Why Do you Create? Reflections - Arts and Wellness Cafe

 

Have you ever paused to ask yourself, “Why do I create?”  Not what you create or how, but why?  We explore this in the Arts and Wellness Café - take some time to ponder for yourself.

For me, creating has always been a path to healing, expression, and connection. Over the years, art has helped me process emotion, reconnect with nature, and feel grounded.

Staying Inspired

To keep inspiration flowing, I’ve developed small but meaningful habits:  

• I keep a grab-and-go kit nearby - just a mini journal, a water brush, and a few colors - so I can create anywhere. 
• I make playlists that match different moods, some calm, some energizing - to move my creative state. 
• And I step outside regularly. Even just five minutes with the trees, the wind, or birdsong resets everything. 

These simple strategies help me return to creativity even when it feels like I am in the valley.

The Heart 

What keeps me going is not pressure to sell or perform, but the deeper things such as joy and personal growth.  I believe in continuous learning, experimenting freely, and asking the question 'what if'. Every time I teach a new technique or post a behind-the-scenes peek at my process, I hope it encourages someone else to show up for their own creativity. 

Coming Back to Purpose

When I stay connected to why I create, everything else feels clearer. I feel grounded. Inspired. Capable of growing - not just in skill, but in presence and connection.  So - think about why you create, why you do what you do and boldly step out giving yourself the permission to enjoy the adventure!  

Check out the video, leave a comment, share and have fun, but most of all stay blessed and be a blessing!

Abandoned Fabric Projects? - Material Musings

 Abandoned Fabric Projects? - Material Musings

Do you have any abandoned creative projects that need to be given a new lease of life?  Join us on Material Musings today!

Here are some of the projects 

Sometimes all it takes is for you to go through them, see what supplies you are using now, and you may get that spark to revisit and maybe even finish the project.  It works with any type of creative project!

100 Days of Leaf Art - Week 14 - Completing the Project!

Week 14: Completing the 100-Day Project & What’s Next?

Made it to the end!!

Reaching the end of this journey has reinforced my belief in daily creativity, persistence, and the magic of working with nature.  As I pushed through, I did some branch weaving and made some jewelry from the leaves.

But this isn’t the end—just a stepping stone. Now, I’m thinking of ways to take what I’ve learned and apply it to future projects.

Creative Tip: Start planning your next creative endeavor! Could you turn this into a larger series? A collection of framed works? A book? Reflect on how this your project has shaped your artistic direction.

Weaving with the branches

Encouragement: The end is just the beginning. Keep creating, keep exploring, and keep sharing your uniquely creative gifts with the world.

Making Jewelry from the leaves

Branch Weaving

Want to learn more?

Join me in my Leaf Arts - Transforming Nature into Art course for guided lessons on leaf art techniques! 

Come and join us on the course and learn to create your own beautifully designed leaves!

100 Days of Leaf Art - Week 13

Week 13: Observing the Finish Line

With only a couple of weeks left, I focus on refining techniques, looking at additional designs to see which designs speak to me the most and reviewing my creative experience.   This week I have worked on leaves that are just starting to turn brown, they still have a greenish tinge to them.

Rather than rushing to the finish line, I take time to appreciate each step. The process has been just as valuable as the final result.

Creative Tip: Document your journey by photographing your leaves, writing about your experience, or sharing insights on social media. Reflect on what you’ve learned.

Encouragement: Every piece is a milestone. Whether you made 100 leaves or 10, you’ve achieved something remarkable.

Keep the momentum going: Join my Leaf Arts course to continue exploring mixed media techniques.

100 Days of Leaf Art - Week 13

Want to learn more?

Join me in my Leaf Arts - Transforming Nature into Art course for guided lessons on leaf art techniques! 

Come and join us on the course and learn to create your own beautifully designed leaves!

100 Days of Leaf Art - Week 12

Week 12: Bringing It All Together - a couple of weeks to go!!

At this stage, my collection of leaf art feels like a cohesive body of work. Each piece tells a story, and together, they showcase my artistic growth.

This is the time to refine my favorite techniques and bring all elements together. Some leaves remain stand-alone pieces, while others are arranged in clusters for more complex compositions.

 

Creative Tip: Consider how your pieces work as a series. Could they be framed together? Used in a handmade book? Think about presentation and how to showcase your work.

