Tag: creativity

Daily Dose: Creativity

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Your Daily Reminder: Do Something Creative Today

This is your friendly reminder to do something creative today! I often overlook the things I do that are creative. Long ago, I became more conscious of fostering daily creativity, in various forms. Now, I need to become more intentional about seeing that creativity again. Also, love that bit about connecting with God during creative times.

Here’s some of the ways I incorporate creativity into daily life:

  • adult colouring books {of course!}
  • mixing up essential oils concoctions
  • crochet
  • hand stitching for the Etsy shop
  • product//blog//IG photoshoots
  • free play LEGO building
  • making “happy mail” postcards//packages for our friends
  • playing with//creating flower arrangements

So, what are YOU going to do today?

PS ~ These wonderful reminders & prompts are from one set of Victory Cards from the All Things Good Collective

New Year to Find Creativity

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New Year, New Creativity

 

Welcome 2018. Like a lot of folks, I’m pondering what this new year holds. I’ve been reading back over past business plans, ideas & motivations. Wondering how to un-stick myself {because, boy am I stuck!}. All the while, I am conscious of how demanding the farm will be again this year…

I’m thinking this year is going to be about playful creativity and branching out; trying to rekindle the magic in making and striving to combine both farm & craft life in some unique product offerings.

Oh and also more tattoos!

2018 you are my blank canvas, and I am yours!

Living With Essential Oils: Creative Care

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Living with Essential Oils: Creative Care ~ Diffuser recipe by Bubblegum Sass ~ Focused, Thoughtful, Creative ~ Everything you need to stay creative

 

Creative time for me can mean a lot of different things. It can be time spent doing product photos, making Love Catchers & Dreamcatchers for the shop, colouring in one of my many adult colouring books, or craft time with Sam. No matter what I’m doing with my creative time, it’s a part of my sanity-saving self care. Honestly, creative care is something we really value & encourage in our little family for each other. Which is why I decided it could use a complimentary oil diffuser recipe.

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Painting With Nature

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Painting with Nature ~ Activities for Preschoolers ~ By Bubblegum Sass

Sammy and I recently had quite the fun afternoon painting bits of his nature collection and then painting with bits of nature. For quite some time now, he has kept a nature box, where he stashes away things he finds on our daily adventures, from twigs & leaves to stones & moss. Feathers have their own special place. The actual box where he stores all of this is overflowing and so I knew that some arts & crafts projects were on the horizon.

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DIY Paintbrush for Kids

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DIY Paintbrush for Kids ~ Clothespins & Cotton Balls ~Blog Tutorial by Bubblegum Sass

We’ve been moving Sam away from nap time the past few weeks because his nighttime sleep was getting pretty crazy. He gets quiet time in his room instead of naps, which he is growing to like more and more. No naps in the afternoon can make for long days though. I recently whipped up this little activity for him to try out just to break up one particularly long afternoon.

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DIY Paint Roller for Toddlers

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DIY Paint Roller for Toddlers ~ Tutorial by Bubblegum Sass

Ok. So I have to admit that I actually did this project with Sam well over six months ago, back when he was a toddler. Somehow I didn’t get around to posting about it until now. Go figure.

This is a simple project for you to make when your creative time with the kiddos needs a little refreshing. Sam was getting bored with the typical paint options, so I put together his own little paint roller to add some fun.

DIY Paint Roller for Toddlers ~ Tutorial by Bubblegum Sass
Here are the supplies you will need for this project:

  • empty toilet paper roll
  • bubble wrap
  • scissors
  • tape
  • paint tray (we have cardboard trays that I saved from something, but use whatever you prefer, as long as it is wide enough for the the toilet paper roll)
  • canvas (or paper depending on what you want to paint on)
  • washable kids’ paint
DIY Paint Roller for Toddlers ~ Tutorial by Bubblegum Sass
Simply cut a piece of bubble wrap large enough to wrap around the toilet paper roll. Fold a couple pieces of tape under the edge of the bubble wrap to secure into place. Using your paint tray, pour in your child’s choice of paint colours {Sam wanted every colour}.
DIY Paint Roller for Toddlers ~ Tutorial by Bubblegum Sass
Once the paint is in the tray, it’s time to play. Have your child experiment with placing the paint roller in the tray to “pick up” different colours. When there is paint on the roller, have them try rolling it across their canvas.
DIY Paint Roller for Toddlers ~ Tutorial by Bubblegum Sass
The bubble wrap roller creates very interesting textures. Your child might like rolling it across the whole length of the canvas, or they might enjoy using it more like a stamp. Let them explore with it.
DIY Paint Roller for Toddlers ~ Tutorial by Bubblegum Sass
TIP: If colours start to get too muddy on the roller, simply give it a quick rinse and start over. Sam also enjoyed using some of his previously painted canvases and rolling new colours on them. They are some of my favorite paintings now.

