Brittney St.Amant, Author at Maker Faire Saskatoon

Helia is one of our newest Makers, located in western Canada. She is an artist, with a passion for creating beautiful mandalas. For those of you that don’t know, mandalas are a geometric symbol and are often associated with spiritual guidance. Found within Buddhist and Hindu circles, Mandalas can be used to establish a sacred space and as a visual aid for meditation.

Helia found her passion for mandala art at the age of fifteen when her auntie registered her into an introductory workshop. From there, she began practicing and drawing pieces by hand, beginning with simple patterns, and later creating very intrinsic pieces.

BACKGROUND

Helia is originally from a small village in the Côte D’azur southeast side of France, called St. Paul de Vence. As a child, she attended an alternative education elementary school which incorporates more open learning into the education system, allowing children to have the freedom to follow a variety of different interests. This type of school system focuses on showing children the outdoors, experiences within other communities, and provides children with the freedom to follow creative pursuits.

Helia spent her childhood drawing abstract pieces and curiously delving into the arts. Before going to high school (age 16-18), children in France must choose a field of focus during their college years (age 12-15). With the support of her family, Helia decided to apply for the field of art and design during these years. Realizing her growing passion for the arts, she prepared for entrance into fine arts school after finishing high school. Successfully gaining entrance, Helia had the opportunity to study textile design for two years. She studied hard and learned a variety of new skills within this artistic field. After this time focusing solely on education, she was feeling drawn to the idea of travel and new experiences. After two years, Helia decided that she wanted to keep art as a passion rather than pushing it to be work. So, she began travelling and gave herself time to explore and connect with herself.

TRAVELS

Helia couldn’t shake the feeling to travel and booked decided to book a flight to Hawaii. She began travelling three years ago, first living in Maui before making her way to Canada. Living with a relative in Maui gave her a unique perspective to a new country as a local which allowed her to slow down and fully embrace life and new experiences. She loved living under the sun in Hawaii but eventually wanted to continue her travels and experience a new country.

After holidaying with her uncle in Big White, she fell in love with British Columbia and knew she wanted to spend some time living in a ski resort town. When she came to Canada almost two years ago, she decided to live in Whistler. She was drawn to Whistler for the beautiful natural landscape, welcoming community, and endless year-round activities. She spends her winters skiing in the snowy mountains and summers by the lake, hiking, camping, and sitting around campfires with friends. She is inspired by her life in the mountains and was able to rekindle her passion for the arts. She began drawing mandalas as a hobby and is now taking her art to new levels.

BUSINESS

During the Covid lockdown last year, Helia began focusing on drawing every single day. She found the best way for her to deal with this time alone was through art, focusing on creating beautifully intrinsic mandala pieces. Becoming more and more passionate about creating art, she realized she wanted to do something more with her artistic side. Although it is a hobby, she hopes to also have this as a small business pursuit, sharing her art with the world.

Helia began an Instagram account, where she is able to scan photos of her hard-drawn pieces to share them on her page. She hopes to also begin an Etsy store in the near future where she can sell her pieces. Her mandalas make great framed art pieces, but she hopes to also have cards available and perhaps printed onto textiles as well!

Recently, Helia had the opportunity to partner with a local company in Whistler that printed her art onto skis! A creative way to get her work out there while holding up to her hobby and lifestyle in Whistler! These limited-edition skis were released in October and will be available all winter.

If you want to see more of Helias work, check out her Instagram here!

In an age where iPads and television are very prominent within our children’s lives, it can be worrisome to think about the loss of curiosity, creativity, and innovative thinking. When our children spend too much time on these devices, it causes a dependence and can have an impact on their mental health.

Children are creatures that do not need much to keep entertained. They can be happy colouring, painting, playing dress up, amongst many other activities! There are no limits to a child’s imagination, and it is very important that as parents and teachers, we help cultivate it! Giving a child the tools to get creative and let their imagination run free is an important component for both their cognitive development as well as their socio-emotional development.

