a new blog on the way....

I have decided to create a new blog for crafting with kids!

...I do a lot of crafting with kids myself!
Both at my boys' School & Preschool and at home. I love it. THEY love it. Win win!
So I thought I'd start a blog.
I'm stuck on a name a little at the moment and also deciding Blogger or Wordpress - something else instead?? Need to design my banner, prepare some projects, posts and so on. There will be ideas, tutorials, giveaways and more. Hope I get time to put it all in place very soon as I am super excited about this!!

Anyway here's some imagery to whet your appetite ~ hope you will join me when the time comes!

{All images taken by me!}

I do hope you'll join me.
I'd love suggestions, photos of your kids work, guest bloggers and so on.

Hope your weekend is bright and cheery - the weather certainly isn't here, but that doesn't mean we can't be in ourselves, right?! Hubby has just made me some delicious scrambled egg, so that's a great start...!

Love,
Sally xox

CREATIVTY...

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Hello, how are you today?


I was inspired by a little piece in a recent weekly school newsletter, entitled 'Ways to kill creativity' (see below), it inspired me to share the ways I encourage creativity...

Ways to Kill Creativity

taken from Creative Thinkery by Michael Michalko 

Want to make sure you never come up with a great idea?

Always think the way you've always thought. Always do what you've always done. 
Don't embarrass yourself. Be sceptical.

Never try anything you haven't tried before. Avoid mistakes. 
Never assume responsibility for what happens. Don't ask questions.

Pigeonhole people.

Avoid diversity. There is only one right answer. Don't trust your intuition gut or hunches. Be practical.

Avoid taking action. 
..... ..... ..... .....  ..... ..... ..... .....  ..... ..... ..... .....  ..... ..... 

This got me thinking about CREATIVITY... 
Firstly you may ask, what is Creativity?... well it is basically the phenomenon whereby a person creates something new! I am not sure if this entirely sums it up, does it have to be NEW to be creative?? I guess technically speaking.... but...
to me it is really about simply creating something that is pleasing to yourself or others. I know that that that is technically being more Artisitc than creative - hmm, this is always a tricky one!!

“It is easy to consider the essential role of   creativity in bringing joy and meaning

to the human condition – without creativity we have no art, no literature, no science, no innovation, no problem solving, no progress.” 

– Starko, 1995, p. vii.

Here are my ideas on 
Ways to encourage creativity
Try new things.
Don't worry about embarrassing yourself.
Remember no-one is perfect.
Make mistakes - they often lead to what I call "Happy Accidents"!!
Stop to smell the roses.
Travel, even to visit new towns nearby.
Notice the little things.
Smile.
Say hello to strangers sometimes!
Encourage curiosity in yourself and others.
Be resourceful with art and craft supplies, 
(it's also great for the environment if you recycle or repurpose items!)
If it doesn't work - try another way.
Watch children play - or better still join in!
get your hands dirty!
keep an art journal, or inspiration board.

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"The chief enemy of creativity is 'good" sense.'" 
- Pablo Picasso

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"You can't use up creativity. The more you use,
the more you have." - Maya Angelou

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"I make more mistakes than anyone else I know, and sooner or later, I patent most of them." 

- Thomas Edison

Ed Hall poster

"Creativity is thinking up new things. Innovation is doing new things."

 - Theodore Levitt

paintbrushes

How do YOU encourage & nurture your creative side?

  Or the creativity of your kids?

Love,
Sally x0x


P.S. "It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see."
- Henry David Thoreau

new in store...

My shop has (until a few days ago) been closed for about a month, due to life getting in the way!!
But it is now -re-open! Ta-da!!!
To celebrate that I want to add as many new items as I can - as soon as I can!!
You can help, by telling me:
Is there anything you would like to see more of - or something different you think I should add??

