The Creative Family: How to Encourage Imagination and Nurture Family Connections

by Amanda Blake Soule

When you learn to awaken your family’s creativity, wonderful things will you’ll make meaningful connections with your children in large and small ways; your children will more often engage in their own creative discoveries; and your family will embrace new ways to relax, play, and grow together. With just the simple tools around you—your imagination, basic art supplies, household objects, and natural materials—you can transform your family life, and have so much more fun!

Amanda Soule has charmed many with her tales of creativity and parenting on her blog, SouleMama. Here she shares ideas and projects with the same warm tone and down-to-earth voice. Perfect for all families, the wide range of projects presented here offers ideas for imaginative play, art and crafts, nature explorations, and family celebrations.

This book embraces a whole new way of living that will engage your children’s imagination, celebrate their achievements, and help you to express love and gratitude for each other as a family.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction, Family, Crafts, Art, Education, Childrens

224 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2008

About the author

I'm Amanda, and I live in beautiful Portland, Maine with my husband, Steve, and our three young adventure-seekers — Calvin, Ezra, and Adelaide. Our days are spent making things, exploring our coastal Maine surroundings, and growing together as a family.

I've always had a love of textiles and crafting, but it wasn't until the birth of my first child that creating became an essential part of my daily life. Making things became a way for me to nurture myself in the busy and giving role of Mama, as well as a way to save money and conserve resources by repurposing readily available materials. Making things also allows me to connect with countless women before me and share my love — through the gift of handmade — with those dearest to me.

Creating with my children — inherently the most creative beings of all — is a source of tremendous inspiration, growth and connection for our entire family. Whether through sewing, paper craft, music, cooking, nature exploration, or imaginative play, I believe there are many ways for each of us — regardless of our skills — to express creativity in our daily lives. The benefits go far beyond a finished project when they both nurture and connect the soul of the family. It is my hope to inspire other families to incorporate creativity into their own lives.

Reviews

[Lain · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to love this book, I really did. But I didn't. In fact, it made me want to grab a big bag of partially hydrogenated Cheetos and an aspartame-laced Diet Coke and revive myself.

The writing is fine, the projects included are fine (though I would have liked to see more). And the photography is okay (in my opinion, I prefer more professional shots rather than the do-it-yourself ones that were included).

While I appreciate and applaud Soule's ideas and perspective, what bothered me was the pervasive feeling that it's either THIS or THAT - there is no middle ground. There's no room for a Silicon Valley mom who occasionally feeds her kids Pop-Tarts and votes Republican but also has gone TV-free for three years and eschews our ready-made culture.

What I love about personal perspective books, even those of the advice or how-to type, is the foibles and mis-steps the author shares. It makes him or her seem more human and more approachable, and thus more inspiring. Think of Martha Stewart -- her books are gorgeous eye candy, but her level of perfectionism is unachievable for most of us. As a result, she turns off some readers with her "I'm so perfect" veneer. Contrast that with the Crafty Chica, Kathy Cano-Murillo, who peppers her books with her tales of woe and crafts-gone-wrong. I'd much prefer to read a book by someone who knows what they're doing, but who made mistakes along the way and isn't afraid to share that.

Creativity is a mindset that ANYONE can achieve, even if they buy Elmer's Glue instead of brewing their own from the recipe in the book, or purchase mass-produced Crayola crayons for their kids. I would have liked to see more solutions that a tapped-out mom of three could include in her kids' lives, ones that don't require creating dye from berries and spending a bundle on "the good" art supplies

I think that those of a similar mindset to Soule will adore this book because it speaks to them where they're at, and they can relate. But this crafty WAH soccer mom felt left by the wayside.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I struggled with this book. I wanted to love it. I love the "ideas" that are in the book, but I couldn't love the book. All of the ideas are Waldorf inspired, but I feel like the book was lacking a bit in execution. If Good Reads gave half stars it would be a 3.5 star book. 5 for ideas and a 2.5 for practicality.

As with many Waldorf type books leading an art based and nature centric life is wonderful, but it is very difficult for those of us who either have to or chose to work full time to incorporate all of the "lifestyle" ideas presented in this book. While other Waldorf books come even more heavy handed than Ms. Soule's the "we do it this way" theme still prevails too much. Many of her ideas, Fairy Houses-Art Based Education-Nature Tables-Felting and Knitting are straight from Waldorf Teacher Training, but she did a good job of keeping the Waldorf anthroposophy portion out of the book (which turns many people away from an otherwise excellent educational method). I commend her for bringing these ideas to a broader audience.

My problems with the book are the repeated themes of use only the best supplies, which I guess also takes away some of the fun of spontaneous arts/crafts for Children... grab what ever is available and work with it versus use only the good stuff to get better results. Which, I really don't think is the goal Ms. Soule intended, and frankly, I love my children, I love the art they create... they are not getting my Moleskine notebooks!

Last comment is the fact that I wish the book was more practical about getting creativity into your life if you are a working family or a family that doesn't home/un-school. Working a full time job leaves me exhausted at the end of the day, so how to bring more creativity into my family when you are tired and cranky. How to show your children you can do both...work and live creatively...how to bring nature into your home even if you work and live in a major city are all themes that could have been further explored.

Really a good book, but not the book I had hoped for. Seriously wish there were half stars because 4 stars is too many and 3 is not really enough to give this good book.

[Janessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book, I was so incredibly inspired by Soule and her parenting philosophy. Soule’s basic idea is that as parents we need to foster imagination and creativity in our children’s lives. We need to do it because the ability to be creative is innate in every child, and it is through the use of this creativity, or their imaginations, that they learn to express themselves, to communicate with the world and with each other, and to become both confident and nurturing.

When Soule speaks of our creative side she is addressing so much more than the act of making things with cloth, paint, or glue. She says, “a large part of nurturing a spirit of creativity comes from being mindful, slowing down, observing, and looking around you at the beauty and inspiration all around. We are blessed as parents to have the best teachers for this – our children. Stop and watch your children often. Really stop and watch, and you’ll see them using such creativity in everything they do – a toddler picking dandelions, a young child making something out of blocks – they inherently work and play with creativity, intent, and imagination.”

What a wonderful way to look at our children, and at the world around us! Don’t we all wish we could take Soule’s advice and slow down a little? What makes that hard to do is time. Something there is never enough of. But Soule addresses that. “Much of our cultural energy is spent filling our minds, hearts, and time with things outside our families,” she says. “While all the external events and energy are wonderful, it is often forgotten that the home and family can be a tremendous source of balance, happiness, inspiration, and creativity.”

In order to avoid the trap of time, Soule suggests that we plan our creative projects into our schedules. She mentions gathering her children together each morning to discuss the day’s creative projects and block out the time for them. She says, “In the same way that we plan the appointments and self-care we need in our lives, we also need to plan for the creative projects that are important to us.” As with anything else in our lives, if it is a priority we will make the time for it.

One way to help us prioritize is to realize the importance of setting examples of creative living for our children. Soule believes that “Imaginative living needn’t and shouldn’t be limited to childhood, and it is our job to tell our children through our actions that their imaginations are something they can use, rely on, and find comfort in throughout their lives.”

Shortly after reading those words I took my children to a small art museum, each armed with a pad of paper and a tin of colored pencils. We had just finished learning about the color wheel and I asked them to look for examples of the color groupings we had talked about: primary, secondary, complimentary. Although my children are young – 4, 6, and 8, they picked up their pencils and began to sketch away. Slowly we wound our way through the museum and eventually ended outside in the gardens, sketching flowers. It was at this point that I remembered what Soule said about setting an example for our children. So I pulled out my own notebook, borrowed pencils from my children, and started sketching a small flower. From the moment I pressed my pencil to the paper an inner dialogue started up in my head, “This looks terrible. You have no idea what you are doing. Make sure nobody sees this.”

And then my daughter popped her head over my shoulder. “Oh, Mom. You are doing so good.” It made me wonder when I had lost my confidence. I loved watching the sunlight flickering over the soft yellow petals. When had I decided that it wasn’t for me to create something from the feeling of wonder that the interplay of light, color, and texture inspired? Somehow along the way I had learned that there was a right way, an only way, to be creative and I didn’t know it.

My children hadn’t learned that yet. They were happily and enthusiastically capturing the nodding flowers with purple, red, and yellow pencils. I wanted them to always feel like there was a way for them to connect with beautiful things, and express what they were seeing and feeling. I realized that first I would have to shed my own insecurities; that we needed to all be creative together.

Another recent epiphany I had that resonated with Soule’s writing came last week when my daughter’s pet goldfish died. It was our first pet, and she had taken such good care of it, feeding it every day, helping me clean out its bowl once a week. She was devastated. And there was nothing I could do to comfort her or stop the tears. Not until I suggested that we find a rock from the backyard and paint it. We could put the fish’s name on the rock and set it in the flower bed to help us remember it. My daughter quickly set to work finding a rock and washing it off while I got out the paint supplies. She put on her smock and forgot her tears as she became absorbed in painting her rock. She made it orange to match her fish, and then I helped her write her fish’s name on the top. She carried her finished rock with her for the rest of the day before finally placing it in its spot in the garden.

I know that it was engaging in the creative process that brought my daughter the comfort she needed. And working on that rock together, as mother and daughter, made the project even more soothing and healing for her. It was a wonderful example of everything that Soule talks about in her book. It didn’t require any intricate patterns or plans, any trips to the craft store, any expense. Just imagination and time.

[Darby · Rating 3 out of 5]

i loved this book at first, then got to wondering if amanda blake soule ever does anything other than sew bunting, throw birthday parties for her kids' imaginary friends, and breathlessly encourage them to pick up sticks and leaves. does she ever do laundry, for example?

[Henrik · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a mixed experience for me. I'd like to be all positive about it, and I support the essence of what is said in it... But... hm...

Here's the thing. There's great ideas and suggestions in this little book to inspire creativity within a family, with a focus on children. However, the author's tone of voice too often grated in my ears:-/

Downside:

The author's "I-am-saved"-like tone of voice. That's a turn-off for me, although others might not mind it so much. She comes across--too often--as one of those people who cannot comprehend what the h*** they did before they had kids; as if life didn't start before then--thus, trumpeteering a "I am saved (a Real Woman)" approach that just doesn't work for me. And, no, I am not saying this because I am a man--I know women (my wife included) who feel the same.

Which brings me to... The specific suggestions for creativity. No doubt they are good (see also "Upside" later), but way too much is on sewing, embroiding, knitting, clothing and suchlike... And, okay, that may be because I am a man but I nonetheless expected this book to be usable for any person regardless of gender. But I find it too onesided here (albeit not entirely, i.e. "Upside").

By her examples I get the impression that I do not agree with her on some basic elements of raising kids... Which may be me reading too much into a few remarks, but as it is this also annoyed me. This, of course, isn't that important in terms of what the book aims at, since I just have to ignore those aspects and focus on the specific suggestions for creative endeavours instead.

Another--but minor--annoyance is the whole "Back to Nature" approach permeating the book. I agree with the basic sentiments, and she does admit that not all have the opportunity to do it as much as she herself likes to, but the almost religious tone of it puts me off.

Upside:

She covers a lot of ground in a fairly well-rounded manner which helps a parent (or a parent to be, as the case is, hehe) being aware of a lot things otherwise easy to forget or stay unaware of. That's very well done by Soule (the author).

Whenever she has a suggestion to sewing stuff, felting, henna painting or whatnot, she includes (in easy-to-find sidebars) recipes, so one can begin right away. Well done (just too bad too much of it wasn't that interesting to me.)

There are good, simple ideas as how to approach daily routines concerning the inevitable issue of how to pack up the mess after a creative day of work, taking into account everything being part of the creativity process; fine storing ideas; excellent suggestions to what you can do to entwine creativity (in a broad sense) with the kids into the everyday life. Lots of room in the book, in other words, to find inspiration:-)

I like Soule's approach to "less can be more" in terms of a kid's storage--in particular the connection this has with quality. For instance, it's not important that a child has 1,000 coloring pencils--for if they are of low quality the colors will fade soon after; it's better to have, say, 10 good quality pencils that really make the painting or whatnot stand out--and stays like that for years. It's important to learn kids the value of longterm quality, and to do so, I think, in such a subtle way is a nice touch worth considering.

So, there you have it... Some things I like, some I don't. That's the basis for my medium grading. Hopefully my review can then help you decide if you want to go and purchase this book or go look somewhere else, knowing that what I don't like you may like quite a bit:-)

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find myself making the same complaints about every instructional book I read: sentence fragments, typos, too much preaching-to-the-choir type filler material, too many annoyingly repeated words and turns-of-phrase (for example, "each and every", and the word "gift" used as a verb). And yeah, this book wasn't really different. Well, there were only a couple of sentence fragments.
But I still enjoyed it, snobbishness aside. It's full of really interesting ideas, and I think I'll refer to it more and more as Isobel grows into those ideas. I especially liked the chapters on displaying a child's artwork and capturing special moments, and the section on Craftivism. Of course, not everything relates to me- I'm not particularly interested in knitting or embroidery. But rather than making me feel guilty for not wanting to do these creative things with my children, the author presents them in a way that makes them seem approachable, at least, like if I wanted to, I could handle it. She's very encouraging and enthusiastic, and really, most of the projects presented in this book are simple enough for even me. They are, after all, intended for children.

[Sinta Nisfuanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Salah satu timbunan yang rasanya nyesel baru di baca sekarang. Banyak inspirasi dari buku ini terutama hal tentang 'kesiapan' menampung, mendorong dan menghargai kreativitas anak. Satu lagi, buku ini membangkitkan keinginan lama saya, yaitu belajar merajut.

Ulasan selengkapnya di The Creative Family

[Leila T. · Rating 3 out of 5]

27 June 2010: I'm definitely enjoying this book, inspired by all of the creativity, and excited for when I can start putting some of the ideas into practice with my own family. It's very well put together, very clear layout and writing, and I love all the pictures that are on almost every other page. I actually wish they were on every page!

A couple of things that are niggling at me, things I'm hoping will disappear or at least reduce if I talk about them, so that I can enjoy the book more once I've articulated the annoyances.

1. The overuse of inverted commas ("..."). They are especially noticeable in the captions of photos, where they are inappropriately and universally used and turn a regular sentence into one laden with, for instance, sarcasm.

One example is on page 45: 'A "new" pair of pants for Adelaide, from Papa's "old" shirt.' This description of a photo showing a pair of pants that have been made for a toddler out of a shirt that once belonged to her father, to my eyes, doesn't need the quote marks around "old" especially, although I can understand the desire to put them around "new". Another favourite is the caption for a tall dresser that holds art supplies in their dining room: 'a "free" piece of furniture found by the side of the road (not the exact quote).' By taking it you made it free? That kind of thing is pretty hilarious to me.

This is probably a pet peeve of mine, when people are quote-mark happy, and if it occurred just a few times in this book, it probably would occasionally raise my shackles and I would get over it, but, because of the frequency of the use of (beautiful, useful) photographs, it happens, like I said, on every other page, and I feel in a state of perpetual annoyance. Oh, it's good to be me!

2. Another thing that bothers me slightly, or leaves me feeling unsatisfied, is the omnipresent Call To Nature in this book that is never really explained. It is asserted as a final statement of life that children should be connected to the earth, and there is never any explanation as to why this might be a good thing, socially, psychologically, emotionally, physically, or intellectually. The encouragement to be creative in one's family is qualified in all these ways, but not the invocation to connect children (and ourselves) with the origins of things.

I happen to agree with this philosophy in general: we also primarily buy second-hand stuff; love natural (i.e., ones that closely resemble their origins) fibres and products; are mostly vegetarian/vegans; are conscious about the ethics of how something is made/transported/grown; grow our own vegetables; buy at farmer's markets when we can; spend a lot of time outdoors; bike instead of drive if we can; eat whole, unprocessed foods most of the time; blah blah blah.

So what I think is bothering me is how this attitude to living is not explained. It's not enough for me to hear someone state something as though it were a fundamental truth of life but not give evidence for why (at least the asserter thinks) this is so. It's a kind of unreflexive, unquestioned thinking that is not consonant with the thirst for learning and discovering that's portrayed in the book itself.

I understand that this book isn't about scientific research and that it's not its purpose to provide even a bibliography for further study of this Back To Earth statement. But the author doesn't offer any anecdotal evidence, even from her own family, of how this has improved their minds/bodies/spirits. Of creativity's impact, yes. Of using specifically handmade wooden knitting needles instead of acrylic? No.

I'm about halfway through this book (a lovely, gentle read, since I started it last night), and I'm hoping that now I've got these complaints out of my system I'll be able to approach the book with fresh eyes and see only the good stuff that I really love, so when I finish it, I will have a mostly positive review to write.

5 July 2010: After finishing this last night, I think that I might purchase it to have ready access to its ideas; I do think it is worth actually buying, especially since I plan on starting classes for children in the afternoons at our home. There are several ideas in there that are appealing on their own (like the Wall of Sound, felt crowns for birthdays) and lots more that are inspiring as a kind of springboard for further creativity.

What other reviewers have said about the condescending tone is true, though, which is unfortunate especially since Soule's personal blog is absent of it (I hadn't heard of her blog before picking up this book; after checking out some of her recent posts I came to this conclusion).

There was one bit towards the end, I think in the chapter on celebrations, where it talks about how toasting your child's milestone or accomplishment can commemorate it in a simple but special way, and that you can even have the child give the little speech describing the cause for celebration. Great idea. It's followed up by a description of how, as the parents, it would be best to act after listening to the child: "cheer hip-hurray!", "applaud", "be enthusiastic!". Just in case you thought booing or greeting the child's speech with crickets was appropriate.

One other thing (and I'm restraining myself, because I can think of about three other things that I'd also like to write about but won't since I already feel like this review is more negative than positive) is the focus on the embroidery/sewing/journalling spectrum of creative activities in a family. Perhaps the author isn't herself into woodwork/carving/robotics, but these are equally important manifestations of creativity that are not given a mention in the book, not even it seems in the "further reading/references" pages.

But honestly this kind of book is useful, and this book in particular is quite lovely. I did like it. Some parts of it made it not my favourite, but actually, since I'm not a crafty person and there are SO MANY family-craft books out there, this felt like a calm and gentle way for me to make a start, somewhere, anywhere, and to feel less intimidated by material of this genre.

[Trix · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like Soulemama's blog. I like the devotion to her family and her craft. Her book felt like her blog. I like how passionate and creative she is about her home and family and how she incorporates nature into the craft projects she organizes with her kids. It made me happy to read that a mom, inspired by the birth of her children and the growth of her family, was encouraged to make art for and with them. I know lots of women who push their creative sides way down to the bottom of the priority list where it collects dust. As an artist it does my heart good to hear that a busy mom can find a way to keep a house and still follow her creative urges. If this book was on my bookshelf, I would probably pull it out for inspiration now and then when trying to think of something to do with my family. I can't say that there were any projects in there that were all that new for me and I would have loved some new ideas but I enjoyed her photos and hearing her ideas. I found the book as a whole to be a sort of reminder not to let these years when our children are young and have active imaginations slip away. It was a how not to book as much as it was a how to book I think.

[Suzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book, full of wonderful ideas for incorporating creativity into our own and our children's everyday lives. I found many great ideas I'm already using in my home, and it's really inspired me to consider the SPACE we play in and how to make it more beautiful AND useful (I always was a William Morris fan ;0) I put up an art wire (from which are dangling many of the kids' projects, to their great pride and joy), boxed up a bunch of toys to rotate so that the shelves are uncluttered, took down a Monet print and in its frame put Zoe's original art, and created an entire art center out of a book shelf languishing in the garage. I'm LOVING the changes and so are the kids, and I can't wait to do more! It's so exciting when you find an author who makes you feel GRATEFUL that she wrote her book (and her blog: http://soulemama.typepad.com/). She also recommended a lot of her favorite books, so I should be busy for a while....

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

How do I say this? For starters, let's clarify that I really love Amanda's blog. It is probably one of my three favorite craft blogs out there.

That said, I think the editor was a little too present in this book. It promises Amanda's same warm tone as on her blog - I didn't find this to be true. There are times when you do hear Amanda but often it is muffled by editorial organization and phrasing.

What did I love about the book? The ideas, the details of family routines and traditions, advice for inspiring creativity and putting materials in easy reach and quick access for all ages, encouraging interaction between generations, and finding a place to be you.

I will keep the book and refer to it more as my children grow but for now I think her blog and I will keep better company. It's more "her" and less...anyone else.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally got my copy in the mail, and am enjoying it tremendously. Since discovering Amanda's Soule Mama blog several years ago and being a devoted daily reader of her blog, I feel like I'm buying a book written by a good friend. The pictures are worth the price of the book alone. There are a wealth of great of ideas as well.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this book from the library because I've recently discovered the author's blog (Soule Mama) which is generally focused on crafts, sewing, motherhood, family, etc. I'm actually not a very "crafty" type person, but I still enjoy the blog and thought I would check out her book.

That said, the book was OK but nothing really amazing. I really like the premise of encouraging your children's imagination and creativity in various ways, as well as finding small things to really bring your family closer together. It's something that I want to focus more on, instead of just being overwhelmed by TV and technology as is so easy for me to do.

However, it does get a little "preachy" at times. By this I mean that Ms. Soule is such a folksy, "back-to-nature", sew-all-your-own-clothes kind of mother and she can't help but make you feel like this is how we ALL should be. Even though she tries hard not to make it sound like that. I still feel kinda bad after I read this book because I still am a little bit of a city girl at heart and yes, I enjoy my overpriced lattes and I let my kids watch TV sometimes (OK, I may be getting a little too defensive now...).

I hope I'm not giving the impression that I didn't like the book at all, because there was lots of stuff I really liked. It is actually inspiring to see that she can do these kinds of creative art projects and things with her 3 kids (she now has 4, another was born since this book came out)--and for each idea she tries to incorporate ideas for how both young and older kids could participate. I'd like to try out some of the general ideas with my two little girls at home. (although I think I'll skip "cooking your own homemade glue").

Overall, the book is pretty good but I still like her blog better for some reason. The blog has even gotten me to try and teach myself how to knit! So maybe I can figure out how to be "crafty" after all.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like Soule’s perspective that a child’s imagination is something to be nurtured and not simply left to nature. I whole-heartedly agree. I agree with her premise that children need to see the adults in their lives engaged in regular creative pursuits as an example that a large part of a healthy life centers on continuing to feed our creative selves. I appreciate that she sees creativity less as a paint-by-numbers project here and there and more as a way of life, or of seeing the world. What I don’t agree with is that she wants me to make my own glue.

This book has a lot of great perspective on how to make the home a creative haven for children (and adults.) While much of it is dedicated to offering this philosophy of living a creative life, there are some great projects given step-by-step instructions, as well as many general descriptions of activities that can bring the whole family together in creative pursuits. I plan to pick up a used copy of this book to place on my child’s playroom bookshelf, if for no other reason than to remind me to continually nurture his imagination. I’m sure some of the step-by-step projects will find their way into our future as well.

[Algernon · Rating 2 out of 5]

You might not have time to brew purple dye from cabbage leaves or cook glue, you might not be lucky enough to find or afford a beautiful cabinet for storing art supplies, or to implement all of the author's other solutions, but this book is full of good serving suggestions for surrounding children with lovely things to play with, alternatives to buying mass-produced and packaged "fun" if you are looking for inspiration.

The book may have benefited from an extra dimension, as noted in a review below, by some anecdotes about projects gone wrong or mistakes. I wanted to know more about what sorts of resistance she has encountered as her children grew older and wanted more consumer merchandise that their peers surely have.

The book would definitely have benefitted from more rigorous copy editing. One chapter boldly quotes a poem by somebody named "Wendell Barry," and there is galling confusion of when to use "I" and "me" throughout. The prose is an unnecessary distraction. Creativity is not the same thing as sloppiness.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I agree with a lot of the reviews regarding how the author presents an all-too-perfect idea of how life, family and creativity should be woven together into a perfect tapestry made from wool freshly shorn from a local sheep and dyed with organic berries grown in one's own backyard, I came away with the message that our lives would be just a little bit better if we stopped to take a collective breath with the people we love, recognize simple beauties around us, and feel gratitude for the many blessings we have. Will we be able to create a lifestyle like the one the author has presented in this book? Heck no!! We shouldn't even expect ourselves to try to. But I think if we do try just one of her ideas, or some variation that is realistic to our own lifestyle -- for example, using craft supplies from the dollar store instead of her recommended highest-quality materials -- we will learn something about the natural creativity that exists in children and ourselves and foster new and deeper connections with our loved ones.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it, BUT...I have to agree with other reviewers that were a little put-off by the slightly smug tone. I don't think Amanda Blake Soule set out to say that her family is perfect and everyone else is doing it wrong, but frankly I felt like if she brought her kids over to my son's birthday party, I would worry about her raising her eyebrow over some of his plastic toys. I think some of her ideas are great (I've been looking into reconstructing cast-off clothes to make into clothing for my son, and have so far made two crappy shirts that don't fit him) but I would have liked to see more tutorials. Some ideas are cute and useful (family drawing time, teaching kids how to knit) but I really don't see myself boiling grass to use as dye when I can buy it from the store. I think in general some people might feel really inspired and have a few new ideas after reading this book, but others will come away feeling slightly chastised.

[Elke Ursin · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG, what an amazing life this woman leads! There are so many nuggets that I am taking out of this and applying to my life. Many many practical and low cost suggestions on how to lead an amazing creative life with your family. Well, to be honest I can't see my husband participating in every aspect, but at least little one will have a blast with mama! :) I highly recommend this book to any mother of youngish children who has the smallest desire to be crafty and creative. One of the biggest bits of wisdom I walk away with is to wake up earlier and fit in a small bit of craftiness every day. For mamas that think they don't have enough time to be crafty, I say just make the effort to find some time! Sometimes you can let the dishes sit another day if instead you can make a fabric book for your child that will last a lifetime. Prioritize what is important (which is often NOT the dishes). :)

[Esther · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really loved this book. It is much better than most of it's kind. I was inspired and motivated to keep nourishing my own creative juices and those in my family. I was a little overwhelmed because I would like to do everything Soule suggests and it's just not possible and still keep balance with the other things of life.

One creative tip was quite timely because I was looking at making or buying a puppet theatre/stage thing and Soule just gave the idea of a curtain on a spring rod placed half way down in a doorway. So simple, so inexpensive- pure genius. We did it the next day and Aurora loved the puppet show I put on for her :)

Christina- Have you read this book or do you read the author's blog SouleMama? Many of the creative projects she suggests I recognized because you had done them.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great inspiration and resource for families looking to connect with each other through creative endeavors. I also found it refreshing to not read about fitting the projects in school schedules, matching the art to a curriculum etc. (which is a breath of fresh air when school is not part of your family's lifestyle) The author makes the case for a homespun and nature-based aesthetic in the home. I am enjoying the ideas and images and am already implementing some with our 7 year old. However we do have a modern lifestyle with all the toys and trappings, so I can use the ideas as a great jumping off point for our family, but not a call to throw out the Wii, the hard rocking MP3s and the subscription to Netflix. Overall, enjoyable and inspiring book.

[Kellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a lot of great ideas for organizing your home and for creating routines that nurture creativity and connectedness within the family. There are a handful of crafting ideas I think I will do and a few more that I'd like to think I can/will do but probably won't. Mostly though I think it is worth reading for the simpler stuff - like modified parlor games that little ones can do (already a huge hit at our house), collecting objects in a large craft cabinet - particularly found objects around the house and in nature, using high quality materials so kids can create things to truly keep and use, art journaling, and making art time a visible part of everyone's life - if not daily than at least regularly.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I liked best about this book is how excited it got me about being a mother. Soule gives a lot of great suggestions about how to really enjoy family life with small kids. I especially like her suggestions about how to use and display childrens' creations.

I'm not so big into the hippy-like elements of her book. Not all of us can live in the Maine countryside either. Then there was the part about all holding hands as a family before meal time and taking a deep collective breath together. I'm sure Chris would LOVE that. Personally I would feel really silly.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was going to give this book three stars, but that was only because I felt guilty while reading it that we don't do more crafty stuff around here. It really does offer some great ideas for spending creative time with your kids, indoors and out, and encourages families to live more simply. I am going to attempt some of the projects with my kids, although some of her other "living" advice we'll probably skip. I just don't see us ringing the meditation bell as we gather around the solstice table. My husband's reaction to that would be worth a book in itself.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's filled with great photos and patterns, not to mention LOTS of practical and inexpensive creative ideas to implement with family. She is showing me how it is possible to be a mom and an artist simultaneously by getting more creative with my parenting. I just can't say enough good about this book right now.

[Jess Gill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd been looking forward to reading this book since Amanda first mentioned it on her blog. It was as genuine, heartfelt, and inspiring as I'd anticipated.

[Rebecca Walker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really enjoying this. A little too Waldorfy at times--wistful, earth centered, fairy-driven--but calming and helpful just the same.

[Danika · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure you can say I READ this book. Skimmed is more like it. I enjoy her blog and I like the concept of crafting with your family. It's just not my thing, though.

[karenbee · Rating 3 out of 5]

You know how there are crafty blogs that make you feel like you'll never get half the stuff done in a year that the blogger does in a week?

And you know how some of those blogs are written by moms and their kids are always adorable and well-behaved and whimsical and only CUTELY mischievous and the blogger does all these lovely creative projects and has the PERFECT organizational system (held in a gorgeous "found" piece of furniture, of course) for craft supplies and whips up princess or pirate outfits for the kids at night while those little elfin children sleep, cuddling their acorn dolls and dreaming about the fairy houses they built that afternoon?

If those blogs make you feel inferior or miserable, you probably shouldn't read this book! If you can console yourself with the thought that the magazine-perfect blog you're reading is only one part of the whole story and right now one of those kids is probably cranky and tired and unphotographed, and you've learned to pick what you can use and leave the rest, The Creative Family might work for you. Maybe.

I enjoyed browsing through most of the projects -- a lot of them were things I've seen online before, but it's always nice to have them in a format that's easy to flip through -- and the pics of Soule's kids' projects were cute, but honestly, I ended up skimming most of the text; Soule's writing tic seems to be using scare quotes EVERYWHERE and they started to make me twitch after the first chapter.

There are some good ideas in The Creative Family regarding cultivating gratitude and an appreciation of nature, like the notion of having an outdoor spot that you think of as YOURS. There were a handful of ideas that would be impractical for my family to implement as-is, but with a little tweaking they'll work for us, and I think that was Soule's intention when she wrote the book, that it would be used as a jumping-off point. Then there were things like the little nature tables and baby clothes made out of adult shirts and over-complicated notions of nature appreciation -- those things just aren't going to happen for us.

In the end, I wasn't as enchanted by it as I expected to be. I guess I was looking for something more inclusive, while The Creative Family actually covers one family's experience in exploring creativity, and that family has a lot of time to do their exploring. Although my family lives smack-dab in the middle of nature, I work outside the home and I have an older child who attends school outside the home; when it comes down to it, I just don't feel like this book was MEANT for me. I'll take what I can use and move on.


(two-and-a-half stars)

[Jacob · Rating 3 out of 5]

The rating for this book was really hard to decide. There are a lot of good ideas in here about creative things to do, like easy ways to start your kids learning to embroider and "joy jars" as gifts. I also appreciate the author's emphasis that anyone can be creative by pursuing hobbies they enjoy, and that the only real quality metric needs to be that you are doing what you want to be doing. The writing is good, engaging, and easy to read.

What I don't appreciate is that the author strongly and repeatedly urges living according to her idea of creativity as a lifestyle instead of creativity as an enhancement to anyone's lifestyle. I had expected tips and techniques on how to introduce more creativity in anyone's life, but I should have paid more attention to the descriptive text "This book embraces a whole new way of living". The relentless nature-worship is also a turn off. I wish I was exaggerating when I describe much of the text as literal nature worship, but the second half of the book not only dedicates a chapter to it, but describes a number of rituals you can use in your own nature worship.

I don't actually have a problem with the author's expression of religious beliefs, except that I disagree with the author that those particular beliefs are necessary for creativity and feel that a lot of space in the book is wasted advocating them. That space should be used in support of the title, describing how a reader can encourage creativity, imagination, and family connections in their own life.

Also, I suspect my idea of what is natural, comes from nature, and connects us to nature is very different (and more inclusive) than the author's. Seriously, what doesn't come from nature? The author shouldn't be encouraging us to avoid unnatural things (which don't exist as far as I can tell), but encouraging us to discover how everything is connected to nature and how things are derived from natural sources.

[Kandice · Rating 2 out of 5]

This isn't necessarily a review, but rather a few ideas from the book that inspired me.

The art on-the-go bags and freezer paper shirts are some crafts that we will try in the near future. I also appreciated Amanda's suggestion of photographing rooms of your home during different times of your child's life. I really wish I had done that when my son was an infant and we had baby gear (swing, tummy time mat, non-wooden exersaucer etc.) all over the house. Of course, I have photos of him with all those things, but a picture of the room would have been neat to look back on (the carpets would have been stain-free!). Amanda also suggested taking photos of rooms at the end of the day. I did that the other night and captured some cool things that my son built. There is a story behind those pictures wherein you can imagine how he played with his shopping cart and then abandoned it for the dinosaurs as the cart was parked next to the jungle. haha

Amanda did remind me to give my 3 yr old a treasure box for things he values. I will definitely take pictures of the things he puts in it :-)

Beyond those listed above, everything else just seemed beyond my reach. I'm a suburban mom with 2 cats that don't produce wool. I also hate knitting and crocheting. I love creating though!

If you are looking for a book that truly encourages creativity within the family, skip this one and go for The Artful Parent: Simple Ways to Fill Your Family's Life with Art and Creativity--Includes over 60 Art Projects for Children Ages 1 to 8. The projects are within the average family's grasp unlike Soule's book.