Limit screen time

First and foremost, children’s screen time needs to be limited. Studies show that children spend an average of 4-6 hours of screen time per day! Although there are ways to monitor our child’s devices, we are not able to know all the time what they are watching. This means that there is a much higher risk of our children being exposed to violence, sexual content, cyberbullying, amongst other things. On top of these issues, too much screen time can also disrupt our children’s mental health. Some of the most common problems are with sleep, mood, and social anxiety.

As a parent, you can also influence how your children spend their screen time. There are plenty of educational shows and games to be found on the internet. Click here for free online kid’s stories!

Stock up on Craft Supplies

Making sure to have craft supplies available is a great way to keep kids busy and off their screens. Try to prepare a craft box full of supplies that children can use to be creative. Make sure the craft box is accessible to them anytime without needing to ask for help to get it. Include a variety of different things such as glue, crayons, cotton balls, and basic craft supplies. Once your child creates something new, ask question such as their thought and story before their creation. Asking these questions can them process their artistic expressions.

Another idea would be to create a gallery in your home for your children’s art and crafts. By framing or putting pieces on display, your children will feel appreciated and perhaps motivated to create more!

Try one of our STEM activities for inspiration!

Storytime

When a child is very young, it is common to read stories to them before bed. As they get older, we stop incorporating stories in their upbringing. Stories are a great way to let a child’s imagination wander. Instead of reading to them, try setting aside a time to do activities involving stories. Whether reading a chapter of a book all together, writing a story together, writing poetry, or having them read on their own, stories are an important piece of the puzzle when it comes to creative thinking!

Play Pretend!

Every child loves to play pretend and get silly with dress-up clothes and props. It is nice to have a dress-up trunk available to children to reach in and step into a new character of their own imagination. This is also a great way for siblings to do an activity together or have friends over to play! Make use of old Halloween costumes, dance recital costumes, or thrift store finds! You can even incorporate stories from story time and act out scenes that the children created or read in a book!

Artistic Pursuits

Ask your child what sort of activities they would like to be a part of outside of school. Many times, parents decide what activities they will put their children in, without asking the child first if that is what they would like to be doing. First, make sure any class your child is taking is something they actively enjoy. If it feels like a chore to them, it will not be aiding in their creative thinking. Whether it is a one-time workshop or weekly lessons, let your child decide the route they take in their young lives. There are plenty of options to choose from including dance, art, music, photography, language, and writing.

Get Involved!

Many times, parents are busy and when it comes to play times, they let their children play on their own or with their friends. Although, it is very important to be a part of these creative moments as well as the more serious moments. You will get to see first-hand what your child’s creative process looks like and what they are more receptive to.

Try sparking a child’s ‘what if’ questioning which help trigger creative thinking. Asking what if can lead to thinking outside the box. Ask question that can spark their imagination such as “what if animals could talk”. Questions like these allow children to think about the world in new and creative ways, not only logical ways.

Saskatoon has immensely developed over recent years into a thriving city with so much to offer! There are a wide variety of activity option for any age!

A couple weeks ago, we posted about creative workshops in Saskatoon for adults, but now it’s time to take a look at what there is to offer in the city for the little ones! Children are like sponges so why not allow them to soak in all that Saskatchewan has to offer!

Creative Kids Sask

Creative Kids Sask is an organization that offers programs for Saskatchewan kids between the ages of 4 – 19. The organization believe in helping children explore their creativity without the financial burden. With Saskatchewan being one of the provinces with the highest child poverty rates in the country, this organization works towards providing opportunities regardless of economic barriers.

“Creative activities are fundamental to the positive growth and development of children and youth”

Nutrien Wonderhub

Nutrien Wonderhub is located on Spadina Crescent and is Saskatchewan’s first children’s museum! Parents can take their children to wander through the museum which offers two levels of interactive exhibits. Along with the museum, Wonderhub offers classes, workshops, and camps for kids!

“All of our classes and workshops incorporate STEAM learning and encourage children, families, and adults to understand and appreciate the intersection of science, technology, engineering, art, and math.”

We Move Sask

We Move Sask is a business that offers a variety of children and adult classes focused on dance and music. Music Together is a mixed-age class that allows children to get creative and experiment with music! Children can join anywhere from ages 1 – 7. Parents can attend the class as well and join the ‘family zone’ to experience this workshop together!

