29 Responses to “Kre8ive”

1. Eileen
   November 15th, 2008 @ 10:41 am

   I too absolutely loved this talk. I wrote about it here:

   http://scravings.blogspot.com/2008/10/organized-vs-creative.html

   Small clippie things….no, not so much. I’m more “Greek night!” or “Valentine’s Day Poem Writing Contest”. Less mess.

2. kaylene
   November 15th, 2008 @ 10:57 am

   You are not alone; I am madly in love with it too. I actually tried to avoid writing about it on my blog because I thought there would be so many people who did the exact same thing… but then there weren’t! (Which surprised me.) So I should have! I’m glad you did.

   I loved it because I no longer feel guilty about allowing time for this crazy need I have to be creating things and making our life beautiful. Now I see it as a part of my responsibility towards my home and family, and developing a divine quality. It’s fabulous! I love seeing so much potential for something that I am addicted to.

3. Leslie R
   November 15th, 2008 @ 11:06 am

   I created a big pile of orange bags with leaves, now sitting curbside, and I am so happy every time I look at them all huddled together.
   I created a pile of folded laundry this week that truly made my heart sing. Organization at its best, but next week the piles will reappear and chaos will abound. I am slowly learning that the everyday-tasks can be magical if I look at them with the lens of creativity and blessing, which is not always easy, but it does make for better outcomes.

   But the fun stuff—this week I created an essay that was accepted by a scholarly journal. I watched my children create sentences and paragraphs which, as a mother and also a writer, brings me great joy. I listened all week to the piano piece that my daughter created from scratch and some how I took part-ownership in my heart. It is empowering to watch a daughter that I carried and created learn to create and hold passions of her own.
   There was a time in my life when my older friends asked me to start quilting and I said “No way. It’s an old woman’s sport.” But I am now a quilter because of these women. Quilting is a lost art and I hope to create pieces so that someday my great great grandchildren will run their hands over my clumsy stitches and love my choice of fabrics.

   One thing I know for sure—over the years I have learned to be motivated by other women and their creativity rather than intimidated. Intimidation leads to discouragement, and there isn’t room for that as daughters of a Heavenly Father. I love the energy that women put into their homes, their yards, their community projects, and even their dinners. It matters. Day upon day, it really matters that we look at our lives as an act of creativity.
   Jennie, thanks for giving us a little space to think about this.

4. rach
   November 15th, 2008 @ 11:06 am

   I, too, loved the talk, but I wouldn’t have guessed anyone would take it as crafty. I have a number of friends that said “Look! I DO need a scrapbook room!” or whatever, and it cracked me up because the “crafty” part of it hadn’t occurred to me at all. I was thinking writing, music, children, etc. I guess it applies across the board, and my mind went to writing and such bc those are my interests, but I’ve been really surprised at how many people equated his mention of “creating” with card swaps, knitting, etc. Pres. Uchtdorf is fantastic.

5. Lili
   November 15th, 2008 @ 11:12 am

   Allright, since you emphasized that you really are talking to _me_

   I was homeschooled during part of elementary school and junior high. I start by saying this because I think it gave me time as a youngster to be creative in ways that might not have happened otherwise. As a young’n I would check out kid’s craft books from the library that showed me how to blow colored soapy bubbles onto paper and let the bubbles pop against the paper. I made piñatas and papier-mâchéd halloween costumes. As a teenager I researched paper-making and made stacks of beautiful handmade papers. (In fact, I even made the paper for one of my sister’s wedding announcements.)

   After high school I put off going straight to university because my interests were too varied and I couldn’t decide what I wanted to study. With the time between high school and my mission, I found myself researching bookbinding. Soon I was cranking out hundreds of little handmade books. I liked it so much I wondered if it was merely a hobby, or something that some people out there in the world actually _did_ for a living…

   I started attending a professional bookbinding school in Colorade during the summers, and after my mission I studied Fine Art at BYU, emphasizing in printmaking (despite the fact that I had never taken a single art class in high school). A month ago I returned from graduate school in England, where I was earning an MA in book conservation.

   —

   While at University, I remember researching creativity and art-making as a gospel principle…and arrived at an “ah ha!” moment when I realized that in living the gospel and striving to become like our Heavenly Father, we are all aspiring to become creators. Our Savior is our supreme example in everything, including creation. We will someday be designing our own worlds… and what better time to exercise creativity than now, during mortality?

   I remember feeling justified and validated in my choice of study (since all art students are also faced with the “I love doing this, but how will I make any money?” dilemma. Alas–I still find that for now I make just enough to support my creative habits…but I loved my studies and what I do now, and I believe the future is bright).

