Soul Care and Giving

Sometimes our creating isn’t just for our own soul care, but to also bring joy to others. “With the same comfort you’ve received, comfort others.” The thing with creating not exclusively for our own joy/ soul care/ therapy is that we can then get pulled back into overthinking, over-functioning, overwhelm and stress. The opposite of the reasons we are creating. But we want things to be “nice” and “perfect” for others. What to do? What to do? One solution is to keep your creativity for your own expression, not for giving nice handcrafted gifts. But many of us want to… Continue reading

Bank Envelope Double Pocket

I see a lot of different envelope pockets made for Junk /Eclectic Journals and Traveler’s Notebooks. But I’ve never seen any made from bank envelopes. That’s the type of envelope we seem to get the most of around here, so I wanted to have a play and see what I can do with them. I’ve come up with a few designs, and today’s post and video introduce you to the first. A Double Pocket, that can become a Triple Pocket when added to a journal page. These pockets are super easy to make, fast, and require very few supplies. If… Continue reading

Cards from Printables

It’s rare that I make cards with print-outs. I’ve got too big of a stash of patterned papers; and I love inking, stenciling, stamping and die-cutting. But occasionally I have a design in mind and printables are the perfect option. It’s still a satisfying creative endeavor, but usually quite simple to actually make. Find, size and print the images. Cut them out. Yeah, that’s the tricky part. There’s a reason I hate fussy cutting. I can’t do it. No matter how much I try and practice, I can’t get a smooth cut. Therefore, my Brother Scan ‘n Cut is a… Continue reading

Woven Tag Pockets

I’m still working on pockets (in between other creative projects). I’ve had so much fun with these Woven Tag Pockets; I’ve made many! They are quick and easy, and require very few supplies. But they’re also unique and just plain cute! You can make them in any style you like. These pockets can also be used in a journal or as a stand alone for gifting to others. watch for my upcoming post with Birthday cards made from them. I was inspired by Gayle Agnostinelli’s video on YouTube. Gayle sewed hers and made them a different size. Grab your supplies… Continue reading

93 Year Old Therapy

Soul care is a vital part of healing—in all areas of healing. Our souls—mind, emotions, will—must be nurtured for them to be healthy. There are many ways that people, everyone—whether they are abuse survivors or not, nurture their souls. One that I highly endorse for everyone, as well as greatly enjoy myself, is Creativity! Making creative things truly does wonders in our brains, from relaxing the nervous system, to healing trauma, to aiding right thinking and clarity, to increasing brain function and brain power itself. Creativity is my happy place. But I wasn’t expecting treadle sewing itself to be therapeutic…. Continue reading

Creative Play

This past weekend, my kids were all busy elsewhere and I was looking forward to some Creative Play time. I have some projects I’m wanting to work on, but I really just felt like playing. No end envisioned. No completed projects to figure out. No real thinking. Just play! Making it a perfect time to work on backgrounds! It’s been a while since I’ve pulled out my Dylusions acrylic paints. I love them, but my go-to is usually ink pads, rather than paints.So, out came the acrylic paints.Paper towels/ dried out baby wipes, rewetted.Mixed Media cardstock.A few stencils. And the… Continue reading

Relaxing with Creativity-Envelope Pockets

Time to celebrate! After I finished making Christmas gifts and January’s birthday cards (posts still to come), I was ready to turn to creative play to relax rather than for need. I’ve been playing with making 3 different types of pockets. These can be used in journals or as stand alone pockets for sharing with others. Being creative doesn’t require being a talented or skilled artist. Making beauty from ashes is for everyone, so Grab your supplies and join me on this journey. The first style, that I’ll share today, was inspired by Linda Israel’s January Challenge. A Paper Sack… Continue reading