“It is a highly effective learning dynamic because it allows every child to personally create their own musical challenges and successes”

U of S Art Classes

The University of Saskatchewan offers art classes for children between the ages of 9-11 and 12-17. Class sized are kept small (8 students or less) in order to give each child the attention and focus they need from the instructor. Some of the classes offered include: visual arts intensive, sculpture, comics & graphic novels, journaling, and drawing.

“Classes are delivered live/synchronously through short lectures, demonstrations, time to work on projects, instructor feedback, and class sharing.”

Remai Modern

Remai Modern is a public art museum located on Spadina Crescent in Saskatoon. There is a center inside the museum called the Cameco Learning Studio which is meant to be a creative space for workshops and events. There are a variety of classes held throughout the month which are sometimes free! The activities are focused on artmaking and education on the creative arts.

Wanuskewin Heritage Park Authority

Wanuskewin Heritage Park Authority is a non-profit organization set in the Northern Plains, dating back to over 6,000 years ago. It was once grounds for herds of bison and a gathering place for Indigenous peoples. There are still archaeological findings being discovered here, shedding light on the depth of the culture that once lived here.

“Wanuskewin strives to grow and develop as a centre of excellence and a place for gathering, sharing and learning.”

WHPA is open to all visitors whether you would like to simply wander the galleries, attend an event, or go on a tour. Along with day visits, there is also the option to stay overnight in a traditional Tipi. This allows guests to relive stories and walk in the footsteps of the indigenous tribes that once walked these grounds.

Western Development Museum

The Western Development Museum is located on Lorne Ave in Saskatoon and is the largest human history museum in Saskatchewan. The collection holds over 75,000 arkeological artifacts found throughout the province. The museum is open to the public year-round and people are able to wander through the museum or attend one of the varying educational programs or special events.

“The WDM’s mandate is to collect, preserve, and exhibit objects of historical value and importance connected with the economic and cultural development of western Canada and to stimulate interest in western Canadian history. Our vision is a Saskatchewan where everyone belongs and histories matter.”

The WDM has an Education Room and hold a variety of activities throughout the day for children. The activities are for kids from the ages of 3 – 6 and give the children the chance to learn and play with hand-on artifacts in an interactive way! There are three different zones of learning, the schoolhouse zone which allows kids to play school as if they were in the 1900s, hands-on zone which allows kids to participate in sensory engaging activities, and the cozy story zone which allows kids to sit back and relax for story time.

In the midst of the cold winter season, it can be a bit difficult to stay inspired and creative. Luckily, the city of Saskatoon offers a variety of fun, creative workshops for adults! Read below for our list of top workshops and classes offered in the city:

Pottery & Painting

Wet Paint Pottery offers pottery classes for both kids and adults. Aside from pottery, they also teach canvas painting and glass fusing. The drop-in classes are open to the public and a great, affordable activity to go solo or with friends! There are also fun events such as ladies night, date night, and student night!

Cooking Class

The Local Kitchen is a business based in Saskatoon, focused on events and workshops in food & drink. They offer public classes, private events, as well as virtual events for those outside of the city! Their motto is “using quality food to create connection and build our community”. The classes are always taught by local chefs in the area and the ingredients are of the highest quality. There is a nice range or classes from Greek to Thai cuisine!

Plant Workshop

Getting out in nature can be a bit tricky on those extra cold winter days. So, why not reconnect with nature through a plant workshop! Plant Vibe offers shipment of succulent kits and virtual workshops to make your own terrarium from the comforts of your home! Plant Vibe is a company based on Saskatoon but they offer deliveries outside of the city as well. They offer different collection as well as different types of workshops. One of their most popular is a team building workshop where the team meets online to build their at-home terrariums together!

Photography Workshop

The Saskatoon Camera Club offers a variety of photography workshops for any skill level whether you are just starting out or already a more advanced photographer. The workshops also have a nice range from product and studio photography to landscape and outdoor photography.

“The Saskatoon Camera Club is composed of a group of friendly people who are interested in improving their photography.”

Floristry Workshop

Twig & Bloom is a Saskatoon based florist business that offers different types of floristry workshops throughout the year. Twig & Bloom believes in bringing the community together to through their events which focus on helping people create beautiful flower arrangements.

