Welcome back to another episode of Valerie’s Variety Podcast, this is a follow up to a previous show, episode 35 Mental Health Podcast Challenge where I told an intimate story about how we all suffer from Mental Health at one time or another in our lives. For those of you who are new to my show, I thought I’d share this episode again, plus it’s a good reminder to be a little extra patient, call a friend that you haven’t heard from for sometime be a little better of a person.
The person who put the request out back in January is an acquaintance in my Calgary Podcasting community, his name is River – great name hey? He lost his sister to suicide recently and since this change of life moment he’s been a huge advocate of mental health in our community (and abroad I’m sure).
Insert episode here…What did you think of this? Mental Heath Podcast Challenge – Accepted! They chose me and I received a little kit by a local company called Stresscase (great name hey) containing all sorts of lovely items:
Golden Milk: It’s a powder you mix with your favourite “milk” coconut oil, MCT oils, or butter, heat and simmer…ingredients are Tumeric, Ginger, Pepper & Cinnamon – I have’t tried this yet but it’s supposed to reduce inflammation, support brain and joint health and calm digest issues…oh it’s a deep mustard colour – stunning
Loving Bath Bomb: self explanatory however, it’s a flat disc style about the size of a hockey puck!
Rose Quartz Meditation Crystals: to reduce anxiety with a little note of step by step instructions about how to calm your mind. These little gems are soft sided, when they touch each other it’s a beautiful ‘tap’ sound
Barefoot venus, Gingerly Green Tea Cleanser: packed with skin loving extracts of White Pine Bark, green Tea, Ginseng, Bearberry and Licorice.
Thank you StressCase for this lovely kit. Plus it was hand delivered to my home! Check out the StressCase Story – it’s so amazing, a Mother-Daughter Team came up with this. Check out my blog for all of the pictures of my goodies. Thank you to River and his team for choosing my blog/podcast amongst the entries. I had to reflect on this challenge but having a voice and platform to share my story, will hopefully encourage you to share yours. To me, a stranger, to your friend, to your colleague, if you need to share your story and get it off your chest, do that- it’s healing. You know what else is a great outlet, write your future self a letter. I used this method/outlet a lot growing up to get my feeling off my mind and stored securely in my journal…when I had my daughter I used journalling as my psychologist…except I did the writing with pen.
Welcome back to another TmT episode of Valerie’s Variety Podcast, if you haven’t listened to last weeks episode this is a follow-up.
London and I spent a day at Colour Me Mine in Kensington, I did this post and shared our experience because we had a really great time. We love going there and it was an honest ReView of this incredible experience. Barring the ‘rude’ lady, that decided to air her feelings about kids in a room full of kids united with their families. This place didn’t disappoint, we had a great time and have a cherished piece of hand painted pottery to mark our day!
I shared our experience through their online contact form and JJ the owner of this particular Colour Me Mine location. The response was so great I could barely read it without tearing up. As you know I like to spread positive experiences…if you’ve been pondering to go here with your bestie – here’s the environment and the owners goal for this place:
Hello Valerie,Wow, that’s so sweet of you! I loved it! You brought a tear to my eye, it truly makes what we do so worth it when we hear back from the very people we do it for and it truly touched my heart. I love what I do, never feel like I’m working really! Most favourite parts are the kiln reveals and seeing smiles while painting and of course at pick up! I’m so happy you enjoy your experiences. Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing the good vibes. We aim to please and are happy to do so! Our customers are amazing and we are happy to provide a creative outlet to allow imaginations to sore. I’m disappointed about the comments of the pick up client (especially being a mother to 3 myself) (I had no idea that was said) however we never truly know the experiences of others and what would have caused her to say such things. I apologize on her behalf and hope you only feel/hear positive energy when at Color Me Mine.I would like to personally meet you hopefully someday soon and thank you in person,Look forward to seeing you soon,Take care and much gratitude! <3Best,JJ
London and I on Family Day spent the day together painting art at Colour Me Mine in Kensington. This isn’t the first time we’ve done this adventure and it won’t be the last time. She picked out a cup to paint and I eventually picked a vase for my plant area in my studio. insert 38:38 be careful you don’t break anything.
As you can here there’s lovlie jazz music in the background. We haven’t been here for a number of months – maybe even a year or more and this place has been enhanced. It being Family day…there was so many people in, all of the tables were full. They were having a celebration in the party room area at the back.
If you’re not familiar with this place – think creative. You can choose and items off the shelf like, plates, platters, bowls, ornaments, mugs, cups, tea cups, decorations like a little dog ornament or a giant dragon to paint. On the bottom of your object there’s a price on a sticker This amount includes all of the things you will require to get your painting – crafting object completed. These things include paint, brushes, water, designs, examples, a bit of a lesson, plus the kiln for the end. One stop shop. This particular location…is my favourite I’ve been to a few thoroughout the city but this one is the best one. as the two of us sit there with our treasures that likely add up to $80 for the two pieces, yes it isn’t cheap but you have a keepsake at the end that you’ve painted and love – you picked that pink, you wrote that love note, it was by you.
