Can everyone create?? YES!!

I am in the middle of reading a book called "Dreaming with God". It been a good read so far, with many references to creativity and creating!

For so many people, mention creativity and they would run the other way. Many would say, "arrh I'm not good at art" or "I can't play an instrument".

Reading from the chapter entitled The Creative Edge, this is what it has to say about that very thing......." many feel disqualified from creativity because they have narrowly confined it to the world of art and music. They fail to realize that everyone has some measure of creativity, which should be consistently expressed throughout life"..............."There are others who feel disqualified because they think that creativity always means we are to make something new or do something novel. In reality, most great ideas are actually the offspring of other concepts". 

For me at this time in my life, I'm learning to be creative in sewing and crafts, but I want to use creativity in all aspects of my everyday life. Any time you solve a problem, you are using creativity; any time you inject humour into a situation you're being creative; any time you apply knowledge, ability and skill to a task at hand you are being creative!

There are so many benefits of creativity in one's life: (Amy Peace-10 benefits of creativity)

1- Encourage independent thinking
2- Improves concentration and focus
3- Helps with self discipline
4- Develops problem solving
5- Improves vocabulary and language
6- Helps express emotion
7- Helps develop appreciation for diversity
8- Promotes interaction, forms relationships and develops empathy
9- Helps develop an entrepreneurial mind-set
10- Gives a sense of achievement, success and self worth

Wow, with these as benefits, why wouldn't anyone be interested in creativity, whether its through, art, music, languages, entertainment!

My prayer is that people will look at creativity differently; that they will see that it isn't just confined to arts and crafts; that people will be bold and try new things, and believe in themselves that they can create

Dreams coming true.......

For a long time I had really felt that there was something deep within me that was stirring......something new and something that God was working on. I now believe that its been crafts and creating that has been stirring. My journey has taken me along a path that is leading to a wonderful opportunity that I will share about soon!!

The chance to make and create crafts grows weekly. For Christmas I made all our family gifts and they were warmly received.  I had fun thinking of the individual and coming up with a great gift for them.

This last week, we had the chance to have a table to sell items at a fun day. All the money we raised will be going to youth projects in Kosova. I decided to make some gifts that parents could buy for children for Easter. I made mini tote bags and mini baskets.

We filled them with mini eggs to give examples as to how they could be used! I've had some lovely comments back about my work for which I am grateful. Im not perfect, I make mistakes, I have loads of room to improve with my crafting. But you know thats where I am with God.....I'm not perfect, I make mistakes and there is loads of room for improvements. Yet I'm in a great place where I'm trusting God, that He will continue to stir my new found passion and give me opportunities to show that! I'm so excited that God is really birthing new skills and I'm getting the chance to use them. 

summer came and went.......

So the Summer went by so quick, and no posts on here during that time. Life took over and the fun things, the craft past times seemed to happen less and less. One great opportunity I did have was to host a 2 hour "creativity session" at Lifehope for some of my colleagues. It was a fantastic chance for me to explore the subject of creativity, look at theories,what others say about it, how we can use it to engage with the community but more importantly look at God, as the ultimate crafter. God's touch to detail can be seen throughout the bible and throughout human life and nature. I want to study this more.

We are so blessed to be able to look at art, look at crafts and see beauty in it. I was so struck by the poppy display at the Tower of London when we visited recently. What an amazing and simple concept, but one that is impacting the community and those from around the world who visit and see it first hand. One red handmade ceramic poppy to commemorate every British and Commonwealth death during the First World War. Even in death we can offer up beauty, to help us remember lives laid down.........

Taking on a challenge.....

So, my experience with sewing is growing!! I have been doing a sewing course and made a dress, WOW, I never thought I'd be able to do that.........After being asked to mend a colleagues jeans and another persons tablecloth, I was asked to help with a project for the Kids & Things team at Lifehope.

Four wooden frames were made by the Kids & Things team and they each needed a fabric cover to go over it. I had never used, silk, which was the fabric being used and did by best cutting it.......I used jars to weigh the fabric down, and while doing this at the Lifehope base, where I had more room, I got funny comments about what the chocolate spread was being used for!

Patterned made, fabric cut, cotton threaded, cover pinned, machine ready, so off I went. After struggling with all the fabric and it slipping and sliding, I finished the first cover. Holding it up I could see it was twisted and wasn't look good, opps!! 

So what to do??!! hummmmm??!! a friend had said when pinning and sewing its a good job to tack everything together; so thats what I did.........WOW...... what a difference that made. The fabric didn't  slip and slide as much and after making the next 3 covers, holding them up they weren't twisted.....phew

Over all it was a big challenge, but I am so glad that my new skills could be used to help another's ministry. I was thinking about how that tacking made such a big difference and it made me think about how sometimes in life the small things we do, can make a big difference, for ourself but more importantly for others, like .....a kind word, a small gift, making a cake, giving flowers, saying hi to a neighbour, having coffee together.

I feel energized after completing these covers and Im ready for something else to do  now....but Im just as energized to do something little  for my friends and those I meet, to bless and encourage them!  Hope about you, you up for a challenge??!!

   

dusted off......

Im so pleased, my sewing machine has been dusted off and out so I can now use whenever I want!!

I have now joined a sewing community group and have been learning how to make fabric flowers, earrings and even how to make my own patterns. What a skill it is to take ones measurements and transpose it into a paper pattern that will be the master copy for then making garments.

I love how its called a master copy; it makes me think alot about God, as my master creator and how He has the blue prints for us to be made the same but yet made so unique and individual.

I love the chance to create items, it really is exciting for me to see something I've made, its not perfect, but thats ok!

Lots more to come.........

 

has it really been that long.......

Ok so a lot of time has gone since I last wrote on my blog, forgiveness please!!

To update......We have now left Kosova after some sole searching, June just gone. Its been a strange time, getting use to UK life again but yet still thinking alot about Kosova and the cafe.

We remain with OM and have joined Lifehope, in Halesowen, a community of Christian's, who like me and Chris, have a love for God and a serving heart...exciting times!!

My desire to study, make, learn about crafts is stronger than ever, and now I have the time and space to explore this even more...and this will be the place for me to write my thoughts, share pictures and enjoy my successes in craft making.

patchwork of life

So as my life is getting busier with our cafe centre, I have now undertaken more crafting projects.....but then when I see it taking shape I say, oh well.........

I have been learning about God's provision and greatness....about our place beside Him and how we are over comers.

I look at this cushion cover that I'm making for our prayer room and as I see the different squares and different fabric, I think about what a differing world we live in, with different cultures and lives....but yet  we are made to live side by side!

I'm glad I am living side by side with people who's first language isn't English and learning from them, how to be a better person and sharing what I know about life...I thank God for this opportunity!