Craft For Health

Crafting My Way Through Grief, Confusion and Exhaustion by Alice Braga

 

When I became a full-time mother almost seven years ago, my days as a free-spirited musician (with a day job supporting her art) came to a halt. When my daughter was diagnosed with a chronic illness two years later, what was left of my identity as a singer-songwriter was all but buried beneath grief, confusion and exhaustion.

 Once in a while I ventured into the recording studio and also started a home-based coaching business, but the economic downturn of 2008, not to mention a highly competitive hunt for a good kindergarten, put an end to that.

 

During some of the roughest patches, the only thing that cut through a fog of fear and inertia was color. The rich palette of my daughter’s oil pastels. The vibrant images in Anthropologie and Sundance catalogs. The vivid pinks, reds, and yellows of roses in my courtyard and outside markets on Broadway.

Between my husband’s photo trade magazines, the plethora of catalogs I receive almost daily, and my daughter’s art (she provided the heart in the pink hope collage) I’ve become a collaging fiend, filling journals and three-ring binders with playful and wise phrases and poems juxtaposed with gorgeous scenery, jewelry, horses, whatever catches my fancy. I try not to analyze why I’m drawn to a picture or theme, but I do notice clues to my heart’s yearnings.

 For a while, England kept showing up in my collages, and within a few months, my husband was called to London on business for a week, and my daughter and I were able to join him. I can’t say for sure whether my collages manifested an international trip for three, but I can say the images opened my mind to the idea of crossing the Atlantic with a child on a very strict diet. No small feat!

 

 At a friend’s suggestion, I began blogging earlier this year, and I found myself illustrating my mini-essays and musings with collages and snapshots. After 14 years of delegating photography to my husband, I am having a ball reporting on the beauty and whimsy of New York (and my imagination) in both still photos and video. No longer holding on so tightly to my identity as a writer, I’m excited about visual storytelling and what else it will reveal to me. And more importantly, I am at peace with the choices I’ve made to help my daughter thrive.

 

Links:

http://www.AliceBraga.com

http://www.YouTube.com/RabbitHoleReport (“A Barrage of Collage” gives you a peek inside one of my collage binders, including one of the British collages)

http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/AliceMarie

http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/alice-marie/id4067062

Healing began through Crafts by Candace Jedrowicz

I began studying art and spirituality in the same year, about fifteen years ago.  I'd been decorating cakes for several years when both my kids were diagnosed with depression. They simply stopped functioning, one right after the other.  I stopped everything and gave my chikdren 100% of my attention..  It wasn't long before I went down that very same rabbit hole.  A beloved client suggested I go back to college and study art while the kids were in school (when they were able to go), and another recommended a spiritual bookstore.  That's when the healing began.  

 

 

I took a couple of classes and, when an instructor asked if I'd considered ceramics.   I did and I fell in love with clay.  I audited the ceramics program for eight years.  [the first photo is a tile family portrait that sprang from those years]  Along the same lines, I took a couple of spiritual courses at the book store and was invited to join a four year class with two inter faith ministers.  After the four years were up, I went on to study under another inter faith minister for two more years and teaching was a natural and exciting progression.  I loved sharing my art studio with fellow spiritual students and was soon asked to hold art classes. 

 

We are so much like the clay - fresh from the earth we are easily molded.  Along the path we try to force ourselves socially acceptable shapes.  As a result, we become overworked and increasingly fragile.  It can take a single harsh thought to create cracks and weaknesses that will lead to eventual collapse.  By simply opening our minds and hearts to our true nature we can become refreshed and whole.

 

For several years I made colorful, organic clay boxes that expressed my spiritual nature and my sense of humor.  Most recently I've had my hand in many art media, learning and growing.  I now play the part of the Creative Play Muse for Cool2Craft Live on web TV where I challenge the viewers with a creative theme each month that they can interpret and share on our blog.  It's an amazingly fun and nurturing atmosphere and I so enjoy being part of it!

For nearly fifteen years I've combined spirituality and art to teach folks who are just beginning their spiritual journey how to create with intention.

 

Link to Cool2Craft Live

http://linqto.com/rooms/cool2craft

 

Link to the Creative Play blog on the Hive

http://creatingthehive.com/group/cool2craftcreativeplay

 

Link to my Spirit Clay Blog

http://spiritclay.blogspot.com/

I Found Myself in Arts and Crafts by Reija Eng

I was recently talking to some old friends that I hadn't met since me and my family moved from Sweden to UK nearly two years ago. During this time I have carried our now 13-month-old twins full-term, given birth to them via a painful cesarean section, looked after our eldest four-year-old daughter alongside two babies and tried to keep everyone happy while never getting a whole night's sleep. In addition, I have been bound to my neighbourhood surroundings; I don't drive and I wouldn't fit in to the bus with the twin buggy and buggy board - a combination that people, more or less accurately, refer to as a minivan.
 
