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Why Should I Create with Trash?

December 5, 2022 By Erica Deuel Leave a Comment

Let’s talk about trash! There are 5 reasons why I think you should create with trash! Trash is anything you might normally throw away or recycle. It has served its purpose, but what if it could serve a second purpose!? You could get more mileage out of your goods and your money?? That is a win!

Follow along with Erica and Reagan in a new video where they teach these tips or keep reading to be inspired how you can create FREE fun at home this holiday season.

Let’s dive in and see, if I can convince you to create with trash. We go through a lot of it everyday, and I believe that we can creatively be intentional with what we re-use.

Have you ever turned a spaghetti jar into a flower vase? Or a soup can into a pencil holder? These are some quick ideas to get you thinking of how you can repurpose something to serve you again.

In this post, Reagan and I make a collage out of trash. A collage is sticking a variety of different objects together to cover a backspace. We use cardboard and a tin pan as our backdrops to hold our collages in this example.

Now, let’s talk about why creating with trash matters!

1. Trash Turns into Art

When we work with new and unusual items it taps into a different area of our brain. As a result, we are learning. We are experimenting and can enjoy the process. We are doing something we have not done or maybe seen done before. We aren’t creating towards a finished product, but we are having fun and learning in the process.

2. Trash is cheap

There are so many assumptions and stereotypes that art is expensive. It doesn’t have to be. We all have supplies (yes, like trash) that we already have paid for and can use to create. When we create, we are bringing something to life. That is art.

3. We Learn

When we work with unusual supplies, we are placed in a position to learn.

We learn about the artist. What are they making? They must care about that!

We are also figuring out how things attach, work together, and so we are being engineers. In the process, we learn about 3d creations. Paper is the cheapest form of “typical” art supplies, which is just flat. When we work with trash, we can create bigger sculpture projects.

4. We Have Fun

When we create with trash, there are no expectations of what we need to make or how something needs to turn out. What a freeing feeling to be able to take risks without judgement and just play!

5. There are no souvenirs

The clean up, when we are done creating with trash, is super easy! Just throw all the extra stuff away or take it to the recycling center. It was going there anyway! There is no need to store any extra supplies.

We can then enjoy our creations, but we can also toss them when they end up taking up too much space and need to move on. We didn’t invest a lot in them.

We had fun. We created. The supplies served their purpose and now they can move on and we can create more.

What do you think? Did I convince you that the next time you feel an itch to create something to first stop and look in your recycling items? The kids are coming home for the holidays. I promise you, if you save some trash, invest in a hot glue gun and scotch tape that you will have hours of what feels like FREE at home fun to do together. It’s such a fun way to connect and see your artists’ brain at work being an engineer and imagining the possibilities!

Are you curious at what you can do with your newly created trash collage, after you create it? Reagan and I will be showing you a second part to this idea in a new video going out in our newsletter this week. It’s a collaborative art game that is fun and teaches TEAMWORK.

If you aren’t on the list, sign up today to be sure to get it or comment below and we can get you signed up.

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Launching a New Chapter

January 28, 2019 By Erica Deuel 3 Comments

We started blogging a little over 10 years ago. I know for sure because we started when I was pregnant with Jeremiah who turned 10-years-old a few months ago. It all started as a way to stay in touch with our family and friends while we were spending a lot of time on the road. In between my family updates, I started posting Friday Project Spotlights as a way of sharing simple DIY craft projects for my friends to do with their kids. With no attempts to market these posts, somehow they picked up a groundswell of momentum. Before I knew it, hundreds of people were tuning in each week to craft with me. We rebranded from our family blog into Spoonful of Imagination and those hundreds became thousands. It’s so humbling. Truly. As someone who struggles with dyslexia and the fear of stringing words together, it never stops surprising me that people keep showing up.

This blog has stretched me to grow and try things that I would have never ever imagined. Matt and the kids have gone from cheering me on to becoming my partners in this platform. They have helped me write, build, take pictures, brainstorm, share my posts, develop craft kits, ship out items from our shop, and eventually build a non-profit art studio. What a ride!

