for like ever wood sign by williamdohman - click image for more info
The one thing that I love about craftiness and creativity is how it brings us together. In a world where things are fast and everyone seems constantly in a hurry, creating is the one thing that helps us to slow down and take stock.
No matter what the activity is, from sewing with friends to crafting with children, we naturally slow down and relax into the here and now. It gives us space to breathe and time to think. It lets us laugh, and just have fun.
How many of you remember the times spent at art classes or with parents or grandparents creating something? It wasn’t always about the finished product that you created but the time you spent creating.
It’s the memories we create that live on, sometimes much longer than the activity itself.
I remember one summer, I babysat my younger cousins who were 6 & 8 at the time, 3 days a week for the whole summer. We spent those days creating scrapbooks of places they’d like to visit on vacation and learning about the cultures of other countries. Eight years later, we still talk about the fun we had that TV free summer.
The scrapbooks weren’t perfect and the information in them is out of date, but the memories have stuck like glue. I think sometimes we can let these opportunities slip by through busyness and the feeling that we don’t deserve or haven’t earned the time to relax. But it’s amazing what an afternoon of fun creating can do to clear your mind and help you focus next time you need to be on the ball.
Creative sparks of brilliance come when you least expect them.
I think our creativity comes from inside our clever brains and our happy hearts. Sometimes we just need to stop, listen, and give it time to come to the surface.
Do you agree?
Dannielle Cresp is a creative direction enabler and web designer, creating a handmade friendly world through mindful living. Learn how you can too at her 
So much truth in this for me. Some of my favorite memories are creative projects or crafts I’ve done with my children, my family, and even friends. From creating my homecoming float in high school with the help of my family and 30 classmates, to the Valentine Hearts I just painted with my girls 16 years later. These memories are wonderful life building blocks for me, and I hope my children as well.
[...] I sometimes think that people get caught up in only creating something that is perfect and forget about how creating with others has more than one purpose. If you’re interested, you can read it here! [...]
Hi Danielle,
I couldn’t agree more with your message. Some of my favourite memories are making quilts with my mother, rounding up cattle with my father and learning to prune roses with my grandfather. No, these are not all craft related but they were times I stepped away from the “have-tos” such as studying and working.
The best thing we can do when feeling “bogged down” be our work is to walk away. Not just sit on the couch staring at the tv but getting out and about, experiencing new ideas and environments.
Thanks for your lovely post!
Caylie
[...] On Scoutie Girl, a really great post by Danielle Cresp for creative souls: Where craftiness comes from: building memories. [...]
So true!!! Taking time to breathe and get (re)connected with yourself and the whole world around you in between demanding jobs/tasks is so important and it does give you the strenght to go on and, from time to time, fills you up with many many many new ideas!
And memories of good times, spontaneous crafty times, or others do stick around!