Haven of Creativity

I have created a Facebook page for Haven of Creativity and now this page is more visible. I guess anytime you put yourself out there it’s a little scary. I am very passionate about creating, writing and crafting so what you see is who I am. If someone can learn something here, try something new or even step out of their own comfort zone and take a plunge into something fulfilling, then YAY! We’ve each got one life. “Live your truth,” as my beautiful friend Kristen Tripolitis says, and be your authentic self! Here’s to taking those first steps!

Well August is upon us and as much as I love the summer, this humidity can leave any time now! I’m so thankful for mulch, which is keeping the weeds down, and for air conditioning, which is keeping me sane! I enjoy spending time in my yard, tending to my herbs and flowers, but lately they’ve been on their own!
I will be going to the shore later this month for a long weekend and I can’t wait to get my toes in the sand. We weren’t able to get there last year, so I am really looking forward to some ocean time. There is something so peaceful about being at the ocean’s edge: feeling the cool water, the warming sun, hearing the sounds of seagulls and waves. It has always been a time of reflection and renewal for me. We go to Long Beach Island, NJ, otherwise known as my “happiest place on earth.”
I’m sure you all have a place that makes you feel the way I do when I’m at the shore. Maybe it’s a vacation spot, a family member’s home, or your own backyard. Sometimes I just close my eyes, picture the beach, listen for the sounds and it is a 30-second vacation. I am so grateful to God for all of the wonderful gifts he has given us, including the ability to go anywhere we want to go just by closing our eyes. How priceless! Maybe this will inspire you to close your eyes and take a mini vacation. We can’t always physically be in our “happiest place on earth,” but we can visit in our minds anytime. For me, it is one of the ways I am reminded of the tools God has given us to center ourselves when we are overwhelmed or stressed with life’s challenges. Focusing on the gifts we have makes all the difference.

Many years ago, I taught classes on paper making and sold paper making kits. Well, I think the time has come to do it again. We all know how important it is to reuse and recycle and what better way to do it than with junk mail and paper we would otherwise throw away.

I like to put dried flowers and seeds in my paper and also to experiment with creating different colors. Seed paper can be planted, so they are fun to include in a card so that the recipient can plant it and enjoy your gift for a long time.

If you and a few friends would be interested in a paper making workshop, let me know and we can set a time for a class! I will have kits available for purchase and there is a discount on kits if you take a class.