I was telling my friends how hard life was in the grey suburbs of London with endless rows of shabby houses and only a few trees, and how difficult it has been for us to adjust, being used to the lush green nature and fresh air of Sweden. In this moment one of my friends commented, with some amusement in his voice, that at least I had my scrapbooking.

 
Yes, at least I have my scrapbooking! My days are filled with routines involving my children and their wellbeing. It's a five to nine job without any major breaks. I take huge pride in what I do for my children, but without realising it I have slowly given up my social life and my freedom. There really isn't much one can do after the kids have gone to sleep, and although my husband contributes a lot to childcare and housework, I'm always too tired in the evenings. All this has led me to question who I am. Am I just a mother, an all-in-one diaper changing-washing-cooking-soothing-smoothing-mother-machine, alone in a foreign country? Or am I still me and if so, who exactly am I?

 
Everybody with children knows that part of being a parent is giving up on your own time and making way for a new identity. It's about thinking what's best for the children and doing your utmost for their growth and happiness in life. All parents know that in this lifechanging process it's easy to forget about yourself, but I think it's extremely important to find a balance between being a parent and being you, and giving yourself time without children.
 
In the midst of all these domestic demands, I can honestly say that scrapbooking has saved my life. It might sound strange but when I finally get some time for myself, after being up and running for 15 hours, being by myself and being creative means everything to me. Scrapbooking is my therapy. I love the evenings when I get to sit by myself and indulge in the pretty materials. It's a creative process, a complete opposite to my daily routines. It's my way of developing my identity and holding on to it. Going back to the moments captured on the photos helps me reflect on life and decide what memories I want to preserve for the future. To create something with photos of me and my family also makes me realise how great life is, despite the sleepless nights and the heavy workload. Ultimately, scrapbooking has made me realise that yes, I am a mum of three but I'm still me and a huge part of me is to use my hands creatively. I found myself in arts and crafts and being creative and expressing myself has helped me in finding my identity. And in the end, exploring and developing my identity has made me both happier and healthier. 
 
If you are interested in scrapbooking, have any questions or want to see what else I've made, you are more than welcome to visit my blog: http://reijapysslar.blogspot.com/

 

Healing with Humor National Breast Cancer Month

WIth the annual Susan G Kome Race for the Cur,  a sense of humor is the secrect weapon in the battle against breast cancer.  Team members will  have a great opportunity to offer up a good dose of creative humor with a T-shirt design contest.  Some of the humorous names of the teams include:

• Bosom Buddies
• Bras and Bros
• Breast Friends
• Daffy Duffers of Delray Dunes
• Grand Ta'Ta''s
• Save 2nd Base,
• Save the Ta'Ta's
• Team Ma'am O'Grams
• The Knocker Backers
• The Rack Pack
• The Mammogrammas

We'd love to hear your own crafty and creative member names too.  Let us know what you can "PINK" of and leave us a comment won't you!

Be well! 

Kathy and Barb

Simple Act of Shaping Paper Unleashes My Creative Side by Ann

I’m fortunate to have been born into a family of makers. My dad is the proverbial fix-it man, and mother and grandmothers were role models of patience while introducing me to many crafts during my childhood. Christmas at our house always included the latest kits and stacks of supplies under the tree. I became a medical/surgical hospital nurse and although I loved my fast-paced job, I always looked forward to coming home and spending a stress-free hour or two on whatever craft I was immersed in at the moment.  

Several years ago, I noticed an article in a magazine about something that was completely new to me, called paper filigree. I was instantly captivated by its elegant look and the seemingly magical things that could be done by rolling and shaping narrow strips of paper. I set about reading all I could find on the subject and connected with other paper artisans via online groups. I was interested to learn that paper filigree has changed very little in its five hundred year history. Believed to have begun in European monasteries, gilded paper coils and scrolls were used to embellish objects as an alternative to more costly gold or silver filigree.

Once I had familiarized myself with the technique, quilling as it’s also known, became one of the most relaxing things I’ve ever done. Completely immersed in my thoughts, I plan a project and move through the steps of creating it. Most of all I love the challenge of making something that shows a completely fresh approach to this age-old art.

When doing demonstrations to introduce paper filigree to others, some people are so fascinated they linger to watch and ask many questions. I love seeing their enthusiasm and excitement, so similar to what I felt the first time I came across paper quilling.

I’m grateful that the simple act of shaping paper allows me to unleash my creative side and brings goodness into my life – new skills, new friends, and a sense of accomplishment with each completed design.

 

My name is  Ann Martin and I'm a paper filigree artist in Delaware. US.  I design projects for books and magazines and enjoy writing about a wide variety of creative paper artisans on my blog, All Things Paper.

Jewerly Making Helps Me Escape from Depression and Diabetes by Fatmeh

My story started 26 years ago when God sent me a beautiful gift --a son I named Chafic.  He was diagnosed with very rare health condition called "Lipodistrophy syndrom". After 2 years God sent me another gift I named Nadia a sweet smart girl now she's 24 years old and we just found out she also has a very rare blood disease called Porphyria.   I have 2 very special kids.