“Being part of a community that has always believed in our vision is what has allowed us to realize our lifelong dream of using flowers to help people create beautiful moments and memories. We designed our floral workshops to pay that feeling forward, giving thanks to the community that has given us so much by empowering others to realize their dreams, too.”

STEM activities are a great way for kids to learn and have fun! For those of you new to this term, STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. STEM is very important within the educational curriculum because it teaches children critical thinking skills and plays with creativity to help with innovation! STEM activities can range from very basic and easy but can also be very complex and time consuming. Depending how much time you have, try some at home STEM activities to get your children excited to learn and be creative!

There are thousands of STEM activities to be found on the internet, plenty of which can be done at home with little supplies needed! We will be posting some easy at-home STEM activities for some inspiration. This week, we are going to learn how to make a cloud in a jar!

Supplies Needed:

Glass jar with a lid (mason jar)
Cup of hot water (not boiling, but hot)
Ice (a few cubes)
Aerosol spray (something like hairspray)

Step 1: Pour hot water (not boiling) into jar and close lid

Step 2: Swirl the jar around to heat up the jar

Step 3: Fill lid (upside down) with ice cubes, not yet placing it onto the jar

Step 4: Spray aerosol into jar and quickly place ice filled lid on top of jar

Step 5: Watch the cloud form inside the jar. Take the lid off to watch the cloud escape from the jar.

What is happening?

Well, clouds need a few things in order to form. There needs to be a mixture of warm, moist air which was the reason for swirling the hot water around to warm the jar at the beginning. Secondly, clouds form from a cooling process which was why we added the ice sitting on top of the jar. Lastly, clouds need a nucleus in order to allow water vapor to condense which was created when we added particles with the aerosol spray!

Here is a great link from the NASA Climate Kids website that further describes this process in a kid-friendly manner!

If you are interested in trying out another fun, easy (& yummy) STEM experiment, check out or ‘Ice Cream in a Bag’ STEM activity up on the blog!

If there are any STEM activities you would like to see on the blog, reach out and let us know!

There is so much love in the air on that special day in the middle of February. Yes, Valentine’s Day focuses mainly on couples through mainstream media, but this day should be a time to show all of your loved ones just how much they warm your heart. If you are single, this day should not bring a sense of loneliness but instead a day to celebrate love! Love is not only meant to be romantic love, but all kinds of love are equally as important!

Instead of buying gifts from a store, why not get creative with some DIY gifts this year! DIYs are great gifts because it is more thoughtful and shows you that you took the time to make something with that person in mind! Not to mention, DIYs are a great cost saver if you are on a budget. Check out a list of a few of our favourite DIY gifts for Valentine’s Day!

Handmade Pottery

Join a workshop and learn some pottery! Making your own vase or mug can be a beautiful and special gift to show your love for someone very special in your life. Take advantage of a pottery class offered in Saskatoon with Wet Paint Pottery! You can also get creative with paint after the pottery has dried and come up with colours and designs to suit the person you are gifting it to!

Baking!

Everyone loves baked goods! Get creative in the kitchen with some Valentine’s themed baking such as heart shaped cooked, pink frosting cupcakes, or strawberry flavoured macaroons! Boxing up little baking packages is a tasty way to show you care. Many people find baking to be very therapeutic and can be a great stress reliever. There are unlimited recipes online, but Pinterest is a great place to find inspiration if you can’t decide!

Houseplants

Houseplants not only add a nice aesthetic to a space but are also known to have many benefits. Studies show that houseplants can improve mood, reduce stress, improve indoor air quality, and boost productivity. What better way to show someone you care than giving a gift that can help your loved one’s quality of life! Some of our favourites are succulents, aloe vera, and snake plants. Read our blog on the best plants for indoor gardening here!

DIY Kit

Motivate the people around you to get creative by making a little DIY kit. Whether it is painting, weaving, or clay art, there are plenty of options to get creative. This would also be a great idea to hangout and get creative together, working on something new!

