And just like, it’s May! That means my smallest babe is turning 10, and it’s time for another guest blog! If you missed last month, read up on caring for woollies and get some winter inspo right here.
This month I’m thrilled to host Delphie, artist, designer, mum of 4 kiddos, and all-round fearless creative at Delphie Joy sharing her amazing journey into creative play and how it helped her with motherhood. Plus she has some amazing tips and ideas for us and this freebie here!
Follow her on Facebook and Instagram and sign up to her email list to be inspired by her on the regular! If you’ve admired my logo, then you’ve admired her work, because she hand lettered that for me several years ago and I adore it.
As a former teacher and now homeschool mum, I’m pretty passionate about play so Delphie and I connect on this subject often, and you can see how I run an entire photo session through play here on the blog. I chose a bubble blowing image of mine for the cover because bubbles spark so much joy for me and we use them in sessions as well.
Now, I hope you absolutely love this from Delphie as much as me!
Reignite Your Inner Creative: 5 Ways to Find Joy in Small Pockets of Time
We all know mothering can be a wild ride of nappy-changes, tantrums, and thank-less laundry (do you sort or are you a chuck it all in the load type?). Of course there are the other, more enjoyable parts, like cuddles and squishy cheeks, the first time your child makes you a mothers day card and when they tell you they love you while you are wiping their butt (bless!).
You know too well that as a mum of young children, it’s easy to get lost in the daily grind and forget about yourself, let alone your creativity, amiright?
Fear not, mama bear! I’m here to help you reclaim your inner creative spirit and infuse some joy into your day and I promise you won’t need to get out of your jarmies for any of it.
I’m Delphie Joy, a designer, artist and mother to 4 boys. I live on the sacred lands of the Jaggera and Turrabal First Nations People of Australia and I found creative play was my saving grace when I was at a very low point in my life. I was stuck at home, trying to work in my design business, having moved states, at that time with 3 children and trying to find anything to help bring me joy again!
I know, too well, the feeling of the endless groundhog day. And while I can’t fully change that for you, I can help you find ways to be more flexible, more creative and have more fun!
Did you ever fly a kite in bed?
Did you ever walk with ten cats on your head?
If you never did, you should.
These things are fun, and fun is good! – Dr Suess
I mean, yes, fun IS good!
Creative play is my jam, because it’s something that speaks to us all, despite thinking we are “creative” or not, and it is easy to do if you make the choice to lead with curiosity and wonder.
So, today, let’s explore five simple ways to nurture your creativity and liven up the mundane and often thankless role of being a mum! You ready?
1. Embrace Messy Play.
Messy play is not just for kids, though the little humans in your life will almost always enjoy being part of it. Roll up your sleeves, grab some paint or playdough, and let your inner child run wild. Get a little unhinged, silly, and let go of perfection, honestly NO ONE is looking at your low key playdough snake with 6 eyes, stop judging, this is all about play.
Don’t like playdough or too much mess, just yet? You can get curious with your kitchen veggie scraps, in the sand or with some water, coffee grounds and a old paintbrush! Lead with wonder and less with logic and see what happens.
Dr. Stuart Brown says, “The opposite of play is not work, it’s depression.”
So, embrace the mess, call it art, and let your creativity flow, your mind will thank you!
2. Dance Like No One’s Watching.
Personal favourite here, and I particularly enjoy anything from the 90s to get my kitchen dance off happening.
Crank up your favourite tunes, grab your little ones, or not, if they are eye rolling at you as mine often do, and have a dance party in the living room. Let go of inhibitions, shake off the stress, and dance like you are back with your besties in the lounge room at the 13 year old birthday bash, kickin it to tunes of Whitney Huston in the hair brush mic.
This is my go to way to re-energise and express while letting my creative juices flow. Movement of the body = movement of the mind.
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3. Look, Notice, See: Smartphone Photo Fun.
You don’t need fancy equipment to capture interesting moments? (Leave the family photos to the skilled pros like Cat!) Quick captures are our aim here. With just your smartphone, you can find creative joy in the mundane. Take a 5 minute discovery walk around your house or yard. What can you see that looks different? What can you notice? Take as many photos as you can in the set time and reflect on your new abilities to see and observe.
Get playful with different angles, perspectives, and focal points. Take it further and experiment with filters and editing apps to add your own artistic touch to your photos. Try and capture the details that often go unnoticed, like the contrast between shapes, how shadows fall on the wall, that stain on your lounge from last week’s banana, can you see anything interesting in that?
Use your smartphone as a tool for self-expression and storytelling through images. Create an album on your phone and add to it often, you will love seeing how many new ways you have seen things over time.
This simple act of play is a wonderful way to practise mindfulness. When you are in the present moment of noticing, you free your mind from all the other crapola you are carrying around.
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4. Play with Perspective.
While routine is useful and necessary, it certainly contributes to feelings of boredom and grind. Let’s mix things up, just a tad… I give you, Perspective Play. Change your vantage point, look at things from a different angle, and inject some creativity into the mundane.
– Turn grocery shopping around, start at the opposite end to the end you usually do, it will make it more interesting and you will notice things you normally don’t!
– Make meal prep a culinary adventure, or serve on paper plates and eat on the floor of the lounge room.
– Create a task of wearing every item in your wardrobe for the next month and see what new outfits you create.
Test your imagination in simple ways and challenge the ordinary tasks with a quirky twist.
5. Write It Out: Writing plays a crucial role in nurturing creativity as it serves as a conduit for our thoughts and ideas to come to life. Like painting, writing allows us to externalise our internal musings. While journaling is a popular form of writing for self-reflection, there are other techniques like word association and image description that can further enhance our creative abilities.
– Look at a picture or photo or painting and give yourself 3 minutes to write as many things as you can about it. What do you notice first, second, third? Can you use new ways to describe the same thing?
– Pick a word from a song and then spend 2 minutes brainstorming as many word associations as you can. You will be surprised where your mind goes once you do this a few times.
Creativity is something we are all born with, and play is part of our human development. It is not a luxury to be happy and joy-filled, it is a necessity for our mental well-being and sense of self. Please let go of the notion that creativity is something you can’t afford as a busy mother.
You are worthy of happiness.
As you embark on this creative re-emergence, remember that creative play is not about the end goal. It is a state of being where you are fully present and discover new things about yourself and the world around you. The benefits of creative play flow into your every day in the most wonderful ways.
Embrace the quirkiness, have fun, and let your creativity flourish. Your kids will be inspired by your creative spirit, and you’ll be nurturing your own well-being in the process.
You are not just a mum, but a multi-dimensional, creative being who deserves to express and celebrate your creativity. In the words of the wise Brene Brown, “The only unique contribution that we will ever make in this world will be born of our creativity.”
Our creative expression is as unique to us as our own fingerprint. Let’s start embracing that!
If you are ready to take your creative play even further, grab my free workbook, “32 Ways to Boost Your Creativity – In Under 5 Minutes a Day.” In this guide, you’ll discover practical and fun ways to incorporate creativity into your busy mama life, even in just a few minutes a day. From quick art exercises to playful writing prompts, these simple activities can help you spark creative thinking and infuse your day with small pockets of inspiration. Grab your copy right here.
Ways to connect with Delphie Joy:
Become an email bestie here, check out my website, follow me on Facebook and Instagram
I hope you found that as inspiring as me! Delphie really is a force to be reckoned; follow her on your fave social to be inspired, you won’t regret it!
Look forward to capturing your family story soon xxx
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