5 thoughts on Creativity

Creativity.

We all have it. 

Somewhere deep inside, we have a desire to create something beautiful.

Some of us have to dig deeper than others, but it's there.  

There's no denying it.  We can try all we want, but I am a firm believer that if we were created in the very image of the God - by the God who created each of us uniquely and pretty much everything amazing outside - I'm pretty sure we have some sort of creativity inside us. 

A little over 11 years ago, I found out I was pregnant with our firstborn.  And I got so many congratulations that I lost count.  But, often, that congratulatory tone shifted seconds later to, "What are you going to do with all of your craft stuff?"  I just shrugged and responded with a sly nothing.  I'm guessing many of  them walked off thinking I was crazy and that soon would be realizing that a new mom has no time for creative endeavors.  10 years and 2 boys later, I am so thankful I did not heed the subtle suggestions of older people around me, because I cannot even count the times that doing something creative fueled my soul, energized me, and made me a better mom. 

There are days, like today, where the very thought of being creative is just hard.  It's hard to dig deep and find that creativity.  I can't even begin to tell you how long I stared at a blank screen before the words began to flow today.  But, I'm so glad that I pressed in because just maybe you'll feel encouraged. 

So here are 5 thoughts on creativity.

1.  We are all unique. 
I mentioned up there at the top, that we were all created to create, but did you catch that word, unique?  I love Isaiah 64:8, because he uses the analogy of God being a potter and we are the clay.  Have you every looked at hand made pottery at the store?  Besides being more expensive than your machine perfected stoneware, each piece of hand made pottery is not the same.  It might looks super similar at a distance, but when you take the time, stepping closer, you will find that they are truly different.  There is a potter that makes these special bowls for Food Blogger Teri Turner at No Crumbs Left.  These bowls are made with the purpose of holding onion slices bathing in some olive oil.  These simple containers are all different. In a Instagram story this morning she was talking about some of them being flawed, yet they all did their job.  Hold the marinating onions.

Because we were created uniquely, the way I am creative does not always look the way you find joy in creating.  Isn't that great?!

2.  Don't join the Comparison Game
This point kind of piggy backs off the first one.  Remember, you are unique.  It was not God's intention to have you have the same interests as those around you. You can't compare you're house to your best friend's because you may have different styles.  It's okay, if you like making quilts and your friend would rather be out in nature taking pictures of flowers.

It is so easy to peruse Pinterest and countless blogs and get discouraged by perfect photos of beautiful projects and gorgeous home decor and those thoughts of inadequacy start to flood through your mind and heart and before long you start feeling like you aren't good enough and then you just stop creating and instead feel empty.   

  Embrace your uniqueness and fight the urge to compare yourself to those around you.  You will find great joy creating things for you instead of getting discouraged. 

3.  Don't Sell Yourself Short
I had a conversation a while ago, that an sweet friend was telling me that she was not creative and crafty.  I've heard her say this before, but that same sweet friend, is an amazing host and makes some seriously delicious chocolate cake.  She may not find joy in bringing out a glue gun, ink pads, or even the sewing machine, but that sweet friend finds joy in other things that are also creative. 

Don't fall into the trap that all creative endeavors have to be something you might find at your local Hobby Lobby.  You might have a knack for home decor or even building an table out of carefully picked out wood.  You might even find it fuels your soul when you use your computer skills and craft an app using code.  Or you might be like my husband, who sees the beauty in numbers and formulas and understands things, like the Golden Ratio, which is found in so many things like architecture and nature.  From art to writing and speaking to science, creativity is everywhere.  Look at your gifts and abilities. . . those things that bring you joy. . . and you'll find that you are, in fact, a creative person.

4.  You have to make time for it. 
Remember that story I shared earlier about everyone thinking I had would have to idea to create once my son was born?  I didn't always nap when my son was sleeping.  The truth is, that was my time to do something for me.  I learned new recipes, I made cards, I did some scrap booking, I bought a sewing machine.  These things fueled me in more ways than a nap ever could.  Sure, I was fairly sleep deprived, but I didn't notice it as much, because there are more ways to be energized.  Even now, with two kids and crazy schedules, it's a little bit harder to fit it in, but I do, because if I don't I find that I start feeling empty-like inside. 

Last Spring, my best friend found a perfect plank of wood and decided she was going to do some string art.  She had probably a ton of other projects she could have been working on, but on this particular Sunday, she told her husband that she just needed a few hours to do something for herself.  The result was the most beautiful ocean waves with string and nails, but more than that, a refreshed mom and wife. 

