Guest Post - How to Develop Creativity When You Don’t Have It

Today's guest post is contributed by Shannon Wills, who writes on the topic of x ray tech schools. She welcomes your comments at her email id: shannon1wills@rediffmail.com. I completely relate to this post. My natural creativity ends in the kitchen. Developing creativity elsewhere is something that I am working on. Thanks for the helpful tips Shannon.


I was always of the opinion that you could never develop creativity – you either have it or you don’t. I’ve always believed that you’re born with the creative instinct, that it is an innate ability and that there is no way to artificially induce it. But then, my relationship with a very talented and creative friend changed my perception and understanding of this ability. I don’t have an iota of creativity in me when it comes to working with my hands and making stuff. But I realized that if you are clever enough, you could trick creativity into making a home inside you, even if it is only on a temporary basis. And if you’re looking for ways to do this, read on:

• Copy without guilt: One way to get into the creativity game when you’re a novice is to copy your creative friends without any guilt whatsoever. I’m not saying you must steal their ideas, just that you could follow their lead and accord credit where it’s due. When you begin to learn by copying, you’re getting the hang of it. This forms a platform or lays the foundation for you to develop your own creative ideas.

• Learn by association: When you hang out with someone who is creative, you begin to learn by association. You start to think like they do and you’re often inspired by their work. You begin to learn about the practical side of creativity – the materials you could use and the tasks that can be done without too much effort. And when you really want to develop creativity, you’ll find that it comes to you when you persevere.

• Don’t be afraid to experiment: The best part about creativity is that there are no rules or standards. So in essence, anything goes. As long as you’re using your brain and coming up with new ideas to make your own stuff, you’re good to go. So don’t worry about gaining approval or praise from anyone else when you try to get creative. It’s all about gaining confidence in yourself and your newfound abilities.

• Know that even geniuses struggle: And if you’re having trouble once in a while or even more often than not, remember that even the best of creative geniuses are not free from mental blocks that hamper the flow of their creative juices. Give yourself time to learn, time to experiment, and time to grow as a creative thinker and doer, and watch the difference in the way you make things from scratch.

Homemade Chocolate Covered Pretzels

'Tis the season for chocolate!

Well, any season is a good one for chocolate, in my opinion, but the Christmas season is when our kitchen becomes a candy factory for a day or two. One of my favorite chocolate projects is to make chocolate covered pretzels with the kids. They are easy, fun and delicious!

First, you need chocolate. For the best results you will want to start with a good coating chocolate. It is sometime sold in large blocks, but most often you will find it in wafers. It can be found at craft stores, party stores or online. I'm partial to the Merckens Brand.

Coating chocolates come in many colors and flavors. I stick mainly to the dark, light, and white. the kids like the colors. In my opinion, the other colors tend to have a waxy taste. They are great to use to add color to your pretzels though.

Next, you need pretzels. Any pretzel will do, but I like to use the small twists or the large rods. Using holiday shaped pretzels is also a fun idea for this time of year. Lay several sheets of wax paper out to get ready for your chocolate covered pretzel making.

Now, it is time to melt the chocolate. A Double Boiler is the best way to go. You are less likely to burn the chocolate, you can dip right from the double boiler, and you do not have to worry about the chocolate setting up again.

If you don't have a double boiler, chocolate can be melted in the microwave. Put the chocolate in a small bowl and microwave in 30 second increments. Stir after each heating. Do this until the chocolate is completely melted. You may need to reheat periodically during your dipping session.



Let the fun begin. Dip the pretzels in the melted chocolate. For large rods you can simply hold one in end while you dip the other. You may need to use a spoon to help get the chocolate far enough up on the rod.

For twists and other shapes, use a chop stick, fork or tongs to help you with the dipping. Another useful improvised tool is to take a plastic fork and break off the middle tongs, leaving just two tongs on the outside.


After you dip the pretzel in the chocolate, lift it out and gently tap it so any excess chocolate drops off. Lay the pretzel on waxed paper to dry. Before the chocolate is completely set, pretzels can be rolled or sprinkled with colored sugar or other candy sprinkles for decoration. Or wait until the chocolate is a bit more set, and drizzle the pretzels with a different color of melted chocolate. Allow the pretzels to completely dry.