All-Natural Beauty Products

Beauty products can range from lotions to soaps and everything in between! This is another way to get crafty and create some great smelling all-natural products for your loved ones. If you are interested in trying your hand at a bath bomb, check out our DIY blog post here! If you are interested in soap making, check out another blog post of ours here!

Before the digital world of smart phones, film photography was the best way to capture candid moments, travels, or gain expertise for the creative art. Having a physical copy of photos rather than just swiping through your phone can be a nice change. There are also a variety of projects you can use your photos for such as collages, framed wall decorations, and scrapbooks! Photos can be very sentimental and can also make great gifts for family and friends. Whether the photos are set up or candid, the memories are sure to last!

Long Lasting Memories

Gaining popularity in recent years, film photography is no longer viewed as old-school art and has become quite the trend again. It is all thanks to an Austrian man named Florian Kaps who fought to keep film photography alive. He bought the last Polaroid production plant with the mission to show the importance of film photos – calling this ‘The Impossible Project’. His vision succeeded and many people across the globe see the value of capturing a moment for how it was rather than capturing a staged moment that can be retaken 1000 times on a smartphone. Film also makes the photographer more selective about the photos they take rather than trigger happy, shooting to fill the SD card. With one roll of film taking between 12-36 photos, each photo is taken with a lot of thought to capture the most special, memorable, or artistic moments.

It’s not about capturing the perfect moment; it’s about capturing the memory the way it was

Analog & Instant Film Cameras

There are a few different options when it comes to film cameras. The two types are the traditional analog cameras and the instant film cameras. There are many options for film cameras that are beginner friendly with brands such as Nikon, Canon, and Olympus. The most popular instant film camera is the Fujifilm Instax. The difference between the two is that analog cameras shoot onto a roll of film which then needs to be developed whereas instant film cameras create immediate, self-developing film. If you’re thinking about getting a film camera, go for a point-and-shoot with about 35mm film which is the most common for starters. Great places to find film cameras are on the Facebook Marketplace, Kijiji, or Amazon.

Getting Started

There is quite a lot to learn with film photography which can make things a bit intimidating or overwhelming. The best thing to do is to take it slow and learn step by step. When you purchase your first film camera, you will also need to get a few rolls of film. The most affordable film is made by Kodak Ultramax. You will have the option between colour and black & white, but colour is probably the best option if you are just starting out.

Unlike digital cameras, with a film camera you will need to understand how to set the proper exposure. Once you understand this, you can get creative and shoot the ‘mood’ you want for each specific shot. It can be a bit tricky to get the right light in the beginning. You will need to balance the highlights and shadows without overexposing or underexposing. A light meter helps with balance and can be purchased or downloaded as an app onto your phone. One tip is the ‘Sunny 16’ rule which is a go-to method for settings on a typical day. On a sunny day, you can expect to set your aperture to f/16, ISO 100, and shutter speed at 1/100.

Learning Process

When you are taking shots on your first roll of film, try to keep a notebook handy and jot down the aperture, shutter speed, and film speed. You can also record stuff like, sunshine, cloudiness, and time of day. This way, when you get your film developed, you can go through each shot and compare to your notes which can help you figure out where you went right or wrong.

Once you capture enough photos to fill your roll of film, you will need to take the film in to be developed. It generally costs under $20 and there are many photo lab processing stores around the city or at shops such as Walmart and Shoppers. You will have the option to develop the film on print paper or to scan them for digital copies.

From beginning to end, film photography is a process, each step takes time, patience, and understanding. Film can be a way of disconnecting from the digital world while traveling or in a social situation rather than having your phone out. Since there are no screens or displays, you must trust your creative eye to capture the moment!

Nowadays, everything is accessible at the click of a button. Although this offers convenience, there is still something to be said about holding a physical copy of something in your hands – including photo albums. Imagine sitting to show someone memorable moments from your life, but rather than having them swipe through a series of photos with the backlight of your mobile phone, having them instead of looking down at these candid moments in a beautifully made photo album. The once-popular art of scrapbooking has been lost to the mobile world. It is a form of art that can be very precious and something that can be passed down through generations, linking family and moments together. When you are first getting started, scrapbooking can seem a bit intimidating and perhaps a long process. If you’re interested in getting creative and making your first scrapbook, check the tips below to help get you started!

