Do Something Creative Every Day

I've not written this "goal" down anywhere, but in the back of my mind, I've challenged myself to do something creative every day. Some people may not enjoy or need to express themselves creatively, but I've found that I'm a better, happier person when I'm allow myself to make something.

Sometimes, I need to get out of my brain, away from my to-do and must-do lists and my mountain of "real" work and housework and just play.

This "Create" card is a great reminder for me to make time to nurture myself creatively. Another load of laundry can wait. Ditto those two episodes of "True Blood" I have on the DVR.

Making cards is just one way that I fulfill my need for creativity. Though I'd love to, I usually can't make time every day for card making or scrapbooking. Here are just a few ways that I get my daily creative fix, when I can't spare the time for a bigger project:

• writing a clever sentence in an email to a friend or even posting a carefully-crafted witticism on Facebook.
• coloring with my little boy
• cooking something different or special
• making up a story or silly song to entertain my child
• doodling in a notebook
• daydreaming
• planning my dream house and decorating it in my head
  

My son, who is almost 4, provides great creative inspiration for me. We started doing arts and crafts projects when he was just a wee little thing, and now "making a craft" is his favorite activity. We're constantly wading through piles of paper and picking up arts and craft projects he has created on the sticker covered, ink-stained table in his room.

At least once a day -- and usually many more times -- Jackson comes into my home office/craft room asking to borrow my stapler so he can make a book or to borrow my punches for some craft project or another. It amazes what his little mind comes up with -- whether it's the story of the "rakeosaurus" dinosaur who lives near our house and drinks from a chocolate milk lake or puppets crafted from cotton swabs and stickers.

He takes such joy in his finished projects and in creating them. And that inspires me to have a little creative fun myself.

I doubt I'll ever create another thing as creative as Jackson. But I plan to urge him to nurture his creativity for a lifetime, while I do the same.

Here's how I made the "Create" card. All products are Stampin' Up.

Ink: Not Quite Navy, Old Olive, Close to Cocoa

Card Stock: Textured Soft Suede, Perfect Plum, Not Quite Navy, Whisper White

Designer Series Paper: Garden Gala, Bella Bleu

Stamp Sets: Charming

Ribbon: Elementary

Tools: Big Shot, Textured Embossing Folder, Curly Label punch, Corner Rounder punch