Craft For Health

Finding the REAL Me in Art by Judi Kruis

When you aren’t living the dreams God has for your life, it can seem futile, empty, and often hopeless. I was born creative but left it behind to be “responsible” in the corporate world. It was an okay existence but not filled with regular joy or a feeling of real purpose.

Was I was really making a difference in this world or the lives of others? 

Did my life really matter?

I went back to college in my 40’s and was getting the itch to do something more with life. After college, I started classes at a local arts council and at first was embarrassed. In class two, I could see something finally emerging. I started to paint scenery in my mind and imagined the brush strokes as I drove down the road. Oh, those clouds…I’d use a light wash of blue, with a touch of brown…then pull of a bit to bring in the clouds. Those greens…add a touch of red here and yellow there. I would sit in meetings and imagine portraits of those around the table. I was starting to find the real person underneath; I was discovering who I really was created to be and it felt amazing. I went from watercolors, to sketching, then oil painting. I was discovering more possibilities lying under the surface.

Soon after this, I was invited to go to Haiti to help with a women’s art co-op. They were thinking I'd be helpful with my business and product development background but it was even more fuel for my creative self. 

Our presence brought a message of hope as we worked our “Business as Mission ” with Haitian Artisans for Peace International (HAPI). I spent six weeks that first trip then returned home to my job. I started painting more and would be in awe that these creations were really coming out of me.

Six months later, God said to leave my job (I know that sounds bizarre but facts is facts). I thought it would be for further missions in Haiti or Guatemala, but instead felt God saying to pursue ART. ME?? You have to be kidding!! How often do we doubt ourselves and God to just stay in a place that does not feel right, maybe shape our lives to look good or please others, yet we know we aren’t where we truly belong?

I still do short term trips and work from my home on HAPI business. It is through my paintings that I have found such a spiritual healing for myself. I work to share that hope and encourage others locally and internationally to do the same. I have been restored through creativity and life now seems very natural, not forced; filled with a purpose and benefiting others. I’m at a place of really loving who I am because I can be who God intended me to be. Created in His image…a creator…a reflection of Him.

 

Judi Kruis works at home in Holland, MI , painting in oils, weaving rugs and shawls, and sharing her journey through speaking, writing and creativity classes. You can connect with her through www.WeaveOrKnot.com , www.HaitianArtisans.com , or www.facebook.com/jkruis

Craft Your Fat Off by Janice Taylor

“What’s your ‘stay fat’ strategy?”  
“Is your past masquerading as your future?”  
“Are you drowning in drama?” 

And my favorite, “What’s the difference between you and an Olympic swimmer? … Seriously!”

You can be sure that these queries bring about lively conversation that ultimately helps to change their relationship not just with food, but with themselves! 

Extraordinary results!

And then the day culminates in an arts & crafts project. One such project that has popped up in previous workshops is: The Affirmation Container!

What is An Affirmation?

An affirmation is a form of auto-suggestion a.k.a. self-hypnosis, in which a statement is made about the future in the present tense, as if it had already happened in the past.

Yes, that's right. Repeat, please ... An affirmation is a statement about the future, made in the present, as if it had already happened in the past!

It is a statement or a desirable intention that you can deliberately meditate on, or repeat in order to embed in both your conscious and unconscious minds. It is a statement that transcends time and space.

Repetition opens the door to your unconscious mind. And your unconscious mind is much like a computer. Today, you are beginning to input the right program into your mind. Your programming is called the "I CAN" Program and it is designed by YOU!

When we speak in 'affirmations...'

"I am in control of my life, and I am committed to my goals."

... our unconscious hears the affirmation as a fact that is yet to be and it immediately seeks ways in which to manifest this new fact. Yes, your unconscious is taking your affirmation in as fact.

Boy's Craft Too--Giancarlo's Jewelry

This is the bracelet that my 13 year old son made in his jewelry class.  It's a beautiful hammered and twisted steel bracelet that I wear all the time.  I especially love the way the clasp is integrated into the design.  

I think he signed up for the class because a friend told him that it was a great way to meet girls, and in any case he was only one of 2 boys in the class, so in that regard, he considered it a big positive. What surprised him, was how much he loved the class.  After this project they moved to bead work, and I don't mean stringing beads, but blowing their own glass beads.  I'll post those photos next week.

