Oh, the romance of a blank canvas. So fresh. So full of promise. So wildly intimidating. At first, it feels magical. Like anything could happen. Every medium is calling my name. Every color wants a turn. Every moment of life I have ever lived suddenly feels like it needs to be expressed immediately. Acrylics. Watercolors. Pastels. Should this be abstract? Realistic? A moody phase? A joyful one? Who knows. And then reality taps me on the shoulder. Time. Responsibilities. Expec

Tracing paper isn’t real art. Going over someone else’s work is cheating. If you didn’t emerge from the womb holding a paintbrush, you should probably just stop now. I hear those statements and say… absolutely not. Tracing a line is not a crime. It is practice. It is repetition. It is muscle memory quietly clocking in and doing the work while your inner critic is too busy running its mouth. I am Team Creativity at any cost. Any mark. Any moment. Do what you can with what you

Shop at Home to Create More Written by Erica Soto There is a very specific moment when the urge to create shows up loud, confident, and ready to work, while your bank account politely clears its throat and says absolutely not. You want to make something. Anything. A sign, a wreath, a journal page, a gift, a moment. But there’s no budget, no Target run, no late-night Amazon order justified by “it’s for my mental health.” This is usually where people stop. I don’t. This is whe

Vision Board Created with the help of Divine NYC I do not think that I necessarily believe in a new year, clean slate. But this day, the first of January, feels especially clean. Squeaky and shiny and full of possibility and hope. And honestly, that is generally true of most every day if we are paying attention. Still, there is something uniquely beautiful about this glimmer of hope. Something about this moment that invites us to pause, breathe, and imagine. So I like to capt

The Shame of the Late Dinner It’s true. By the time I remembered to take out the chicken to defrost, the day was basically already over. And yes, I put it in water on the counter. Judge me later. One of my specialties in this house is something my kids lovingly call “Ten O’Clock Chicken.” I should probably be more concerned that this is one of my most delicious recipes. And no, it is not healthy. And then I get worried. Because it is late. Because they are eating late. Becaus

A feast for found family in PA. This holiday season really crept up on me. I really thought I had more time. More time to plan, to prep, to create another magical season. Time to feel ready. But life moves, and suddenly the day was here. This year for , my fifteen-year-old asked for something simple. He wanted our friends to cook Thanksgiving dinner. And they did. A full spread, deep-fried turkey, all the fixings. Right before we ate, my five-year-old niece reminded us that

Dazed and Confused by Artist Erica Soto by Erica Soto While being the good little entrepreneur that I am, I scheduled an accountability call like it was my daily vitamin. I called up my colleague, who is basically human sunshine. She’s smart, talented, gorgeous, creative, kind, and one of those people who looks like she wakes up flawless. I told her all this, what I thought of her, and thanked her for taking the time to chat and prepared myself to check in, be a responsible a

By Erica Soto A shack just like this. Laying Down the Tracks During my days as a 19-year-old security guard in New Jersey, life felt painfully slow. I spent eight-hour shifts alone in a cold little security shack, eating whatever I packed, texting random people on my silver Razr, hoping someone wasn’t too busy to talk back. The clock dragged minute by minute. Some days, it felt like the silence was swallowing me whole. There was almost no human interaction. Just truckers sig

Because sometimes the real holiday magic starts with paint, cafecito, and a whole lot of laughter. If your holiday to-do list is growing faster than your patience, take a deep breath, here’s your guide to making the season magical without losing your mind (or your glue gun). It’s November 11th and the mom mode in me is officially activated. The calendar says there’s still time, but my brain says panic now because somehow the holiday countdown has already begun. As a mom, I fe