When you've dipped all the pretzels you can, there will still be quite a bit of chocolate in the bottom of your bowl. Don't let it go to waste! Put some peanuts in the chocolate, and stir them around to coat. Drop them by the spoonful onto the waxed paper.

Once dry, if you can keep your family from eating them all, they can simply be stored in a covered container. To give as a gift, simply put them in a plastic bag with some ribbon and a gift tag. They can also be put in a tin or other container. They look great on a tray of other candies or cookies to take to your holiday events. They also are a nice addition to your gift baskets.

Want some more ideas for homemade chocolate candies? Check
Easy Chocolate Christmas Candy.

Making homemade chocolate covered pretzels is an easy and fun project that can be done with the kids. The end result is delicious and pretty. What more could you ask for?

Stephanie is a homeschooling, homesteading momma of four, attempting to live a frugal and simple life in the hills of West Virginia. She also blogs at Stop the Ride and Adventures in the 100 Acre Woods.

Carnival #145

This week the carnival is hosted at Gotta Little Space. After working around some sort of glitch at Blog Carnival, the 145th edition of MIFS is up and running. Here are a few of my favorites from this week's carnival.

Chocolate Mint Candy Cane Cupcakes
Love this flavor combination, especially this time of year.

Holiday Cranberry - Apple Coffee Ring
Cranberries are another holiday favorite of mine. This recipe is making me drool.

How to Make a Room and Linen Spray
A how to with a great list of of diy fragrance blends.

Thank you for joining us for the carnival this week. Be sure to check the entire carnival at Gotta a Little Space.

How To Make Fabric Gift Tags/Keepsake Ornaments

Here is an easy way to snazz up the perfect gift in no time flat. All you need is some fabric scraps, ribbon scraps, optional felt, coordinating fabric, jingle bells or other embellishments plus pinking shears, needle and thread. You can hand or machine sew.

1. Cut strips of fabric (or use ribbon) and sew right sides together to make a fabric panel. Make a panel as large as you like.
2. Create your tag and transfer the image to your fabric. I used chalk since it's easily removed and went with a simple circle but a star, tree, or various other shapes work well. A cookie cutter functions as a wonderful template if you are not the artistic type!
3. With your pinking shears, cut your template shape plus about 6" to 8" of ribbon for your loop. One on the scrap panel, one felt (optional but gives is a plush look), and the last should be a coordinating fabric for the back.
4. Piece the layers together with right sides facing out, felt sandwiched in the middle and sew with your preferred stitch with about 1/4" to 1/2" seam.
5. Finally, add any embellishments you like to personalize your gift tag. Printable fabric opens up the option of adding photos, you can stitch the recipients name, fabric paint and marker allow other decorating options too. If you have an embroidery machine then there is no limit to what creative designs you can create.
   

I am having trouble deciding on whether I should hand stitch my recipient's name or add some groovy design via iron on fabric! What do you think????

Jenn also writes about crafts, recipes and other house hold tips all on a budget at Frugal Front Porch. If you leave a comment on any MIFS post, it earns you an entry in my Jiffy Lube gift card giveaway. Just head on over to the giveaway post and let me know what post you commented on.

Stocking Stuffers for those who are on-the-go...

Kellie is a wife, mom, tree-hugger and crafter extraordinaire. Well, let's not go that far. She blogs regularly at Greenhab and the Green Phone Booth.

I am hip-deep in making Christmas gifts and stocking stuffers this week. Why does December fly by so quickly? (And don't I say that about every month?)

Today I have some cute tutorials for you! At least I think so...hopefully you do to!

In our effort to tread lightly, we also try to influence friends and family in a positive way. This year, I've made a coffee sleeve for my mom's to-go cup, or just to carry in her purse in case she has the sudden need to visit Starbucks.

~*Coffee Sleeve Tutorial*~

You'll need fabric (all the same, or coordinating), some insulated batting, and a paper coffee sleeve from your local coffee shop to use as a pattern. Depending on your preference, you might want a piece of elastic and a button to hold it closed, or even some velcro.

