Category Archives: Studio

Creating in 2024

Happy New Year!

Here’s to good cheer, creativity and prosperity for all!
As author Julia Cameron says in The Artist’s Way‘s Basic Principles; “Creativity is the natural order of life. Life is energy: pure creative energy.” May we all connect with that part of ourselves as we meet our daily to-do’s and experiences.
Let’s create in 2024!

Summer Fun Activities

The novelty of Summer can wear us out just a few days after school gets out! Try out my five summer fun activity options to keep kids busy and help your kids connect with their creativity. Prepare for them now so they are ready and waiting in the wings whenever you need them.

  • Boredom Jar– Sit down with the family to pick some at-home activities they can do this summer and put them on slips of paper to go in the jar! They can decorate the jar now or later as part of the activity!
  • Ingredients and directions for making Salt Dough, a great dough with just 3 ingredients to play with, create characters with or use to create ornaments or decorations to bake and paint!
  • Fill a bin or basket with recyclables and stock with a few rolls of making tape and scissors. Store it away until you need a break.
  • Let the kids “Yarn Bomb” a room! Pre-buy or set aside a skein of yarn per child who will participate then on the day you need some time, tell them the room and any restrictions like closets or fragile things to avoid as well as borders they can cross. Let them tie off the start of the strings and wrap up the room, under legs, over tables and around chairs! When they are done, give them each scissors to cut it all down and save the string for future creative fun!
  • Save a clear pasta sauce or other jar and clean and remove any labels. Have the recipe, jar and baking supplies to make Chocolate Cookie in a Jar mix in a pinch! Then you’ll have a hostess gift or, gift for a favorite neighbor.

As parents, sometimes it’s our being prepared for anything skills that can win the day and make the happiest memories for our families.
Enjoy!
Jemma W.
Owner/Founder

CReATE

My, how time flies. This May marks 14 years for CReATE STUDIO.
When I had the idea to start the studio using recycled household materials as art materials, I took a “next indicated step” approach to bringing it to life.
When deciding what to call this art studio, the word create seemed the most fitting word I could use to call it and describe what one could do there.
There have been many phases of the studio space that has gone from garage to sore front and now- to being exclusively mobile. None of these evolutions and pivots have happened overnight. Each has been an integral part of the journey, organically. Isn’t that what creativity is all about. The studio, to my joy has remained true to the word and it’s meaning.

Happy birthday dear CReATE. I’m so happy to be a part of you and, you of me.
Jemma Wildermuth,
Owner, Founder

Not lost.

The momentum of my #30daysofreuse campaign in April is still playing out in my mind. I love sharing reuse tips and inspirations.

As I having been visiting school campuses for enrichment classes I have been seeing lots of ” Lost And Found” carts over-run with kids jackets, sweatshirts, and water bottles. Looking through one of these carts to find that nearly all the items on the cart had no kids names on them. No way to get reunited.

Once these clothing piles get over-sized and no one claims the items the schools will donate the wears. And this is the plan year after year.

Writing your kids names in their school attire is one of the little things that can support our planet and our people. Labeling kids belongings builds good habits, sets them up for success and cuts down on on the expense of replacing them.
Together, as we all participate in these little things, they add up to big changes for the good.

Jemma W.
Owner/Founder

Sew to your hearts content.

Join me at Malibu Bluffs park for a fun-filled Valentine-themed sewing class on Saturday, February 11th from 10-12am.
Learn the basics and leave with a project for someone you love! You’ll also leave with a grab-bag to keep the sewing going at home!
Register here.

Sew with you soon!
Jemma W.

Let’s celebrate!

I am so excited to be offering three new birthday party packages!

These new packages create even more memorable birthday fun in addition to my creatively classic Eco Art package.
Check out my Celebrate page to get all the details about CReATE Stations for Little Hands, Fairy & Gnome Worlds and Wood Working too. Each package option includes all the materials and supplies kids need to make projects that fit their themes.
Do you have a child who loves Fairies? They can create a fairy home the way they imagine it with bits of this and dashes of that, any fairy would love. Have a future wood worker on your hands? Hammers, nails goggles and a little enthusiasm gets birthday party friends creating simple wood projects they can be proud of, and just tinker with wood too, while building basic carpentry skills. Little ones love to explore and experience their settings so with their package they can meander through different table stations that let them make and play in their creative experiences.
All in all, more creative fun is meant to be had.

I can’t wait to create with you!
Jemma W.
Owner/Founder

Mother Earth

It’s a new day and a new year! Time to take stock and to branch out.