We pick our colours and find some paint brushes – some of them can be well used, get some water for ringing and dilution…a sponge for dabbing or maybe even sponge painting. and these small sample sw=queeze containers that you can use to freehand draw on your masterpiece. they have all kinds of goodies to use, stencils, sponges, crackle paint, pencils, examples…
insert 37:57 here
Flashback
As a side story we came here one time with our friends from our previous life over at KidsU, her name is Penny and her twin boys are Aidan and Noah. They adored London and called her Lundi – so cute!. Anyway, when we were their painting London was likely 4 or maybe 5 but I don’t think she was that old. Aidan and London went to the washroom to wash their hands…they locked the door and couldn’t get it opened. Aidan was freaking out and so was London, we had to get a pen, take the inside part out and push it though the lock to release the door knob – remember doing this when we were kids? What a memory to keep.
London painted a cut with a small raised plaque area and she decided immediately to paint a camera area within this small spot. Jeff gave her the idea to paint a cup or a glass for his bathroom sink. This place was full. insert 9:30.
London and I just sat and played painted while Jeff had to work…insert 9:55 here and enjoying our work insert 27:12 here. Some people we playing with glass fusion it’s a technique where you take glass pieces and put a special epoxy onto the background piece and fuse square/shapes in and on different colours. I haven’t tried it but it looks so interesting, and possibly like you might get a cut by the end of the day.
insert 42: I love that about you
When you sit and look around there’s a whole room full of people who are doing the same thing, using the same brushes, having as much fun with all sorts of different ideas in their minds. picking paint colours and trying to remember. insert 27: here the paint colour that you’ve chosen. insert note here about colour: 1:02:43 – 1:05…choosing colour background can you grab me one more…insert 1:07
Insert note here 33:57 – 36:44 – hear that chime that was the rude lady leaving.
As you can hear all the families sitting around us..This younger women came into this place picking up items for someone, she made an announcement like ” if I wanted to be around kids I would have had kids of my own”… with all of us families sitting around in this place, she openly comments about this – on Family Day?
insert 40:53 here for the convo between us- this totally sat with us and the other table with the mom, dad and kids beside each other united as a family. and again at 47:30 – 47:50yes this impacted us and London couldn’t wait to tell her dad
The atmosphere feels good in there, you can almost feel palpable creative energy all around us…and then this women comes in. What makes a person speak out like this? Why would she feel so much resentment to feel proud to make this sort of derogatory announcement? I reflect on this moment now as I write this and feel bad for her. I feel sad for her having this type of outlook. She was someone kid once – was her previous life as a child not one to want to remember?
insert door chimes at 22:20
There’s were families all around us, all kinds of nationalities, enjoying each others company. Older children like 16 or more and younger kids like 4 years old…they have a coffee bar and donuts insert donut note here 1:06:04 and good music playing, plus a piano 1:07:57
Sitting and painting in quiet just with our thoughts and sharing them as they come to mind, but all the while enjoying each others company and thoughts about our works of art. our masterpieces. insert 1:25:26 to 1:25:31…
Our creations…pre-kiln
From Google Reviews
Here’s some of the reviews on google I wanted to share about this experience just to validate my feeling more:
insert 40:27 friendly to 40:41 the lady working in the store is even commenting on the people and how they’ve grown over the last year
From a month ago: It’s honestly so much fun. So many different types of things to paint and enough paints to be totally free to get as creative as you want. The gentleman working was so friendly and helpful and just a great energy to have around. Love that they’re trying to focus on being more environmentally conscious too.
insert note: 41:25 here From a month ago: Color Me Mine is such a great family-run business. The staff are very helpful and the owner went out of his way to find the pottery I wanted to paint. They play smooth jazz, which is totally relaxing, and serve a great range of teas, coffees, soft drinks and snacks. It is open late at night, which makes it ideal for an alternative meet-up with friends to a bar or movie theatre. The pottery appears expensive but the price includes the paint and firing in the kiln (I believe some other similar businesses charge an entry fee). Your item is usually ready for pick up after five days. It has a friendly atmosphere and you don’t feel rushed at all. I would recommend. A great experience all-in!
From about a month ago: I love this colour me mine. I have been to a few in the city and had a great experience at all but this is my favourite one. JJ is the kindest lady I have ever met and so enjoy being in her studio! The way she is kids it’s so amazing! I go here about twice month and always leave feeling refreshed and relaxed!
From about a month ago: Color me mine Kensington is the best experience for painting ceramics. It has a very nice ambience and atmosphere. And the workers who own it are very kind and ready to help any customer.
From about 3 months ago: We had just the best time here today. The staff is very nice and very helpful. My daughter is absolutely obsessed now and we will be planning her bday party here! I highly recommend it!
Background was recorded by me, sorry about the undertone of singing…London enjoys her idea of a donut, the donut wasn’t that good…in the end after all this waiting, I like to still and finish this spot and that, trying to get every last line painted and crease taken care of. I always like to initial my piece on the bottom with a date – I encourage London to do this also as it just makes the moment all that more captured..
So, I want to encourage you to go out one day with your kids in tow or a friend and just enjoy the day away being in bliss with each other…this place warms the creative sole. I’ve done this with many friends…some no longer around anymore (RIP my dear friend Christi) and others who want to go back because it left a lasting impression on them.
insert 1:38 here what would you choose……be prepared to spend a good chunk of time, like a couple of hours you can bring a snack, coffee or tea if you want and I think they are also licensed so a glass of wine – but double check this. If you want some company invite me I’d go with you…
insert 1:48 here
I can be done, and be sad the day is over I say, well, it’s a nice time, we have a piece of cherished pottery painted by my daughter and me with good spirits and energy added to the mix..so yes I’d say we are artists!
Thanks for listening to this show today, means a lot to share these moments with you
