A Slight Change in Focus

I chose the word “create” as my word for the year in part because I feel like I am a creative person but I don’t always feel that creative. Crafting is my job, and all too often it does in fact feel like work, and that needs to change.

The more I think about it, the more I realize I’m not the only person who feels this way.

Everyone is creative, but so few people, especially women — super-especially moms — have, take or make the time to create. That’s really a tragedy because its so beneficial to us and our families when we are creative.

Creativity gives us a space to be ourselves without judgement. It frees us from our roles as wife, mother, worker, friend, to just be who we want to be.

Being creative is an outlet for stress, a way to work through problems and see solutions you might not otherwise.

Even just a little bit of time spent on creative pursuits — five minutes of doodling, 10 minutes writing in a journal, half an hour doing some sewing by hand or cross stitching while watching TV — can have great benefits in your life.

You’ll probably find yourself happier and more patient with your family after a session of making. You’ll feel a deeper connection to them and to others. Reduced stress, increased energy, a spirit of openness, playfulness and fun are just some of the benefits of opening up to and making time for creativity.

But you probably know all this already. There’s probably been a time in your life when you were more creative than you are now. You might remember the feeling of joy from creating a painting or writing a poem, knitting a scarf or baking a loaf of bread.

Maybe it’s been a long time since you’ve felt that. Maybe you’ve never felt that.

You need to feel it. Often.

So that’s my new focus. I want to say my new passion, but I think all of my writing about craft for all these years has ultimately been about inspiring people to be more creative. I’m just going to be more deliberate about it now.

What this Means for You

I’m not giving up on kid craft. I enjoy it and I think it’s a good gateway to getting moms (and dads, if they do it) to be more creative if they get down and draw or paint with their kids.

But I expect to be focusing more on craft ideas for moms and other busy women, things that can be completed with a minimum of time, energy and money (or that can be broken up over days if need be) but are still satisfying and fun to do.

These are baby steps that, along with creativity tips, book reviews, inspirational photos, reading material and other goodies, will help ease us all into a more creative life.

Use it or Lose it

You’ve probably heard people say that creativity is like a muscle; you have to use it to keep it. And like our actual muscles, a lot of us have flabby, out-of-shape creative muscles. We need a boot camp for creativity, a way to commit to the process of creating as often as possible.

That’s what I hope this site and other resources to come will provide. But don’t worry, I’m the nicest drill sergeant ever.

Feedback, Please!

I would love to hear what you think about this slightly changed direction and more specifically how I can help you embrace your creativity. I really think this is so important because creativity isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity. I know what a difference it makes in my life and can make in yours, too.

If you don’t feel comfortable leaving a comment here, you can email me directly at sarah @ sarahewhite.com. Thank you so much for your support and for reading and creating with me.