   Everything we create with our eye single to God’s glory–whether it be the creation of a family, a simple or elaborate meal, a painting or collage (or for those of you who scrapbook).. or even cleaning (creating a clean or ordered environment, if you will) or all kinds of work–is a kind of exercise in organization of matter into something satisfying, useful, and/or beautiful. Some projects are fast to complete and others ongoing (I can’t tell you how many unfinished bookbinding projects I have in the works…and my creation of a family is still in the theoretical/planning phase…). Some projects we are immediately satisfying. Others are what we deem disasters. Some disasters are abandoned while others are reworked or the projects repeated until we are proud of the final result. But it is all practice for our own eternal exaltation, when we will be capitol-C creators.

   So yes, I like President Uchdorf’s talk, too.

6. cornnut32
   November 15th, 2008 @ 11:37 am

   i love that i am creative. i think it is one of my strongest attributes.

   i am an artist–or i try to be. i use my creative outlet to deal with life. i struggle with depression and have been through some pretty horrific abuse, and painting/drawing is my way to express my emotion in a positive way.

   i talk about it a lot on my blog, pictureofexperience.blogspot.com. i have also posted some of my artwork. i would love to get some feedback if anyone wants to visit. also, if there are any of you out there like me, who use art and creativity to process their life experiences, let me know! i am always looking for kindred spirits.

   i am glad that president uchdorf talked about the importance of creativity. i think it is something that we don’t talk about enough. i am so grateful the lord has given me the talent i have and the desire to cultivate it.

   to see some of my artwork, go to this post:
   http://pictureofexperience.blogspot.com/2008/10/picture-of-my-soul.html

7. Tiffany
   November 15th, 2008 @ 1:30 pm

   Great post. I loved that talk as well. I have zero scrapbooks in my house, I dont’ know how to make bread, I own a sewing machine I don’t know how to use. I used to think this meant I wasn’t crafty. I enjoyed being creative, but not in the way way “mormon women” were. It wasn’t until this talk that I felt a real sense of accomplishment for the ways I do create things.
   One of the most meaningful things I’ve ever done was to act as the general contractor on our first house. Talk about creating something! I remember thinking over and over, this will still be here in 50 years (hopefully) and I can drive by it, and tell my grandkids, I built that. For some reason, I never gave myself “credit” for that in a meaningful way until I heard this talk.
   This talk also helped me feel okay to prioritize my life, without feeling guilty about some of the choices I make. Case in point, I realized, that it is okay to let my housekeeping slip, or not provide an ideal breakfast time meal, because I am creating a new reading program at my kids school. I am training parent volunteers how to remediate the kids who don’t qualify for special ed, but still need extra help. Is it crafty? No. I am creating something extraordinary? Absolutely.
   All this Mormon women talk about self esteem and confidence, the answer lies in creating something. My new favorite thing to say to my kids is, “If you want to feel good, do good.” That is what creation is all about to me.

8. Liz
   November 15th, 2008 @ 1:58 pm

   This talk helped me realize that, contrary to my previous beliefs, I was actually creative. I HATE CRAFTS with a passion, and I generally hate anything that requires me to work with my hands. I like to cook, but it’s more of a “let’s see what I can get away with in the kitchen” rather than an art for me.

   But I love creating forts with my kids, and I love creating a blog that people enjoy to read. I love creating safe and lasting relationships with other people and I love creating friendships. I always thought I was lacking in the “creative” department and always felt a little cheated in that regard, but it’s good to know that I am creative… just in other ways.

9. namakemono
   November 15th, 2008 @ 2:41 pm

   I love this!! (Now I gotta go find the talk and read it!!). Just this week I was talking with a friend about hobbies and and things outside of work/housewifely stuff and how necessary they are to me even though they don`t create the all important money (all important to DH, that is) – it has taken me a long time to be able to come out and say that because anything I do like crafts or baking is belittled as “unnecessary”. My friend and I were saying how dull life would be without these “extras” to add spice and flavor.