Process

The first thing you should do before getting started on your scrapbook is to brainstorm ideas and organize your thoughts as to how you would like your scrapbook to look. Planning out colours, themes, and design will help you when you’re starting out so that you are happy with the final product. There are countless craft stores both in-person and online to purchase materials. Michaels has a huge selection in-store and online to choose from, and you can get it delivered right to your door. Once you’ve done this, you’re ready to create!

First, you will need to print the photos and then organize them in the timeline you want. From there, you can create the layout you want to display on each page of the album. Once you glue the photos in place, you can add your own creative flair and design to each page! Other than photos, you can also add things like ribbons, newspaper clippings, or any other sentimental pieces.

Scrapbooking Essentials

To begin scrapbooking, you’ll need a variety of craft supplies. Listed below are some of the basics to get you started:

Album: Choose any size and length of album you wish, making sure it is a scrapbooking album with thick paper.
Page Protectors: Some albums already come with page protectors, but if not, it is important to get some. Once you finish a scrapbook page, you can slide it into the page protector, which will keep it from getting bent or ruined.
Adhesives: You will need adhesives for the photos and decorations. There are a variety of options such as glue sticks, liquid pens, photo tape…etc.
Cutting Tools: You will need scissors and other cutting tools to shape your photos and decorations to fit the page of the album. There are more decorative scissors to give your designs a more creative edge.
Die Cuts: There are specific shapes and designs that can be added for the aesthetic of your scrapbook
Decorative Paper: Decorative paper comes in all sorts of colours and textures and is used to go underneath photos and die cuts for extra design.
Pens/Markers: Make sure you get ink that is fadeproof and waterproof. Be sure to let the marked pages dry before closing the album to make sure the ink doesn’t smudge!

Benefits

Making a scrapbook may be just the thing to get you back into a creative flow and motivate you to get out and take more photos! If you’re been distant from family and friends throughout the pandemic, it can be a great way to feel more connected to your loved ones. It is a great hobby to keep busy and feel nostalgic as you look back on past memories. People use scrapbooking as a way to tell the story of their lives and cherish important moments. As with other creative projects, you may find scrapbooking to be a source of relaxation and stress relief. From beginning to end, making a scrapbook can be a very fulfilling creative project.

Other Options

If you are not able to get to a place to print your own photos, there are many online platforms that let you design and purchase your own scrapbook online! Photobook is a great website that allows you to submit your photos, choose a photobook design, and have it printed and shipped to you! There are many other websites that allow you to get your photos printed onto mugs, magnets, keychains, calendars, and more! Not only is it a great idea to create a lasting physical copy of cherished memories but can also be a great gift idea for your loved ones!

With the whirlwinds of life, it can be difficult to stay in a creative flow. It’s normal to not always be the most productive but if you are feeling like you have hit a burnout, it might be time to change things up and get back on track. There are a few ways you get into a creative flow as well as manage stress/anxiety and boost mental health.

Listed below are a few tips and tricks to getting back into a creative flow:

Take away distractions

Your phone not only connects you to the world, your friends, and your family but can also provide you with continuous entertainment. At times when you really need to focus, your phone can become your worst enemy and ruin concentration. With constant entertainment available at hand in any given moment, it is extra important to disconnect. Disconnecting from your electronics can give you time to think of new ideas and play within an open and creative headspace.

It is also proven that spending too much time connected to electronics can affect sleep, increase anxiety, and creates a disconnection with boredom. People nowadays never allow themselves to do anything with the fear of being bored and therefore will reach for their phone at every given opportunity. Although, boredom isn’t necessarily a bad thing and gives us the chance to play around with new thoughts and get creative on new things to keep ourselves busy.

If you can’t seem to resist your phone if it’s sitting beside you while you work, try putting in on silent in a different room to remove the distraction. If this doesn’t work, try setting a focus timer. There are plenty of apps available for download which allow you to set focus times on your phone which restrict the use and block distracting apps during the timeframe.

