Today, we bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor, Crafting Connections. In Andrea & Danielle's words:
"Thanks so much for having us! Crafting Connections is a magazine (and more) for creative families. We believe in crafting an authentic, connected, and creative life through making no matter what your age. We publish creative magazines for little ones and have a new eCourse designed to help you establish a creative routine with your children.
After 2 years of bringing you beautiful magazines and projects for little ones, we have decided to expand Crafting Connections…and we are so excited!!! This fall, Crafting Connections will begin offering a brand new magazine for creative families. This means that not only will we have projects and crafts for the littlest ones – from 2-6 years old – each magazine will offer engaging projects for older children, teens, and even adults. Because creativity doesn’t end when you’re six! We also will be debuting a few other functional and beautiful products over the next several months (including a book!) Crafting Connections will truly be for you, for me, for all creative families whether or not you have children!"
SouleMama: How do you come up with new designs and ideas?
Andrea & Danielle: Many of our new ideas come from talking with each other and other creatives. When we start brainstorming, one creative idea will grow and change and expand until it's something that we are both excited about. Does this happen to you? That wonderful moment when a creative idea starts taking on a life of its own, snowballing into something bigger and better with little effort on your part? By the end of those conversations, we are practically shouting with excitement! And when that happens, we know we want to move forward! For every idea we actually act on, however, there are many more that we don't. It's not that they were bad ideas, they were good - even very good - but the creative ideas that get us excited are the great ones! It's all a part of the process, we suppose, just like any type of creative pursuit.
We are also both very inspired by the natural world. The colors, sounds, and sights provide endless inspiration. In fact, Danielle is currently working on a whole series of linocut blocks inspired by the farmer's market.
And then there is home - where we live, where our families are. Andrea is currently trying her hand at a brand new creative challenge in her home - reupholstering a settee. But the biggest influence at home most certainly is our children who see the world in such an unfettered way. So many of our creative projects start with one of our little ones saying, "Mama, let's try..."
SouleMama: Do you have a favorite inspirational quote?
Andrea & Danielle: The quote that's really ringing true for us right now is one you can find in our new postcard series:
"Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself." - George Bernard Shaw
SouleMama: What advice do you have for people wanting to be more creative?
Andrea & Danielle: Make something today. No matter what it is you'd like to try - whether it's a new dish to cook, a new creative tool to try or pattern to sew - push away the self doubt, the reasons why you can't, and just start making. Throw the idea of perfection out the window (since perfection, after all, doesn't really exist when it comes to creating!) And while you're at it, toss out any fear of failure. You'll make mistakes, sure, but we all do - even the very best painters, quilters, photographers or chefs make mistakes.
But you'll also make something new that didn't exist before you started (how neat is that?) You'll learn and grow in ways you weren't expecting. And perhaps you'll help fill up a bit of your soul you didn't even realize was there, needing that extra bit of creativity in your life.
For today's giveaway, Crafting Connections is generously offering the following gift to THREE winners:
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To enter today's giveaway, please leave a comment (one entry per person, please) in today's post. I'll close comments by 8:00 am EST on Monday, and announce the winners, chosen via Random Number Generator, shortly after. Comments closed! The winners are...
wow i'd love to have some of these. thank you!
Posted by: leului
These look great. I have 3 little daughters and we're always looking for new ideas. Thank you for the chance.
Posted by: Tami
Yes! Love the George Bernard Shaw quote! Trying to bring more creating into my days with my kids. Thanks for the chance to check out your work!
Posted by: grayson
Thank you, Crafting Connections!