Creative Habit 2: Turning Adversity into Advantage

These are unprecedented times. As we all adjust to social distancing and taking precautionary measures while out in public, everyone responds in a different way. There are those who welcome the time at home, to be closer to immediate family, to have a slower pace, and to prioritize their lives during this pandemic. There are those who are pushing back, eager to meet up with friends (because FOBA and FOMO rule*), eager to eat out in a restaurant and eager for life to ‘get back to normal’. And then there are all manner of those who fall in between and spill over the edges.

But did you know that some of the strongest personal growth, deep transformation and bold creativity come out of experiences where one suffers, struggles or feels defeat?

It is through overcoming such struggles that we discover just how strong and beautiful we are as individuals. As we each live through the day by day news reports, statistic updates, and social media messaging, we have a choice how to respond. It is in such moments of adversity when we turn inward and look to what we actually believe. Often we find that the old belief structures no longer hold true and we begin to create new meaning for ourselves.

Creativity is giving yourself permission to see things differently. - David Robert

When roadblocks are plopped in front of us, it is our human nature to find another pathway around them. How many of you have attempted to cut your own hair (or someone in your family), tried a new recipe or redecorated a room in your house during this pandemic? You are exercising your creativity.

It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light. - Aristotle Onassis

Somehow we find a way through hard times. Often we get creative doing it. The brain is an amazing problem solving machine and when it sees a roadblock it sets about to smooth things over. When things are going as normal, the brain gets a bit bored and actually tunes out the typical. But when things get stirred up, the brain is awakened and revitalized by the novelty and challenge of the situation.

Do you feel it?

*FOBA - fear of being alone & FOMO - fear of missing out =)

Creative Habit 1: Driven by Passion

I am attracted to people who exude passion.

I have recently been watching the Masterclass by Marc Jacobs on Fashion Design. I have no desire (at this point) to become a fashion designer. But what I was so attracted to was Marc Jacobs’ passion for what he does. Listening to him speak about his career and what he has learned over the years, I was equally impressed and inspired by his passion for fashion design. All careers come with ups and downs and Mr Jacobs speaks to that, but at the end of the day it is one’s passion for the job that keeps you coming back and it was clearly evident in his class.

There are many connotations for passion. I like to think of it as an immense desire and love of what interests you, to the point of throwing your entire being into the pursuit of your passion. The famous blog Life Hack claims that passion is more important than money when it comes to your life’s work. And I agree.

Passionate people are driven by their intense interest in and desire to excel in whatever they are passionate about. You can spot people with passion because they are often quite chatty about their craft. When listening to Marc Jacobs I saw an exuberance for fashion design that I do not see in everyone. His face lights up, his tone of voice is light and cheery and he just can’t share enough about his love for design. I also had a strong sense that he just wants everyone to love fashion design as much as he does.

This kind of excitement is contagious. Passionate people are contagious. If you are fortunate enough to know someone or listen to an interview of someone with passion, you will know it.

And you may even be a little more inclined to find passion for yourself!

Keeping A Sketchbook

Wow.

The start of 2020 has not been what I expected.

The world is in turmoil over the COVID-19 pandemic and life is not as we formerly knew it.

But life does go on - right?

We just have to establish a new normal. And we can do that by continuing with the things we love and letting go of the things we cannot control.

So that is what I have been doing during this time of social distancing and isolation. I have been doing what I love and that is learning and creating.

In early spring I signed up for a course from Bonnie Christine, who is a well-known surface pattern designer. Her course taught me, not only the tools of Adobe Illustrator, but the business of pattern design. And I am all in! I will have more to share over the coming weeks on this, but for now, I want to simply share what is making me happy…

Inspired in the Immersion course, I am now keeping a daily sketchbook.

Sticker courtesy of the Immersion course by Bonnie Christine

Sticker courtesy of the Immersion course by Bonnie Christine

It is not perfected drawings and I scribble things out a lot. But it is becoming a collection whatever comes to mind. Sometimes I see something inspiring on TV, or Pinterest, or IG, or in a magazine (like my new fave Uppercase) and it just needs to be captured.

repapered_sketchbook10.jpg

Keeping a running sketchbook has not been a part of my creative practice in the past. But with the intent to make patterns, everything is now an idea to be captured as I do not know where it could possibly lead. This sketchbook is becoming my favourite thing to do while being holed up at home. And I am loving it.

Sometimes I simply write words or ideas that inspire me…

Words from Elisabeth Olwen

Words from Elisabeth Olwen

Sometimes I have ideas for a collection and sometimes it is just motifs that I want to explore and play with more. At any rate, the pages of this sketchbook are quickly filling and I cannot believe that I have never taken on this practice before!

repapered_sketchbook11.jpg

How about you?