Click on something fun to try on Pinterest or make a girls night at your local ceramic or painting studio.  Set aside time to just write.  Whatever if takes, find ways to do something that creatively brings you joy.   Today, I am attempting my first laminated bread recipe.  Whether it works or not, I set aside today to try something new creatively. . . and that alone is bringing me joy!

5. Don't Give Into Fear
Don't be afraid to try something new or even get your kids involved. Don't be afraid to look for inspiration.  Take an idea and tutorial and try it out and then if, you liked it put your own spin on it.  Copying is one of the biggest compliment you can get. . . just don't take credit for the idea.  But, don't let fear stop you from doing what you were created to do. . . to create.

I have another sweet friend who started making some super cute felt creations, which eventually led to an etsy shop and now she runs a super fun shop in Brooklyn that fans like Kristin Bell have fallen in love with. 

That creative bug deep inside of you might just spark a new career path or just be a way to save your sanity on a day when life seems to be not going that great. 

It also might bring about a mess.  I saved some magnolia branches from the wood chippers the other day and I'm pretty sure they city tree trimmers thought I was insane.  But those branches that look like a crazy mess on my back patio are going to make something super fun (hint: it's already on my blog from a few years ago). 

Creating something does not require perfection, but a willful heart to try something new or make something.  Don't be afraid to take a risk or invite a friend along for a creative ride. 

Fear is so powerful if we let it win.  Fight for your creativity.

I am so thankful that God gave us the gift of creating.  It is definitly a gift that feeds the soul, so I encourage you sweet friend to take some time this week and do something creative. . . even if it doesn't include a glue gun!

Let me know how you are finding your creativity this week, by using #outoftherightbrainblog or private message me.  

Valentine's Day Crayon fun! {Free printables}

Have you guys tried the new Valentine M&Ms?  They are triple chocolate and they are seriously amazing (I had one because any more than that will probably make me sick. . . dumb dairy allergy).  Oh well, they are delicious.  So, Valentine's Day is tomorrow and I just can't wait.  I know. . . probably every parent's least favorite thing, but I really like it.  I think I have almost everything ready, except for the stuff for their class party.  Who are we kidding, there is always something. 

I feel like I do almost the same thing every year, except last year because we did crayons for Weston's lego party favors.  I know that the whole crayon thing sounds like a lot of work, but it's really not at all.  I start after Christmas and spend about a week just randomly melting crayons in the oven.  It's done and out of the way before Weston's birthday and I don't feel like I'm rushing around trying to come up with something.  I really like the crayons because it helps us to recycle the crayons around the house and make something cute and original.  Also, it's not candy that will end up in the trash (well, these might too. . . who knows!). 

This year we were back to crayons and I ordered some new silicon candy molds on Amazon and they got to pick which ones they wanted.  Weston picked out stars and Ethan picked out Robots and we got to work.   The cool thing I realized was that these printable will work for just about anything that goes.  You can find erasers, tattoos and stickers and if you are really feeling like candy is your jam, Starburst candies would work pretty great for the "You're a Star" tag.  So, if your're in a crunch for time and don't really want to sit and peel tons of crayons, you can still use these tags for other things!  Crayons are kind of the way we roll, but I wanted to leave it open for you do do your own thing with it. 

The Robot printables fit perfectly in 3.75inch wide treat bags.  I just slid them in, stuck the robots and folded it over the back and taped it with some washi tape.  Ethan didn't have to write names on his, so he thought it would be funny to call everyone "you."  I love his goofy 10 year old sense of humor!  Scroll down to the bottom of the page to get the printable. 

The Star printables fit on a 2.25 inch wide treat bag.  I had some that I had bought for a party and then ended up not using.  The ones I used were made to stick those long pretzels in, but, I just stuck 3 stars in and trimmed the bag.  The tag folds over the top of the cello-bag and gets stapled together.  You can just cut off the back part of the tag if you just want to punch a whole in the corner and tie it with ribbon. 

I really wanted to leave lots of room where you could use your own creativity with these tags.  Don't just copy me, but do something that makes you proud and excited.  Also, I would love to see what you do with these.  Please share by sending me a direct message on Facebook or instagram or use #outoftherightbrainblog or tag @jolieklassen so I can see.