1. Using your coffee sleeve as a pattern, cut your pieces of fabric: one outside, one inside, and one piece of batting. Remember to add about a half inch all the way around for seam allowance.

2. Put the outer and inner fabrics together, right sides together. Then lay the batting on top. I usually cut my batting a little smaller. This makes the whole thing lay flatter once you turn it. As you can see from the third photo, you only need to catch it in a few stitches here and there so it doesn't get loose when you turn it right side out.

3. Sew all the way around, leaving a hole open at the bottom to turn. Clip corners. Notch the top curve and clip the bottom curve so the fabric doesn't bunch up when it's turned.

4. Turn right side out, press, top stitch all the way around.



5. At this point I hand stitched the sleeve closed using a few strands of embroidery thread. I also embellished it with a felt petal and a button.

There are so many ways to close this. You could make it a bit longer, so that the sides overlap, and velcro it closed. Or, sew an elastic loop into one end and a button on the other. I'd like to make one in a solid color and put a little felt bird on it.

~*Utensil Wrap Tutorial*~

For this project I used the same coordinating fabric, a piece of ribbon, and some utensils. (I also made a second version for one of the guys used a more manly mattress ticking fabric and a leather cord instead of ribbon. You can use utensils you already have, of course, but I found these bamboo utensils on sale for a few dollars at Greenfeet and thought they'd be perfect for this gift.



1. Time to cut! The outer and inner fabric will be 12" square. The pocket will be 4" wide by 9" tall. The ribbon can be 24-ish inches long, give or take an inch or two.

2. First we're going to make the inner pocket. Fold the pocket piece in half, with right sides facing. Pin and sew all the way around, leaving an hole at the bottom for turning. Clip the corners, turn and press flat.

3. Pin the pocket to the lining fabric, wherever you desire, and sew the left and right sides of the pocket to the lining fabric, very close to the edge. I used about 1/8 inch allowance there. You can leave the bottom unsewn as it will get eventually be caught when the outer and inner pieces are sewn together.



4. Using a fabric marker, draw two lines from top to bottom of the pocket. (I did mine 1 and 1/8 inches apart, because that was what fit best with my bamboo utensils.) Then sew down each of the lines. Now you've created three little pockets for your fork, knife & spoon.

5. On the left side, pin your ribbon to the lining with the tails going in.

6. Lay your outside fabric on top, so that the right sides are together, pin.

7. Sew most of the way around, leaving an opening of about 4 inches for turning. Use a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Clip corners, turn, press flat.

8. Top stitch using a 1/4 seam allowance.

Now you can fold the top of the napkin down and wrap it up. I like have the top fold down because then the utensils don't fall out the top. I made a crayon roll last year that was very similar to this and I've found that the crayons tend to pop out the top sometimes.

You could make this a totally "green" gift by using an old shirt, handkerchief, or scrap fabric. I throw this in my purse and always have it handy when I'm out and about, which helps me to avoid disposable plasticware.

Making Ornaments with the Kids

Yesterday, was our annual trek for the perfect Christmas tree. Every year we head to the nearest tree farm, and hike through their fields until the perfect tree has been located. It is always a fun family day. Yesterday was no exception, despite the cool wet weather, but the best part comes after we get the tree home.

With our oldest child's first Christmas a tradition began. A new ornament was added to the tree for that child each year. Of course, many years there are several ornaments because other family members give ornaments as gifts, and ornaments are made with various groups we participate in. Now, three more kids and eleven years later, our tree is full of ornaments for the kids. Bringing out those ornaments each year brings lots of memories, discussions, and warm hearts.

Many of the ornaments are purchased, and they are beautiful, but my favorites are the hand made ones. They are not always the most beautiful ornaments on the tree, but they do have the most beautiful memories associated with them. These usually are the ornaments the kids remember best, and the ones that I cherish most.

Here are a few of the homemade ornaments on our tree this year. Some are old. Some are new. Some we made as a family, and some the kids made elsewhere. All of them hold a special place in our hearts.

Easy Photo Ornaments.
These are so incredibly simple. Fold a piece of construction paper or card stock in half. Cut out a ball ornament, keeping the fold in tact at the little rectangle on top or the ornament. Decorate the outside front with glitter, coloring or other decorations. Cut a photo of the child in the same shape as the ornament and glue it inside. Use a ribbon to hang the ornament.





