Header Text

Craving guilt-free creativity that makes your heart sing and time fly?

Welcome to your Creative Oasis™!

Friday, May 29, 2015

Want More "Me Time" This Summer?


Memorial Day has already come and gone. Before you know it Halloween decorations will be showing up in stores. (That's true and truly scary!)

Remember the feeling of freedom the last day of school brought when you were a kid? Knowing there were weeks and weeks waiting before you with the tantalizing prospect of no homework, lazy mornings sleeping in, watching cartoons in your pajamas, reading book after book, hanging out at the pool, summer camp, road trips, picnics and more?

Those days may be gone, but you'd still like to savor summer moments and feel that sense of freedom and fun. But how when you're so busy and time flies by so quickly?

If you're anything like me you'd love to experience at least a handful of quintessential summer moments...lounging outside lost in a good book...sipping from a pitcher of homemade lemonade...diving into one of the hundreds (okay, maybe thousands) of summer recipes and creative projects you have pinned to your Pinterest boards.

Well, you're in luck!


I know just how you feel. That's why I created the "Create the Summer of Your Dreams" Do-It-Yourself Creative Oasis Kit ~ a simple step-by-step plan to envision and enjoy summers filled with creative delights, relaxation and fun. (That means more "Me Time" for you this summer!)

You don't have to wait much longer. The kit will be released for the summer of 2015 next Tuesday, June 2. (Wait ~ That means it's here! Woot! Click here to check it out.)

BONUS ALERT ~ If you purchase "Create the Summer of Your Dreams" during the first week of its release (by Tuesday, June 9th, 2015) you'll be invited to a free "Let's Get Started Q & A Call" on June 11th. (If you picked up your copy last summer, you're invited to join us too!)

I know it can be a challenge to get started on your own, even if it's something you're really looking forward to, so during our call we'll dive into the kit together. I'll help you take the first small steps to creating the summer of your dreams right then and there. (And no worries in you're unable to join us live, the call will be recorded for everyone who has registered.)

If you missed the chance to get download your FREE Create the Summer of Your Dreams Wish Lists, grab yours here.


Until next time, all the best from my "it's almost summer" Creative Oasis to your,

Jill


P.S. ~ If you enjoyed this post please share on Facebook and twitter using the buttons below!  If you'd like to receive bite-size bonbons of creative inspiration like this Mid-Week Oasis Moments plus a free copy of my e-book "Permission to Be Creative 101" join me here: http://www.creativeoasiscoaching.com/newsletter.html.


Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Warning! Creative Play May Result In These Symptoms


When's the last time you enjoyed some low-pressure creative play...just for the fun of it?

Recent personal experience reminded me of the wondrous power of creative play. (See the "symptoms" listed above.)

While spending a fun girls' night in with my mom and daughter last weekend, we decided to each choose a simple creative project from our Pinterest boards, break out the art supplies and dive into some low-pressure creative fun.


My mom chose to color in a mandala with colored pencils. My daughter drew a beautiful freehand lotus flower and enjoyed some intricate geometric doodling with gel pens as well. I drew freehand flowers (they would up looking a bit like peonies) in crayon and then painted them in with watercolors. 


As I've shared before, I don't consider myself a visual artist. But I do love to play with creative supplies and I'll admit to being quite pleased with the way this little piece turned out.

That being said, the process...the sitting around in a relaxed atmosphere...the playful experimentation...the "we're just doing this for the pure joy of it" attitude...not the end result...was what brought about the "symptoms" we experienced.


Want to put more creative play into your summer? After last weekend, I know I do!

I've created a way to help you do just that, my "Create the Summer of Your Dreams" Do-It-Yourself Creative Oasis Kit that I'll be releasing very soon.

In the meantime, grab your free Summer Wish List Fun Sheets here to take the first small step to creating a summer filled with creative freedom, relaxation and fun.  

Until next time, all the best from my playful Creative Oasis to yours,

Jill




P.S. ~ If you enjoyed this post please share on Facebook and twitter using the buttons below!  If you'd like to receive bite-size bonbons of creative inspiration like this Mid-Week Oasis Moments plus a free copy of my e-book "Permission to Be Creative 101" join me here: http://www.creativeoasiscoaching.com/newsletter.html.




Tuesday, May 19, 2015

The Simple First Step to Making Wishes Come True


Do you ever wish summer still felt like it did when you were a kid? Relaxing...carefree...fun?

Seems like these days summer is here and gone before you can say "fresh squeezed lemonade!"

One minute it's Memorial Day...the next it's Labor Day and you realize that once again you failed to realize your dream of eating your own homegrown tomatoes...lounging with a good book in a hammock...or enjoying even one of the hundreds (okay, maybe thousands) of summer recipes or creative projects you've pinned to your Pinterest boards. (Sound familiar?)

I can relate! That's why I created my "Create the Summer of Your Dreams" Do-It-Yourself Creative Oasis Kit Now I have simple, fun ways  to envision and enjoy summers filled with creative delights.  

And the simple first step is (you guessed it) to ask, "What do I wish I could do this summer?"


Click here to grab the FREE "Wish List" Fun Sheets I made to help you take this important (and fun!) first step to creating the summer of your dreams.  

Very soon I'll rerelease my popular "Create the Summer of Your Dreams" Do-It-Yourself Creative Oasis Kit with a simple step-by-step guide to help you envision and enjoy a summer filled with creative delights, relaxation and fun! 

For now, I invite you to take a few brief moments to grab your FREE "Wish List" Fun Sheets and enjoy dreaming up the summer you truly desire before you look up and it's time to start carving jack-o-lanterns. 

