Creative Play Newsletter – Take a Creativity Break
This week’s episode of the Productivity Paradox podcast was about the importance of taking breaks for increasing both productivity and mental clarity. The show host Tonya Dalton speaks about five different kinds of breaks (because social media breaks scrolling through feeds on your phone are counterproductive): Relaxation breaks, Movement breaks, …
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Creative Play Newsletter, Vol.3:Issue 1 – The Guiding Principles of Creative Play
It’s hard to believe, but this issue marks the beginning of my third year of Creative Play newsletters. I’ve been giving Creative Play™ a lot of thought over the last two years (and over the last decade) and it seemed like a good time to define a set of guiding …
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Creative Play Newsletter Vol. 2: Issue 12 – Start Anew
In last month’s newsletter, I wrote about how important it is to persevere with your art because of how essential art is to us as individuals and to the world at large. But this month, I realize that there are times when you should call it quits and start anew. …
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Creative Play Newsletter Vol.2; Issue 11 – Perseverance
I wanted to write about perseverance this month because it’s so important for creativity and for art, but also because it’s what I am struggling with right now. I’m struggling to persevere at working as an artist and promoter of creative play because though I know it to be my …
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Creative Play Newsletter Vol.2, Issue 5 – With Gratitude
November is apparently “Gratitude Month.” I don’t remember when it was officially created, but I have seen announcements of that popping up more frequently over the last few years. With Thanksgiving occurring in a few weeks, “Gratitude Month” does make sense. So, I want to take the time to say …
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Creative Play Newsletter Vol. 2:Issue 4 – Play For Your Authentic Self
I started reading a book called “Play: How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul” by Stuart Brown, M.D., founder of the National Institute for Play, (Who knew there was such a thing?) and Christopher Vaughan. I am completely riveted. I’m learning about all of the …
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Creative Play Newsletter Vol. 2: Issue 2 – When Inspiration Strikes
I never knew what that phrase “inspiration strikes” actually meant. Until recently, inspiration was really more perspiration for me. I’d decide to start a project and then I’d think through options until I planned what I wanted to do. I might start with a piece of fabric or a block …
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Creative Play Newsletter (Vol.1, Issue 12) – Create Your Creative Space
I’ve seen the recommendation in a couple of sources to spend at least 15 minutes a day in your creative work. It’s a great idea. Fifteen minutes a day is enough to keep your creative pump primed and enough to feed your soul on a daily basis. But, even 15 …
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Creative Play Newsletter (Vol.1, Issue 11)- Do Something Different
In March’s newsletter, I wrote about the importance of play time to stimulate your creative juices and how I have found the times when I have allowed time for play to be some of my most creative. But what if that still doesn’t work? There certainly are days when even …
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Creative Play Newsletter, (Vol. 1:Issue 10) – The Gift
I had an essay already written and all typed up for this month’s newsletter when I began reading The Gift: Creativity and the Artist in the Modern World by Lewis Hyde. (Thank you, Carol, for the introduction to this book.) Reading it has been so transformative that I felt like …
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