Category Archives: Studio

Making in March.

Tuesday, March 3, 2020

The spirit of spring is in the air with a fresh buzz of creativity.

March is a great month to create Leprechaun Traps and other wacky projects for Saint Patrick’s Day as well as Messy Toddler Fun, school projects , sewing projects and birthday celebrations too. We have some on the road fun too. Be sure to check out our happenings calendar for dates.

Save the date and join us for our next Pinspired Project Night for adults this Friday from 7-10pm and our Parent’s Night Out where the kids create and you go out next Saturday, March 14th from 6-9pm.

At CReATE there is always fun to be had, creations to be made. We love being there for you and any creative fun you want to have. Let’s spend some time together this month.

Jemma W.

Owner

I’m Reading

Monday, February 24, 2020
The Gift of Failure

I’m reading this book on the recommendation of my friend. I wanted to know how the author, Jessica Lahey was going to talk about the benefits of failure for kids. My kids are older but we have lots of kids coming to the studio and more over, I wanted to know how this idea might connect with our CReATE ON YOUR CAMPUS programs on school campuses.

I am nearly finished with the book. I am so glad to see that our philosophy for kids is in alignment with her message. We notice how confidence and successes are gleaned as a natural consequence when kids make stuff. Trial and error are part of the process of creating things. Ideas don’t always translate to physical form but kids don’t mind when they set the pace. They are too busy being engaged in what they are making to think about problems.

Among her many subject points, Jessica talks about creating opportunities for kids to find autonomy in the things they do. That’s another benefit of our free-style way. Autonomy is born into our self guided setting as kids create from their own imaginings.
I am enjoying her book and inspired for my own parenting of young adult daughters. I also appreciate the validation of what I feel is so important for kids, to do the things they can in their own way and for themselves.

Jessica will be speaking through our local school district, Las Virgenes Unified School District on March 18th. Click here is you want to learn more.

-Jemma W.
Owner
(photo credit jessicalahey.com)

Nesting

Sunday, February 16, 2020
Creating for your home

I have chosen the project line-up for our next Pinspired craft night on Friday, March 6th. It dawned on me that the projects I chose are perfect to decorate your home with subtlety.

One of the aspects of each season that I enjoy is an opportunity to nest my home for myself and my daughter. My kids are older now but we all love the simple nurturing that a decorated space provides for us.
Whether you are a serious holiday celebrator or just like to change things up now and again these projects are sure to help shape your space.

My favorite project in the line-up is the bundled farmhouse books because you can stamp any word combination you like. Try your family names, a favorite movie theme or even to say, “What’s For Dinner” in your kitchen.

Each project idea can be an inspiration for something else you dream up or matched to the pictures we chose.

Sign-up to join us on the 6th for an evening of nesting fun.
Jemma W.
Owner

Love at CReATE

Sunday, February 2, 2020
Happy February!

We have just kicked off our annual #createhearts campaign on instagram.

Each day in February we share a heart we see in the studio or the world around us. We hope that in doing so these daily shares spark more love in us and inspired more love in you. I believe that love expands when shared
and that it does make the world go round. It’s up to each of us to make ongoing connections to help it expand and grow.

Jemma W.
Owner

It’s a good time to be us

Sunday, January 26, 2020

S.T.E.A.M., S.T.E.M., Whole Child, Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Self Confidence, Process, Leadership, Creative Play, Collaboration and Innovation. These are words I hear a lot around the subject of children, especially connected to education.

Woo Hoo! We connect with all of them! At CReATE STUDIO and CReATE ON YOUR CAMPUS we connect reuse with creativity and find it naturally matches up to these words, phrases and acronyms, organically.

I was talking to a teacher at one of our C.O.Y.C. schools and she shared that she noticed two boys creating walkie talkies from empty crayon boxes during their Art at Recess through our program. They had a whole story and imaginative experience going on with just few recycled campus materials. It’s a good time to do what you’re doing she said. It totally floats my boat to see kids create then play with what they make. When she described what she saw them doing I could see it too.
In the process of making and imagining kids are tapping into their own learning wells. They have skills to apply of of the terms I listed above. When they get excited or inspired these skills come into play and kids get engaged. I am excited about what we are doing at the studio and in schools. It’s creating a pathway for bright thinkers with the simplest materials.
The future is looking bright from here.

Jemma W.
Owner

We’re Open

Sunday, January 19, 2020
Drop-in and create with us.

One of the things I love about CReATE is the drop-in studio time. We are open for drop-in creating five days a week so visitors can come in on a whim or on purpose to spend quality time expressing themselves or supporting someone else’s creative expression in a now kind of way.

Of course we offer classes and work shops throughout the month but our true passion lies in providing a space of freedom to make for the sake of making.

Come spend some time with us. I think it’s really quality time with yourself and your people. See our drop-in our hours here so you can have us in mind. We can’t wait to see you.
Jemma W.
Owner

Good Work.

Monday, January 6, 2020

We are so excited to launch our new C.S. Environmental pick-up and delivery service for home buyers and sellers!
Environment is important to us, creative reuse is our way to do what we can to contribute to lightening our carbon footprint. We know it’s not easy to reuse or to know who to donate to, especially when buying or selling a home where clean and tidy is the name of the game.
I have been there myself and getting to clean and tidy as a seller or buyer is not easy. On both ends of a sale, there are things to get rid of and fast.
We are here to help. We have tailored our service to a niche group of home buyers and sellers with our reuse know-how and skill.

Through our service we can pick-up unwanted items then deliver them to local charities and organizations in the Conejo Valley on your behalf. There are nearly 20 organizations in the Conejo that need what others don’t want.
Visit our C.S. Environmental page to see the organizations we donate to. You can explore all and the good these organizations provide through the web addresses we have listed. The items we pick-up and deliver can go a long way to helping each of the organizations achieve their goals for good.
That’s just the kind of win/win we strive for.
If you know someone in the process of moving who may need our service, contact us. We are here to help and glad to serve our Conejo Valley Community.

https://createstudiofun.com/c-s-environmental-services/

Making Space for Creativity

Monday, December 30, 2019

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.

Happy & Merry

Monday, December 23, 2019
Sock Friends
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.

Making Art

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

“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.