This year I hope to bring a little more eco to my eco art practices and offerings. Inspired by the beauty of nature, I am encouraged to do more, share more of what I can. That is ideas, inspirations and creations to be part of the change I wish to see in being mindful of what I use and how I use it so as not to deplete the beauty I see.
I hope in doing so that I can be a part of what inspires you to do what you can to be part of the good we can do for Mother Earth this year for her, for us and for all living things.

With Love,

Jemma W.
Owner/Founder

November 15th is America Recycles Day!

I imagine that most of you already recycle — yay! However, Nov 15th is still a great day to ask ourselves what more we can do. 

I think about the purposeful ordering of the slogan “Reduce, reuse, recycle.”   Recycling is an amazing and wonderful way to help the planet. We should all be proud that we are actively doing so every day.  But, let’s not skip over steps 1 and 2:  “reduce” and “reuse.” 

Reducing single use, not recyclable or not often recycled products (like plastics) can make a huge impact.  And of course there is reuse — which is what we do a lot of at the studio by turning recyclable goods into art.  For inspiration on seasonal creative projects you can make at home with recycled goods, check out my Pinterest page.

Even if you’re not up for an art project, there’s plenty to reuse around the house. So ask yourself, before you toss that glass jam jar into the recycle bin — is there another use for it?  Perhaps to store left overs in the fridge or grains in the cupboard instead of buying new storage jars?  Or fill it with flowers with a simple ribbon for a hostess gift.  Whatever you can do will be a help.  I’m always amazed at how small changes made by each of us, can amount to great change as a community.

Find out more about America Recycles Day here.

Warm Regards,

Alora C.
Sustainability Planner

October Activities

October might just be my busiest month!  I am excited to be part of so many October community events!  I kick off the month on the morning of October 1st at the Native Plantpalooza and Eco Fest hosted by the Conejo Open Space Foundation.  Come learn from butterfly experts, beekeepers, master gardeners and more at this free educational event with eco exhibits and activities!  Stop by my booth with the kids for some eco-craft-making fun!  Find out more about Plantpalooza here
In the afternoon, youI’ll find me at Malibou Lake Celebrating their 100th Anniversary!  Are you familiar with Malibou Lake?  It’s a little gem community nestled in the Santa Monica mountains.  I’ll have themed nature crafts for all to enjoy making. Find out more about Malibou Lake’s anniversary here.  
The following weekend, I’ll be at the Agoura Hills Reyes Adobe Days Celebration from Friday October 7th to Sunday October 9th.  I’ll have eco crafts and there will also be live music and food. Get the full scoop on Reyes Adobe Days here
On Saturday October 15, at midday, you’ll find me at Sonic Boom’s Tiny Porch Concerts musical festival at Paramount Ranch (more info here); later in the day I’ll be at City Hall in Westlake to for the City Celebration (more info here). 
On Sunday October 16th, I’m delighted to once again offer a free Art in the Park day.  For all those that have missed the studio, I’m bringing my pop-up art studio to Berniece Bennett Park in Westlake Village from 2-4;  Drop in anytime to create.  I’m rounding out the month with a Halloween Festival at EARTHS on Saturday October 29th.   
I hope to see you at one (or all!) of these great community events, they each promise to be a great deal of family fun! Check out my Happenings Page for a quick recap of this fall line-up.

Warm Regards,

Jemma Wildermuth
Owner, Founder
&
Alora Chirick
Sustainability Manager

Let’s Make Magazine Necklaces

Here’s a great craft activity and recycle lesson all rolled into one!  Kids appreciate recycling when they upcycle magazines into jewelry they can use!  Simply cut long, thin triangles out of magazine paper.
 Starting at the wide end of the paper triangle, roll the paper around a pencil again and again using a bit of glue as you go, making sure to add glue at the point end of the roll to hold it together (it’s OK if the glue gets on the rest of the bead, just be careful not to glue it onto the pencil). 
Once dry, remove the paper bead from pencil and now you have made a bead! 
You can paint beads with a coat of mod-podge to give a satin finish and an extra measure to hold it together.  Experiment with different papers and dimensions.  The length of the base of your triangle will always be the length of your bead. 
*Triangles with wider bases and shorter heights will make oblong looking beads; whereas triangles with narrower bases and taller heights will make more rounded beads.  Experiment with paper thickness, or glue two or three triangles together for thicker beads. You can also use wrapping paper, newsprint, funny pages, etc. to make your beads. You can can change the size of the opening of the bead by using toothpicks, straws, knitting needles, etc. Explore and have fun!

Alora C.
Sustainability Planner