Here's the links to the printables:

ROBOT

YOU'RE A STAR

Here's the link to the molds we used. 

And, Have a wonderful Valentine's Day! 

What's Cooking {January 2019}

I think that one of the hardest things to do is make a delicious yummy dinner that your whole family will eat.  Whether a working mom or not, we are all exhausted by the time dinner comes.  I'm guilty of partaking in a cup of coffee just before fixing dinner and I am pretty sure I'm not the only one!  I may love cooking and eating both delicious food, but I really don't like spending hours cooking dinner. It's been awhile since I've done a round up of delicious recipes that I've found on Pinterest that are not only healthy and fairly easy, but also delicious.

A few notes about our meals:
:: We try to eat 3 to 4 meals a week that are considered whole 30 or paleo.   We do this, because the meals are guaranteed dairy free and nutrient rich. 
:: Ethan is at the point where he eats just about everything we eat. 
:: Weston is slowly adding more things to his pallet.  Our rule is they have to try 3 bites of dinner.  If they really don't like it they can make themselves something else. . . but chicken nuggets can only be eating once a week, so they have to choose carefully. 
:: If Weston requests something then I am pretty quick to get it on the menu for the next week.  For example, one day he requested bacon cheeseburgers (something he can't really eat at restaurants because of the cheese) so we made them and he scarfed that thing down like it was the best thing ever. 
:: Half of us have dairy allergies and we have one soy allergy.  So pretty much processed foods are out of the question. . . . plus, we feel better when we eat non processed foods, so that's a plus.
 :: If you want to see my weekly menu plans and what I'm cooking in my kitchen you come follow me on Instagram and find them all in my profile under "What's Cooking." (I keep my instagram account private, but if you don't look like a weirdo I will let you in). 

So here's what's cooking around here:

Zuppa Tuscana {dairy free}

 Last year, I was at a sweet friend's house to watch some of the IF gathering conference and she had made it for lunch.  Of course, her version was with cream, so I couldn't eat it.  But, I've had a hankering for it ever since.  So when the weather changed this Fall, I found this recipe and man, was it good.  I used store bought Italian sausage . . . because I'm not actually on a whole 30.  But this was approved by 3/4 of my little family, so that's a win.  I even made it for Christmas Eve!  I highly recommend using Thai Kitchen Coconut Cream, because it doesn't have a strong coconut flavor and you won't be able to tell you used coconut cream.  My husband hates coconut, but he couldn't tell that's what I used. 

Pulled Pork with Pineapple Salsa

Last month, our son Weston started taking rock climbing classes at our local rock climbing gym and it bumps right into dinner time and bedtime.  So, basically I'm not home to cook dinner and the kids need to eat as soon as they get home.  This recipe worked perfect.  I used the already cooked pulled pork from Costco (I keep it in the freezer for quick dinners) and stuck it in the crockpot that afternoon.  It was defrosted and warm for us to eat when we got home.  I also made the salsa and the slaw before leaving so all we had to do was pull it out when we got home.  I think I made quesadillas really quick for Weston and left some pineapple for him to devour.  This was so good, I loved the leftovers the next day for lunch! 

Egg Roll in a Bowl

This recipe is another super easy and delicious meal.  The sriracha sauce on top was the perfect addition!  Ethan approved, because he's an egg roll fan, he just ate his without the sriracha sauce.   And the fact that coconut aminos are used, we don't have to worry about soy!  So when the time comes that Weston is brave enough to enjoy Asian inspired meals, he doesn't have to worry about it making him sick. 

Charcuterie Boards
One Friday night, I was completely unmotivated to cook and nobody wanted to go out and we were watching a movie, so I filled a plate with cheese and crackers and whatever lunch meat I could find in the fridge and made board.  I added pickles, olives, and other random things I found in fridge and I couldn't believe how quickly the kids gobbled everything up!  So now, I plan stategically plan charcuterie nights every now and then and add prosciutto (both my boys love fancy meats) and make sure we have dairy free cheese.  These are super fun to use for a picnic in the living room while watching a movie. 

Sheet Pan Dinners
These are basically my life.  A couple of veggies from our local Trader Joes and a package of Aidells Sausage (We buy the Costco pack every month so we always have them).  The Aidells chicken sausages are great because they don't use yucky ingredients and they don't add sugar.  We put veggies and sliced sausage on a sheet pan and toss with olive oil and salt and pepper and roast (425ish) for about 20 minutes and wha-la dinner's ready and it's so good!  And yes, Ethan eats this too.  He especially loves it when brussels sprouts are included. 

