Ready to Explore

Wednesday, May 26, 2021

One of my favorite things about spending time with kids is their propensity to explore. Yesterday I had my preschool enrichment class kids paint with unusual things. Stamping fake flowers on paper was mesmerizing for me and for the kids as they explored. The results of their painting were dynamic too.

The curiosity to explore is one of the best aspects of a child’s nature I can nurture. It is a valuable perspective to use in all areas of their lives. When kids have the space to be in their curiosity wonder can appear. That’s casual magic. Wouldn’t we all like to tap into that?

Follow your child on their next curious quest, you may both find wonder there.

Jemma W.
Owner/Founder

Summer Camps.

Wednesday, May 19, 2021

I am excited to host a summer camp line-up of half-day themed camp weeks spanning the entire summer! That means lots of fun for everyone age 12 and under. Camp fun starts in June with Eco-Art Camp, June 14-18, then onto Eco Dollhouse Camp, June 28-July 2nd.
In July we have Camp CReATE, July 6-9, Camp CReATE Tots, July 12-16, Artsy Yoga Camp, July 19-22, and Woodworking Camp, July 26-30. We wrap up the summer fun with Fairys & Gnomes Camp August, 9th-13. See the outline for each of these super camp weeks here where there are also links to register.

Each week offers something different, always in the spirit of creativity. Join me this summer at one, two, or all of the camp weeks I offer. I can’t wait to create with all the awesome kids in our community!

Jemma W.
Owner/Founder

A pile of junk

Wednesday, May 12, 2021

“To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk”, Thomas Edison. As one of the forefathers of ingenuity, I find deep wisdom in Edison’s quote. I see kids benefiting broadly from creating in a freestyle way with odds and scraps of this and that.

Junk specifically has a place in my heart as some of my fondest memories of childhood were rooting around in my Grandmother’s junk drawer. I always found myself caught up in a swirl of ideas as I explored the drawer.

Junk does spark ideas and possibilities. This Saturday, at CMATO for a Family Art Day activity I am going to lead an exploration with junk to spark ideas through Junk Journaling, creating handmade art style books from a combination of junk mail pieces, brochures, book pages, and much more. Using random things, everyday things in new ways triggers imagination which thereby stimulates inventions of sorts. I look forward to junk journaling with CMATO and our community for the fun of it through creative reuse as we invent with a pile of junk mail.

Jemma W.
Owner/Founder

Happy May!

Tuesday, May 4, 2021

I look forward to bringing a creative month to my community this May through preschool enrichment classes, after-school enrichment classes, CReATE dates, machine sewing classes, and a Family Art Day with CMATO.
Coming in June our camp line-up begins.
All the studio happenings can be found on or through the Happenings page.
I can’t wait to create with you!
Regards,
Jemma W.
Owner/Founder

Dinner Talk

Wednesday, April 28, 2021

When I talk to parents whose kids are creating with me, I find myself telling them to put their child’s creation at the center of the dinner table. Let their creation be a conversation starter for dinner talk. They can tell you about the materials they used, the ideas they had and how it was constructed. Art is always a great conversation starter. Conversations make connections deeper and who better to really connect with than family. You will all enjoy talking together and make memories that last. Your kids will likely hold similar conversations with their kids when they grow up too.

Jemma W.
Owner/Founder

Falling in Love with Earth

Wednesday, April 21, 2021

This Thursday, April 22nd is Earth Day.

I was thinking about what Earth Day means to me and all there is to do to take care of her when a thought crossed my mind, use Earth Day as an opportunity to connect with the earth. Spending time in nature, looking closely at the plants and flowers, noticing the birds and the squirrels, listening to the wind as it blows through the trees. Watching the path of the sun and the shadows that fall. Being present with the surroundings of nature in even small ways, as weeds poking through cracks in the pavement.

Fall in love with the intricacies, the nuances, the little things that becin our attention. They are always ebbing and flowing around us and under foot.

