Making time for you. With all the hustle and bustle of life and getting your workouts in, it’s hard to remember to take time for yourself. This past week, for me, was especially  busy at work and I am currently on a gym hiatus due to an injury. Having all of the stress from my job and not being able to relieve it through physical activity is quite frustrating. Luckily this past Wednesday was the third Wednesday of the month which means….Craft Night! A tid bit of information about me is that I am actually fairly creative artistically. I have a few paintings in my apartment that I created, I enjoy photography (a growing skill) and I decorate cakes/cupcakes for events. So when I heard  a few months back that Toms has a monthly craft night, I knew I had to go check it out. Well, let me tell you I was not disappointed. You walk into the store front and head towards the “backyard” where they have recreated the work/lounge space to a craft space. A long table with the contents of the evenings crafts spread out for any and all to participate. I went with a few girl friends the first time, but since then have made friends with a few of the ‘regulars’ ( I may have become a regular myself). It’s nice to meet new people and hear their stories, establish connections and maybe even network.  The night starts with an introduction from the instructor, where she explains the craft of the evening, let’s you know about the wines that they have for consuming and then the crafting begins. So far, I have created a bouquet of flowers, magnets, a hanging terrarium, succulents on top of a pumpkin (Thanksgiving centerpiece), spice infused salt, pumpkin spice latte soap, ornaments and most recently a trendy hanging wall calendar. Spending time doing mindless, creative activities is another great way to relieve stress, relax and channel your thoughts/productivity elsewhere. So find a local wine and paint night, ceramic or cooking class and put that creativity to work. You may even surprise yourself! Check out more of the crafts made on my Instagram.