From Surviving to Thriving: How Creativity Heals and Empowers

March 6, 2025 Tina Biornstad-SzafranskiLeave a comment

Introduction

Healing after trauma, illness, or hardship isn’t just about surviving—it’s about reclaiming joy and stepping into a life where you truly thrive. But moving beyond survival can feel overwhelming, especially when anxiety, exhaustion, or self-doubt weigh you down.

One of the most powerful yet often overlooked tools in this journey is creativity. Whether through scrapbooking, journaling, or papercrafts, creative expression provides a way to process emotions, celebrate resilience, and find light in everyday moments.

The Healing Power of Creativity

Studies show that engaging in creative activities can:
✅ Reduce stress and anxiety
✅ Improve mood and self-esteem
✅ Provide a safe space for self-expression

💡 Example: A cancer survivor might create a scrapbook filled with empowering quotes, milestone photos, and small victories like “First haircut after chemo” or “Walking a full mile again.” This scrapbook isn’t just a collection of memories—it’s a visual testament to resilience and healing.

Small Creative Practices for Everyday Healing

🎨 Try these simple ways to use creativity in your healing journey:

Journaling Through Emotions – Write a letter to your past self, filled with encouragement and understanding.
Scrapbooking for Strength – Document your healing journey with photos, quotes, and small wins.
Creating “Joy Cards” – Design uplifting cards with positive messages for yourself or others.

Conclusion & Call to Action

Thriving begins with small, joyful actions. This week, try one creative activity—whether it’s making a scrapbook page, writing a letter to your future self, or creating a simple collage of what makes you happy.

💬 What creative activity helps you feel most empowered? Share in the comments below!

📢 Want more creativity tips? Subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive content!

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Crafting Gratitude: How Scrapbooking Helps You Focus on the Good

February 27, 2025January 27, 2025 Tina Biornstad-SzafranskiLeave a comment

Gratitude is a simple yet powerful way to shift your mindset and find joy in everyday life. Combining gratitude with scrapbooking allows you to create tangible reminders of the good in your life. In this post, we’ll dive into how gratitude scrapbooking can transform your outlook.

Why Scrapbooking is a Powerful Gratitude Tool
When you scrapbook gratitude, you’re focusing on positive memories and experiences. This practice helps you appreciate the beauty of life, even in challenging times. Plus, the creative process itself is therapeutic and uplifting.

Tips for Gratitude Scrapbooking

Themes to Explore:
- “Simple Joys of Daily Life.”
- “People Who Bring Me Happiness.”
- “Favorite Memories from the Past Year.”
Journaling Prompts:
- “What made me smile today?”
- “Who am I grateful for and why?”
- “What moment from this week am I thankful for?”
Incorporate Visuals: Use bright, cheerful colors and add embellishments that symbolize gratitude, like hearts or sunshine icons.

Gratitude Scrapbooking Ideas

Create a “Gratitude Jar” scrapbook, adding a page for each day or week’s thankful moments.
Design a mini-album dedicated to the people who have impacted your life.
Craft seasonal gratitude pages highlighting the things you love about each time of year.

Gratitude scrapbooking is more than just preserving memories; it’s about shifting your perspective to appreciate the beauty of life. Start your gratitude scrapbook today and discover how it can bring positivity and light into your everyday routine.

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From Heart to Hands: The Ripple Effect of Handmade Kindness

February 20, 2025January 27, 2025 Tina Biornstad-SzafranskiLeave a comment

Have you ever received a handmade card or gift that brightened your day? Small acts of kindness, especially those crafted by hand, carry a special kind of magic. In this post, we’ll explore the ripple effect of handmade kindness and how your crafting can touch lives.

The Power of Handmade Kindness
Handmade items are personal and heartfelt. They show thought, effort, and care—qualities that make the recipient feel valued. For the creator, crafting offers a sense of purpose and joy, knowing their work will bring happiness to someone else.

Examples of Handmade Kindness

A thank-you card for a teacher or healthcare worker.
A small scrapbook album celebrating a friend’s milestones.
Personalized tags attached to baked goods or small gifts.

Kindness Stories

Share a story of a crafter who made cards for a local hospital or care home.
Highlight a time when a simple handmade gesture inspired others to pay it forward.