10. jenny
    November 15th, 2008 @ 3:03 pm

    I also loved this talk. Not to take away from all the crafters/scrapbookers/etc. who felt an acknowledgment for that type of creativity–and certainly, that type of creativity is important and worthy–but I took its meaning on such a broader level. I did feel like he was specifically talking to me. Do not deny your creativity! No matter what the medium. I loved that he pointed out that it is an inherited trait; our father in heaven had the gift of creating–and so must we.
    2 quotes I love:
    “There would be no art, and there would be no science, if human beings had no desire to create. And if we had everything we ever needed or wanted, we would have no reason for creating anything. So, at the root of all art and all science there exists a gap–a gap between what the world is like and what we wish and hope for it to be like. Our unique way of bridging that gap in each of our lives seems to me to be the essence of the reason for human creativity.”
    –Fred Rogers
    (yes, that Fred Rogers)
    and
    “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” (quoted by Nelson Mandela)
    {My own pledge: I will continue to develop my creativity; I will continue to tackle my insecurities so I will not “play small.”}
    Fantastic talk. Loved it.

11. Harlene
    November 15th, 2008 @ 5:55 pm

    Jennie,

    Just wanted you to know I was thinking of you and now I’m giving this post some thought.

    I’m not an outwardly creative person. I love to bake, but other than that I’m not interested in creating with my hands. What this talk helped me see was that my gift for reaching people, special needs people in particular was a form of creativity. I have worked with special needs children and adults all my life. My step mom was a special ed teacher and would take me to work with her since I was 5. As an adult I have worked mostly in DK, with kids that run the gammut in their disabilities. I LOVE that work. Each child may need to learn the same skills and have opportunities for the same experiences, but they each need to be reached on a different level and possibly through a different medium. They deserve to feel loved and understood. To feel a true connection with others and that’s an incredibly creative process-figuring out how to do that for each of them.

    It’s easy to feel intimidated when your talents don’t fit the mold, the best part about getting older and having children who are getting older, is that you feel a sense of how much Heavenly Father must love us and all our differences, just as I love my children and appreciate each of their differences.

12. kerry
    November 15th, 2008 @ 6:36 pm

    Uchdorf is my boyfriend. Not sure he knows about it, but he is.

13. elizabeth-w
    November 15th, 2008 @ 7:03 pm

    Kerry, I thought he was mine….
    I loved the talk b/c I heard it was okay to not like scrapbooking. I heard that it is okay to love being a therapist and to see that for the creative thing it truly is.
    I had a little meltdown earlier this week because my oldest child got assigned her first ever “project”. The list of projects was “make X”–about 50 different things to make, that involve trips to Michael’s. I explained to my daughter that she would be doing this on her own because if I got involved it would look worse than if she did it herself. When she realized I was dead serious, she was willing to do a cooking project–something I can actually do a decent job at. We’ll be cooking foods from the Native American diet. It’s hard to screw up beans, corn, and squash.
    I was visiting teaching a few weeks ago and my VTee said that talk really spoke to her, and she was thinking about returning to the nursing profession, now that her children are all in school all day. She has a significant need to do more/be more for herself and her family.
    Guess what happened on Wednesday night? She got called to be the new Primary President. Guess who is her new secretary? Me. The first thing I did was email and tell her she is going to be creatived out pretty quick.

14. Kim
    November 15th, 2008 @ 7:24 pm

    I also love the endorsement of our natural need to create, whatever it may be. I feel that urge in so many areas of my life. And as someone who loves to try out new things and learn how to do it (but who is far from perfect in any one area of creating), I feel very validated by this thought that it is all helping me become more like God. I feel like its part of the process. And it makes my work, whether it be cooking dinner for my family each night, doing various craft projects, painting my kids’ bedroom, coming up with a new game for the kids to play while we wait in a line, or whatever, all feel more worthwhile.

15. Shana C
    November 15th, 2008 @ 9:05 pm

    I loved that talk as well. I think it spoke to the heart of every woman that heard it. I know we, as women, are all born with an innate desire to leave things a little more beautiful than how we found them. I think it was Sis. Hinckley that said she was so touched as she walked into a poor, humble home on one of their travels to a foreign country. The family they visited had nothing of prosperity in their home, but the woman of the home had put a small flower in a little vase on a shelf. A little touch of beauty in an unexpected place. How womanly and lovely.

    One of my favorite creative things to do is to embroider pillows and blankets for new babies, one of my children going to camp, Mom’s birthday, etc. I think it’s a little piece of love being stitched. And of course I am in love with fabric, ribbon and even beautiful fonts. It’s just makes me want to create something pretty.

16. Mommom
    November 15th, 2008 @ 9:11 pm

    I loved this talk because it did remind me that creativity doesn’t just mean crafty or artistic. I do need those things in my life. They’re therapy for me. I love to paint, quilt, take and edit photographs… and those are things I’m currently doing.

    However, I can create a home of order,too. (really, I can. It’s in there somewhere.) I that is being creative.