Recycled Christmas Card Ornament
This is a wonderful way to use last year's Christmas cards, and create and easy ornament with the kids. Simply cut out the main image from a Christmas card. Glue ribbon or other embellishments around the edges. Punch a hole in the top corner, and use ribbon to create a hanger for the ornament.



Painted Glass Bulbs
Buy clear or colored glass bulbs. Paint with glass paint, or use glue and glitter to decorate the bulbs. Confetti, glitter or other items can also be put into the inside of the bulb for a decorative effect.

Dough Ornaments
See Heather's instructions for making the dough in 5 Simple Christmas Crafts for Kids. My favorite dough ornaments were made long ago when my eleven year old's hand fit into that mold. *sigh* We made a foot print ornament for his then baby sister.




Beaded Candy Canes
Simply take a piece of pipe cleaner. Thread red and white beads onto it and fold the pipe cleaner around each end. Bend into a cane shape.



Pottery Ornaments
Though a little more expensive, it is a fun family time to take the kids to a make and take pottery place. Our local one is called the Pottery Place. Simply go and pick out a ready made pottery ornament. Then paint it how you like. They fire it, and you can pick up when it is done.


Our tree is full of children's ornaments. Some are purchased, and some are homemade. Every year a new one (or two or three) is added for each child. Every year we label the new ornaments with the child's initials, and the year. Pulling them out each year to decorate the tree is one of my favorite family times. They are all special, but the homemade ones are the best!

Carnival #144

Welcome to the December 1, 2009 edition of Make it from Scratch! December?! What how can that be? Well, on to the carnival.

cooking

Fabulously Broke presents Recipe: McGuyvering a Banana Cake posted at Fabulously Broke ....in the City, saying, "Banana cake made with a few substitutions!"

mb presents Sake Marinade Salmon posted at Taberu West Japanese Recipes, saying, "Learn to cook the most delicious salmon."

Our Red House presents Meringues with Strawberries and Cream posted at Our Red House.

Liss presents Sunday Baking Project: Olive, rosemary and gorgonzola loaves posted at Frills in the Hills, saying, "Whatever the season, this is a great bread hot or cold, to eat by yourself or to entertain with. You won't make it just the once."

Kris presents Veggie Might: Grandma’s Apple Pie posted at Cheap Healthy Good.

Annette Berlin presents 18 Grilled Cheese Sandwich Variations posted at Craft Stew, saying, "Tired of the same old grilled cheese sandwich? No problem. Here are 18 yummy variations to perk up your appetite. Enjoy each variation on it’s own, or try combining a few for extra taste."

NerdMom presents Peaches and Cream French Toast posted at Nerd Family Food.

knitting. crafts. other

Cyndi presents Some simple CopprClay pendants to make posted at Beading Arts.

Gary Mullen presents Creative uses for Ostrich Feathers posted at Culture Blog, saying, "Ostrich feathers and their use in craft work."

Free needlepoint patterns for domestic goddesses posted at Miss Thrifty.

Make a knitted bobble hat like Cheryl Cole's posted at Make it and Mend it.


Jessica Garrett presents Holiday Wreath Making! posted at Crafty Tax Attorney.

Darcy presents Smart-Bottom Enterprises: Hand Print Christmas Tree posted at Smart-Bottom Enterprises.

Rod presents Pedal-powered ball machine posted at Tennis Ball Machines, saying, "OK, so this is not something most people would be able to make themselves, but just goes to show you don't have to spend big money to benefit from this kind of technology."

Wren Caulfield presents The fence that makes good neighbors needs a gate to make good friends posted at True Adventures in Money Hacking.

Beth Terry presents Thanksgiving, Buy Nothing Day, & My Travel Mug posted at Fake Plastic Fish, saying, "My attempts to create my own travel mug & cozy. Sometimes we learn from failures too, right?"

pbmedia presents How to Fix a Leaky Delta Faucet posted at jammer(six).

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of Make it from Scratch using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our
blog carnival index page. Next week the carnival will be at Gotta Little Space.