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Don’t Believe All That You Read
Below is a fictional travel story I wrote from the prompt: They say _______ but my experience tells me… They told me to be careful, watch your guard, be alert, aware of your surroundings, and your exit strategy. It’s not a safe city. People are rude, brusk and unfriendly. Stepping off the plane I was prepared. My backpack was zipped and secured to my front. My money and valuables safely split up and tucked away in obscure places on my body. I briskly walk to the subway with my bags, head down so as to not make direct eye contact with anyone for fear of inviting submission or being confrontational.…
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Creative Journal Prompt: 4th of July Collection
For many Americans, the 4th of July holiday usually entails some type of gathering with family and friends, some type of food and of course, fireworks. I am definitely no different than most Americans! For decades, I have enjoyed the fourth up in my favorite spot, Lake Tahoe, with my whole family. We always spend the day out in the sun, swimming in the lake (and much warmer pool,) and playing games in and out of the water. As the sun begins to set, the BBQ is lit and our long, loud family dinner (always with corn on the cob) begins. We get so engrossed in conversation, that many times…
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Creative Journal Prompt: Ice Cream Flavors of the Season
One of my favorite things to do when I walk into an ice cream shop is to peruse all the different flavors. Although I usually go for the same kinds every time (hello cookie dough, cookie crumbs, caramel & coffee), I just love seeing all the different concoctions. I mean, how fun would it be to be an ice cream flavor designer? I’m kicking off my summer, with a super fun prompt to get you inspired, but if you’d like, you could do this prompt at any time of year, I mean, who wouldn’t want to hear about your spooky Halloween ice creams, or your romantic Valentine ice cream assortment?…
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Learn How to Start a Creative Journal
I’ve been keeping some type of journal for well over 35 years. My journals come in all shapes and sizes and can contain all sorts of expressions – drawing, paintings, collages, lists/notes, stories, travel diary, photos and so much more. Given this wide range of ideas that I put in my journal, I think the best name for them are creative journals! I find so many benefits from keeping a creative journal. They are all a slice in time in my life, whether it’s rambling notes from a road trip or sketches from my day at home, each page floods my mind with memories of times spent writing or drawing…
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Travel Journal: A Day at Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia
I’ll never forget our perfect day hanging out on famed Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia. It was winter time, yet the sunny, mid-seventy degree (fahrenheit) weather would suggest otherwise. We took a metro train from the Circular Quay to a bus and wandered our way to the beach through various neighborhoods and suburbs.* When we arrived I felt like we had been transported far from the CBD, and had landed in beach heaven! It was hard to believe that Sydney’s relaxed, laid back vibe could get any cooler, but in Bondi, it definitely did! After grabbing a bite to eat, we hung out on the beach and dipped our legs…
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Inspired by the Cotswolds, England
I still remember visiting the Cotswolds, England like it was yesterday. We stayed in the most charming hotel in Lower Slaughter, called The Slaughters Country Inn (formerly Washbourne Court Hotel after the family who owned it in 1470.) We stayed in a two story, two bedroom part of the manor that couldn’t have been more delightful with a small living room, dormer windows and plush beds. The first day, we stayed in the small town and wandered through the meadows, the churchyard, and along the streams, soaking in the scene. The low stone fences, the picturesque window boxes and gardens, the sheep grazing in the pastures, it couldn’t have been…
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Creative Travel: Capturing the Look of a Neighborhood – A Walk Down Grand Ave, South San Francisco (incl Free Printable Coloring Page)
Trying to capture a neighborhood or location with a few simple drawings can sometimes feel like a daunting task! Take any given neighborhood, from residential to downtown and it’s easy to become overwhelmed by the many things to see; different building styles, different colors, different types of nature, etc. In a recent online class I hosted with South San Francisco Library, I boiled down this problem and created a simple recipe to help you capture your own neighborhood! Recipe to Capture a Neighborhood = Common Elements + Nature + Unique Elements + Oddities Using this recipe, I headed to downtown South San Francisco’s Grand Avenue to see what I could…
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Travel Story – Cabins of Lake Tahoe
One of my favorite things to do when I’m in Tahoe is to take long walks. Walks along the lakeside are amazing, but I also love to wander in and out of the neighborhoods on the North Shore and up into the mountains. My favorite part of wandering in the neighborhoods is playing the childhood game of “I Spy” and finding the sweet old cabins that once filled these neighborhoods. Many of them were built as summer cabins, with very little in the way of insulation (fine for summer in Tahoe), yet completely ill equipped for living in during the snowy winters. Trust me, I lived in one through two…
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At Home Creative Adventures: Be a Naturalist for a Day (plus Free Printable Journal)
Nature is all around us, whether it is in your backyard, in a park, in the country, or even on your balcony in the city! Be a naturalist for a day and head outside to observe the world around you. Draw sketches and color them in if you’d like. Make sure to jot notes down as you go along and record your findings. Below is the free printable journal. Click the image and print it out. Fold it into a journal and head out the door! Here is a process video of my morning being a naturalist in my garden. As always, I’d love to see what you create! Feel…
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At Home Creative Adventures: Create a Landscape Painting Inspired by Van Gogh
Needing some culture or creative inspiration, but not wanting to leave the house? Museums around the world offer virtual tours of their collection to offer you colorful inspiration for days! Today, I virtually traveled to Amsterdam, Netherlands and visited the Van Gogh Museum. I have always admired Van Gogh’s work. His bright colors and exuberant brush strokes just bring me joy! In this creative exercise, head to the the Van Gogh Museum online and browse the amazing work. Find a painting that resonates with you and get inspired! Inspiration vs. Copying Painting from inspiration does not mean copying. I encourage you to make the painting your own. Perhaps you use…
