Your Creativity Is Waiting…

…and creativity is as close as nature and a most glorious occurrence in nature is just around the corner! Soon we’ll be seeing the magnificent backdrop of trees ablaze with brilliant yellows, reds and burnt orange—those luscious colors to transition us from summer! I thoroughly enjoy the tradition of bringing some of autumn’s splendid offerings into my home, don’t you? Or maybe you need a nudge to get started. 

One well-placed arrangement—as simple as apples and magnolia—might be just the spark to inspire your creativity. 

A Love For Beauty

My entire career as an interior designer began with a love for beauty, and because I inherited a keen sense of appreciation for it from my mother, I followed up with a degree in design. Neither of those things, however, could have begun to tap beauty without a God-given bent for creativity.

Education expert Sir Ken Robinson says, “Creativity is the process of having original ideas that have value.” Creative ideas lead to change. That’s why a creative mind is valuable in our culture, both in the workplace and at home. Take the example of Google’s famous “20 percent time”—the idea that employees should be able to spend one day a week working on their own. Major successes came out of this, including Gmail!

Layering the Beauty

There was a lot to love about my former career as an interior designer, especially around this season of the year. I made beauty a goal in other individuals’ homes and in mine because I fully believed (and still do believe) it contributes to our welfare—as a reflection of God’s glory.

And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.   2 Corinthians 9:8

Autumn is a perfect chance to embrace the abundance of beauty in nature. God’s creativity is obvious, and it’s lavishly provided for us to enjoy. Doesn’t take a lot to layer some of the readily available resources that are out there for us.

Well, What Happened to September?

It’s not too late to stop procrastinating! Otherwise, you know the next question: What happened to October? And the all too familiar rant: Where on earth did the time go? Then, of course . . .seems like the Holidays came so quickly this year!

I think I’ve said that every year for at least the last fifteen, so I’m just saying . . . 

So bring in the pumpkins and pinecones, the sunflowers, the berries. Bring out the candles and cinnamon and the other aromatic spices. Stick some lemons with skewers into a styrofoam cone, sprig it up with boxwood and pat yourself on the back.

Then cook up a rich abundance of your own and share it with friends! Here’s one of my favorites for the season. I hope it will be one of yours.

Apple Nut Coffee Cake

Cream 1/2 cup Crisco with 1 cup sugar. Add 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat well.

Sift together 2 cups flour (spoon and level lightly), 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Alternately add dry mixture with 1 cup dairy sour cream to creamed mixture.

Fold in 2 cups finely chopped, peeled, and cored apple (Braeburn, Honeycrisp, Gala–your choice–about 1 1/2 apples).

Spread batter in a greased 9” x 13” pan. 

Combine 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 2 tablespoons melted butter. Sprinkle over batter. Bake in 350 degree oven 35-40 minutes. 

Enjoy the taste of autumn and the beauty of falling leaves around you!