What are you inspired by in these crazy times?

What are you dedicating your time to that makes you happy?






Go Big or Go Small?

Creativity comes in many forms. From photography to watercolour painting and sculpture to stop motion films, the range is very wide. Even within art journaling, scrapbooking and those who keep planners, there are numerous preferences and outlets. And then there is the size of format that varies from one artist to the next. Some prefer to go big and some prefer to go small.

Did you know that the brain is stimulated by novelty? Something new or out of the ordinary or unexpected actually fires the neurons in our brain! If you have ever experienced ‘creativity block’ then you know how hard it is to come up with ideas or inspiration in those moments (or days. or months), but all the brain needs is a kickstart and that can be achieved by novelty or moving outside of your comfort zone. The writer who stares at a blank page could watch and listen to the birds to be flooded once again with language. The sculptor can try playing with paint, the collage artist can try stepping out to take a few photographs… in each case, the brain will suddenly awaken instead of tuning out the ritualistic motions of working in one’s preferred medium.

TN book covers from vintage books

TN book covers from vintage books

Many scrapbookers, art journalists or planner addicts have a preferred size of book in which they consistently work. Right now, the trend for scrapbookers is the traditional Traveler’s Notebook size (8.25in x 4.25in) and many planners or bullet journalers are using an A5 or 8x6in or larger notebook. But it all depends on the artist.

Herein lays the challenge. As a scrapbooker, art journalist or planner addict, have you tried working in a different sized book? In doing so, you may uncover new inspiration, new talent and at the very least, a new challenge. Perhaps I can give you some insight…

Repurposed Book and insert from rePaperedShop

Repurposed Book and insert from rePaperedShop

Reasons To Go Big

  • you are used to the Traveler’s Notebook size

  • you like to write a lot

  • you want to add extra lettering, photos, ephemera

  • you are documenting a longer time frame

Reasons To Go Small

  • you can still do scrapbooking or journaling or planning!

  • you like bullet points - keep it simple

  • you want to carry it in your purse

  • you want cuteness!

  • you are documenting a shorter time frame

Two sizes of book covers and inserts are available at rePaperedShop

Two sizes of book covers and inserts are available at rePaperedShop

Regardless of size, there remain similarities in both big and small sizes:

  • you need a system of productivity or documentation

  • you need a catch all for important stuff

  • you are a die hard for analog

  • you are a creative

So, will you take up my challenge and try a notebook in a new size in 2020?

You may discover a favourite new size!




About Me

Happy New Year! And yay to 2020!

As we begin a new year (and new decade) I thought it was time to share a bit about myself and this little blog.

I am a creator.

Currently I am still working full-time as an educator. Doing this blog and Etsy shop are my side gig but I look forward to working on them every night when I get home. I am intellectually stimulated during the day and in the evenings I create with my hands. It’s the perfect combo for me! My passions lay in the intersection of learn and create. Driven by the next new idea (and how I can accomplish it) is what propels me forward. I love to do calligraphy and watercolour painting and am trying to incorporate them into my little business as well.

I am a wife and mother.

Being married 26 years is one of my greatest accomplishments. Perhaps it is our mantra of being a ‘team’ that has made us strong, but the longevity of our relationship has deepened it and I am grateful. We have two lovely girls who are pursuing their careers and dreams and we couldn’t be more proud.

I am a small-business owner.

Since starting my Etsy shop named rePaperedShop in 2017, I have learned so much. My launch has been slow but steady as time allows. I think I am disobeying all the ‘rules’ of starting a business and blog, which tell you to be consistent and ever-present and curate a mailing list and follow a social media calendar. Hasn’t happened for me…yet. But I am making my way the best way I know how right now. Slowly I am making some videos on You Tube and I am growing a small audience on Instagram so I feel like progress is being made.

I am looking toward the future.

My goals for 2020 are to grow many areas of my business (obviously) but to keep it all manageable. It will happen, but it doesn’t all have to happen by tomorrow.

Thank you to all of you who have shown an interest in my endeavours and I wish you all the best for 2020!

5 Ways to Enrich Your Mind

The other day I came across an interesting blog post that listed 25 Ways to Nourish Your Mind. I found it interesting that six of the ideas listed are all related to notebooks and journaling in some way. And they are already things that I am doing!

Start Journaling

Journaling has been a part of my life since as far back as I can remember, high school at least (and that is a long time ago for me)! I love colourful patterned notebooks and offer several options in my shop, namely blank, dotted or lined.

Get a Planner

I have been using a planner for 2 years now and I cannot say how freeing it is to have everything written down. My mind is free of the worry that I have forgotten to do something or that I will not have time to do the things I need to do. It took some time to get into the habit, I must admit, but now that I am using my planners regularly I am so much more efficient!

