Updated: Sep 10, 2025
From the depths of motherhood come nuggets of inspiration for creativity. The kind we can all munch on, no matter your dietary restrictions!
Hearing a crash and being surprised is not delightful or inspiring. Neither is changing diapers every 45 minutes (I’ve got twins!) and you're surprised how awful the smell can be!
But that’s not what this article is about. Today, we salute our kiddo's uniquely tuned brains and give thanks for the times when their interruptions and calls for attention disrupt our day in just the right way, leading to breakthroughs, deep awestruck breaths, and admiration for the lense that only a kid could show us and invite us to take a look through.
Like that time a call came down to be a doll’s nurse–And let me tell ya, best patient ever! What a fun palette dolly’s hair and many band-aids for all her boo-boos made against the bedspread. Or, the time the kids needed an interior designer for a pillow fort they made. Resumé builder? Heck yes! Plus, somewhere in all that interlocking cushion is a pattern waiting to be born.
Everyone’s creative flow is different, so what sparks inspiration is also different. It can come from the most unexpected places. Sometimes, sharing in the beauty found deep in the minds of little budding creative thinkers inspires deeper dives into the creative well that helps us at home and at work.
Enjoy these surprisingly delightful tales from creative moms at Hart House Creative that left our team with a smile in their hearts and a creative itch in their brains:
“My favorite Surprise and Delight moment so far was when one of my kids saw a digital holiday card I was working on and wanted to make their own greeting card. I was surprised by a large glitter mess in such a short span of time…but delighted I got to help them make cards for random friends with random greetings and a lot of Happy Un-Birthdays. Our Kids put zero limits on their ideas.” - Kate Frabbiele
“Something that surprised and delighted me was when my kids wanted to make coloring books to sell to other kids. They wanted to use their creativity in new ways. I had no idea how to do that so it inspired me to learn so they could accomplish their goals.” - Lori Waddell
“I mean, since I got pregnant. Basically, I had a continuous internal stand-up comedy monologue constantly running through my head. Even started to dabble in open mics for a bit. But ya know, motherhood + working full time ... it quickly fell off lol. I did things like mae up songs to distract the baby during diaper changes so he wouldn’t roll over and smear poo everywhere lol. I got inspired to design a bag for women”’
- Allyson Faiman
“Honestly, just becoming a mother has been the most surprising and delightful disruption. My entire world has been disrupted in the best way! Sometimes, in the wee hours of dawn, when I was sleep-deprived and in disposable underwear, I didn’t see it as delightful. But now, as I am weaning my 13-month-old off of the bottle, I am finding myself sad that our time together taking bottle breaks is almost gone. I loved that time. The past 9 months of bottle breaks have all been at reasonable hours (ha!) so I would welcome the time to study his little face and fingers. Marveling at how all of the little bones, muscles, and tendons are in that tiny little digit!” - Hannah Heine
Thanks for reading these tales from creative moms to Inspire creative ideas!
Stay tuned and tucked in for another Kate’s Corner coming this September.
Meet The Author
As a self-proclaimed “studio sidekick” at Hart House Creative, Kate assists in all things studio. Her even temperament and unique view of the world bring a fresh perspective to the team. That perspective shines bright in this very special segment of The Squeeze, “Kate’s Corner,” where she shares her creative insights through the eyes of her three kiddos, giving us a peek at motherhood as a creative professional. She enjoys drinking coffee, reading, writing, and playing piano with her howling canine friend, Leela Gene.
Enjoy, Surprise and Delight: Tales From Creative Moms To Inspire Creative Ideas?
Coloring Books For Kids Made By Kids
Made by one of our team member's kids, Reagan & Lincoln.
Everything we share here is meant to be helpful and inspiring. We’re speaking from experience. Please consult a qualified professional to help make decisions. You are responsible for how you choose to use this information, and we are not liable for any loss, damages, or issues that may arise. We can’t be responsible for how things play out, but we’re always rooting for your success!
Credits
Author: Kate Frebbiele
Editor: Jenn Hart (More About Me)
Associate Editor: Lori Waddell
Art: Sharon Bakas
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