My Creative Children

Does anyone else wonder where your creativity has gone? While I still love to create, to decorate, to party plan, to sew....I somehow have begun feeling rushed through it. I have started seeing my creative times as less important than the "have to do" stuff. Basically, it's easy for life to get too busy for creativity.

I just started reading a book {one of about fourteen I'm currently reading} I borrowed from my sister, called "The Creative Family", by Amanda Blake Soule {see her awesome blog here}. It has definitely inspired me to get back to creating...and to enjoy the process of being creative. It has helped me realize that I really do create and invent in my normal day without even calling it that...and, more than anything, it has made me notice how naturally creative my children are.

As Amanda says in the intro of her book, "A large part of nurturing a spirit of creativity comes from being mindful, slowing down, observing, and looking around you at the beauty and inspiration all around. We are blessed as parents to have the best teachers for this---our children. Stop and watch your children often. Really stop and watch, and you'll see them using such creativity in everything they do...they inherently work and play with creativity, intent, and imagination."

I already knew this about children. But, boy do I forget. I forget to notice how they create each day, and how inventive they are. It's amazing when you really stop and notice!

I also forget to be like them. Since beginning this book, I am trying to be creative in some way every day now, even as I do the "daily things" that we all have to do.

What I love is that my children don't even have to try.

{Even as I type this entry, they are planning a pedicure spa night for each other, making "peace butterflies" from paper, and playing a made-up game that involves walking backwards and bowling with nail polish. What?!}

It actually helps my blood pressure when I realize these are all ways they create and invent. They're really not just trying to be as messy as possible. :)

The last two weekends have been "clean it out" time around here. Every closet, every cabinet, every little stack that I've been neglecting for months on end has been attacked.

So, as we cleaned the garage out, the girls ransacked the place for treasures. Before we even realized it, they began creating "The Beach Bash", as they named it. This was a poolside restaurant made from everything they could find. A blue tarp became the pool. Towels became floats that doubled as tables. A baby gate became a restaurant. A fake plant became their palm tree. They added lawn chairs, decorations, and entertainment (soccer balls and pool noodles).

They made a sign "Open for Lunch" and sidewalk chalked "The Beach Bash" across the driveway. And, of course, all the wait staff and customers were wearing swim suits. :)

Mommy and Daddy got to take a cleaning break to try this new restaurant out. I have to say, The Beach Bash had the best turkey sandwiches around. And, I'm sure it had to do with this assembly line of cute girls.

They played this for hours. And, asked if we could leave it set up always, so the neighbors would visit. :)

I love their creativity. I love that every single day, there is some kind of musical to perform, fashion show to be created, or pretend story to be told or acted out. There is always time for a made up game, a {crazy messy} craft creation, or a made-up piano masterpiece. And, of course, they are usually under some kind of alias name, as they pretend to be in another time or place where the names "Kendyll", "Carlie", or "Abby Kate" just won't cut it.

I love that.

I want to be inspired by it. I know one day long ago, I had more of that in me. What is it about adulthood that dampers that creative spirit?

As we enter the summertime, I have some high hopes for our creative outlets around here. Meanwhile, I'm trying to complete some projects that I've had sitting around forever. With good reason, I've felt uninspired to create the last few months. But, the spirit is returning. :)

And, while I used to think of these things as "things to get done", I am now trying to see them as "creative outlets to enjoy". It has already made a huge difference in how much I enjoy what I am doing.

So, if you need some inspiration, I highly recommend this book!