Until I have more pics to show you, take a look at my newest addition -

Pretty Vintage paper Ephemera pack / altered art kit / collage goodie bag

more info:

In these fab little kits you'll find lots of goodies for your scrapbooking or collages, they are packed full of at least 20+ items of vintage and new items of ephemera in pretty pastel shades...

they will all have a vintage Bingo card, vintage trim &/or small doily medallion,
and may also include any or all of the following: 
papers, postal stamps, buttons, playing cards, other game / flash cards, board game pieces, story-book cut-outs, handmade embellishments, manilla shipping tags, twine, ribbon, punchies / cut-outs from vintage books, carnival tickets and... 

These are fun for adding to your scrapbooking or cardmaking or altered art/ collage or 
ATC/ ACEO stash...


No two kits are the same, each contains its own unique goodies for you to play with!! A kind of lucky dip bag for scrapbookers, card-makers or altered art and collage fans.

...the photos show examples only of what you could receive.

Note: (These are stock photos), I have a huge stash I am drawing from, so you may or may NOT receive any of the items in the photos, but each kit will be similar!

You KNOW you want one!!!!!!!! :0) go buy one here!!! 
If you mention this post I will refund you 25% off your ephemera kit! (less girly ones also in stock).


This vintage brooch / pendant is also a new addition...

pretty, hey?!


Hope you are having a great week,


Sally xox

HAPPY EASTER!

cute bunny garland

Hello Lovlies,

it's Easter Sunday. 
I hope you are having a great long weekend. Here we are lucky, we have five days off. Yes FIVE! It's a public holiday on monday because it's Easter Monday, but it is also 'Anzac Day' (which coincidentally is ALSO my birthday!!). Well because the two holidays coincide we have been lucky enough to have Anzac Day on tuesday in lieu of monday. Yaay!!


Chocolate, family time and extra sleep, my idea of heaven!! :)

Aren't these brioche bunnies cute?! (pic on right).
Will you be having anything special this easter? Do you have traditional family recipes or meals?
We don't, just chocolate and maybe store bought hot cross buns.

from Martha Stewart

I love the pretty spring colours associated with easter, don't you? (Even though, for us it's Autumn,

having grown up in the UK, for me Easter is synonymous with spring).

have a lovely easter,

Sally x0x

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree...

Today the boys and I will be putting up and decorating our Christmas tree.
At not quite 4 years, and 51/2 years old, this is a very EXCITING prospect indeed, let me tell you!!
(I am hoping taking it down will be too, hmm?... yeah sure!!!).

I have my Christmas music CD to hand and a box of MR. Kipling Mince Pies.



I will post a pic or two once it's up, but in the meantime, here's a look at some different Christmas trees & decorating styles.

1). First a fabulously colourful tree at Black & Spiro

2) Modern Christmas Tree by Markus Linnenbrink

3) One for the Boys (big boys that is!)  Redneck Tree




4) why not make one of these recycled Christmas trees out of old mags?

 

5) how about a Shelf Tree?!

 
6)  I love this simple idea of displaying your cards in the shape of a Christmas tree - how fabulous is that?! 'Inside Out' is my favourite magazine, so I wasn't surprised to find something inspiring on their HOMELIFE website.

        

 Sally xox



Fab Finds

I spend a LOT of time on the internet and I am always finding fab things.

I'd like to share these with you my friends, so this is the first post, of what will be a regular feature on my blog, and I shall name it "Fab Finds!"!!
{Rather apt, no??!!}   : )


Endless Summer brooch by Fleur Fatale

This morning some guys came and trimmed the overgrown, unruly bush, outside my workroom window. Said bush was right up to the roof, but now there's lots more light coming in and I can see the blue sky, lots of green leaves, and the house opposite is painted a kind of pale chartreuse green.

So, today I am inspired by combinations of different blues and greens. 
 I am especially loving the pairing of 
AQUA & CHARTREUSE

Rivers Edge - blue, green artisan earrings by CayennePeppy 





Meet the DOT the  Owl




Origami Lotus Flower Decoration or Favor handmade by Fish and Lotus



What colour combinations are inspiring YOU today? 

     Sally x