All Posts

We all know the why nowadays. Creativity is proven to increase health and wellbeing. There is no debate. However for many people, myself included, it can feel like another thing to add to the to do list at times. ..and that list is already too long with energy being the main thing that holds us back. Here are a few ideas to make creativity easier and a more regular activity for you: Organise yourself a box in the rooms you spend most time in and have a project there that's ea

There are so many reasons why hobbies are good for us. Here are three... They bring us into the present. Having difficulty in life is not an if but a when. We all face life's hardships and joys. To give your brain a break from ruminating and a release from the intensity of your distress, having a hobby is a wonderful way to take time out and think about something pleasant. Even if our thoughts persist, there is comfort in doing something we enjoy that gives us the strength we

Celebrate the rich golden colours of early Autumn with this beautiful Sunflower Stitches Hoop Art Kit from Wild & Crafted. Inspired by nature and designed for slow, mindful creativity, this kit combines fabric collage, appliqué and hand embroidery to create a wonderfully textured sunflower. Layer your petals, experiment with colour and pattern, then add simple stitches such as running stitch, seed stitch and French knots to make your sunflower completely your own. Each kit i

Have you ever wondered what happens to our brains when we experience art or craft? I recently read Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us, written by Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross. They carried out some incredible research that shows it can affect how we think, feel, connect and experience the world around us. Listening to music, looking at a painting, dancing, singing, drawing or making something with our hands can involve sensory, emotional, cognitive and social process

This time last year I was lucky enough to be asked to deliver a series of six workshops in a nursing home with older residents. In thinking about ways to open up communication and familiarity, it struck me that using the actual theme of Autumn would allow residents to remember and enjoy something familiar without the possible distress of not remembering specific details. That steady rhythm of colour, pattern, texture, smells, tastes and sounds is something that is ingrained i