I was a little surprised that a teenager, who likes to skateboard and plays his fair share of video games would be so interested in a crafting class.  But, he not only liked the class, he signed up for the next level. Every day he came home with another wonderful treasure that he created, which made him feel so good.  It was the same in wood shop last year, the sense of accomplishment that these middle school kids get is priceless.  His wood shop teacher said that these types of classes help kids with eye hand coordination, with problem solving skills and learning how objects are made.  

When I think about it, it was only about 75-100 years ago in our history that most people made most of the objects that they used every day, they didn't buy them ready made.  People made their own clothes, blankets, window coverings, tables, chairs, and yes, even jewelry.  

Middle school kids, and especially boys need lots of creative outlets and opportunities to build, design and create.  They thrive on the sense of accomplishment and learn so much from the process.  I highly recommend jewelry or any other of the craft offerings as electives.  Creating something with your hands just feels good.

Unconditional Love Gave Me Confidence in My Art by Linda

 

My name is Linda O'Neill and I'm the Artist behind Abby Creek Studios.  I work in three styles of Art: Dog Portraits, Abstracts  and Still Life what touches my heart the most is painting dogs.

I have always had a very strong love for dogs...but never did I realize how much until my husband and I adopted a beautiful Retriever Mix about 10 years ago. Her name was Abby and she inspired me to start painting dogs.

I didn't have a lot of confidence in my art until then. I had worked for LucasFilm in the San Francisco Bay Area as a Digital Painter before moving to Colorado in 1998. When we got here, I started pursuing my Fine Art career again but felt as if I didn't have a real direction. We didn't have any friends here yet and so I felt a little isolated and unsure of my talent. I was definitely lacking confidence and was feeling pretty depressed.

When Abby came into our lives, things changed. She was a silly, funny, smart girl who looked up at me one day with those big brown eyes and I decided I just had to paint her. I think she sent me doggie brainwaves or something! Anyway, my first painting of her was pretty raw and unpolished...but there was something there that was special and worth pursuing. I kept at it and soon, with a new sense of self, my business was born. Abby had given me real gifts with her companionship...of love and confidence.

 

So now you know why my business is named, Abby Creek Studios. I just finished a new website, AbbeyCreekStudios.com, so please come for a visit and take a look at my recent dog paintings

I have a blog as well, where you can read about the latest goings on as well as the antics of my new dog, Maisie.

She keeps the legacy going...and makes me laugh every day!

The Big Black Balloon of Depression by Violette Clark

I suffer from depression from time to time. One of the things that has saved me is art - time and time again. Recently in a telephone coaching session my coach asked me some questions about how I felt after getting certain things done. I pretty much dismissed what I had done feeling like it was not enough. Very casually I mentioned "the void" and then she was off and running with it. I noticed I was quite annoyed because I did not want to talk about the void at all - I wanted to talk about my business, accomplishing more, being more organized etc. But she kept at it asking me what colour it was, what shape it was and where I was in relation to it. I had to muster all of my energy just so i didn't scream "I DON'T FREAKING WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE VOID OKAY????!!!"

What emerged was the big black balloon. It was interesting to me that I was on top of the balloon and not inside it. As we were talking I was mindlessly doodling - what emerged was a tiny person ontop of a large black balloon. My coach and I established a few things about the balloon story and I pretty much decided that it would become a little comic strip. That was my homework.

So yesterday I was in a very dark place - it was pouring down rain, the sky was dark, all of my lovely flowers were being mushed and the magic garden did not look so magic anymore. I decided that I  needed to either:

1. Go back to bed and pull the covers over my head or

2. Make the black balloon comic strip.

Thankfully number  2 won out.

What can you do when..... 
you are visited by the big black balloon or the dark dog or whatever name seems to suit your dark moods and feelings? Why not remove all distractions such as the radio, TV, text messaging, internet surfing, phone calls and sit still. Listen to yourself. You have an inner knowing that will tell you what to do next. Create a piece of art around the guidance that you are given. When you are stumped simply ask "What's next?" If you listen closely you will find the answers.

My name is Violette Clark and I'm am an artist passionate about creating art journals.

One Smile Says it All! Kids Really Do Enjoy Crafting by Debra Quartermain

Crafting or being creative I believe is as necessary to a healthy whole life as breathing. It nurtures mind, body and soul, brings a sense of well being, satisfaction and of course is lots of fun! When my daughter was in elementary school art programs were dropped and the art room in her school sat vacant most of the time. I approached the principal about starting a weekly Craft Club for the older children giving them opportunity to explore a variety of materials and techniques. I would fund the program and provide everything for the kids if I could use the art room.  It was a go! The kids had such a great time and loved trying out materials they had never used before. My older daughter came by, sometimes with a friend to help out. For the end of the year we would do a sewing project, a teddy with diploma to celebrate their “graduating” elementary school. They would arrive excitedly ready to create. Some of the bears went home with pirate patches, glue sticks turned into swords, tattoos and flowers in their ears. Just as unique as each child the bears all had their own distinctive personality.  The first year was a big success! It taught me as well about remembering to play just for the sake of playing, I learned as much from the kids as they did from me.