I worry about them all the time to point I start taking pills for depression. And also from too much stress I became diabetic.  I prayed to God everyday to give me the health and strength to stay beside my kids helping them and supporting them and enjoy every moment with them.  God heard me and by chance I found out I have the gift in designing and making necklaces. When I crafted necklaces I felt so happy--- a feeling I never felt before. I got hooked and I start making more and more necklaces.

Then it started to be an expensive hobby and end up with a lot of necklaces. That was when I decided to find a way to sell my necklaces so I can buy more beads to make more necklaces. I  start getting involved in many arts and crafts show  and I met a lot of nice people.  My customers appreciated my works and they  asked me to build a website so they could check my latest designs so I did.

Getting involved in shows made my life easier helping to shift my mind from worrying about my kids health all the time. I thank God everyday for this talent he gave me.

My name is Fatmeh Itani and I live in Jacksonville, Florida and you can see my work at www.Fatmehjewelry.com   

Happy To Be Creative Everyday by Julene

My craft of paper cutting helped me through the challenge of being laid off in 2008.  Now I'm so happy that I can be creative everyday and earn a living from it. It's a dream really.  Because of the lay-off, this changed the path of my creative career. I began making paper cuts as one-off gifts for friends, and realised they were hugely popular.  Although I am now very busy, the time spent at the actual cutting mat however is very relaxing. The precision required and the repetitive nature helps me to focus and unwind. Not only from the stress of this new venture but also from the other things in life that weigh you down. It's a time for me to think and plan rather than the running about like a headless chicken which I now seem to do the rest of the time.

Shortly after my job loss, I started getting commissions for my designs. Since then I have set up a website and blog (madebyjulene.com) to deal with demand, and have since created hand-made paper cuts for people all over the world. I haven't done any advertising myself, I really have the online design community to thank. None of this would have been possible without the internet and the encouragement of others. 

My name is Julene Harrison and I love how my art of paper cutting helps me to relax.

Crafting Life into Something to Cherish - by Cherish Flieder

I love working with my hands whether it is pouring a candle, sculpting a figure, designing blooms in a garden, cutting paper collages for a card, or painting a children’s book illustration. For me, crafting is my way of escaping from our fast paced, digital world, to relax and to make something new. The creative process can be as energizing as it can be demanding, but I think it is a great way to reset your mind and see things in a different light. There is such a wonderful world out there to engage when you are not tied down to your computer! The process of crafting allows that exploratory adventure while looking for new possibilities.

My Story

While I was growing up, my parents adopted 2 babies in addition to us 4 biological kids. Their big hearts led them to also take care of about 7 more special needs foster children for several years at a time. These precious children suffered from all types of medical challenges including autism, cardiac and pulmonary conditions, cerebral palsy, fetal alcohol syndrome, and a liver transplant. Since I was the eldest, I took on a lot of responsibility to help out. From a young age creating art and crafting was my way to share creativity as well as express my individuality within our large fun-loving family. 

I loved being a big sister to so many unique siblings and fondly remember spending time teaching my little sisters and brothers how to use their hands to make things. All forms of crafting were a joyful part of my childhood passed on to me from my great-grandmother, grandmother and mother. I even had a little store out of my bedroom called "Bluebird’s Hideout" where I sold for a penny or two my prized creations to supportive family members. I was a creative entrepreneur even back then!

Today, I am a classically trained illustrator and designer, but I am always looking outside of the box to find something that is unique, fun and meets a need. As I was developing my most recent style, I made a conscious decision to incorporate hand crafting into my art to embrace the texture and colors of the mixed materials. Currently, I create my illustrations with watercolor and with hand embroidered accents. I call this style or technique "Something To Cherish".

 I am capable of making many of these my images 100% digitally. However, it is important to the quality of the work and for my health, to implement the maximum amount of hand crafting possible. I am far too aware of health risks and how working at a computer for extended periods could cause irreparable damage to my back, wrists and eyes. I designed this style of art purposefully to get me away from the computer to use my hands and eyes in a different way.

Now, that I have my own art and design studio, Cherished Solutions LLC , crafting is a great stress relief for me. Crafting allows me to do something on my own which is very therapeutic and centering. It also helps me feel emotionally connected with and honor the memory of my great-grandmother and grandmother who were avid crafters in their day. 

I often use crafting to decompress during a break in a stressful day or to unwind at night. The skills I have developed by crafting over the years have given me the ability to create almost anything visually that I can imagine for myself, my family, my friends and my clients. I am hoping that continuing to celebrate crafting in my business and art will bring joy and health into my life and the lives of others.

Cherish Flieder  is a visionary artist that works with publishers, manufacturers and other niche businesses, assisting them to achieve their goals by creating designs and illustrations in sight of thoughtful marketing objectives. Projects often include the creation and production of conceptual and cohesive licensing collections, product development, books (especially children’s books), packaging, and other marketing materials.

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.