Create Anyway
The Joy of Pursuing Creativity in the Margins of Motherhood
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About
Motherhood and creativity can coexist.
You have creative dreams swirling in your heart, but pursuing them while changing diapers and managing the carpool schedule feels impossible. You have no time. No space. You can mother, or you can create. You certainly can't do both (right?!).
But what if you could pursue your God-given creative gifts alongside motherhood, for the enrichment of both experiences? What if you stopped viewing creativity as a selfish act, and started to see it as essential to your own flourishing as a mother?
This book is a much-needed permission slip to do just that--through the pictures you take, the stories you write, the meals you make, the music you play, the gardens you grow.
In this unforgettable book filled with rich storytelling and stunning photographs, writer and mother Ashlee Gadd helps you set aside the guilt and discover the sacred connection between creating and mothering. One-part commissioning, one-part pep talk, Create Anyway will propel you forward with a renewed sense of energy, purpose, and enthusiasm for stewarding the creative dreams God has planted in your heart--right alongside the diapers and carpool.
Here's to creating in the margins of motherhood.
Here's to creating anyway.
Praise for Create Anyway
"If you've ever felt like your creative energy and your motherhood were at odds, Create Anyway will be a balm to your soul."--Ruth Chou Simons, mom to six boys, Wall Street Journal bestselling author, and founder of gracelaced.com
"Create Anyway is an anthem, an invitation, a spark that will light a fire in your heart."--Gretchen Saffles, founder of Well-Watered Women and bestselling author of The Well-Watered Woman
"If you're looking for a manual to help you reclaim the sacred slowness of motherhood and creativity, pick this one up today."--Hannah Brencher, author of Fighting Forward and Come Matter Here
"The stories and wisdom in Create Anyway will inspire you to prioritize and delight in making art, not in spite of motherhood, but because of it."--Laura Wifler, author, podcaster, and cofounder of Risen Motherhood
"I cried tears of release throughout this book. It's dreamy and gorgeous and raw, and I feel as if I can finally exhale after two long, hard years."--Leslie Means, creator of Her View From Home
"Part pep talk, part permission slip, this beautiful book honors both the mothering journey and our God-given desires to create."--Kayla Craig, author of To Light Their Way and creator of Liturgies for Parents
"Create Anyway is a compassionate call to be enchanted by the ordinary and see the beauty right where you belong."--Rachel Marie Kang, founder of The Fallow House and author of Let There Be Art
"If you've ever questioned your value or worth in the long season of mothering little ones, I highly recommend this book! It feels like letting go and coming home at the same time."--Anjuli Paschall, author of Stay and Awake
"Ashlee drops breadcrumbs of hope, confirming that we are not alone in the messy margins and perhaps instead of waiting for 'perfect' we have permission to lean in and make something beautiful right there."--Jena Holliday, artist, author, and founder of Spoonful of Faith
Endorsements
"If you've ever felt like your creative energy and your motherhood were at odds, Create Anyway will be a balm to your soul. Ashlee's personal experiences and thoughtful insight, paired with creative exercises and journaling prompts, are sure to remind your heart that creating in the margins is worth the effort it takes!"
Ruth Chou Simons, mom to six boys, Wall Street Journal bestselling author, and founder of gracelaced.com
"Create Anyway is an anthem, an invitation, a spark that will light a fire in your heart. As a mom to three littles with a busy schedule and a list of excuses as to why this season isn't suited for making art, I needed this permission slip to pick up my pen and do exactly what Ashlee encourages mothers to do--create anyway."
Gretchen Saffles, founder of Well-Watered Women and bestselling author of The Well-Watered Woman
"This book is a love letter. A love letter that will be bookmarked, dog-eared, highlighted, and scribbled in for years to come--throughout all the messy and gritty states of motherhood. As a mom of an emerging two-year-old, I didn't realize (but God knew) how much I needed to read these words. Every page, story, and anecdote spoke to me. If you're looking for a manual to help you reclaim the sacred slowness of motherhood and creativity, pick this one up today. You will find yourself breathing easier after just the first chapter."
Hannah Brencher, author of Fighting Forward and Come Matter Here
"As a long-time friend of Ashlee Gadd, I can tell you she lives out the words on these pages. The stories and wisdom in Create Anyway will inspire you to prioritize and delight in making art, not in spite of motherhood, but because of it. She's the cheerleader we all need."
Laura Wifler, author, podcaster, and cofounder of Risen Motherhood
"I cried tears of release throughout this book. It's dreamy and gorgeous and raw, and I feel as if I can finally exhale after two long, hard years. Thank you, Ashlee, for reminding me that I have permission to create just as God intended."
Leslie Means, creator of Her View From Home
"I dare you not to be refreshed after reading this. Part pep talk, part permission slip, this beautiful book honors both the mothering journey and our God-given desires to create. Ashlee's honest reflections will leave you encouraged and affirmed. I'll be placing Create Anyway in the hands of women for years to come."
Kayla Craig, author of To Light Their Way and creator of Liturgies for Parents
"With wit, wisdom, and a wealth of grace, Ashlee Gadd woos us to believe that motherhood and creativity do not detract from each other. Indeed, they deepen each other. Create Anyway is a compassionate call to be enchanted by the ordinary and see the beauty right where you belong. Ashlee's stories are a sacred invitation, welcoming all of us--in spite of all that feels hard and hopeless--to create anyway."
Rachel Marie Kang, founder of The Fallow House and author of Let There Be Art
"Imagine one giant exhale, taking a refreshing shower, and drinking a cold glass of water. This is what reading Create Anyway feels like. If you've ever questioned your value or worth in the long season of mothering little ones, I highly recommend this book! It feels like letting go and coming home at the same time."
Anjuli Paschall, author of Stay and Awake
"Create Anyway is a glimpse into where the good stuff is made--under the piles of laundry, runny noses, and lists that never seem to end. Sharing her own relatable stories, Ashlee drops breadcrumbs of hope, confirming that we are not alone in the messy margins and perhaps instead of waiting for 'perfect' we have permission to lean in and make something beautiful right there."
Jena Holliday, artist, author, and founder of Spoonful of Faith
The Author
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© Kelli Seeley Ashlee Gadd
Ashlee Gadd (www.ashleegadd.com) is the founder of Coffee + Crumbs--a beautiful online space where motherhood and storytelling intersect. As a writer and photographer, Ashlee has spent her entire motherhood creating in the margins. When she's not writing...
Continue reading about Ashlee Gadd