But we are keenly aware that it would have never happened if it weren’t for you – our loyal friends, readers, and fellow creators of Spoonful of Imagination. Thank you. No seriously… THANK YOU!!!

As we’ve grown and our kids needs have shifted and changed, I’ve honestly put this space on the back burner for a while. For those of you who have felt that shift, I’m excited to announce that is about to change.

With Matt working full time in video and film production and me working full time at managing the art studio, we’ve both found that our creative energy is being poured out like never before. We are so thrilled and privileged to be able to help so many people and organizations create. What we have found though is that we need to have a creative project that is “ours.” Something that we can do together, as a family. That brings us back to here, Spoonful of Imagination.

Now, as an all-hands-on-deck team, we are working on putting together new content for you, our loyal friends and readers.

We will have new posts and DIY tutorials just like the one I posted the other day. But it’s better than that! Starting today we are launching (well kinda re-launching, but I’ll get back to that in a minute) a YouTube channel dedicated to Spoonful of Imagination vlog content!

This is something we’ve been talking about, dreaming about, and planning for months. Oh my goodness, let me start by saying, “RESPECT!” to all of the faithful YouTube creators out there. We have spent a lot of time studying other channels out there. We have learned so much from people like Peter McKinnon, Casey Neistat, Art Hub for Kids, Matti Haapoja, That YouTub3 Family, just to name a few… and we’ve decided to toss our hat into the vlogging ring. We have a couple of new videos on the channel now. You’ll also see some OLD videos. We decided to leave some of those up for memories sake and to serve as a reminder of how far we’ve come.

Here’s a quick introduction from Matt and me just sharing the heart behind the channel and our vision for what we hope to accomplish. It’s the most boring video we will create, we promise. After this, it starts to get super colorful and very fun.

Like everything we’ve always done, our desire is to help other people create. We believe there is life changing power in being creative and if we can encourage someone to add a Spoonful of Imagination to their life, then we consider that a win!

Here’s our first DIY Tutorial. Enjoy! Oh and as we’ve learned from our YouTube mentors, please subscribe to the channel, like the videos, and share with your family and friends. Your comments, likes, and shares have been the fuel that have kept this blog going for so long. We would be honored to have you join us in stoking the fires for this latest chapter of our journey!

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Eddy’s Postcard Series: Please, never grow up Snow White

August 1, 2015 By Erica Deuel 1 Comment

If you are just joining this series for the first time, you can read the heart about it here.

There are moments that happen through the day that are just normal. They are my everyday.

For example, it is not unusual for my little girl to be dressed up as a princess and either be wrestling with her brothers or crafting at the same time. Although this is a normal moment, it’s one that I never want to forget.

Someday I will look back at these sweet moments in time and smile through teary eyes at how special, precious, and quick they were. So, I stop cleaning up dinner dishes to just watch her and capture this picture.

2-August 1, 2015

2-August 1 2015 backThis sweet babe of mine is my baby girl. Three weeks ago her world was rocked as we welcomed another little boy into our lives for a season.

He is our first foster placement since moving to Indiana. I look at my sweet girl and realize she is no longer the baby in the house. She is no longer the only four-year old in the house. My heart hurts a little bit for how I have changed up her world, but then I have to believe I am showing her a much bigger world. Telling her to love others is much different than the power of showing her.

We are navigating to find a new normal around here, and I could not be prouder for how my kids are loving this sweet new one in our home.  As my schedule has changed, and I don’t have as much time to do other things besides kids, I am reminded of how I can still be creative in other ways from crafts. Finding special moments with just one on one interaction with my kids is one way I am having to be creative.

It’s funny how when we are searching and looking…we can find them and Jesus has been so good to grant them to me daily. Watching Snow White craft away a coloring picture to cut out, glue to cardboard, and use as a toy was just one moment in the last week that I never want to forget.

