The previous week, Zoë had a huge meltdown. It was gymnastic’s day, and ever since we enrolled her in the class to keep her preoccupied during her school break, the tantrums have been crazier. It was a battle between dealing with the arguing and endless crying, or give in and let her have her way. I did what every sane mother would do; chose the easiest way out and stayed home, of course.
When staying home with a high-energy girl, I always have to be prepared with activities to keep her busy. My go-to, full-proof diversion to keep her happy and engaged? Setting up an Invitation to Create!
I am a self-confessed creative and an artist. I enjoy making and creating. But oftentimes I don’t get to touch my art supplies for days, sometimes even weeks. It’s always the excuse of being too busy, or getting caught in the whirlwind world of motherhood. There are always meals to cook, piles of laundry to do, a huge mess to clean up, or a class to drive the little girl to. Every day, there is always some reason not to make, and I wanted to change that.
It’s a celebration of process that encourages everyone to participate in 100 days of making. The great surrender is the process; showing up day after day is the goal. For the 100-Day Project, it’s not about fetishizing finished products—it’s about the process.
She further explains:
It is for anyone who is hungry to jump-start their creative practice, who is curious about being part of a community that celebrates process, and those who are busy with work and family commitments, but searching for a bite-sized way to play creatively.
She had me at “celebrating the process of creating.”
Having a four-year-old who refuses to take afternoon naps, means constantly finding ways to keep her busy. All the whining and restlessness starts when she gets bored, so I make sure to always have some easy craft activities for her to do.
This Cotton Ball Lamb idea actually came to mind one afternoon last year, after I found Zoë emptying out an entire pack of cotton balls onto the floor. Instead of trashing them in the bin, we decided to use them for some fun crafting.
Hello, my name is Anna and I’m a craft and office supplies hoarder. It’s not much of a secret, really. I am one of those people whose trip to the mall isn’t complete without dropping by the craft store or the office supplies store. And I never leave empty-handed. With craft supplies, I’m like a kid in a candy store — it’s hard for me to resist and say no.
Sometimes I pick up pretty paper or clips, other times it’s some random stationery or cute little trinkets. I bring them home and they all just pile up or get forgotten while they hide away in cluttered drawers.
When I was younger, I always dreamed of being married with children. When other kids my age dreamed of being big in careers like medicine, architecture, or law, I was on the side, just secretly wishing for a good husband and a little one I could care for. Yes, I did want to become a teacher at one point, then a nurse for a brief period, and I eventually worked hard to graduate with a degree in Interior Design, but at the back of my mind, I really just hoped to be a wife and a mother. I always pictured myself spending the day crafting and organizing art activities with my little ones.
Years down the road, I have to say, I am living the dream. Although married life and motherhood doesn’t come easy, I am happy to be doing things I pictured myself doing when I was little. Set aside all the chores, disciplining and home management, motherhood for me is a beautiful thing. I get to teach and care for my daughter everyday. We get to do craft activities that not only spark her creativity and imagination, but teach her simple lessons on the daily.
