December 2024: Filling My Creative Well With Live Theatre and Bad Hats Theatre’s Peter Pan

Posted on December 6, 2024 by Karyn Good

Live theatre is one of my favourite ways to fill my creative well. I love it. I’m still painting and having fun with it. Lots of messy pictures! And lights. One of my favourite thing about the holiday season is lights. We are pretty conservative with ours but I love driving passed the houses where the people have gone all out.

Bad Hats Theatre’s Peter Pan at Globe Theatre.

Adapted by Fiona Sauder & Reanne Spitzer | Music by Landon Doak | Arrangements by Nathan Carroll and Company

Playing from November 27 to January 5, 2025

In this version of the iconic story, Smee the Pirate takes the audience on an adventure ride through his life in Neverland. See the story as if for the first time and find out what it’s like to chase shadows, follow stars, battle Peter Pan, fly with Tinkerbell, serve Captain Hook, and find family. Set to the sounds of a prairie kitchen party and using the imaginations of cast and audience alike, the company transforms the newly renovated Globe Theatre into a magical land where imagination is king and playing pretend is queen.

Gosh, so happy to be back at Globe Theatre which has been under renovation the last couple of years. Renovations aren’t quite complete but that didn’t affect the performance. The main stage area is complete and familiar while new and fresh looking and comfortable.

The performance! What a welcome back for the audiences. Every actor shone in their roles. It always amazes me what they can do with a few key pieces and props that rotate in and out of scenes. The actors that played Peter Pan and Wendy, along with Smee and the ensemble cast, were the story, they created an atmosphere of nostalgia and gifted us with the story we know and love so well from the first moment to the last. Those wonderful performances showcased the fantastic acting and scene stealing moments by Captain Hook (Joey Tremblay) and Tinkerbell (Kris Alvarez). So well done!

Lastly, a shout out to the ensemble cast. They performed different roles. They danced. They sang. They played instruments. Everyone did an amazing job! The talent in this province is first rate.

Highly recommend! Because who can’t use a little trip to Neverland for a much needed reset during the chaos of the holiday season.

Until next time…

Remember to give yourself some grace during these hectic days.

November 2024: My Month in Review

Posted on November 28, 2024 by Karyn Good

November has come and mostly gone. I don’t know, what is there to say about November? I did stuff? I get that November is big in the US with Thanksgiving and all, but in Canada? It’s kind of just a regular month. Unless you’re one of those cheery, bright-spirited people who already have their tree up and have decorated for Christmas while bopping around to holiday music.

I have gotten some Christmas things done! I ordered our tree, which will be here the beginning of December. I made gift tags. I also started making lists to keep organized in an effort to manage my tinsel themed holiday anxiety. Who remembers that glittery silver tinsel that you hung on the tree and that stuck to everything? My anxiety is a little bit like that tinsel. It will hang around where it’s least wanted if I don’t manage it.

Also, it snowed. Like, a lot. Winter has officially arrived. As I sit here writing, big, fluffy flakes are falling down. Again.

I’ve been writing almost every day. I’m very happy about that.

In spirit of American Thanksgiving and because it’s always good to give thanks, I’ll say I’m grateful for family and friends and the understanding and empathy we’ve felt from our loved ones this year. May the rest of 2024 be kind to you.

And, lastly:

Until next time…

November 2024: Refilling My Creative Well with Cross Stitch

Posted on October 31, 2024 by Karyn Good

Who else is a fan of cross stitch? If you are a fan, you’re on to something. Cross stitch has many benefits. It’s creative, it’s soothing, it helps reduce stress, and it improves your focus. There are lots of benefits to this mindful activity that has a range of patterns for everyone’s taste and time constraints. And you have something pretty to show for your efforts.

If you’re new to cross stitch here is an excellent post to check out: A Beginner’s Guide to Cross Stitch.

I think the easiest way to get started is with a kit that includes all the things you need. I was lucky enough to get a wide range of threads from my Mom who didn’t want them anymore. That means I can just buy patterns like this Mini Masterpieces collection of 60 patterns for $15. You can also find patterns for free on Pinterest, like the little Jeep above.