A couple of my favourite moments happened in the second year. The former grade four kids were now the grade fives and now the Craft Club was theirs! Many of them told me how excited they were to take part in the club. The day we were to sew the bears one little boy came in with a manly swagger saying he didn’t know how to sew and was proud of it. By the end of the club time he walked out with the same proud swagger with his bear saying he was going home to show his whole family how to sew.  Another little boy whispered in my ear when he arrived that he was so excited about making the bear that he wasn’t able to sleep the night before. His smile says it all!

Creating the Craft Club was one of the most worthwhile things I have ever done. The faces of the kids, their excited chatter when they arrived and their wide smiles as they left proudly carrying the results of their creative fun was so special! While they crafted they would share stories, talk of their families, pets, and relax into the friendly warm atmosphere of the room. One group wrote stories of their bear’s adventures along with pictures to give to me at the end of the year.

I continue my creative journey as a Creative Eternal Optimist! “Inspiring the JOY of Creativity---1 Stitch, Stick or Sparkle any Time!” Thank you Kathy and Barb for the opportunity to share my story and for celebrating “Crafting for Health.” Debra Quartermain, CEO!  www.debraquartermain.com

The Emotional Side of My Colorful Craft by Nancy Medina

 
  
When I was little, I used to get into trouble in school for doodling in the margins of my assignments. Today, I travel throughout the country photographing nature and gathering inspiration for my paintings of flowers and landscapes.

  

I have always felt an immediate emotional response to bright color and the beautiful shapes of nature. I have dreamed of blank, white canvases that stretch for miles, endless palettes of color, and all the time in the world to create. The studio was not an escape from the memories of my father, but a celebration of his life, and a quiet place to work and build, two of the things he spent so many of his hours doing from his own shop on the organic farm where I grew up.

I switched from charcoal pencils to oil paints when I was 30, the year that my father died. Since then my art has grown from a hobby into a business, and its pursuit is my life work and passion.Iall with bold color and just a touch of whimsy. Most of all, I love creating large painted indoor gardens that cheer the heart with pots of flowers in all the colors of nature.
 
 I like to think that my father would be proud of me today, and how far I have come in my journey of art. At times working in the studio is a quiet, solitary pursuit. But sharing it with people, and seeing their eyes alight at the color and the shapes, makes all the work a joy.

My name is Nancy Medina andI'm an artist, animal rescuer, and pug mom who creates original oil paintings from Flower Mound Studio in Texas. I specialize in florals, landscapes and pet portraits and you can learn more about my art at My Web Site http://www.nancymedina.com/ or on
My Blog: http://nancymedinaart.blogspot.com/ 
 

Crafting For the Mental Health of Others by Tara Reed

Rubber stamps have been a staple in my life for years.  In school, I always beamed with pride when I would see the smiley face stamp on my papers or the "Great Job!" star.  I loved pressing the rubber into different colored inks and putting them on paper, with no particular rhyme or reason, just to do it. The process was like magic.

Then I got older and the way I looked at and used stamps changed.  Instead of joy with no plan, my stamps became decorative elements on scrapbook pages or hand made cards.  I can't begin to tell you how many holiday, birthday or everyday cards have gone from blank to beautiful, thanks to rubber stamps and stamp pads.

 

More years ticked by and I started designing for a living.  How fun to have my own art on rubber stamps!  This makes the process of stamping, shading, coloring, sending and gift giving that much more fun. (Although I must admit that the time I have to actually USE the stamps has gone down now that I am designing them.)

 

Having designed dozens of stamps for Janlynn / Stamps Happen, I am starting to have the joy of seeing what others are doing with my designs.  And thanks to the internet and blogs, it is easier than ever.

 

I recently found a blog post by Mary B. Giemza who used one of my stamps to help keep a smile on the face of her friend whose husband is deployed in the military.  Not only is she crafting for her own health but for the mental health of others -- now this I like!  What better way to show support and concern than with a hand stamped card.  And I believe it did just that since there is a comment on her post that says:  "You should see me smiling right now girlfriend!! I LOVE this!!!!"  (I assume that is from the recipient of the sentiment.) CLICK HERE to see her full post.