I will be sure to spend some time in nature on Earth Day. I will take my shoes off and walk in the grass, search for clouds and be with this beloved space we inhabit.

Join me in the act of falling in love with Mother Earth. I think that will be a wonderful way to honor the day and a part of ourselvs.

Happy Earth Day.

Jemma W.

Let’s Create!

Wednesday, April 14, 2021

It’s our goal to create with you. To bring creativity to you through the reuse of recycled materials. Every day is our Earth Day and it’s also our imagination day too, where kids create from their own imaginings.

Let’s create! Being mobile means people don’t always know how to connect with us for the creative experiences they know us for without the physical studio they’ve known for so long. We’re right here, connectable for creative time through our website as well as through our weekly posts on Instagram, our weekly newsletter emails, and uploaded YouTube videos featuring our Spotlight materials twice a month. Visit our happenings page to see our events and happenings. We want to spend creative time with you. Let’s connect and create!

Jemma W.
Owner/founder

Happy Earth Month

Tuesday, April 6, 2021

I love April. It’s springtime, the birds are singing, the flowers are blooming and a fair amount of focus points to Earth day. I say, happy Earth month!

Earth day is April 22nd, for a period of time, recycling and reuse are the talk of the town. It feels like a birthday, a time to celebrate and remember. To remember what we have and how to care for it, mindfully with our interactions with things.

This month we spotlight Metal, we also share our #30daysofreuse coloring calendar, I have also been making YouTube videos with project prompts as part of our creating-at-home series. I generally sing from the hilltops about reuse through creativity. Creativity is an aspect of our thinking and intuition, a part of how we express ourselves. Reuse strikes me as a perfect partner in the process of creating.

I am so glad to have you with us in this season and all others where I will continue to sing this song in the hopes that the tune will be catchy and your family will want to sing along.

It’s Our Birthday

Tuesday, March 30, 2021

Happy Birthday, CReATE STUDIO!
March 2021 marks 12 years in business for the studio! Woo Hoo! Our last birthday went under the radar with Covid underway. This time last year I was scrubbing floors and painting walls as I moved out of the latest incarnation of the CReATE STUDIO space.

Having started the studio in my garage in March of 2009 I felt the studio could be anywhere at any time. I even had visions of wheels in our future so being mobile now is no surprise. The studio has taught me to be flexible, curious, and creative. Covid taught me that life can change at any time.

I am grateful to be operating the studio in this new mode. Wheels under my feel, materials in my hands, and creative reuse as my offering. Times change and CReATE is here to change with them.

If you have been creators with us over the years, I thank you deeply for being a part of it. If you are new to the studio I look forward to getting to know you as we get around town through our community events, enrichment classes, private classes, CReATE Date gatherings, and Birthday parties. Keep an eye on our Happenings page as our events grow with the re-opening of our community.

Warmly,
Jemma W.
Founder/ Owner
CReATE STUDIO

Lemons Into Lemonade

Wednesday, March 24, 2021

I got a text the other day with a picture that brought me so much joy. It was a simple picture but the meaning behind it was inspiring. I saw lemons into lemonade.

I had dropped off a few of our Grab Bags to my friend who was watching her sick grandkids for a stretch of days. It was nearly St Patrick’s Day then, so I included some shoebox Leprechaun houses I had made along with the bags.

I had hoped the kids would have fun with the bags for at least the night they got them. You never know since they range in age from wee little to pretty big but the text I got showed me that this was a project that was going to keep ongoing.

Leave it creativity to add a bright spark to sick at home days. Looks like everyone decided to pool their resources and try something entirely new, make one big house with lots of room for expansion. Using creativity (which expands when shared ) made way for fun and a project that everyone could be a part of. I just love that. Creativity always saves the day, makes things lighter, brighter, funner, and now with more rooms. Lemons into lemonade.

Jemma W.
Owner/Founder
CReATE STUDIO