So, that’s what I do in the evening while my husband watches sports. I have to say, I hardly watch television anymore. Cross stitch has become an important part of my effort to unwind in the evenings before bed, along with trying not to look at my phone after 8:00 pm.

So, if you’re finding you need a way to refocus and refresh during this time of shorter days and longer nights, you might want to give cross stitch a try.

Until next time…

What have you been doing to refill your creative well? I’d love to hear your adventures.

October 2024: Refilling My Creative Well

Posted on October 4, 2024 by Karyn Good

I mentioned last week that I’d been reading a lot. The last ten months have been full of strife, stress and worry. Life often leaves us feeling depleted. It’s important to fill your creative well. And my well felt very, very empty. I couldn’t see my way to doing the things that I have always done to feel creative. And because my creative well fuels my writing, I haven’t been writing very much at all. But it’s time to change that and to be able to do that I have to once again fill my creative well.

My sister gave me a watercolour journal for my birthday. I cracked it open and feathered through all thee crisp clean pages waiting for colour. I love playing around with my watercolours. Nothing too serious. I find inspiration on Instagram and Pinterest and go from there. Lots of times I’m happy with the results. But mistakes will be made. There will be times when I don’t like the colour combinations I’ve used or the strokes or the idea anymore. Or a host of other things. But none of that matters because it’s all about the journey. It’s about exploring. Not about criticizing my efforts.

I’m also working on a very little something for my granddaughter. It’s something I’ve never tried before, a little attempt at a tiny magazine. She may like it, she may not. And that’s okay. It’s not something precious. It’s just a little something I wanted to try that might make her smile. What she does with it is up to her.

So there it is, a little look into my creative process lately.

Until next time…

How are you filling your creative well these days?

January 2024: Searching for the Light

Posted on January 12, 2024 by Karyn Good

Life has a way of turning on a dime. That was certainly case in December. For those that aren’t aware, we have a daughter with an intellectual disability who faces other challenges as well. She lives with us, and my husband and I are her caregivers. Last month saw her wrestling with some intense mental health challenges. She spent time in the hospital receiving care for which we are incredibly grateful. We still have major challenges to overcome but we are seeing gradual improvement each week. However, it was very hard witnessing her struggling within a severely underfunded healthcare system that is not designed to be inclusive. During the longest night of this winter season I’ve searched for the light.

Who remembers the TV show Northern Exposure? I loved that show! John Corbett played the role of Chris Stevens, a radio host who quoted Walt Whitman, Jung and Dostoevsky and provided an offbeat philosophy and commentary on the goings-on in Cicely, Alaska. One of his memorable rambles was about finding the light.

During this process of breakdown and recovery, I haven’t written anything. I’ve managed some reading. I’ve done some neurographic art doodles. We’ve gone to therapy. We’ve made our way to the other side. It’s time to start a new normal, which means a new routine. Part of that for me means figuring out how to get some writing done. Writing creates a light in me.

So, I started with a blog post.

Until next time…

August 2023: Round Up

Posted on August 24, 2023 by Karyn Good

August is winding up, which is giving me have all the end of summer feels. But it’s not pumpkin spice season yet. Don’t get me wrong, I love autumn. But I’m not ready to embrace all the wonders autumn brings. So, here’s hoping for a lovely September.

Not included is a photo of the best ice cream cone I’ve had in a long, long time. It was Raspberry Macaroon (Vegan) in a waffle cone from Village Cream in Calgary. Oh my word. Delicious.

I spent a few days in Calgary visiting my sister and her family. We packed a lot of goodness into our visit. From a visit to a delightful boutique romance bookstore, Slow Burn Books, to a Fibre Arts Exhibit, Entwined and Entangled, at the Leighton Art Centre, We dined at Merchants in the Marda Loop area. My nephews are fifteen and twelve and they have a family tradition of playing a simple but lively card game called Anomia when they go out for dinner. No one looked at their phone once. Of course, we fit in a game of Scrabble.