Also. . . a little note on getting your kids to eat veggies.  Roasting veggies with olive oil and salt and pepper makes them so flavorful that after a few tries your kids may not be able to resist. 

And that's all the inspiration I have for you this time.

 What are you cooking up this week?

Connection Time {February 2019}

 This morning I got to have coffee with a sweet friend.  My house was far from perfect (there was still random things from my pantry clean out yesterday on the floor), but I had made a quick batch of gluten free blueberry muffins and made her a latte and we sat around my kitchen table and we talked about life, food, and it was lovely.  I know I mention this every month, but I really wish we could all sit down over a cup of coffee and maybe a little treat and just chat. I am so thankful that you take the time to read these words in this little space. . . it means so much to me.  I think that's why I like these posts because it's a little more interaction than me sharing a recipe or a tutorial for a crafty project.  So, go grab a cup of coffee, take a seat, and let's chat.

 I kind of feel like January flew by exceptionally quick.  Once Christmas and New Years were over it was right back to school, vacation (yes, we too a week off to go on vacation after vacation . . . we are weird like that) and Weston's birthday.  I am enjoying the sudden quiet that comes after the busy.  It's nice and now I want to purge everything.  Help me.  ha ha.

Just before Christmas, Ethan finished reading through the Harry Potter series and so we headed down South and went to Universal Studios and Knotts Berry Farm.  We had a blast, especially because we my sister and her family flew in and my parents came too!  So much fun!  We love going to amusement parks during the middle of the week when school is in session for a couple of reasons.  1.  It's quiet.  and 2.  It's easier for Jon to take time off at weird times.  We are super lucky to go to a school where family time is valued and our kids can get independent studies. . . so they aren't missing too much!   We were even able to fit in another California Mission (what Ethan is learning right now) and check out the Endeavor Space Shuttle at the California Science Museum. 

I've always wanted to try Salt and Straw but each time we've been in Portland I've either had gestational diabetes or a stupid dairy allergy and so it never made our to-do list.  I was so excited that they recently opened a shop at Downtown Disney and they just happened to start making dairy free ice cream in January.  Perfect timing!  It was so delicious and creamy!  We also indulge in Pressed ice cream (although indulge is probably the wrong word since there's no sugar and only 4 ingredients) and Shake Shack (my favorite!).  I won't lie, we plan our trips around the food we are going to eat! 

I finished my bathroom cabinets!  That's the first stage in our bathroom fix-up.  Next step is to find a contractor to put in a shower, because there's a bathtub but no shower.  Weird, huh?  We're gonna fix that!  Stay tuned!

This guy turned 8 last week and we celebrated with Chick fil-A and Menchies and then a party full of Star Wars fun!  I just can't believe he's that old!  He is such a joy and so full of energy.  He loves doing creative things like drawing and Legos and his love of adventure keeps growing.  He's already making plans for this summer!

Now for the prompt questions. I like these questions because they are super simple but each and every one of us can answer them.  Here are my answers.

Outside my window the sun in shining and sooo bright.  I am enjoying having the sun shine in because as much as I have enjoyed the rain the next few days of sun are going to be nice.  Also, my lemon tree is insane and it's time to start baking lots of lemon-y things.  Some friends have requested a certain lemon cookie recipe that has been floating around Pinterest.  I think maybe next week I'm going to have to try those! 

I am thinking that I need to purge some areas of our house.  It's amazing how quickly things start piling up. . . especially in the kid's bedroom.  I have a few projects that I want to work on and I should make a list after I finish this blog post.

From the kitchen I made a ton of stuff last week that I will share in Weston's birthday party post next week, but yesterday we had jon's cousin over for dinner and I needed a quick dessert, so I made this skillet Apple Pie (it's on the blog here). It is amazing and so easy!

I am wearing yoga pants and a sweatshirt and these slippers.  I'm in the mood for comfy.  But I just bought this sweater and I am in love. . . especially since it was on sale!  It is seriously the softest thing ever! 

I am creating nothing today. After last week, my brain kind of needed a break.  I am going to start finishing a quilt that I'm working on.  I've also got to work on the kids Valentines since that's next week.

I am going nowhere right now.  I'm in the mood for all things introverted and yoga pants.  I'll go to the gym though.

