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Inspiration Sandwich: Stories to Inspire Our Creative Freedom
Sark's first book, A CREATIVE COMPANION, has charmed all who come across it, so we were delighted when she came back to us with this collection of 43 ways to awaken your creative self�including "invite someone dangerous to tea," "take lots of naps," and "make friends with freedom and uncertainty." As the author puts it, "This book is food for your soul, and a bubble bath for your spirit. It is a guide to keeping your creativity alive, and I wrote it for you. In the SARK tradition, it was written while in pajamas, and in between naps. My first job was at age four as the wake-up fairy in kindergarten. I believe in waking up creative spirits." This colorful work also includes the complete text of her popular pieces, "CATS ARE ANGELS WITH FUR" and "DOGS ARE MIRACLES WITH PAWS."
176 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1992
12 people are currently reading
717 people want to read
About the author
SARK
26 books496 followersSARK (a.k.a. Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy) is an American author and illustrator of self-help books. Five of her sixteen books have been national bestsellers, and she has sold more than two million copies of her books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
August 6, 2010
SARK books always inspire and uplift me. There were so many pieces of this book that really resonated with me.... my two favorites: the "Imagine Yourself Magic" chapter and her "Dogs are Miracles with Paws" page!
August 10, 2010
I found this book in a box of free stuff on the side of the road. It was colorful and neat looking so I grabbed it.
I started reading it when I got home and I loved the fact that you can read it in any order that you want.
I used her "tip" at the beginning and started from chapter 42 and read it backwards from there.
I really enjoyed her stories she shared about her life. & also some of the things she told you to do, such as take a miracle walk or swing on a swing-set at midnight.
I love doing those things and this book really showed me a different way to look at the things I already do everyday.
I love taking random pointless walks that go nowhere and I always bring my camera and take pictures of things from every which angle. Photography is kind of my art and reading her book made me look at what I see on my walks in a different way.
Her book is truly inspiring. :)
I really enjoyed it.
I started reading it when I got home and I loved the fact that you can read it in any order that you want.
I used her "tip" at the beginning and started from chapter 42 and read it backwards from there.
I really enjoyed her stories she shared about her life. & also some of the things she told you to do, such as take a miracle walk or swing on a swing-set at midnight.
I love doing those things and this book really showed me a different way to look at the things I already do everyday.
I love taking random pointless walks that go nowhere and I always bring my camera and take pictures of things from every which angle. Photography is kind of my art and reading her book made me look at what I see on my walks in a different way.
Her book is truly inspiring. :)
I really enjoyed it.
September 25, 2017
Tremendamente inspirador.
Un libro para leer una y otra vez.
Un libro para leer una y otra vez.
October 29, 2020
i feel so inspired
go hug a tree! write a letter! dont be afraid!
go hug a tree! write a letter! dont be afraid!
April 21, 2017
SARK's books are dripping with creativity, and this one was no different. I took it in over a long period of time, when my mind needed a break from the boring routines of the day. SARK has a way of kindling the creative spirit in small tidbits of inspiration.
January 23, 2008
I found this book sitting on a table in the lobby of a doctor's office, buried under fashion magazines. Not being one who frequently reads magazines, I picked the book up instead and fell in love within the first ten pages. Sark is an incredibly talented author with the kind of creative vision I longed for as a child. I recently purchased several other of her books as well as a journal and will hopefully one day be able to inspire others as she does in such a seemingly easy fashion.
January 4, 2012
What a lovely little book to read! I actually read it in one sitting last night but I think it would be nice to go back and read a chapter once in a while:) I wouldn't say reading this book made me feel more creative but it definitely put me in a great mood. I might even start drawing on my walls today!
February 14, 2009
If you need a pick me up, this is your book. Creative suggestions to make life fun and meaningful
April 24, 2009
Go creative freedom.
Makes me want to tear up paper and collage, paint in scanty clothing and go camping without a tent.
Makes me want to tear up paper and collage, paint in scanty clothing and go camping without a tent.
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January 8, 2021I only learned of SARK recently, but after reading her hand-lettered, primary-color-illustrated book, I realize she was part of the zeitgeist of SF in the 90s when I lived there. Her style of charming and supportive magical thinking permeated the shared housing, women’s bookstores, and conversations of my friends and acquaintances at that time, and I’m glad to track it down to its source.
August 1, 2017
This book isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea. It was absolutely my cup of tea, prepared exactly the way I like it. Loved the thoughts, illustrations, and ideas in here. It's more like a big grown-up picture book than a book you read from cover to cover. Sip it slowly - it's worth savoring.
September 3, 2018
Quirky. Creative. Inspirational. Exceptional. This book made me want to live with more creativity in my everyday life and become a collector of miracle moments. I’m adding this to my list of books to read once a year.
March 6, 2022
My first SARK! What a breath of fresh air. Please, if you need a creativity boost, help with connecting to your inner child, or simply a fun escape, READ THIS! I can’t wait to devour more books by SARK! Yummy!!!!
February 24, 2018
Fun read, very playful and whimsical!
April 13, 2018
So fun and enlightening!
August 28, 2018
Weird, rather woo-hoo-y, but very creative and inspirational. Worth a browse.
February 23, 2019
SARK’s sweet little books are like cotton candy. They make me feel like I’m 5 years old and giddy and want to make miracles happen. What a gem.
May 24, 2020
wonderful food for your soul.
October 5, 2020
exactly
March 28, 2021
Quite fun but rather 90s
April 6, 2021
Simply lovely!
March 6, 2022
A delightful energy jump-starter.
