How Creating Everyday can Teach You Things about Yourself

I know I usually start with the handwritten bit, but this post was supposed to go up last week and the reason it didn't is actually the topic of this blog post.  

Huh?  Wait... what?
Let me back up.  

I participated in LOAD (layout a day) throughout February, it kept me busy and I tried to post last week but repeat technical hiccups and less time than usual due to LOAD won out and it didn't get posted.  I hate that I skipped a week, but if I could go back I wouldn't do it over.

That's right, I would go back and FAIL at posting my blog post again!

It made me look at why I failed and what LOAD, or more precisely why creating something everyday for a short period of time, is important.

I've done LOAD many many times and every single time I learn something new and I confirmed many other things about myself and about my style and I tell stories that I wouldn't have thought to tell otherwise.  So I guess, short story is: The result of creating something everyday is well worth the little sacrifices necessary to make the time to create everyday!

Now I've written about this before and the lessons I've learned, but I'm saying it again, because no matter what your creative outlet is, no matter what you are creating, taking a month and dedicating a bit of time to it everyday is important to your growth as a creative.

 

This month really confirmed that I ADORE working with paper! I learned this little trick from Debby Schuh:

Santa flips up and there's a pop-up camera underneath:

Fun, happy, pretty colours will always have a place on my pages, so will white and white space!

 

These are the stories I probably would have thought to tell if it ahdn't been for Lain's prompts. Thanks Lain!!

This month also reignited my love for long mixed alpha titles :D

How to Make Your Own Handmade Christmas Card Process Stress Free

Some people find the monotonous task of making all those cards boring, but I find it calming.  I'll put on a Christmas movie and I'm able to craft on auto pilot.

The best tip I can give you is to keep it simple.  

* I don't make cards that open, it's just a postcard style card so I can cut six 4X6 card fronts out of one 12x12 piece of cardstock. 
* I use products that are easy to find in bulk, like my doilies.  I use a lot of cardstock as well.  Last year, I added rhinestones which came 100 to a sheet.
* Reusable supplies are fantastic.  I stamped my message on the back of each card.
* If you use stamps, make that one of your first steps.  It's really hard to get a crisp image once everything is already stuck on the card.
* Make it fun! Put on the Christmas carols or a holiday movie, get the kids involved. Unless they are like mine, one year they made a mess of my envelopes and I ended up addressing them all myself :)

 

If you make your own, I'd love to see!  Please share, and I can do a round up of them on the blog next week :D

I am working hard on my Planner class.  It's a class to help you make a planner that works perfectly for you. If you'd like me to send you more information as it becomes available, you can sign up here:

 

A Meaningful Gift for Everyone on Your Holiday List This Year

 

Of course if you don't have a small children in your life, you can get older children to take photos, use your own art or use month-themed photos.

These calendars are so easy, you just need to scan or take of photo of their drawings and upload them to your favourite photo printer, granted that they make calendars ;)

12 is a great number for dividing things up. No matter if you have 1, 2, 3 or 4 children, it all works out to an even number of drawings for each child.  But, when I 'only' had 5 children I found a way around it.  For 2 of the months, they would each draw the same thing together on the same page, for example one Easter egg or one Christmas gift each. 

When they were too little to draw but old enough to colour, I would sketch out a little drawing for them to colour in.  This also served as a model for the older ones to copy. Hector was only just two when he coloured in these lily of the valley leaves.

It's also a good idea regardless, to sketch out sample pictures, making sure that you keep the designs simple.  Not only is it easier for their little hands to draw, but they also tire of drawing so many. The easier it is, the better.

When they were too little to even hold a pencil I used photos of them with the theme of the month in mind.

On the front I always add our Christmas card photo for that year.

Cedric is in the 2013 photo, he was born in time for Christmas, but I had the calendars all made up before he was born, so he didn't contribute :D

What is your go to Christmas gift?