I am reading I just finished Remember God, by Annie Downs.  It is the best book!  The way she tells a story, her story and reminds us of God and who is really is is wonderful.  It's an easy read and also such an encouragement!  Next up is a book by Siri Mitchell.

I am hoping that this rain keeps coming!  We need it so bad.  I really don't mind all these rainy days, although my kids just want to play outside and it's so wet and muddy!

I am hearing not a whole lot, which makes me wonder what my boys are doing?  It got super quiet.  That can't be good.  Don't worry.  I went and checked.  They are watching T.V.  I think it's safe to say they are tired.

Around the House I am joining in Joy the Baker's Well Kept Kitchen Challenge.  It's safe to say that my organized cabinets have turned into chaos, which is normal.  I had already been planning on doing it this month, this just sort of mapped it out for me.  So far, I've done our pantry and fridge and I can already feel like I can breathe. 

One of my favorite things this week, it is the Siete Queso (dairy free) and yoga pants.  If you need me I'll be here in comfies.  Ha ha!

A few plans for the week clean, rest, craft, and write, research contractors I'm moving slowly this week and that's okay.  I'm tired after a month or so of running non stop and this time of quiet is just what my heart needs.

What I am listening to. . . don't laugh.  But, the Disney Hits playlist on Apple Music is probably one of my favorite things right now.  I love the Mary Poppins Returns music so much!  I am in need of some new music. . . please send me recommendations!

Now, it's your turn!  Grab your coffee and let's connect! You don't have to do them all! I can't wait to hear from you! You can even private message me if you don't want to make it public.  

Outside my window
I am thinking
From the kitchen
I am wearing
I am creating
I am going
I am reading
I am hoping
I am hearing
Around the House
One of my favorite things
A few plans for the week
What I am listening to  

Flashback Friday: Orange Glazed Poppyseed Bread

 It's Friday!  Let's all stop right here and do a happy dance and celebrate.  We've been on a little vacation visiting some fun theme parks and living our Harry Potter dreams eating all the delicious food that we can find all the while getting in tons of steps.  The kids worked so hard to do all their work before we left that this weekend we are going to do a whole lot of nothing (I hope!).

One of my favorite bread recipes is also the bread that is most requested by my friends to make.  Seriously, just ask them.  I like this one because it makes about 6 mini loaves (more or less depending on the size of your mini loaf pans), which is perfect to make for friends as little encouragement gifts, for ladies at my Bible study table, and to send to work with the hubby on a plate in cute little slices for his work peeps.

When I first posted this recipe, the pictures just didn't do it justice, so when I baked some up and took some fresh pictures that are a whole lot better than those I took 4 years ago. You can find the recipe with updated pictures over here.

Have a great weekend and bake something yummy! 

Valentines Day is coming. . . here's some inspiration

January is almost over and that has me kind of panicking because I've got a birthday party to plan and Valentines Day to think about.  I have a major case of procrastination.  I could justify it by saying some of my best stuff comes out of procrastination, but really I don't like the busyness that comes from it.  I do love Valentines Day.  It's so much fun and I think that I might miss the annual tradition of making sweet notes with a cute little treats when the kids get older and stop exchanging.

I love that it teaches my kids to show kindness and love to their classmates.  I always have to make extra because there's usually a friend or two that are in other classes that they want to give a note too.  I don't mind.  I love that they are thinking of others. It's a great day for celebrating friendship and kindness. . . things that should be celebrated all year long.  I want my kids to see the joy in giving to others in kindness and generosity.

I'm not sure when the shift happened where little treats were added to the little slips of paper with a witty Valentine saying on it, and I can't say I mind all that much. It's fun, but it can add up. . . especially when you have more than one kid and class sizes are larger.   It also doesn't mean you have to go out and spend a ton of money. . . that can be kind of stressful.  It also doesn't have to be candy (I try to avoid candy as much as possible). So, I thought I would offer some ideas for some fun, non candy, Valentine fun!

I am always a fan of crayons and since I always stock up our crayon supply with fresh crayons when they are so cheap before school starts.  That means all of our older, less loved crayons get thrown in the old crayon box for future projects and silicon molds are the best for giving those crayons new life.   Here are some we have done in the past and I will share the ones we are working on for this year later when I finish them. 

Crayon hearts are super fun and you don't even have to worry about getting them all the same color.  You can find the post with the directions on how to make crayon valentines and the crayon Valentine printable over here.

