts with GISH.

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When the list of over 200 challenges is released early Saturday morning, my family usually displays it on the TV so we can all read it together. It takes several hours to read through and process it all. Only a few of the challenges actually seem doable, and many of them require multiple readings to be sure we understand them correctly. However, by the end of the week we’re staging epic battles between zombies and vampires and finding creative ways to complete impossible tasks.

That’s what Gish, the Greatest International Scavenger Hunt, does to you. The brainchild of actor Misha Collins, this week long hunt inspires creativity, amazing acts of kindness and pushes you to do things you never thought you could.

What has Gish taught me?

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