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Be Creative

May 23, 2014 By Erica Deuel 3 Comments

be_creative_signCreativity is a complex idea. I think most people think of creativity as literally pulling out craft supplies and creating something awesome. Creativity can look different, and that is something I have been learning. I like how Wikipedia defines the word CREATIVE: “a phenomenon whereby something new and valuable is created (such as an idea, a joke, an artistic or literary work, a painting or musical composition, a solution, an invention etc.). The ideas and concepts so conceived can then manifest themselves in any number of ways…”

When we said “yes” to our foster son, we were saying “no” to other things. Having three boys so close together and a dramatic three-year little girl keeps us busy. My boys are 7, 5, and 5. So, you can imagine the competitiveness that can arise on a daily basis. The Nerf gun wars that run around our house have picked up in frequency. The impromptu wrestling matches have me looking into referee jerseys. When they all roll out on their bikes, it’s like a miniature motorcycle gang has invaded our street.

It is amazing and I would not have it any other way, but it can be tiresome and hard as well.

create_as_a_mom

In the moments where I wonder how many times I have said “please, stop arguing” and “we use our muscles to protect,” I question if I can do this. Do I have what it takes to love, care, nurture and protect these four hearts through this world. The truth is I do not.

I need Jesus and only the love that he can bring. Our foster son goes through a wave of different emotions on what seems like an hourly basis. As soon as I think I have figured out the root causes of his actions, something happens that throws off all of my thinking. It’s like God is saying “don’t try to understand my plans, just trust me in the journey,” so we hold fast and are constantly checking our hearts and words on keeping this perspective. I like plans, I like knowing what to expect, I hate surprises. So, I am being stretched. And you know what? It’s good.

creative_wood_sign

wood_signGod is in control of our lives. He has my kids in the palm of his hand, and he is their protector. I do my best, but then I am reminded I am not their Savior. In all my deep talks, I was reminded the other week that some of my well thought out and intentional moments with the kids may not even be the most meaningful things. In a moment of exasperation of asking, pleading, and enduring an unusual amount of timeouts, I asked my foster son what was going on. I will never forget what he said. He said, “I think I need some Jesus music”. It still brings tears to my eyes as I replay this story.

That is something I say and quickly turn on Pandora or pop in a CD when I am tired and feel anger and frustration in my heart. He must see it, but that is never something that I would have thought that could have transferred to him. Kids really are sponges.

be_creative_where_ever_you_are

I say all this to say, I am learning that being creative might not be limited to actually making, creating something with all my supplies.

It might be the words or actions we use to teach our kids how to navigate through this world.

It might be the way we organize our time or our method of getting groceries into the house.

It might be how we get food on the table or nutritious food in their bellies period.

It might be how we share to make it through the day. (you don’t have any socks? Borrow some from your brother)

It might be the way we learn to accept help and stretch ourselves outside what is our norm.

Creativity is  a complex thing, that doesn’t always included art supplies, and I believe you have it inside of you too!

craft_room_wallI made this sweet little sign to hang in my office as a daily reminder that I can be creative right where I am now. In the moments where kids are my entire day, I can still be creative.

I was looking at the clock the other day and realized how I better take this picture quickly or the sunlight would be gone. So, I used some Lemon Heads as an incentive and got all four kids lined up and eager for their picture to be taken. As I saw them standing there I realized a) two were standing in a puddle in socks b) one had not been obedient and changed into a new play outfit instead of pjs c) one was still wearing her soppy wet clothes from playing in the rain. I sighed knowing this was not ideal but was thankful to just get them standing still all together for a picture.

love is patientNow, when I look back I wouldn’t have the picture any other way. It sums up where I am at. Four cute, sweet kids that I love and adore and we are not perfect but doing the best we can to remember love is patient and God is not through with any of us yet. As you are making it through your day, know that I am thinking and praying for you that you would be filled with “a phenomenon whereby something new and valuable is created” and that it makes a difference for the people around you!

**If you too would like to make a sign like this, I made mine based on the idea with this Love Sign. Have fun!**

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