Hi, Creative Friends-
Happy Belated Thanksgiving! If you indulged in pie, took a second helping of buttery mashed potatoes, and then nestled in for a long nap after the big meal here are ideas to feel a bit better after a day full of delight…
Sip Soother: Try sipping this festive digestive drink Lemon Ginger Tea the morning after Thanksgiving to calm the stomach and soothe the soul. It’s an easy way to help our bodies gently absorb a big meal and feel wonderful.
Fantastic Friendsgiving: Make a plan to connect with a friend the day after Thanksgiving to catch up and check-in. Meeting up can be as simple as having a virtual cup of tea or taking a walk. Reconnecting with others is a simple way to tap into our emotional health and give thanks to the people who make our lives better.
Find a Forest: Do you know that just taking a walk in the woods or a local park reduces stress by up to twenty percent? Walking also helps with digestion. After a holiday meal, slip in a pair of headphones, and listen to a walking meditation. Feel joy abound as stress slips away and you start to feel wonderful after the big delicious meal.
Drop me a message and let me know what you are working on or what you will do to feel wonderful after a big holiday meal.
Also, thanks for reading along. This newsletter takes some time to pull together. Consider showing your support by forwarding it to someone who might need some inspiration or buying some of my artwork at INPRNT or Society 6.
If you are seeing this newsletter/blog for the first time and want to keep seeing content subscribe here.
Keep going, creative friends!
xoxo,
Andra
Practice Pie Eating Before Thanksgiving. Life Is Short.
Hi, Creative Friends-
The Thanksgiving holiday is slowly falling like a beautiful autumn leaf into our lives. By now, we have started to jot down a preliminary list of traditional recipes and ingredients to buy. More importantly, we might be asking ourselves how we will find thanks before loved ones start bustling through our front door. Well, here are a few thoughts…
Tree Of Thanks: Create gratitude by making a thankful tree. Find a tree branch, grab a beautiful vase, and download and print this lovely fall leaf template. Cut out each leaf and write down simple words of gratitude. Watch joy spread and healthy attitudes abound as the Thanksgiving guests read each leaf placed on the Tree Of Thanks.
Make A New Tradition: In our house, eating pie happens one week BEFORE Thanksgiving. We realized a few years ago we were blissfully too full to enjoy the best part of the Thanksgiving meal, the pie! We started a tradition of buying pie ahead of the holiday and trying different flavors and supporting local bakeries. Besides being together, this creative tradition has become the best part of our Thanksgiving. Find something joyful in your life, and make it into a lovely and sweet tradition!
Create Kindness For 25 Days: A good way to give thanks is to do simple things to create kindness in our world. We can be so altruistic and ambitious in our need to give back, like sponsoring a large food drive, we fail to deliver on our attempt to be helpful. Here is a simple way for the whole family to remember to create thanks and give back: The Kindness Advent Calander. The FREE Digital Download can be found here. Download, print, cut, and fold each kindness star. Hang the stars on a branch or place them in a jar. Every day for 25 days, you will unfold a simple kindness task. It’s a great way to give back, keep it simple, and give thanks for the opportunity to help others!
Drop me a message and let me know what you are working on or the way you will find thanks!
Also, thanks for reading along. This newsletter takes some time to pull together. Consider showing your support by forwarding it to someone who might need some inspiration or buying some of my artwork at INPRNT or Society 6.
If you are seeing this newsletter/blog for the first time and want to keep seeing content subscribe here.
Keep going, creative friends!
xoxo,
Andra
Hi, Creative Friends-
November is here, holiday demands abound, and as the year comes to a close, we can feel our old friend stress make a rude entrance. This makes it a great time too, to pause and find gratitude. Did you know creating a gratitude practice can create overall wellness? The benefits include everything from feeling more positive emotions to strength in friendships.
Find Your Rose. Bud. Thorn: Finding gratitude and empathy for our lives can be as simple as asking at the end of the day “What was my rose? What was my bud? What was my thorn today?” My nine-year-old brought this idea home from school and I think it’s been invaluable for connecting and finding gratitude for ourselves and finding joy with each other. Read more about the “Rose. Bud. Thorn.” exercise here.