DIY Paint Roller for Toddlers ~ Tutorial by Bubblegum Sass

 

After thoughts:

The toilet paper rolls are a nice size for the little ones to use, but you could also try empty paper towel rolls. And of course, I hope the the bubble wrap is inspiration for you to try other materials too. It’s fun for them to see what textures different things create. Here are some other DIY Paint Roller techniques to consider:

  • glue yarn around an empty toilet paper
  • stick those foam sticker shapes onto an empty toilet paper roll
  • cut your own shapes/designs out of craft foam sheet & glue to roll
  • glue leaves (or other natural objects) onto an empty toilet paper roll
  • glue buttons onto an empty toilet paper roll (just thought of this one & really want to give it a try)

Also, just a note to mention, that at the same time I was writing this post, my friend Kerri was experimenting with bubble wrap painting on FABRIC!! You can see the results of her project on her newly started blog Soham Design.

Sam’s fort

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Sam in his cardboard fort

You know one good thing about kitchen renos? You end up with lots (and lots) of boxes. And if your kitchen is from Ikea, the boxes are all big flat boxes, perfect for building cardboard forts! After a few days of putting up with mom & dad being sick and crashed on the couch, little Sammy was pretty bored and needed something new & fun to enjoy. He was the one that gave me the idea, actually, as he pulled boxes out of the kitchen and started leaning them on each other.

And so, with tape gun & marker & box cutter in hand, I set to work. Just a simple fort with two walls. Makes it easy for a clumsy toddler to get in and out of. I cut some little windows and cubby holes for Sam to stuff blocks through. Sam was right there by my side, helping with each step. We weren’t going for beautiful, just fun.

DIY cardboard fort

Sam thought it was great as is. Perfect for playing peek-a-boo. Then I handed him a felt marker… and then a booklet of stickers, and rolls of colourful electrical tape. Not sure who had more fun, Sammy or me? Purple was definitely his fav colour of the day.

Sam's drawing on cardboard fort
Sam's drawing on cardboard fort 2
Sam's drawing on cardboard fort 3

Sadly, not all the felt marker stayed on the box… some of it ended up on his clothes and face. Lets just say it was a bit of mom fail not to double check that the markers were washable (they weren’t). The stuff on his face came off after a few washings. No biggie. It was worth watching his imagination run wild for a little bit. I will be picking up washable markers the next time we’re at the store though.

Felt marker on Sam's face

Doodle days

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Button colouring bookButton colouring book detail

Mentioned briefly last week that I have been enjoying some simple creativity with coloring books. Here are a couple of pages I’ve been working on. And yes, those are buttons.

A friend gave me a copy of My Wonderful World of Fashion by Nina Chakrabarti. Best coloring book EVER! So much fun! Page after page of coloring goodness and design activities. Any fashion book that devotes space to buttons easily wins a place in my heart! With a limited amount of creative time, the coloring book has been a nice way to do a little something without too much commitment. I can stop as soon as baby boy requires my attention. Not a ton to clean up and I can keep it nearby on the coffee table to pick up whenever I have a spare (right) hand. Tried coloring with my left hand, but I’m just not ambidextrous enough. The coloring book is starting to fill the need I have had lately of keeping a sketchbook and doing more artwork. Little steps, as usual.

I’m not quite ambitious enough to say that I’ll share a weekly “Doodle Days” post, but there will definitely be the occasional post about it.

PS – Nina Chakrabarti has two other coloring book titles that I might need to check out,
My Even More Wonderful Book of Fashion and My Wonderful World of Shoes. Now if there was just an entire book of buttons…