 

Times change and things evolve, but my love of rubber and ink lives on.  When things get a little crazy or I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed, there is nothing like going back to the simple act of pressing a stamp on the ink pad, then on paper, and creating that one-of-a-kind end result!  

 

May good health and the stamps be with you! 

– Tara Reed

www.TaraReedDesigns.com

________

Links:  

 http://mycardz.wordpress.com/2009/06/03/a-chick-rules-this-roost/

 

http://www.janlynn.com/category_results.cfm?Category=20&Desc=Memory_and_Stamps

Crafting a Better World: Connecting Through Crochet by Melissa Langer

 

The art of crochet has been an excellent way for me to connect not only to myself, but to the world around me in ways that I never thought possible.

In 1990, I had just graduated from the university of Michigan and began my adult life away from the enriching life of a student which I had always known. Entering the work force was exciting and challenging, but I felt the need to learn something new that I could continually expand and enjoy.

Being someone who has always loved crafts, I was drawn to a colorful crochet kit in a catalog that provided everything I needed to make a beautiful granny square afghan.  The colors and textures of the yarn along with the fascination of turning a single string into a woven fabric with a hook soon turned into a passion.

I always feel happy when I am crocheting, and I quickly realized that it was a wonderful way not only to help me process things in my own life, but to have a  piece of art when I was done to share with someone else. The rise of the internet and Yahoo Groups was a perfect way to meet new friends and trade squares with people all across the country.  From that positive experience, I decided to reach out and share my crochet with less fortunate children all over the world.  Through some research, I found two incredible charities, The Mother Bear Project and Knit-A-Square.

 

They both work tirelessly to collect and gift knitted or crocheted teddy bears and squares to children to keep them warm and comforted in what can sometimes be a harsh world. It is an uplifting feeling to create something for someone I do not know, but who I can visualize enjoying something I made with love.

Each package I send, I wish it a safe journey and give it to the post person with a big smile.  Imagine my joy and excitement when I recently received photographs from both charities showing me the teddy bears and squares in their new homes!

 

What a wonderful reminder that even the smallest things we do can make a difference in the lives of others.

My name is Melissa Langer.  I am an artist whose passion is to create happiness through my art for people to deeply connect to and enjoy.  Please share in on the fun by seeing what my pug, Emmitt, and I are doing daily on my blog, Life is Art...Art is Life.

Picking up the Pieces After Breast Cancer by Anne Marie Bennett

If I were writing my autobiography, the chapter detailing my life in 2001-2002 would be titled “Journey: Interrupted.”  I was 45 years old and had been going about my business, living a normal life, working full time, helping my husband raise his teenagers from his first marriage, enjoying our home and, time with friends, and my new hobby of rubber stamping and collage art.

Then came the startling news: Stage II Infiltrating Ductal Breast Cancer. And after that came two lumpectomies, a lymph node dissection, 12 weeks of chemotherapy, and 42 radiation treatments.  Even though I often felt awful during the surgeries and treatments, I found myself sitting at my art table many times, playing with my rubber stamps and collage materials.  During these 7 months, I created several rubber stamped calendars, and six dozen collaged note cards.  These art projects helped to keep me connected to my soul during a time when my body was feeling very ill and disconnected.

At the end of my treatments, I gifted my doctors, nurses, and radiation techs with boxes of my handmade note cards.  It felt good to be able to give something back to these kind and wonderful people who assisted me on my healing journey.

Three years later, my body was healing.  I looked good and I felt good.  Yet nothing was able to quiet the overwhelming storms of fear and anxiety.  I was living constantly with the insidious fear that the breast cancer might return, the intimidating fear of another fateful diagnosis.

I meditated and prayed about this. I talked about it with my wonderful therapist and with other breast cancer survivors. I tried guided imagery, journaling, and art journaling. Those all tempered the fear to some extent, but only for a very short while.

Then in 2005 I began practicing SoulCollage® and my inner dynamics began to change. SoulCollage® is an intuitive art process that is simple and goes directly to one’s inner thoughts and feelings. It was created by Seena Frost in the late 90’s.  Using only magazine images, mat boards, scissors and glue, I created this SoulCollage® card about my fears.

After creating a SoulCollage® card, it helps to give the card a voice and let it speak.  Here is the writing exercise I did with this card that made a huge difference in my being able to accept that deep fear and live with it: