Spoonful of Imagination

Add it to a Family for Something Beautiful

Spoonful of Imagination Freebies

By Leave a Comment

Hi Friends! 

Erica from Spoonful of Imagination here. Do you ever find yourself feeling stuck in the creative process because “finding the time to start AND finish” can be tricky!? Kids have no problem creating, and we can re-learn a lot from their playful spirits. Being young at heart is a lifestyle that we have to practice.

Thank you for finding my little part of this great, big world. It is my goal to encourage YOUR creative process. You can imagine the possibilities and create the life you want, while connecting to others. Let’s have some fun. Please browse these freebies. Try one, try them all! I hope they can jump start your own creative endeavors. If you love it, it would mean the world if you shared this page with others.

It will ask for your email to get the download. Please know, that I don’t ever do anything with those, other than send you my weekly letter on Tuesdays. It’s full of tips, inspiration and pictures to my creative lifestyle, so you’ll want that anyway. Now, let’s get creating!!

Imagine the possibilities, 
Erica

Let's Get Imagining.

What is it: 

Vision Board Workshop: This video lesson walks you through what is a vision board, why they matter, and how to get started on creating your own.

Watch it now!

What is it:

Collaborative Art Game: Erica is showing you how to create and play one of our most popular art games in this video lesson. It encourages teamwork, play, and FUN!

Watch it now!

What is it:

The Best ‘All About Me’ Form:

Maybe you filled out a get to know you form in elementary school. Do you know what you listed as your dream job? Most ‘About Me’ forms I see these days ask kids what they want to be when they grow up.

What if they grow up and get that job, and they are miserable? There’s better, exploratory questions to ask.

That’s why I created a new kind of form that is all about encouraging kids to see this as a journey in learning about themselves and an exploration of things they care about.

Download it now!

What is it:

Quick Checklist of Ideas:

This list is a quick imagination starter. Imagining the possibilities is part of the creative process. It’s a skill you learn and practice. These quick, little exercises open up a new loop in our brain and can set us up to have a more playful, imaginative day.

Download it now!

What is it:

Free craft tutorial for kids:

In this lesson, Erica walks your artists through how to create their own paper lion. It’s fun, interactive, and encourages options!

Watch it now!

What is it:

Free plan to throw the best art parties: I’ve been throwing professional Art Parties for over 15 years. Today, I want to give you my checklist and roadmap on how to do it! You can create a FUN day, and I can help prevent the stress.

Download it now!

Thanks for letting us help you imagine the possibilities.

Instagram Facebook Youtube Link

What is an easy YES for you??

By Leave a Comment

Over the weekend, we were headed out on a little family walk.

Taking family walks is one of my favorite things to do together.

It’s a time to unplug, enjoy nature, get a little exercise, and connect. As we were headed out, I turned around and saw Caleb had a camera. He wanted to take pictures of this winter walk. I smiled to myself and only said, “very fun!”

What are things that are an easy yes for you? When you think through a situation or a plan and there is an obvious alteration to it, what is an easy yes?

In my situation, getting off technology, a screen, and devices is part of my heart for these walks. Yet, Caleb had a camera and I allowed it.

One of my family values

As we walked and I thought through why I allowed the camera, it hit me. An easy yes for me is creativity. I will always welcome the creative process.

For example, we can be pulling out of the driveway, running late for something and Reagan asks to run back inside for markers and a notebook….and I stop the car and allow it.

I can have just vacuumed the house and be ok with Reagan pulling out cardboard boxes, hot glue and making all kinds of little shavings on the floor in her creative project.

Jeremiah might ask for chalk markers to use on his chalkboard wall, instead of the messiness of regular chalk, and I add it to my shopping list.

I can have a sewing project out and someone wants to paint and I clear off my whole desk or table to get them started.

Caleb may want to take a camera on a walk to make this reel and in the process give me all these pictures that I have turned into this post, and I am so proud.

The creative process is something I value and always say yes to.

What is an easy yes for you?

Has something come to mind that is an easy yes for you? Here are a few ideas of things that it could be…

  • heart level talks: will you stay up later, if your kids are wanting to talk?
  • healthy food: will you say yes to a snack at any time in the day if it is something healthy?
  • sports: will you sign your kid up for a travel sport and be ok driving and giving weekend time, if it’s keeps your kid doing a sport he/she loves?

When we normally think of family values, honesty, perseverance, responsibility, character, and kindness might be some that you automatically think about. I think there are also others that you might not realize is also a value. If you start thinking about it, and process through how other families treat that same thing, you can begin to see it as a value.

These pictures help me see the world like Caleb does. What caught his eye, the angle he captured it, and even the placement of his subject is interesting to me.

I will always encourage the creative process. It’s a value to me. What is a value to you?

It’s important to know your values

Life is going so quickly, and I think it’s important to know your values so you can treat and honor it as one. Just because it’s important to you, doesn’t mean it is to everyone. So, to get you thinking more about what you may value, think through these questions:

  1. What makes you really happy?
  2. When are you most proud?
  3. What do you spend free time doing?

Maybe you already know what you value and what is an easy yes for you. If you do, I hope this is just an encouragement that it’s good to be YOU, even if you prioritize something others may not treat with the same weight.

If you don’t know what a unique value that you care about may be, I hope it gets you thinking.

Honoring your family values is a form of creating a connection that matters.

**If the idea of forming a deeper connection with those that matter most to you, sounds like something you would be interested in, I’d love to invite you to join my Create More Connection digital course. I will be back to tell more about it soon, but you can enroll today right here!

Vision for 2023 -get those dreams to come to life!

By Leave a Comment

Happy new year friends! How has this year started for you!? Our family has had quite a bit of sicknesses go through our home, but we are slowly getting in the groove of a new year with routines settling in.

Life goes crazy quick doesn’t it? If we aren’t too careful, other priorities, schedules, sicknesses and shiny new objects (in the form of whatever we are interested in) can pull us off track to take action on our dreams.

Have you created a vision board before to use as a guide for your year?

I have found that adulting and responsibilities can be a lot. Often what is fighting for our attention is not aligned with our goals and dreams. A vision board can be a physical reminder to you of what you really want.

I recently used one of my art journals to be the base for my vision board for 2023.

I thought through what were some things I wanted to achieve this year. If you haven’t created a vision board before, a good place to start is to ask yourself these two questions:

  1. What do you ultimately want for 2023??
  2. How do you want to show up for it??

I incorporated my “word” for the year. I am aiming to RENEW my mind, time and business this year with more truths and systems for this season of my life.

Last year, I had so much change and this year I want to just work intentionally on where we are now. I love to put my vision boards in  one of my messy art journals, so I can flip through the pages and see them all. It’s like my personal diary.

Do you write stuff down?

If this idea of creating a vision board sounds appealing to you, I’d love to invite you to take my FREE digital vision board workshop. By the end of the workshop you will know the answers to:

  • What is a vision board?
  • Why should I use a vision board?
  • How do I make a vision board? What supplies do I use!?
  • Where do I go from here?

Claim your life. I’ll help you with the how, but you do need to know the why-if creating a fulfilling year sounds exciting, choose to say yes to making a plan for it. If I can help, jump over to this workshop, and we will get started. I’ll see you soon!

What I am Thinking about my 40th Birthday!

By 4 Comments

my 40th birthdayRecently, I was asked if turning 40 was harder or easier than turning 30. This made me pause and wonder more what I was thinking about my 40th birthday, and I am excited to put those thoughts into words with all of you.  Life is a journey and as Peter Pan says, “to live will be an awfully big adventure.” How cool I’ve now been adventuring for 40 years.

This past weekend I turned the big 4-0. We celebrated in the most low key, family way.

I don’t like surprises or having lots of eyes on me, and I just wanted to intentionally enjoy my family. The older I get, the more I want the simple things in life. It’s been the work of the last few months to get to a more sustainable, enjoyable place. The ability and gift to sit in a chair and not be wondering of what you should be doing or what needs to be done, but can rest peacefully is the hard work of coming out of an intense season.

On this birthday, I just got to play, be agenda free, and be in the moment. That was the best gift of all. To me, it showed that I had grown.

What I am thinking about my 40th birthday

handmade birthday cardsOne of the biggest lies and fears I had when closing the studio was how it felt like I was going backwards. At the time, I was being asked, messaged, and emailed regularly about how to open an art studio. I processed and responded to these requests the best I could, but I always was thinking “whoa, I’m not sure. I’m still trying”.

Inwardly, I was also processing how to shut it all down. How do you quit and go back to your roots when the world pushes forward movement, position, and sees only the good?

How I Celebrated My 40th Birthday

On my day, I threw on my Halloween costume and went outside with my family. I was present all day just being with them mentally and physically. It’s in these moments that I am continually reminded I have done the RIGHT hard work.

My head and my heart were at the same place.

This is my 40th birthdayI’m Feeling Free on This 40th Birthday

Matt has told me several times that when he’s asked how I am doing now he responds with ‘she’s the healthiest I have ever seen her’. Wow.

We’ve now been married for over 18 years. We see each other every day and go to bed together every night. For the man, who knows me most, to say that means a lot. I’ve done some hardwork to reconnect with Erica. The Erica before all the expectations and responsibilities; and as a result, it’s made me more free.

I feel more alive.

I feel more light-hearted.

I feel more playful.

I feel more energized.

I feel more confident.

I feel more available.

I feel more content.

I feel more hopeful.

Life is a journey, and I am so thankful for every road and turn that has led me to this beautiful life that I have renewed eyes to soak in the small moments and everyday gorgeous, simplicities.

To celebrate my day, I wanted to adventure with my family. We tried to do a ropes course, but as northern Indiana would have it- most were closed already for the season. We opted to do an escape room, dinner out, and a Target run to celebrate my birthday on Saturday. While we were gone, a huge tree fell in our yard. Luckily, nothing was really hurt except the door to our fence.

We woke the next day, on my actual birthday, and had a relaxed morning of donuts and the sweetest gifts-including my fresh Target haul all wrapped up (still in the Target bag :)). We then went into the yard and climbed the tree, cut the tree, burned the tree and were literally outside all day as a family.

In Moving Forwards, I am Largely Connecting with My Roots

My day was a dream day. As a kid, I always would choose to go camping or do a hike to celebrate my birthday. Being in nature is one of my happy places. I was back doing that sort of thing with my family to celebrate.

There’s something so so satisfying about burning wood. I love it. Can you relate??

I could sit at a fire and feed it things all day long, and I got to do just that. Being outside, off devices and playful with my crew made for an amazing day.

I rescued some wood slices to use in projects and Matt made them our plates, as we cooked over the fire. It was so fun, un-rushed, and relaxing.

The gift and simplicity of a fun day to remember is what my heart longs for now.

Simple Gifts on my birthdayIn conclusion, turning 40 was much easier than turning 30. My 30’s were all about growing the life I now get to live. I grew kids, we fostered other kids, we moved hundreds of miles, we began a new business venture,  and it was a very busy, exciting (while also exhausting) life. There was constant change.

I learned in this bridge from 39 to 40 how far I can extend myself, before I don’t feel like me. I am coming back into me, and I am here for it. I think my 40’s are going to be some of the best.

Feeling more like me is one of the best gifts.

There’s Hope in Living

If you are still in the hard years, giving your all and coming up drained, don’t give up.

There’s things you can do even now to begin a healing journey. I’ve been doing the hard work of processing my story and writing up daily habits that helped me go from overwhelm and exhaustion to a more empowered and intentional life. I can’t wait to share more, but for now…STAY IN TOUCH. In the next two weeks, I will be sharing more and have an opportunity to work with all of you. It’s more behind the scenes of my journey, but it’s really largely for helping you with yours.

My journey is not done, and wherever you are within yours, I would love to help cheer you on. We are made to do life together, with people and cheerleaders in our corner! Stay tuned and if you aren’t on my newsletter yet, jump in for this weekly goodness. This is where I will share it ALL in just a few short weeks.

Thanks for celebrating my birthday by reading this long post about where I have been, where I am now…and where we can hopefully, go together in the coming weeks. Living is an awfully, big adventure.