I’m reminiscing over this little homage to my girls Irish Great Grandma who came to American through Ellis Island as the first in her family.
My daughter and I created her as part of a school assignment when she was in second grade.
Still today I love the versatility of wooden clothespins. They can do and be so many things, even an Irish Grandma.
Happy St. Patricks Day!
I think I first read this quote by John Wesley, English Clergyman as I was sorting through a bag of donations at the studio and the moment I read it I was in.
Ok, I thought. I can aim for that. It rumbled in me like a truth I was unlocking for mankind, a secret for how to get along in life. Originally written by the author sometime during the 1700’s it read to me as a modern day proclamation-maybe that was the typeface and the simple name noted. No matter, it is a timeless statement. It doesn’t matter who we are, what our beliefs, it’s message just fits. I mentioned in my last post that we are all stewards of the earth. This quote could weave into that idea, entwining the aspects of our lives – Do good no matter who we are.
There are two charities we support, Charity Water as Spring Members and Impact Club as Community Members. I believe they both model this quotes challenge. You can learn more about them through our e-newsletter. The older I get the better I want to do, the farther the reach I would like to make and the bigger connection that would come along. I am inspired by these organizations and the chain reaction of good they do.
So John Wesley, I am in.
Loving this clear carry-all tote.
As Dr Wayne Dyer once said, “Change the way you look at things and the things you look at will change.”
I think that includes plastic bedding package sleeves.
WOW! We’re 10 this month!
Tuesday, March 6th was our opening day back in 2009. What a journey it’s been so far. I started building the studio with an inspired Idea that I actually followed through on (not my usual m.o. back then). I worked to create the studio using some hard learned lessons from having a tiny quilt company of fun and funky children’s quilts called, “Story Quilts”. I did that with my friend Roberta Durra, a fellow Costumer I got to know in the early 90’s. Our ;little company’s rise and fall centered around our artful blankets and, a super tough Rep at the Mart that all met it’s end when Barney’s went Bankrupt! Basically Roberta and I quit that business after the Barney situation and went on to start families, never looking back. Years later when I had the idea to create CReATE I found myself drifting back to our Story Quits saga and realized we had quite before we really saw where it could go. This time I wouldn’t quit. That gave me the steam I have needed to keep on trucking through these last ten years of creativity, reuse, business and tons of donations! I am so happy I have. At year 10 I am stepping into some bigger environmentally sustainability shoes as we deal with material donations way outside my comfort zone in terms of quantity and variety. It gets me thinking, how can we reuse these things and who can we share them with? Landfill is not an option.
It’s a good thing we’re here. Reusing is a cohesive and practical way to keep post-use items and materials out of land fills. Reusing them is our fun. Thinking back to the beginning I knew that using recycled materials was the way I wanted to create freedom in art but what has unfolded is just sheer creativity. The exciting challenge that comes with exploring concepts and ideas with the materials all around us sparks joy and creates a shift in how we see the everyday things that are donated to us. I think we are creating change if even just a little. To me a cracker box will never be just a cracker box again. It has becomes limitless possibilities for me and I hope it does the same for others too. We are all the stewards of this planet, as they say, there is no planet B.
Year 10 is marking the next wave of creativity for CReATE and how we make reuse THE way.
Though we don’t have that little quilt company anymore I see it’s lessons unfold for me all the time. Stay with it they say. The best is yet to come.
Happy March!
We’ve got lots of free style fun to share with you through drop-in creating, machine sewing, Pinspired crafting for adults, messy toddler art fun, free community crafting with the City of Malibu, school field trip explorations and leprechaun trap supplying.
We also turn 10 this month-woo-hoo. To celebrate we’ll be talking a trip down memory lane and sharing some good vibes with you. Let’s create together.
I got a 4Ocean bracelet in the mail the other day. Selling bracelets is how they fund their ocean clean-ups. I first saw their story on instagram and followed their story from there. They use a simple model to address a really big problem-trash on our oceans, most of it being plastic.
I see how litter happens, seems innocent enough to drop something unbeknownst to you and there it sits, perilously close to a gutter drain (which drains to a lake or ocean). I walk my dog a number of times of day and see trash along the way during every walk. I feel responsible for picking it up and I am, I want to be an action taker. If the noticer doesn’t do something who will? We are the change we wish to see when we see. 4 oceans is out there on the high seas picking up other peoples trash but I don’t think they mind it in a sense. They have purpose and intent and they are creating change for our oceans and sea life and inspiring people like me. It’s the ripple effect. One good turn turns to another and another.
To learn about 4Oceans and their bracelet for a pound of trash plan check them out and let the good vibes that come with taking some action inspire you.
We made used CD Button Spinners at MATES STEAM Night for super simple fun in motion! You can drop-in to the studio and make one with us or try it at home.
All you need is:
a CD with a 2 or 4 hole button hot-glued to the center
then string the lace through 2 holes in the button and tie.
Hold the looped string halfway on each side of the spinner and wind up by turning the CD so the string twists then pull each side of the sting out, then gently pushing the string in over and over to keep the motion going kind of like a yo-yo!
*Decorate the CD with paint or sharpie markers to create a more colorful effect.
The kids had a good time learning cross stitch during our sewing enrichment class Yerba Buena Elementary School today.
Building skills is so fun and empowering!
Cross Stitch Design inspired by Peacock and Fig 🙂
Today is National Random Acts of Kindness Day!
While our Kindness Wall is not random, the date does seem a fitting occasion to establish it at a school. That’s what Troop 61133 thought. Here’s a little backstory; They knew they wanted to do something to support kindness at their school, White Oak Elementary in Simi Valley and they knew they wanted it to be sustainable. They reached out to me about our Kindness Wall project at Agoura High School and in the studio. It took time to get the wheels of approval turning for the project on their campus but they stuck with it.
Finally, last week the troop and I got to work together to create our wall format. We painted and planned and then when it was made they had it mounted it in their schools cafeteria. They had a ceremony for the school to showcase this kindness legacy they would be leaving at White Oak as 5th graders nearing the end of their time there.
They have created a place and space where everyone at school can participate in sharing kindness year round. They have become the change they wish to see and see it they will through the words that are shared on the wall and the attitudes that are sparked in the day to day of their school community that will ripple outward in a pay-it-forward way.
Working with Girl Scout troops to create positivity is a huge win/win for all.
I hope this campus collaboration the beginning. Working with other troops at other schools to spread kindness throughout our community and beyond is in line with the leadership of scouting and the positivity the organization strives for .
Today is National Random Acts of Kindness Day!
Stop by CReATE STUDIO for a free workshop between 1-3pm today to make “Kindness Clips”- clothespins with kind words and messages to leave at the places you go!
Your act of kindness is sure to spark kindness in others too.