All the best from my almost summer Creative Oasis to yours,

Jill



P.S. ~ If you enjoyed this post please share on Facebook and twitter using the buttons below!  If you'd like to receive bite-size bonbons of creative inspiration like this Mid-Week Oasis Moments plus a free copy of my e-book "Permission to Be Creative 101" join me here: http://www.creativeoasiscoaching.com/newsletter.html.








Saturday, May 16, 2015

10 Inspiring Ideas to Help You Create the Summer of Your Dreams


Click Here



Summer will fly by before you can say "fresh-squeezed" lemonade! 

Use my free "Create the Summer of Your Dreams" Wish List Fun Sheets to take your first small (fun) step to making sure your summer isn't over before you've had a chance to enjoy the relaxing and delightful creative experiences you desire. 


All the best from my summer Creative Oasis to yours,

Jill



P.S. ~ If you enjoyed this post please share on Facebook and twitter using the buttons below!  If you'd like to receive bite-size bonbons of creative inspiration like this Mid-Week Oasis Moments plus a free copy of my e-book "Permission to Be Creative 101" join me here: http://www.creativeoasiscoaching.com/newsletter.html.


Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Where Will Your Creative Clues Lead?



I hope you had fun collecting clues for your creative scavenger hunt last week. 
(If you missed my invitation you can find it here: bit.ly/huntvid1)

This week I'll share what comes next...ways you can turn creative clues you collect into hand-on creative fun & fulfillment. Click here for next steps, specific examples and to let the fun begin: bit.ly/mwomnext.  


Until next time, all the best from my Creative Oasis to yours,

Jill


P.S. ~ If you enjoyed this post please share on Facebook and twitter using the buttons below!  If you'd like to receive bite-size bonbons of creative inspiration like this Mid-Week Oasis Moments plus a free copy of my e-book "Permission to Be Creative 101" join me here: http://www.creativeoasiscoaching.com/newsletter.html.


Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Creative Oasis Scavenger Hunt Video Invite



Click here find to all the details to have fun with your own Creative Oasis Scavenger Hunt plus a free printable treasure map to collect all of your bits of creative inspiration. 

Big thanks to Elizabeth Gilbert for the inspiration! 


Until next time, all the best from my Creative Oasis to yours,

Jill


P.S. ~ If you enjoyed this post please share on Facebook and twitter using the buttons below!  If you'd like to receive bite-size bonbons of creative inspiration like this Mid-Week Oasis Moments plus a free copy of my e-book "Permission to Be Creative 101" join me here: http://www.creativeoasiscoaching.com/newsletter.html.

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Creative Humans Do These 3 Things


I'm currently reading The Art of Asking by Amanda Palmer. If you're unfamiliar with Amanda (who is a creative force of nature!) I recommend you watch her TEDTalk which has now been viewed over 3 million times and was the inspiration for her book, The Art of Asking.

When I read Amanda's words I immediately thought of the painting "Dot-Scape" my dear friend (and another creative force of nature) Jessica Jane Lynch had just posted on Facebook. (She graciously allowed me to use it for this Mid-Week Oasis Moment.)

"Dot-Scape" was a collaborative piece created by a group of children ages (3 to 15) living with Type-1 Diabetes from two Connecticut chapters of JDRF (formerly "Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) to be auctioned at this year's 2015 JDRF spring gala. Jessica served as the Children's Art Project Chair, conceptualized, artistically realized and photographed the piece. (I told you she was a creative force of nature!) 

The heemeesheemee (my word for serendipity) of all of this lies in the fact that Jessica's creative project so beautifully illustrates Amanda's observations and actually uses dots to do so!!!  

#1 ~ Collecting ~ Jessica collected inspiration for the piece from a cross-cultural look at meditative dot painting. The children were influenced by Australian Aboriginal Dot Paintings, Pointillism and dot artworks by pop artist Yayoi Kusama. 


# 2 ~ Connecting ~ Jessica connected the children to their own creativity as well as to the influences she'd collected to inspire them. She also connected her own creativity to a foundation near and dear to her heart, JDRF as a means of raising awareness and funds for them. The ripple effect of the connections continues as I connect "Dot-Scape" to Amanda's words and to you with this Mid-Week Oasis Moment. (Perhaps you'll share and continue the connections?)

"Children were guided in an artistic experience using circular stencils and brushes to create hundreds of overlapping dots using acrylic paints. Every dot, using this soothing technique, embodies the resilient nature that children and adults living with Type-1 face daily.
~ Jessica Jane Lynch



#3 ~ Sharing ~ Jessica shared her creative connections with the children (now her co-creators) as well as me, you and everyone who attended the gala, saw her Facebook posts or reads this story. (That's the beauty of the internet.) She shared her hope for a future without Type-1 Diabetes. She shared her belief that we can use creative connections to make the world a better place. I couldn't agree more!

"Dot-Scape" ~ 30 x 30 gallery wrapped canvas

Inspired by Amanda's words and Jessica's works, how might you collect, connect and share using your creative spirit in the coming week? Or at the very least, what's one fun way you might play with dots? 

Until next time, all the best from my Creative Oasis to yours,

Jill


P.S. ~ If you enjoyed this post please share on Facebook and twitter using the buttons below!  If you'd like to receive bite-size bonbons of creative inspiration like this Mid-Week Oasis Moments plus a free copy of my e-book "Permission to Be Creative 101" join me here: http://www.creativeoasiscoaching.com/newsletter.html.