Yearly Archives: 2018

What we do.

Saturday, July 7, 2018

Thanks to Sir Speedy Printing in Camarillo for our fantasic new window lettering! Now all who pass by our studio know that we offer Birthday Parties, Classes & Workshops and Open Ended Art at a glance!
We love it!

Making Memories

Saturday, July 7, 2018

We’re so excited to have Kristina Virtue run a super “Back To School Boards” workshop event at CReATE on either Thursday, July 26th or August 9th from 7-9pm.
You’ll get a Pinterest & Instagram show worthy board for your kids to hold during their big photo moments!
$50 per person, all materials included.
This workshop is a great lead into Kristina’s Modern Calligraphy workshop here at CReATE on August 2nd.
Call us at CReATE to register.
818-575-9566

Let’s Camp!

Wednesday, July 4, 2018

Hurray for Camp CReATE!
Our specialty half day themed camp series in partnership with The City Of Agoura Hills starts on Monday, July 9th. If you haven’t signed up yet you can do so at https://apm.activecommunities.com/agourahillsrecreation/Home
We’re creating with the inspirations of Things That Go, Fairy Worlds, Harry Potter, Dinosaurs and more!
Join us for full weeks or single days.
Let’s create together!

Keep It Simple

Monday, July 2, 2018

I found a quote the other day that made an impression on my Messy Toddler Morning set-up. The theme that morning was making stick-y structures and the quote was “Children still need a childhood with dirt, mud, puddles, trees, sticks and tadpoles” -Unknown.
I had that kind of childhood with the simple resources of my surroundings to unlock my imagination inviting hours of curious play. I set-up a very simple Messy morning that day with potting soil (clean dirt) water, sticks, stones, a puddle tray and the means with which to simply be in the curious present. The sentiment of the quote felt like a key to life’s mystery and what it had translated to in my head was, Keep It Simple. I’ve written on this before.
I don’t know about you but I tend to over complicate the simplest things so any reminder to Keep It Simple is just the mantra I need to take into all of the parts of my day. Being in business is anything but simple but maybe it doesn’t have to be. I can use this mantra to delegate my priorities and set aside things that have too much flash and fanfare- those are always my biggest distractors.
I was a kid that played in the mud and dug holes in the earth with sticks. I played neighborhood with everyday food and packing boxes and made sculptures out of salt dough (which has three simple ingredients). I think in part as least I created the studio as an homage to childhood and the simple magic that can be in store if we notice what is already around us.
I love quotes. This one about childhood surprised and inspired me with it’s intentional focus. You know, we as a world do need this reminder,  not just our kids, we need it for ourselves too. So, after writing this out my modified mantra will be, Dial it down and keep it simple, that’s where joy lives.

Fun @ CReATE

Sunday, July 1, 2018

This little guy was intent on getting the stick stuck.
We had fun making stick-y structures in styrofoam during Messy Toddler Art time yesterday.
These messy mornings take a break for July but get back to the business of mess on Friday, August 3rd.
Until then, it’s Camp CReATE and more!
Come play.
Call us for summer info at 818-575-9566

Rock it!

Saturday, June 30, 2018

Looking forward to hosting our good vibes rock painting event in partnership with @girlsclubstrong.
We’ve got @Westlake Village Rocks rock painting fun tonight at Westlake Village City Hall before their T.G.I.F Disney Under the Stars event from 6-7pm. Come paint a rock to leave somewhere around for someone else to find.
Your rock could really make someone else’s day.

Style and purpose

Friday, June 29, 2018

Love this no-sew bag for the on-the-go-gal. Hot glue works so well with fabric’s porous nature.

Besides being chic, this bag is mindful, it’s made from a cast-off scrap from my daughters sweater revamp which keeps it in-style instead of in-landfill! Hurray!

Love this moment.

Monday, June 25, 2018

This is my Favorite thing!
Families spending creative time together engaged in the moment and the love of togetherness. I often say to families, the family that creates together, stays together. It’s a time when everyone can express themselves and feel loved and understood as is.
Togetherness is da bomb.

Six Degrees

Monday, June 25, 2018

We Are All Connected Somehow. Right now, one of my connectors seems to be Joy Prouty, @joyprouty on instagram.
Years ago when my daughter Maisy joined instagram one of her early follows was Joy Prouty, she would tell me about her story, her images, her then only one young daughter and the beautiful family she had. One day Maisy came into our kitchen thrilled that Joy Prouty was having an estate sale and it was right in our Thousand Oaks Backyard! Until then she had assumed Joy was far away in another state with her lovely tales of family life. We went to the sale but didn’t connect with the Proutys’ then.
A few years later I met Joy as she brought her eldest daughter to the studio for a CReATE date with a friend. I told her about my connection to her family.
Years later still, during a birthday party at the studio I talked with a parent who was a photographer @erin_m_fox. She had trained under Joy Prouty. I loved that connection so I tucked it away in my memory to go back to someday.
Someday came recently when I thought about updating my website with fresh photos. Erin immediately came to my mind, so I called her. When she came to the studio to meet with me we connected. We talked about work, family, life and of course, Joy Prouty. When Maisy had told me about Joy all those years ago I was intrigued by what drew my teenage daughter to an adult mama. She was intrigued by Joy’s photography and her heartfelt story posts.
I followed Joy too then and understood what connected Maisy to her. Talking to Erin recently I understood what connected her to Joy too. It was humanness, kindness, realness, rawness and Joy’s relishing in the beautyness too. As Erin and I talked we shared some nesses of our own.
Today Erin came to the studio to shoot it in-action during a Birthday Party. I watched her work, she connected with people, with inspired views she had, I just can’t wait to see it all. At the end of the day I feel lucky to take note of the thread that is woven through all of us while connecting us all. That’s what it’s really about, being in the connection. Thank you Joy for being a piece of my thread and for weaving into my life’s story that connected me to Erin. I am sure the connection won’t stop here. After all, we are all connected somehow.