  

Encouragement: Your art is a reflection of your journey. Celebrate everything you’ve created so far!

Want ideas for presenting your work? The Leaf Arts course includes suggestions for framing, displaying, and preserving your pieces.

Want to learn more?

Join me in my Leaf Arts - Transforming Nature into Art course for guided lessons on leaf art techniques! 

Come and join us on the course and learn to create your own beautifully designed leaves!

Digital Art Papers May - Patreon

 

Here are the papers for May's Digital Download on Patreon for the $3 Tier.   If you join us on the $3 Tier you will have access to all the previously posted content which spans 3 years and includes digital and video resources for your creative project.  

We have a Free Trial on the tier so that you can wet your feet and see how you like it. The aim for the papers are to encourage you to do something creative with what you have and provide you with beautiful imagery that you can play around with.

It is very important to find ways in which you can motivate and encourage yourself, especially in those times where you are feeling off or if you want a low energy project or even only have a short time.

The digital downloads are available on Patreon for you to enjoy, why not come and check it out and have a play with the papers.

Find out more HERE

Making Zen Online Retreat - Check out the VIP Bonuses!!

Have you signed up Yet?

Just a reminder: the Making Zen Online Retreat, hosted by Kate at Zen Stitching, is returning 26th - 30th May 2025 - and it’s going to be a lot of fun

New to Making Zen?

If you haven’t joined us before, Making Zen is a free, five-day online retreat celebrating slow stitching, mindful making, and creative exploration. Over the course of the retreat, 32 amazing artists will each share a video workshop—free to watch for 24 hours—to spark your creativity and deepen your practice.

We will be diving into themes like:

 Coloring with fabric scraps
 Intuitive art-making
 Zero-waste stitching
 Botanically dyed pouches, stitched landscapes…… and so much more.

You’ll come away with mini projects to stitch, fresh techniques to try, and a deep sense of inspiration and calm. 

Get the VIP PASS and additional Bonus!

If you know that you already want to get the VIP Pass you will be offered a variety of bonuses from each teacher and you get the following:

$3,300.00+ worth of exclusive gifts, guides, extended workshops and resources to help you reignite your creativity!

  

This price is only available for a limited time! Normally $147.00—get it now for $97!

❤️ Early access to all 32 workshops (starting this week!) ❤️ Lifetime access so you can revisit and perfect your skills anytime ❤️ Gifts from our artists to inspire fresh ideas and projects ❤️ Daily live creativity sessions with Kate on Zoom ❤️ Transcripts + the Making Zen eBook to keep your focus sharp and your learning seamless There is an extra Bonus course from me Embellished & Stitched below if you use my link to purchase the VIP Pass (it will be no extra cost to you) !

I will be adding my Course Embellished & Stitched to the Bonus gift bag for all those who purchase the VIP Ticket using my link - you can check out the course (Value - $47) HERE

In the course Embellished & Stitched, I share different ways in which you can transform your stitched words into embellished designs with a variety of techniques and over an hour and a half of video content organized in short segments so you can jump in and out of an activity.  Once your purchase has been confirmed you will get access to the course! 

Looking forward to having you on the creative adventure!!

Before You Go

Have checked out the papers available on my Patreon.  From Free, $3, $10 and $15.  Join us on Patreon for FREE

Here are the papers that are available across the tiers that you can use in your art journals and creative projects.

Free Papers for May 2025

100 Days of Leaf Art - Week 11

 Week 11: Exploring New Techniques

With confidence growing, I explore even more with my supplies and mediums. Through playing with supplies on the surface you begin to see what works for you, and where you need to stretch yourself further. 

I experiment with mixed media—adding decorated paper, watercolor washes, or creating clusters with my stitched and burned designs.

Pushing beyond my comfort zone keeps the project exciting. Even if a new technique doesn’t work perfectly, it leads me to fresh ideas.

Creative Tip: Try adding a new material—paint, embroidery floss, or metallic ink—to elevate your designs. Keep an open mind and see where the process leads.

Encouragement: Growth comes from exploration. Step beyond what feels familiar and discover new possibilities.

Expand your skills: My Leaf Arts course covers creative ways to enhance your leaf art.

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100 Days of Leaf Art - Week 11

Want to learn more?

Join me in my Leaf Arts - Transforming Nature into Art course for guided lessons on leaf art techniques! 

Come and join us on the course and learn to create your own beautifully designed leaves!