We went the theatre to watch the Barbie movie. it was as awesome as everyone is saying! Highly recommend. We watched Red, White and Royal Blue based on the popular romance novel by Casey McQuiston. (Amazon Prime). Loved it. Recommend. We watched Fisk (Netflix). So funny! Definitely check it out and see if it might appeal.

Harvest is in full swing, kids are getting ready to go back to school. It’s the time of cooler evenings and backyard fires. Tan lines will begin to fade and the leaves will start to turn. Until then, I’ll be soaking up the last month of summer. Going to the pool, golfing, eating all the market garden produce, and praying the frost holds off for a few more weeks.

Until next time…

How are you filling the last days of summer?

May 2023: Charcuterie Season

Posted on May 12, 2023 by Karyn Good

‘Tis patio season!

That means happy hour outside. Hands up if you love a good Charcuterie board as much as I do? We also love nachos. Chips and dip. Any kind of cracker you can use to scoop up some hummus. Heck, microwave popcorn. Of course, you can eat all these things year round, but everything tastes better outside.

How to build a Charcuterie Board inspiration.

Even more inspiration with Four Steps to a Gorgeous Charcuterie Board.

I’m just back from a wonderful time in Vancouver visiting family and having a lovely time that involved my granddaughter’s three year birthday party. It was as much fun as it sounds. Laughter and balloons and rainbows, which was the theme. That means next week will be about getting back into some kind of schedule and back to my work-in-progress that I haven’t thought about in a month. I may have to glue my butt to the chair.

Until next time…

Give me all your best ideas for snackin’ on the patio!

April 2023: Round Up

Posted on April 28, 2023 by Karyn Good

We’re back from a much needed vacation. For me, vacations include time away from social media which is why there wasn’t much happening here in April. So, this round up is about our trip to Palm Springs, California. We’re big fans of California.

Palm Springs, California

This was our first time staying in Palm Springs instead of staying near the ocean. I love vacationing by the water but it’s just warmer in the desert, go figure.The desert resort city of Palm Springs lies in the Coachella Valley of southern California. It’s got a very mid-century modern vibe, which I immediately embraced.

In fact, we stayed in a VRBO that was immersed in the mid-century modern style from the architecture to the design details. I loved how the teal tones blended with the brown and orange tones. There was a tiny patio off each bedroom and a lovely landscaped yard with a view of Mount San Jancito State Park.

MCM became popular in Europe post WWII as cost effective way to move forward in function and style. A wide low footprint, flat roof lines, and an abundance of windows put the focus on blending in with nature. The style made it way to America and was embraced by the West Coast, particularly, and Palm Springs quickly became known for all things mid century modern.

Honestly, we didn’t do a lot of exploring and kept it very low key. We swam, we read, we dined. We shopped. We did do a self guided tour of mid century modern homes. Below is the Edris House. You can see and read more about this fabulous house here.

Now it’s back to reality and back to writing.

Until next time…

It’s finally looking like spring has sprung. Time for spring activities. What’s everyone looking forward to doing after a long winter?

February 2023: To Do List and Favourite Podcasts

Posted on February 3, 2023 by Karyn Good

It’s -39 C with the windchill today. Enough said. But also, why is February both the shortest and longest month of the year? In a world focused on productivity and hustle, it’s challenging to make space dedicated to rest and recovery and wintering. So, I made a fun little list of things to do. Take that, February.

My Three Favourite Podcasts of the Moment:

Maintenance Phase with Aubrey Jordan and Michael Hobbes. Wellness and weight loss, debunked and decoded.

I Love It But I Hate It with Kat Angus and Jocelyn Geddie. Hateful optimists and loving pessimists Kat Angus and Jocelyn Geddie break down movies and TV shows that they totally despise… but also really adore at the same time.

Fated Mates with Sarah MacLean and Jen from Jen Reads Romance. Weekly episodes include romance novel read-alongs and discussions of the work of the genre, highlighting the romance novel as a powerful tool in fighting patriarchy…with absolutely no kink shaming.

If you’re are curious, have a listen. They’re all so good. And I promise you will laugh and who doesn’t need a laugh in February.

Until next time…

What are your plans for February?