Hospitality: How to Host a Creative Day or Creative Night

One fun way I practice hospitality is through Creative Day and Creative Night.  I am going to share how I stage a Creative Day and Creative Night in hopes that you will try one out in your home.

A Recipe for Creative Day

A table where gals can spread out + Conversation and Relationship + Time to Unwind and Create + Good Food  =  Creative Day

Y'all all I do is invite gals over to work on their projects and creative enterprises, and also provide a meal and a space for them to create and connect with other gals.  It is a refreshing way to spend time together, kind of like an old fashioned quilting bee or the washing of clothes by the river.  We need community; we need each other.  Conversations and connections are woven around the table. People can share and get advice or the latest news or a new recipe or just a feeling of belonging.  It refreshes our souls to be together to hear that we are not the only one; and it is refreshing to get something done while you are at it.

Purpose Of Creative Day

A time to get some things done in the community of others.  Making new friends, deepening old.  Learning something new.Having fun!

Theory behind Creative Day

We are created in God’s image, and God is a creator.  He opens his story with the images of creating and beauty.  We are all creative--there is a difference between being artistic and being creative.  How you cook your spaghetti sauce is creative.  How you organize your pantry or which necklace you wear with that blue sweater is creative.  How you plant your garden, set your table, do your budget, fold your clothes.  All creative.  So Creative Day is the opportunity to practice this and swim around in your creativity.  It is an open space in your schedule to just Be Creative! To be still.  To enjoy community with others. I believe we all need this time of refreshment and rest that comes with being creative.  I love that Creative Day or Creative Night provides the opportunity to find this rest at least once a month.  I also believe that the community that is built is life giving and healing to us.  The encouragement around the table feeds our souls and spirits as we walk together in this life.

So let’s start with the Details.  Here are the Nuts and Bolts of Creative Day

Remember this is how I do it.  You  can play around with this schedule and the following ideas to make it reflect you.  Just wanted to give you a head start and prime your pump.Creative Day Start time 10:00 am   Ends 3:00 pmServe a light lunchCreative NightStart time 6:30 pm Ends 10:00 pmServe a light dinner

Send an email invitation

Send  out the email about a month in advance for the first one.  Explain in detail what you are doing.  I usually follow up with a phone call for newbies to explain what the purpose is  and what to bring.  Some folks feel intimidated about being Creative and won’t come.  I like explaining that they can bring anything, even nothing, but that they won’t want to miss out on this time.

Come for all or just part.  

Some gals come for the lunch part, and I usually say we will eat around 11:30.  Or gals come for the morning and the lunch and then leave. I always tell them to come for part  is better than not coming.  The same is true for the night event.  Come for  all or come for part.

Set a table up for the Creative Component

At my dining room table where we work, I don’t decorate.  I want it to have space for people to spread out.  Set a place for all.  Push tables together.   Use card tables or folding church tables to have a place to gather.  Don’t wait until you have a giant table.  Use what you have. I sometimes put sheets of art paper at each place that can be used to write down thoughts or doodles or to keep the mess ( ie glue/paint/stamp mess)  off the tableHave Extension cords ready for glue guns, computers, etcHave little trash cans sitting around the table for creative chunking

Lunch is served at Creative Day.   Dinner is served at Creative Night.

I do not let gals bring anything for the meal.  I want this to be an event that you just show up to.  You get pampered a little.  At the evening one, the mamas get to come and eat with no interruptions.  This is a little Sursee you can give  to your friends.  I love designing the menu and often send the recipes out in an email following Creative Day or Night.  I have included some sample recipes at the end.

Set a different table for the meal.

 I usually serve the meal in the kitchen and the Creative Day creating is done in my dining room around the table. But you can be flexible with this.  Sit on couches for your meal if you only have one table.  You want to all be around the table for the Creative part.To make it festive and pretty use what you have to decorate your table.  Make the table reflect the season.  A fresh flower from your garden.  A pinecone.  A pretty card. Have fun designing the table knowing that what is happening around it in the conversations is the most important thing.

Ask for an RSVP but know that you will always have enough food. 

I have never run out of food.   Rsvp’s do help with this.  I would encourage you to not stress about this.   Don’t not host the meal part  because you don’t know how much to prepare.  I am going to give you some sample menus to use for inspiration or to just copy.

Guest List

You don’t all have to know each other; over time, friendships are born and people grow to love one another.  I usually invite a ginormous group and the Lord brings who needs to come. 

A time of encouragement 

I usually have a short devotional or thought or verse that I share during the mealtime.  I often think of a theme or a question that we can pursue in our time together to help the conversations be ones that build us up.This summer I asked how the question, "How are you going to be present in your summer? How will you be a part of it and not just survive?"  We had just talked about Colossians 3:2 and the idea of setting our minds on things above.I then asked the gals to write their answers on my ginormous white board because I believe physically writing it helps us to remember it.Here are some sample answers.  I loved their answers and was encouraged in my own walk by what my friends wrote down.  And isn't that what it is about? To encourage one another in our walks...

Sursees and Door Prizes

I bought American flags for a dollar at Target and handed those out for little Sursees.  I also gave each gal a recipe for an easy crock pot chicken.  For the door prize, I always have a little Sursee to give away.  Everyone gets a number when they arrive and then we chose numbers out of a bowl for the winner.  Or I stamp the back of their paper placemat with A special Sursee stamp and the winner gets the prize.  Remember a Sursee is an unexpected Surprise that brings joy.

When you email everyone,  give the gals some ideas  and  prompts on what to bring or do at Creative Day and Night.

Tell the gals to:Bring whatever you are working onBring a project you want to finishBring something to organizeClean out your recipes or your purse or your junk drawerStamp cardsBring your computer workDo your doodling, art journal, brush lettering practiceWork on your photo albumsStitch a little on your cross stitch or needleworkBring something you want to try like this cute bandana 4th of July wreath!  Woo-Hoo!We all have unfinished projects to do and Creative Day or Night is the place to get 'er done.

Sample Menu with Recipes

Here are some recipes that I served at my most recent Creative  Night.  You can also go to my blog to find other easy recipes.  I will be posting more on Sursee Gal soon.  You won't want to miss them.  The following is a sample of items I have made recently.Salad with Grilled Chicken- I served this at Creative Night.  So easy and yummy.Fresh Pea Soup- Ina Garten perfected this, and I just serve it.  Most people will look askance at it when you tell them what you are serving, but will lick the bowl clean.  Men and women...Bean Corn Salad  An easy side to serve.Mojito Cake  I used the cake recipe and made a simple glaze icing with powdered sugar and water instead of the icing they used. I used a little lime zest in the icing, too.Mint Tea- Make your tea and add fresh mint, lemonade and some almond extract.I hope this encourages you to try a Creative Night or Creative Day.  Would love to hear if you try one and how it went.  Practicing hospitality this way is super fun!  And it is life-giving to the gals who come.xoxo