Create a Bucket List

Everyone needs to dream. Bucket Lists are a wonderful way to imagine what you want in life and then when you are in the throes of hard work, you remember what it is all for! I keep adding to my Bucket List as life unfolds and I am more aware of what I truly want for myself.


Try a Brain Exercise or Do a Puzzle

When I saw this one listed I nearly laughed. Puzzles and brain challenges are my jam. Doctors agree that word or number games exercise unused parts of the brain, so I am banking on that! My game of choice is something called Blackout Poetry.

You simply start with book page and look for random words that make sense together. I love a good fun challenge. I have made vintage book pages into notebooks for this purpose and I fill them to exercise my creativity.

rePapered_Blackout_Poetry3.jpg


Start Making Goals

When your dreams and Bucket Lists are written down in your journal, and your planner is begging for you to fill your time efficiently, you will find that you want to set some long-term goals to work towards. These goals can be big lofty, I’m-gonna-get-there-someday goals, or they can be goals that are easily achieved during the week. Either way, writing them down allows them to be in front of your face regularly, making them more likely to attain. As well, setting these goals allows you to break them down into manageable and doable steps that you will portion out in your planner.

Learn Something New

This one can be a stretch, but it is always worth it. A couple of years ago I set out to learn the art of calligraphy. I bought books, watched YouTube videos, took a few online classes, then practiced and practiced and practiced. I used my journals for this daily practice and it is so rewarding to look back to see where I have come from. Finding every chance I could to do calligraphy ensured that I didn’t get bored of just writing random words. I lettered quotes, phrases, poems, and even did Bible journaling using this new skill. I cannot say I have arrived, but I have definitely progressed to where I am happy with my calligraphy.


So, do you partake in any of these activities that are said to enrich your mind?

This is my challenge to you…


3 Ways I Plan to Document in 2019

The excitement of a new year is heightened with all the plans to be made!

I just love how everywhere I look people are declaring their goals, insights, changes, and ways to make their lives richer. My life is pretty fulfilling and yet I have been making plans too! There is just something about the opportunity for a fresh start.

rePapered_NewYear2019.jpg

Of course, I will be documenting my way through 2019. In 2018 I almost exclusively used a Traveler’s Notebook format for all my scrapbooking and enjoyed it very much. However, I found that I did not always fill a notebook for each month and yet I felt I should be. I mean, who wants to waste all that lovely space in a notebook, right? So I am making a few changes for 2019 and thought I would share with you the 3 ways I plan to document my life this year:

  1. Traveler’s Notebook

    Ok, so I did say that I did not fill a notebook every month last year, but that does not mean that I am abandoning this format altogether! I still really enjoy this format and treat it much like I would a traditional 12x12 page layout. I cannot give up the hands on cutting and pasting and moving bits of paper and photos around! The traveller’s notebook is staying but I am refining it’s purpose a bit (as you will see below).

  2. Pocket Pages

    I have worked in pocket pages in the past, so this is not a new format to me. However, as of late, I had abandoned this method of documentation and replaced it with the Traveler’s Notebooks. But something has been missing for me. I enjoyed creating pocket pages in the past and have a strong desire to use them again. So, the plan is that I will document the everyday goings on of my life (the shorter stories) in pocket pages and then use the Traveler’s Notebooks for the longer stories.

  3. Planner / Bullet Journal / Bujo

Once again, I have attempted this format in the past, but failed miserably. I did learn a lot though, and spent a considerable amount time researching the different methods and techniques that one can use (they are endless!). One of the things that tripped me up last time was that I chose a formula and felt that I should stick with it all year (type A personality here). I got bored. So this time I am going to be more flexible.

I designed the first few pages of the planner (cover shown above) just to get January started and then left the last half of the notebook blank so that I can play around with what and how I want to document. This is exciting to me. I am going to build it as the year unfolds. I will try different formats and formulas to see which ones I like and do not like and which ones to continue the next month (or let go). If it takes me all the way to December before I can say that I am happy with what I created, then so be it! I will have explored and learned so much along the way.


So here we go!

What are your plans for 2019? How will you be documenting? Please let me know in the Comments below as I am still looking for new ideas!










Begin Again

It is said that one must fail in order to succeed.

As I started the process of building a new website and new branding around my Etsy shop I found myself failing over and over again. It can be discouraging and there were many times I questioned whether this was all worth it. But I chose to push through because I realized that no matter how many times I fail I can always begin again.