Get moving

After sitting in one place for too long, you can get stuck in a certain pattern of thought. To break these blocks, try taking more breaks! It may sound counterproductive but getting up and moving is a great way to reroute your focus and hit refresh on your thoughts. Exercise and yoga are not only good for your general health but are proven to stimulate creativity. Whether you head to the gym, get outside, or do an at-home workout/stretch, any form of movement will provide a break to revive your thoughts. Whether it is just for a quick 15 minutes or for a full hour, it is best to get up and do anything rather than sitting in one spot for too long.

Music for focus

Music is a great way to focus and can trigger creativity! It is proven that certain types of music can encourage productivity. Music doesn’t only have to be a source of entertainment but can be therapeutic and relieve stress, giving you proper headspace to accomplish any tasks at hand. When you are trying to get into your creative headspace, try throwing on an upbeat and happy playlist! There are plenty of playlists available on apps like YouTube, iTunes, and Spotify! Some of the top genres for focus are classical, nature sounds, and cinematic. You can also find playlists based on bpm (beats per minute) – try sticking within the range of 50-80bpm for optimal concentration!

Get outside

Getting some fresh air outside can clear your mind and refocus your thoughts. Nature is a great fix if you’re feeling a bit unclean, overwhelmed, or unmotivated. Quite often, people underestimate the power of nature and overestimate the power of electronics. Sometimes your brain and body simply need fresh air and nature to get back to basics. People should make the outdoors a priority in their lives, both for children and adults.

Florence Williams wrote the book, “The Nature Fix” back in 2017 on the importance of nature in a human life. Williams talks about the restorative benefits of nature and investigates the scientific link between nature and people.

“Here are some of the essential take-homes: we all need nearby nature: we benefit cognitively and psychologically from having trees, bodies of water, and green spaces just to look at; we should be smarter about landscaping our schools, hospitals, workplaces and neighborhoods so everyone gains.” – Florence Williams

Hydrate & eat nutritiously

When you are tired, you may begin to crave treats that aren’t so good for your body or brain. Loading up on sugar and unhealthy fats can make you feel sluggish and groggy. If you eat a healthy and balanced meal, you will feel energized and find it easier to concentrate. Make sure to choose something nutrient-dense that can leave you feeling full for a long time. Also, try to find the balance between your macros – proteins, fats, and carbs – for optimal health results!

Candles are a great accent to your home décor and keep your home smelling heavenly! In stores, candles can be quite pricey though so why not try your hand at this simple tutorial! This is a great afternoon project that gives you the chance to get creative with your designs. There are endless ways to customize your candles and candle holders to fit any season! Candles also make great gifts for family and friends.

Supplies

Candle-making wax
Candle wicks
Essential / fragrance oils
Spatula
Measuring cup
Heat-proof container
Double boiler
Thermometer
Chopsticks
Mason Jar

Instructions

To begin, make sure you clean your workspace and wipe down all surfaces. To figure out how much wax you need, fill the mason jar with the solid wax and transfer it into a measuring cup. You will need to double the amount of wax in the measuring cup so that the melted amount can fill the mason jar. The next step is to melt the wax, waiting about 10 – 15 minutes and stirring constantly. Once the wax is fully melted, you can add the fragrance oils of your choosing!

Next, you will need to fasten the wick to the bottom of the mason jar before pouring the wax in. This can be done by dipping the bottom wick into the melted wax and quickly attaching it to the bottom of the container, holding it in place while it hardens. Once the wax has cooled a bit and the thermometer reads 140 degrees, you can pour it into the mason jar. Keep a little extra wax if you need a top up in the end.

Hold the wick while you pour the wax and afterwards secure the wick in place with two chopsticks, one on either side. If the wax hardened with cracks on the top, you may then reheat the extra bit of wax to top up the container for a smooth finish. The last step is to cut the wick shorter and voila, enjoy your final product!

Decorative Options

There are endless ways to get creative with your candle making designs. Whether you decide to decorate the mason jar or to add something extra to the candle mix, you can be free to get creative! One simple way to add a unique touch to your candles is to add fresh flower petals or pieces of shrub, like rosemary. If you want to add some colour the mix, try melting a wax crayon with the wax! Mason jars aren’t the only option for containers either, you can try upcycling something unused in your home, such as an old teacup!