    I also LOVED when he said it didn’t need to be perfect. How many times do we simply never try because we just know it won’t be good enough? Or can’t get started because the thought overwhelms us? (my hand is completely in the air!!) OR once we do manage to brave into new territory we look at all the mistakes and decide that made it not “good enough”? The first things I painted were no where near as good as what I currently do and yet my children thought it was cool. The seams on my first quilt where all over the place.. but it worked and still looked pretty. I can see how my photos have also improved in composition. And with all of the above I still have a TON to learn (YEAH!)

    So….now I just need to apply that same philosophy to keeping my home organized. Not perfect… but not cluttered.

17. tonya
    November 15th, 2008 @ 10:35 pm

    I have this quote on my fridge so I can read it daily:

    “If you go to your grave without painting your masterpiece, it will not get painted. No one else can paint it. Only you.”

    I don’t know who said it, but I love it. I think we all have something in us that only we can do, or be. I have struggled my whole life with feeling like I’m not “good” enough at something. I don’t have any of the talents that I would consider artistic – I can’t sing, I don’t play an instrument, I am not a “fine” artist, I can’t draw…the list could go on and on. And it used to, until my husband told me to snap out of it. My pity party had gone on long enough. I have my own talents. I may not be a “master” at any one thing, but I am willing to try almost anything. I have an intense need to be busy. I may complain, but I love to be doing something. That need has led me to discover things I can (and must) do for my sanity. I don’t think talent has much to do with creativity. Being creative means learning to let go of our preconceived notions of what we think we can or can’t do, and just trying – something, anything.

    I never thought of the things I do or make as any good. I’ve always been intimidated by others creativity and true artistic talent. I never thought I was “good” enough. I cried through that talk. It was as if Elder Uchdorf was talking only to me. I have definitely given his talk alot of thought. And I have come to realize that I am creative, in a crazy, paint my house, colorful sort of way.

18. dalene
    November 16th, 2008 @ 7:37 am

    “Being creative means learning to let go of our preconceived notions of what we think we can or can’t do, and just trying – something, anything.”

    Loved that–thank you!

    Tonya, your art is delightful. (Readers: If you are at any of the local art fairs or the Beehive Bazaar you should definitely check out her stuff.)

    It makes me happy just to visit you because your home, your fun family, even your mere presence really colors my world.

19. wonder woman
    November 16th, 2008 @ 9:12 am

    As I was trying to come up with a Sunday appropriate post, I thought about Elder Uchtdorf’s talk. I did a post about it right after he gave the talk because I was so moved by his words. So I decided to go to Segullah to see if I could just find some great linky love and lo and behold, you’re discussing Elder Uchtdorf’s encouragement to be creative!!

    Just last night, I got together with a few sister from my ward and we swapped scrapbook pages. It was sonderful to have a girl’s night, but also to create cute pages, and pay compliments to the other women on their great pages. I definately feel creative when I scrapbook.

    But the activity I partake in that most feels my need to create is blogging. I love filling my sidebars with stuff about me (……and my family…..) and making my blog pleasing to the eye. But I enjoy the writing most of all. Giving words to my jumbled thoughts is fun and challenging. I love trying to craft things that will make you laugh and things that tug at your heartstrings.

    When Elder Uchtdorf words “take unorganized matter and mold it into something of beauty,” spoke to my soul. He then said, “And I am not talking about the process of cleaning the rooms of your teenage children.” I had to laugh, but I now try to tell myself, “I’m not cleaning, I’m beautifying. (I don’t always remember this – maybe I need to get it in vinyl!)

    So between scrapbooking, blogging, and beautifying my home with a cheerful heart, I feel pretty creative.

20. Michelle L.
    November 16th, 2008 @ 2:14 pm

    I just plain old love Elder Uchtdorf. It’s nice to have some eye-candy in the First Presidency.;)

    Creativity can take so many different forms. I’ve learned that my old definition of creative– crafty, good at making posters and wrapping presents– is just one form of that God-given ability to serve and express ourselves. I’ve found my own forms of creativity and I love it!

21. Sue
    November 16th, 2008 @ 2:51 pm

    I loved this talk – mostly because it eased a little of the guilt I feel about the time I spend on my blog at night, when, I mean let’s face it, I could be mopping the floor or doing something more productive.

    I loved this part: “Creation brings deep satisfaction and fulfillment,” because so often it seems that we get the message that “deep satisfaction and fulfillment” aren’t really things we should be seeking for, unless we’re finding it through service or motherhood. This acknowledgment from a church leader that it IS good and worthy to pursue creative endeavors that bring us satisfaction and happiness was wonderful for me to hear. It did my heart good.

22. Leslie
    November 16th, 2008 @ 5:27 pm

    I loved the talk because I have long believed that when we create we are doing the exercise of God- in small and simple ways. There is a eternal principle of joy in creating good things.

    I am an artist- so of course I love to create- it keeps me refreshed and renewed and passionate- even if it’s just stealling away for 20 min before I crash into bed at night. I try to encourage women around me to try new things. We can all find ways to be creative in so many domains (even those you don’t think you have skills in) I try to be a good example for my children and encourage them to create.

    I am a firm believer in the creation on “tone” and “spirit” in a home- this is a great power to be honed. There are so many ways we can create- small simple things that change the world each day- whether it is in act, product, or emotion.

23. Zina
    November 17th, 2008 @ 12:51 am

    I can’t even wait to read the other 22 comments before I answer: YES! I am in love with that talk, to the tune of having already used it for 3 visiting teaching messages and one family home evening. I might use it for an RS presidency lesson, too. And I also thought it was a topic I’d never heard discussed in a church conference but that felt utterly familiar and all “made sense.”

    I am one who does consider myself very artistic & creative, but the part in his talk about finding even small ways to be creative still really resonated with me, because right now in the midst of my big, main creative project of raising a bunch of kids, I can’t find much time for the kinds of big creative projects I love doing — so I loved the reminder that making time for even small acts of creativity was both possible and could bring the same kind of satisfaction as larger projects.

24. Zina
    November 17th, 2008 @ 1:14 am

    Because I’m nitpicky I have to clarify that above I meant to say that my big main project of raising kids doesn’t leave much time for *other* types of creative projects. That was probably clear enough, but, like I said, I’m picky.

    Also, although I feel a little dorky to admit it, writing blog entries is a creative outlet that’s very satisfying to me lately.

    And also, now that I’ve read the comments I’ve discovered I’m in the company of not just sisters in the general sense but also in the more specific sense. Hi, Lili!

25. Zina
    November 17th, 2008 @ 1:19 am

    Speaking of Lili, if anyone wants to see an artist/book conservator’s take on a Jack O’ Lantern, you may wish to click here.

26. Lili
    November 17th, 2008 @ 1:38 am

    Hi, Z

27. jendoop
    November 17th, 2008 @ 8:46 am

    Elder U’s talk hit so close to home it’s hard to talk about. I have always known in my heart what he said, I’ve always found true joy in creating. It was something I pursued despite what many around me counseled. Why does it take a talk in general conference for us to feel justified in following our heart?

    Perhaps if we leave more room in our Mormon culture for creativity we won’t giggle when someone wears an outfit a bit ‘out of the ordinary’. Or shows up at church without their children’s hair in bows. We should leave room for each other to be creative = different. If we each truly follow our hearts into creativity our world would be much more diverse and wonderful!

28. Arianne
    November 17th, 2008 @ 4:30 pm

    I am too pragmatic to ever do creating for creating’s sake or to make something “just to look at.” I think that’s why I’ve never really been into crafts. The only kind of crafts/creating I truly enjoy are ones with practical value. So I love to cook and bake (and thereby feed). I love to make soaps (to thereby make clean). I love to garden (and thereby make flowers to put on my table and food to cook with). I get such a satisfied feeling when I make something that has use for myself others.

29. robyn
    November 17th, 2008 @ 9:19 pm

    I loved this talk because it took Sis Beck’s talk and tempered it a bit. At least that’s how I felt. Creativity is so diverse it takes in crafts and a whole world of other things. It also helps bring to mind Wendy Watson’s talk from years ago where she spoke of the labels we put on each other. The mother of 8, the active sister, the one that was less active for a while, the childless sister and on and on… We could do with fewer labels she counseled us.

    I have two sisters who are very creative. For years I thought I was too practical. I cooked because we needed to eat. I sewed because my children needed clothing. I painted the walls of my home. I played the radio. I couldn’t find a place where I thought of myself as a creator. My sisters on the other hand we quite creative. It wasn’t until I began to explore who I was and what truly made me happy that I discovered I was creative. I do have creativity in me. It’s just not in traditional ways. I’m glad for that.

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Footnotes

• DISPENSATION
• What to wear
• A feminist because of faith
• Before children saw therapists
• Christ centered healing
• “Every month they sent in a little extra. They are Mormon and say their faith guided them to be fiscally responsible.”
• Languages of Faith
• Mormon Women Literary tour