Crafting kindness isn’t just about the items you make—it’s about the connections you create. Take a moment this week to craft something with love and share it with someone who needs a little joy. Together, we can create ripples of kindness that spread far and wide.

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How to Create a Self-Love Affirmation Scrapbook Page

February 13, 2025January 27, 2025 Tina Biornstad-SzafranskiLeave a comment

Affirmations are powerful statements that remind us of our worth and potential. Combining them with a creative activity like scrapbooking amplifies their impact. In this post, we’ll guide you through creating a self-love affirmation scrapbook page that uplifts and inspires.

Step 1: Choose Your Theme and Materials
Start by identifying the focus of your page. Is it about resilience, confidence, or joy? Gather materials like pastel cardstock, inspiring photos, and embellishments such as heart-shaped die-cuts or floral stickers.

Step 2: Create Your Page

Photo Selection: Choose a photo where you feel confident or joyful.
Design the Layout: Arrange your photo as the centerpiece, surrounded by space for journaling and affirmations.
Write Your Affirmations: Examples include:
- “I am enough.”
- “I am resilient.”
- “I deserve love and joy.”
Decorate: Add embellishments, stamped designs, or hand-drawn accents to make the page uniquely yours.

Step 3: Reflect
As you create, reflect on the affirmations you’re including. Allow the process to reinforce positive feelings and self-belief.

Your self-love affirmation scrapbook page isn’t just a craft project—it’s a reminder of your strength and worth. Display it where you can see it daily, and let it serve as a source of empowerment. Start crafting today and celebrate the amazing person you are.

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Scrapbooking as Self-Care: How to Turn Crafting into a Mindful Practice

February 6, 2025January 27, 2025 Tina Biornstad-SzafranskiLeave a comment

In today’s busy world, finding time for self-care can feel like a challenge. But what if self-care wasn’t just about rest? What if it included creative expression and reflection? Enter scrapbooking: a therapeutic, mindful practice that combines art, storytelling, and self-discovery. In this post, we’ll explore how scrapbooking can become a powerful tool for self-care and mindfulness.

Why Scrapbooking is Perfect for Self-Care
Scrapbooking provides an opportunity to slow down and focus on the things that bring you joy. By reflecting on positive memories, you can foster gratitude and create a sense of calm. Research has shown that creative hobbies reduce stress and improve mood, making scrapbooking the perfect activity to incorporate into your self-care routine.

Creating a Mindful Scrapbooking Routine

Set the Scene: Design a calming environment with soft lighting, soothing music, and your favorite craft supplies.
Be Intentional: Approach each project with a purpose, whether it’s celebrating a recent achievement or reflecting on a cherished memory.
Take Your Time: Let go of perfectionism. Scrapbooking is about the process, not just the finished product.

Scrapbooking Prompts for Mindfulness

Document a moment when you felt truly happy.
Create a layout that celebrates your personal strengths.
Highlight a small but meaningful daily ritual.

Scrapbooking can be more than just a hobby—it can be a transformative act of self-care. Start small, and remember: each page you create is a celebration of your unique journey. Ready to get started? Grab your favorite supplies and begin your mindful scrapbooking journey today.

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Gems Paper Scissors?

August 21, 2024 Tina Biornstad-SzafranskiLeave a comment

Where did your name come from?

Many people wonder how I came up with my business name.

As most of you know, I run an in-home preschool and daycare as my day job. I hear rock-paper-scissors all the time. Everyday children play this game over and over again. I love it. They have so much fun. They problem solve. They communicate. They use so many words and when I signed up with close to my heart over 10 years ago, I pondered what my business name should be for my team and my business. I realized it was in my day job with rock paper scissors. I just changed those rocks out to something pretty, the gems which are sparkles and pearls. Our beautiful papers, yup covered paper. Then the ever-present scissors that are used everyday in fussy cutting, trimming, lifting those gems onto that pretty paper and so much more. So that is how I came up with my business name. It is part of my daily life and it’s part of playing, having fun, creating new things, problem solving, sorting our emotions and so much more. To hear more stories from my business and where I’m going, Follow my podcast which is Gems paper scissors of course. Have a great day.