And for several years, we made a ton of Lego crayons using the mini figure mold you can find at Lego stores or their website (and sometimes Amazon).  You can find this printable here.

And then there's this one that we used both the brick piece mold and the mini figure.  This one was one of my favorites . . . and I realized recently that there was a typo.  I just fixed it so their is not an extra BUILD on the one. You can find the printable over here.

Last year, we took a break from crayons because I was using the molds and crayons for Weston's Lego Birthday Party.  (I am pretty sure I've gotten my money's worth using those molds - ha ha).  Once again, I like to avoid candy.  I found some glow sticks in the dollar section at Target (one of my favorite spots!) and designed these heart tags to go with them.  They were a huge hit and I love the way they came out! You can visit this post here for the printable.

 There are tons of other ideas that don't use candy all over Pinterest and Target. . . even in the dollar spot.  You can also find fun bouncy balls, dinosaur erasers, and so much more in the Valentine section.  You really don't have to spend your life savings to have a cute, non sugary treat or Valentine.

Whatever, you do, please have fun being creative!  Get your kids involved. . . don't do all the work yourself.  Don't do something out of your budget just because you want to be pinteresty (if all you can do is a two dollar box of Frozen Valentines than take joy in that.  Don't feel guilty because you don't feel like your kid's Valentine's measure up. . . because I promise you they all end up in the trash can eventually anyway (I mean, who are we kidding?).

I would love to see what you come up with. . . feel free to use the hashtag #outoftherightbrainblog or message me on Facebook or Instagram with a picture of your kid's Valentines!

Happy Creating!

Picture Frame Earing Holder Tutorail

 I remember the day I got my ears pierced.  It was a month before I officially became a teenager (my mom had a rule that we couldn't get our ears pierced until we were 13. . . a right of passage so to speak).  We had the day off for Columbus Day and my mom took me to a local jewelry store to get it done.  I remember the sting.  I remember the excitement.  I remember the ugly topaz earrings I was forced to wear for the next month.  Honestly, they weren't completely horrible, but I am not the biggest fan of my Topaz birthstone. As soon as I was able to take those suckers out, I did my best to make sure I had earrings.  I spent so much time (and babysitting money) at Claires and Afterthoughts buying earrings. From cute fun studs to colorful dangly ones I bought them.

My mom, being the super creative person that she is made us earring holders out of fun colored plastic canvas.  I'm pretty sure mine was pink, because it matched my Laura Ashley bedding and pink daybed (remember, teen of the 90's).  Anyway, these earring holders were super helpful for storing all the earrings I was accumulating. 

Fast forward a bunch of years and honestly I kind of stopped wearing earrings. . . except for some diamond studs my husband got be for our 5th anniversary. . . and even then, only on special occasions.  I fell out of the habit of wearing earrings once we had kids and until recently never bought any.  But, now that I am replensihing my earring collection I needed a place to store them.

Then, I remembered those plastic canvas holders that my mom made us years ago and a light bulb went off!  This project ended up costing less than $5 which was awesome, thanks to a random stroll down some isles at Target.   I knew I wanted a picture frame that would have a way to stand up and one of those regular ones where the flappy thing is attached to the back panel.  That wouldn't work, because I wasn't going to need that.  I've had this project in the back of my head for a few weeks and I was thinking that if I couldn't find a frame that would work, maybe some wood glue and a small piece of wood along the back bottom of the frame (just an idea if you can't find a frame like mine). 

This project only needs some plastic canvas (69 cents at Hobby Lobby) and a picture frame.  I found my frame on a clearance end cap at Target for less than $4.  Seriously, organization and cuteness on a budget. . . let's celebrate.  Oh and this project only takes about 3 minutes, so seriously, anyone can do it. 

I used the glass from the 5x7 frame as a guide and traced it with my pen.  I had to trim it a little bit to make it fit, but better to start out bigger than too small.

 I made sure it was a snug fit because there isn't much holding it, but it stays and it works. 

 Then, all you have to do is stand it up and start filling it with earrings.  I put mine in my bathroom, by my sink so when I'm getting ready in the morning I can easily grab a pair and put them on.  I've definitely been wearing earrings more since I made this, so I am calling it a win.  Also, if you don't feel like you have a creative bone in your body. . . this doesn't' take much.  Even your 10 year old daughter can make this!  

I hope that you all have a fabulous three day weekend and find some time to do something creative!