With the promise of starting over and doing it better I realized three truths:

  1. I can learn

    Each time I hit a roadblock I had to make a choice to either quit or learn how to do it better. This forced me to pursue what I was attempting to do and find a way through it. Sometimes it meant watching a YouTube process video. Sometimes I had to consult with the website support team. Sometimes I had to do some extensive research into how others were doing it. Whatever the case, I had the opportunity to begin again and learn how to do it better.

  2. I can discover who I am and who I am not

    There are so many unwritten (and written) ‘rules’ around blogging and SEO and marketing that it becomes overwhelming. In trying to follow the ‘rules’ I sometimes found that the rule didn’t fit me. I had to decide if I was making a decision based on someone else’s rules or based on what works for me. Was I going to let others dictate my online space or was I going to find my own niche? Choosing to begin again allowed me to discover what I wanted out of this, not some unknown person who writes the ‘rules’.

  3. I can improve over time

The most freeing realization in all of this was the notion that I don’t have to get it right the first time and that I don’t have to know all the answers. This lifted an enormous amount of pressure from my shoulders! If I don’t get it right today, I can work on it over time and make it into what I want it to be. As they say, Rome wasn’t built in a day. And neither is any good thing. Knowing I could begin again freed me up to just start even if it wasn’t perfect because I am a work in progress.

So I write to encourage you today. Do you find yourself at a crossroads? Is life feeling difficult? Have you straight up failed? Is there something you have walked away from because you feel you have failed?

I urge you not to quit. But rather take up the opportunity to begin again.

And you will succeed.

3 Reasons to Be Afraid and Do It Anyway

Fear is the greatest roadblock to creativity. 

It is human nature to be fearful of new situations. Whether it is fear of failure, fear of not being perfect or fear of the unknown, we must overcome these fears if we want to create.

1. Fear of Failure

If I'm being honest I'd have to admit that I am a bit of a control freak. No matter the situation I am always thinking ahead of what could go wrong and what needs to be in place in order to prevent the inevitable mishaps - to a fault actually (insert rolling eyes emoji). Because of this, I am sometimes paralyzed to move forward. Typically, I want to have everything figured out before I take the first step so that there is no room for failure.

So when it came to starting up rePaperedShop, it took me quite some time to get the ball rolling. I filled notebook after notebook with research, pitfalls to avoid and red flag items  needing to be ironed out before I would start. I became bogged down with all the things that could go wrong. I kept telling myself, 'Okay I'll start at the first of next month...' and then way too many months went by. I was a little afraid to move forward.

Finally I had to confront myself  (yes, I do talk to myself) and say 'Come on girl! Get it together and just do it!' It will be what it will be and you can work through it. But if you never start, you will never know what could have been. And if it fails, then it was never meant to be.

I was afraid but I had to do it anyway.

2. Fear of The Unknown

When I finally convinced myself to just open shop I suddenly realized what it takes to engage in the ecommerce world. I needed product photos (in natural light of course) with interesting sets and alluring descriptions. I needed pricing for my items and estimates for shipping. I needed strategies for marketing and packaging. I needed a positive online presence and a positive attitude. And I knew nothing about any of this. I was a little afraid to move forward.

Eventually (after talking myself down off the cliff) I decided to cut myself some slack. I don't have to have it all figure out. I can learn as I go. I made a plan to attack one new feature at a time and solve that one before moving on to the next. When I didn't know how to estimate my shipping costs, I started by uploading an approximate number, and then as I took each order to the post office and realized the actual cost I was able to slowly refine my pricing for shipping. Now, I am not out of pocket and my customers are getting the most fair and accurate shipping costs.

I was afraid but I had to do it anyway.

3. Fear of Not Being Perfect

Along with being a control freak, I am also a perfectionist. I wanted to get it right. The first time. But as I started my investigation into what it takes to kick off an online shop I became paralyzed. Should I do it this way, or that? Which is better? What if I choose the wrong one? What if I change my mind? What if I don't like it afterward? What if no one likes it? I was a little afraid to move forward.

After making myself crazy contemplating all the options, I finally came to an important realization...I don't have to have it all figured out on Day 1. I can make adjustments and add features down the road. If I try one avenue and I don't like it or it doesn't work out, I can change it. I just needed to start and so I put a few rudimentary things in place and hit Publish. And you know what? The world did not come crashing down!

I was afraid but I had to do it anyway.

But the greatest tragedy is having fear of taking the first step and never doing it...

Fear is an emotion that doesn't have to rule you. By facing my fears I was able to move past them. I was able to see a way out and talk myself through it - and usually, the reality of the situation is not as great as the feeling of fear itself. Having a plan for my next steps and just moving forward allowed me to realize my goal of opening my Etsy shop. It is not perfect and I still have so much to learn and adjust as I go, but I was determined to not let fear prevent me from achieving my creative dream.

And you can too!