Health Visuals: Having gratitude for our bodies and minds can be a daunting task. Taking care of our health can sometimes be last on our list of priorities until we are faced with a health challenge. Surrounding ourselves with positive visuals can be an important step in a gratitude practice. Whether it is posting positive affirmations like this “You Are Doing Great!”, framing one of these fresh original Satsuma watercolors, or gifting a La Moustache art print for the Movember Movement, each can be a reminder to make November healthy.
Branch Out: The simple act of writing down can lead help with gratitude by making it tangible. Try this DIY project the whole family can participate in: “How To Make A Gratitude Tree” from the Artful Parent. Use these FREE special leaf art to create a tree full of beauty, joy, and gratitude.
Drop me a message and let me know what you are working on or what you are doing to find gratitude this November.
Also, thanks for reading along. This newsletter takes some time to pull together. Consider showing your support by forwarding it to someone who might need some inspiration or buying some of my artwork at INPRNT or Society 6.
If you are seeing this newsletter/blog for the first time and want to keep seeing content subscribe here.
Keep going, creative friends!
xoxo,
Andra
Practice Pie Eating Before Thanksgiving. Life Is Short.
Hi, Creative Friends-
Thank you to all my friends who popped by the Art Fair last Sunday and purchased my art! I’m giving thanks to everyone here who supports and reads this newsletter too. Remember “Creativity Is Contagious” so if you think someone in your life might be thankful to receive this weekly newsletter, please pass it on with this link “Sign Up For the Create & Change Newsletter Here.” I will be doing a giveaway in December and everyone on the newsletter list will be entered to win a beautiful one-of-a-kind watercolor!
Now on to this week’s 3 creative ideas…
Sketch Away The Stress & Find Gratitude: The holidays are stressful and can churn up lots of emotions. It can be hard to be thankful and find time to reflect on and find gratitude in our lives. Did you know using drawing as a form of meditation can help? Sign up below for a FREE virtual sketch along on Instagram Live. No drawing experience is needed. Sign up here for the FREE November Sketch Class On Instagram Live - Wednesday, November 24 @12pm (noon) PST.
Make A New Tradition: In our house, eating pie happens one week BEFORE Thanksgiving. We realized a few years ago we were blissfully too full to enjoy the best part of the Thanksgiving meal, the pie! We started a tradition of buying pie ahead of the holiday and trying different flavors and supporting local bakeries. Besides being together, this creative tradition has become the best part of our Thanksgiving. Find something joyful in your life, and make it into a lovely and sweet tradition!
Create Kindness For 25 Days: A good way to give thanks is to do simple things to create kindness in our world. We can be so altruistic and ambitious in our need to give back, like sponsoring a large food drive, we fail to deliver on our attempt to be helpful. Here is a simple way for the whole family to remember to create thanks and give back: The Kindness Advent Calander. The FREE Digital Download can be found here. Download, print, cut, and fold each kindness star. Hang the stars on a branch or place them in a jar. Every day for 25 days, you will unfold a simple kindness task. It’s a great way to give back, keep it simple, and give thanks for the opportunity to help others!
Drop me a message and let me know what you are working on or your idea for a new holiday tradition.
Also, thanks for reading along. This newsletter takes some time to pull together. Consider showing your support by forwarding it to someone who might need some inspiration or buying some of my artwork at INPRNT or Society 6.
If you are seeing this newsletter/blog for the first time and want to keep seeing content subscribe here.
Keep going, creative friends!
xoxo,
Andra
Hi, Creative Friends-
Did you miss the creative newsletter last week? I paused last Friday to drum up some new thoughts for you and absolutely missed sending out three weekly creative ideas to you all! Well, I’m back and November is here. Which makes it a great time to give thanks for all the people and things in our lives that make our world better.