January 6, 2025
Made me happy
August 12, 2025
Bright
January 5, 2014
SARK ~ Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy ~ created this vibrantly hued rainbow of a fun book in 1992. She is serious about offering Stories to Inspire Our Creative Freedom, and so opens her life authentically to us, on every handwritten page of text(!)
On page 67, she writes: "I think it's possible to forget how alive we really are. We can become dry and tired, just existing, instead of really living. We need to remind ourselves of the juice of life, and make that a habit. Find those places inside that jump for joy, and do things that bring out your best, most magic self. Keep doing them!
"Sometimes, if I become de-pressed, it's usually because I need to ex-press something. We all have paintings and music and writing inside of us. Keep supplies close at hands: brushes, pens, giant boxes of crayons, paints and pads of paper ~ the tools of expression."
She loves the word "juicy," as SARK writes here: "Live juicy! Your aliveness will make the angels laugh."
About a month ago, I found myself sitting next to a very upbeat woman, in my favorite breakfast restaurant near Berkeley ... which is where SARK lives. The woman's face looked familiar, but her hair didn't match the photos I'd seen of Susan. But within a few minutes of watching her ecstatically connect with the staff and diners, I *knew* I was sitting next to the outrageously positive SARK. Wow. The energy we vibrate returns to us through others. = ;D
On page 67, she writes: "I think it's possible to forget how alive we really are. We can become dry and tired, just existing, instead of really living. We need to remind ourselves of the juice of life, and make that a habit. Find those places inside that jump for joy, and do things that bring out your best, most magic self. Keep doing them!
"Sometimes, if I become de-pressed, it's usually because I need to ex-press something. We all have paintings and music and writing inside of us. Keep supplies close at hands: brushes, pens, giant boxes of crayons, paints and pads of paper ~ the tools of expression."
She loves the word "juicy," as SARK writes here: "Live juicy! Your aliveness will make the angels laugh."
About a month ago, I found myself sitting next to a very upbeat woman, in my favorite breakfast restaurant near Berkeley ... which is where SARK lives. The woman's face looked familiar, but her hair didn't match the photos I'd seen of Susan. But within a few minutes of watching her ecstatically connect with the staff and diners, I *knew* I was sitting next to the outrageously positive SARK. Wow. The energy we vibrate returns to us through others. = ;D
April 19, 2016
“Remember the sandbox? All you needed was bare toes in warm sand, and maybe a good bucket. Then you could build your own world. We all have wonderful new worlds to build!” says Sark in her warm book called Inspiration Sandwich. This has small different stories about a girl named Sark and she helps you see the meaning of life and how you see its beauties. I think she is trying to show our inner-child out to the world. This book made me react surprisingly, I felt calm and relaxed, I even tried the things she recommended like hug a tree until you feel it hugging you back or pick a rock up and listen to what it is trying to say. This book can change your attitude if you're in a bad mood and it can change how you look at things.
In my opinion this book deserves a three out of five stars for two reasons. First, this book makes you look at the world from a different perspective and second you can lose yourself in the book. It makes you look at the world differently because she makes you see what is actually important in life and what you can do when you're feeling down. You can lose yourself in the book because it is too good and she uses beautiful and gourgeos words that make only concentrate on the book. I would recommend this book to whoever has bad times or whoever is passionate to read the book.
In my opinion this book deserves a three out of five stars for two reasons. First, this book makes you look at the world from a different perspective and second you can lose yourself in the book. It makes you look at the world differently because she makes you see what is actually important in life and what you can do when you're feeling down. You can lose yourself in the book because it is too good and she uses beautiful and gourgeos words that make only concentrate on the book. I would recommend this book to whoever has bad times or whoever is passionate to read the book.
February 11, 2024
SARK's books are so great! I read them when I was a teen/young adult. They really inspired me. I love how she encourages noticing the small things, enjoying exploration, creating your own luck, and being solo. I think as a young person it helped me develop my skills in these areas - as an adult I am definitely an expert in wandering around flaneur-ing, doing things solo and enjoying the little things in life. hahaha
I am not sure how useful these books are in the time of social media but back in the day it was so refreshing to see an adult with her wacky colorful books selling in an actual bookstore telling me it was cool to be a weirdo who watches snails for fun.
I am not sure how useful these books are in the time of social media but back in the day it was so refreshing to see an adult with her wacky colorful books selling in an actual bookstore telling me it was cool to be a weirdo who watches snails for fun.
January 7, 2016
I laughed when I read other reviews of this book because several people mentioned finding it in piles of forgotten magazines or in a giveaway pile, and that's how I found it, too!
It's cute little book with fun stories and poems and little drawings and comics. It's not for taking too seriously or getting hardcore mental health advice, it's just silly and sweet and creative, and I liked that. I like that SARK's drawings look like something I could do, I think she's living what she's preaching and I like that.
It's cute little book with fun stories and poems and little drawings and comics. It's not for taking too seriously or getting hardcore mental health advice, it's just silly and sweet and creative, and I liked that. I like that SARK's drawings look like something I could do, I think she's living what she's preaching and I like that.
May 9, 2007
I first found this book when I was working at a bankrupt theatre back in the 90s...and as I read it in a bookstore I was instantly uplifted and reminded why I love this crazy business. I re-read it every year or so when I need reminded....perhaps I should pick it up again. (Oh, and my copy is signed by SARK to me, from a book reading I went to back in 2001 or so.) I also own 5 or so other SARK books.
December 13, 2008
My friend Sue lent me this book, it is so much fun! It can be read over and over again, and you must be in your pajamas while reading! SARK is a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and her healing journey brought her to discover her own imagination and creativeness. She nurtures the artist in all of us and reminds us to do what we love and not worry about it. My favorite line is when she opens her empty refrigerator and asks "Who lives here? Don't they buy food?"
Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews