Have you ever had a dream where you wonder if you are dreaming? In those kinds of dreams, I have often told myself I must be dreaming, because in real life you never question if you are awake. Or in real life, have you ever suddenly been jolted into a heightened sense of reality–through intense…
Tag: mackenzie chester
A Room of My Own (And a little bit of big news for The Sacred Everyday)
I don’t know how many times I have had a dream where I was walking through the house and I suddenly found a door I had never noticed before. I opened it up, and there was an empty room. And my heart just welled up knowing I could do anything I wanted with that space….
Looking Deeply Inside Myself (The beautiful work of journaling)
5:17 a.m. My eyes open in bed. I had a dream that woke first my mind, then my body. My face is pressed against a sweet, softly-sleeping baby. In the dark I lift him up and carry him across the room to place him gently in his crib. He doesn’t wake. A small miracle. I…
No-Stress Paint Party, Creative Family Idea Box Day #8
You know why I love watercolors so much? Because it just doesn’t matter how big the mess is. If there are any spills, it is just water! There is no reason painting can’t be a regular part of a child’s life. Surprise your children with a paint party! Set the table with brushes, watercolors (even…
Family Journal Time, Creative Family Idea Box Day #7
I love journaling. It is truly the heartbeat of everything I do creatively and has been my whole life. Nearly every good idea I’ve ever had my whole life is scribbled down in a notebook somewhere. Today I’d like to introduce you to the idea of Family Journaling. Gather around the table with some paper…
Free Doodle and Activity Book, Creative Family Idea Box Day #6
I am so happy to share these fun doodle and coloring pages with you! I had to hide these drawings, because my children kept asking me if they could have them. I told them they would have to wait till morning, and I would print them all out their own books. I have posted 5…
Feelings Book: Creative Family Idea Box Day 2
I love this project. It is so simple, but it really reveals a lot about what makes us all happy, sad, mad, overjoyed, etc… (Any emotion you can name, you can use for this one!) It can be a lot of fun (we laughed a lot when we pulled out our book we made years…
Big Announcement from The Chester Family!
Well, the day is here that I share something big that is happening to our family. After years of wrestling with a vision of a more creative life, showing up season by season to journal, write, make art, make music, encourage my husband in his incredible music, support our children through homeschool and giving them…
Keeping Part of You Alive (Motherhood and Creative Vision)
Sometimes I look in the mirror and barely recognize myself. What happened to that person I used to be–the one who was bubbling over with good ideas and introduced to strangers with an impressive trail of accomplishments following her name? The person who had dreams and ambitions greater than getting every room in the house…
The Sacred Everyday
This morning I woke up to a miracle. All of my children are still soundly sleeping in their beds, except for the baby, who came down early to snuggle. Her head is fuzzy and soft like a little duck. The house is dark. And quiet. There is no birdsong yet. The hum of thought in…
Free Printable Paper Doll Club Coloring Book
A thank you gift for you! This beautiful coloring book is 43 pages of drawings by Rosie, Paloma, Kells, and myself. Enjoy it yourself and/or give it as a gift. Just print it out, staple it together, and wrap it with a brand new set of gel pens, colored pencils, or crayons. We are offering…
Found Object Nativity Scene: Creative Family Advent Day 1
This was a really sweet project. I told the kids we were going to make a Nativity Scene from found objects. We bundled up, went out, and started gathering materials. The picture I had in my head originally is drastically different than our finished product, but I am sooooo happy with the way it came…