Movember Movement: Do you have a man in your life? Maybe a dad, brother, uncle, or a good old friend that needs a check-up or check-in? Support him and give thanks for all the ways he contributes to the world around him by bringing awareness to Men’s Health by supporting the Movember Movement. Bring awareness to men’s health and grow a mustache! If sprouting facial hair isn’t possible, consider purchasing this “La Moustache” instant digital download, make a few art prints or cards to share with the special men who make everyone’s life better. Through November, 20% of the profits of this digital download will be donated to the Movember movement.
Practice Pie: What’s the best thing about Thanksgiving? The Pie. All you stuffing lovers out there, don’t even try to change my mind! However, making a pie can be intimidating, frustrating, and confusing. There are many tricks that have popped up over the years on how to make an amazing pie crust. Add a tablespoon of fridged European-only vodka to the dough while mixing, roll the dough out in a northward direction while signing Don McClean’s song “American Pie” or bake the pie in an oven set at 347 degrees and open the freezer door 8 times all while praying to the baking gods the crust won’t be tough. Then BOOM, these tricks will create the Perfect Pie, right? Nope, making pie crust is very simple and you can master pie dough with Molly Wilk’s Virtual Pastry “Mini Class: Easy Pie Crust” class. Take her class, make pie and start a tradition of “Practice Pie,” where you spend the whole week leading up to Thanksgiving giving thanks for practicing the art of making and eating pie.
Deep Breaths & Sketch: The holidays can bring on waves of anxiety and stress. It can be hard to find joy and happiness and a moment to give thanks. Did you know using drawing as a form of meditation can help? Sign up below for a FREE virtual sketch along on Instagram Live. No drawing experience is needed. More details about this fun live event will be sent to you via email next week!
Drop me a message and let me know what you are working on or what you are doing to give thanks in November.
Also, thanks for reading along. This newsletter takes some time to pull together. Consider showing your support by forwarding it to someone who might need some inspiration or buying some of my artwork at INPRNT or Society 6.
If you are seeing this newsletter/blog for the first time and want to keep seeing content subscribe here.
Keep going, creative friends!
xoxo,
Andra
// Hi, Friends-
Can you believe Thanksgiving Day is just around the corner? This year, the holidays will probably look a bit different…
We will most likely skip the in-person meet-ups. That means a lot of family traditions might be put on hold this year.
We probably won’t sit around the Thanksgiving table together, ruminate about old vacations, volunteer our time to serve up meals at a soup kitchen, or make the grandparents happy by giving them big turkey hugs.
The “might not” can be hard to digest.
However, if you are a bit like me, times like these give opportunities to create something new.
A new tradition, an experimental way to celebrate, and a moment to get creative while still connecting with people we love.
That’s why I created this Thanksgiving Greetings turkey wrapping paper. Yes, turkey wrapping paper! You can wrap up happiness and drop it at someone’s door this Thanksgiving! Just go to Society6 to pick up the 5 sheets of Thanksgiving paper inspired by the turkeys of Albany!
If you need creative ways to use this paper to celebrate your Thanksgiving, here are three fun ideas:
Use this lovely thick paper to add character to your Thanksgiving place settings. Make any Thanksgiving Tablescape darling!
1) Wrap up a can of pumpkin puree such as Libby’s (it’s my personal favorite) in a brown paper bag or buy fun wrapping paper such as Thanksgiving Greetings turkey paper on Society6.
2) Make a donation to a food bank like No Hungry Kid, Feeding America, or your local food pantry.
3) Add a bow and print this FREE “A Donation To A Local Food Bank Was Made In Your Honor” tag.
4) Drop this wonderful, loving gift on a friend’s porch!
A box of chocolates, a Mini artist print, a bottle of wine, or a bunch of flowers will look so festive wrapped in Thanksgiving Greetings, all of which can be dropped off on the doorstep of someone very special this Thanksgiving.
No matter how you celebrate this holiday season, may creativity inspire you to make things for people you love and wrap your Thanksgiving in happiness!
Sending you much love and light friends! //
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