Plan to build this good habit now.

Join us This Friday, January 3rd for our Pinspired Project Night at CReATE. You can make any or all of our seasonal project inspirations and it will just fill you up.

Making space for your creativity is the answer to a lot of our woes. Making space for creativity means you make space in your life for you. Your creativity is where your expression gets heard. Our Pinspired Project Nights are not just about the projects, they are about the how the colors and textures inspire you. They are about putting materials together in a way that suits you. You’re honoring the person who’s attention and affections you most need to, your own. There is an expression, children should be seen and heard and believed. I think adults should too. Creating is one great way to do that.

Afterward, at home you get to admire what you made, tell your family about it and relive the self love you gave when you made it.

Creating isn’t the only way to honor yourself but it is a deep and loving way to let different parts of you come together all at once.
Make other spaces to value yourself through walking, reading, cooking etc., but let creativity have a priority space in your planner this year as you prepare for a well rounded 2020 starting with a Pinspired Project Night at CReATE.

The Holidays are lovely opportunities for connection.

We hope you have a wonderful holiday season filled with tradition, good cheer, lots of reminiscing and love to last a lifetime. Make it all happy and merry.

“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.”, Thomas Merton once said.
I found this to be true this weekend as I spent a Family Art Day at The California Museum of Art Thousand Oaks-CMATO.

The event was all about inviting community into the art experience. What better way than to connect with collaging. Our inspiration for the afternoon was Marjorie Salvaterra’s black and white photo exhibit currently on display.

It was great to see who came, a wonderful variety of people, some who had never collaged before. To see what awoke in them as they leafed through magazine pages and cut out the images that caught their eyes. No two collages were alike and they all had stories to tell.

I could see how fulfilling it was for them to be caught up in the spirit of making with amazing art surrounding them. Inspired by art, making art and getting swept away. What could be better on a Sunday afternoon.

That’s what makes it so interesting.

Kids will say “this place is so messy” when they come to the studio for the first time. They don’t know what to make of the colorful paint splotches that don our studio. But, by the time they leave the studio I think they get it. Life is messy, it’s meant to be. Creating is often messy too . That is what makes doing it so much fun.

In our messy space everyone is free from any unconscious thoughts to keep order at all times. Kids can let mess happen and truly express themselves. That’s where the gold lies.

Messes aren’t perfect for every situation, not even at the studio. But our paint splattered tables, seating and floors give permission to let creativity flow freely. Next time you see a messy place, don’t knock it. A busy, messy life may be fully under way.

Hands on making that’s all in fun.

We’re excited to be hosting a Super Holiday Slime Workshop series on Friday afternoons this month. We love to make slime in the spirit of science and exploration. It’s messy, it’s fun and it’s just the kid of hands-on making we know kids love too.

Participants age 6 and up can join us to make Clear Holiday Slime, Candy Cane Butter Slime and Gingerbread Slime to their hearts content. They can even make batches to give to friends for the holidays!
Get the full scoop and sign-up on our happenings page.
We’ll see you Friday!

I love to see kids and their adults spending quality time together.

The other day a mother and daughter came into the studio to work on a family heritage project, which added a rich layer to their connection. They spent their visit engaged with one another while they worked on their project, both happy as could be.

During our Messy Toddler class I caught this sweet moment between mother and son. They were enjoying such a quality moment as they worked on a paper project together. I was filled up as I saw them engaged with one another. This is what it’s all about I though.

Spending time with the people we love gets deposited into our “emotional bank accounts”, filling us up inside.

Today, make time for someone you love. Take a walk, build a creation or watch a funny movie together. Quality time is the richest currency we have.