Meditations for Makers: Daily Affirmations for a Creative Life

by Deanne Fitzpatrick

365 vignettes for maker, crafters, and artist of all stripes from celebrated artist and author of Making A Life and Simply Modern . To lead a creative life is to experience dizzying highs and gloomy lows, and Deanne Fitzpatrick, a veteran textile artist and entrepreneur, has been there and back again. In this keepsake book, she shared thoughtful insights gleaned from over 25 years of making, offering 365 short vignettes encompassing themes of attention and mindfulness, beauty and design, community, faith, family, and embracing and overcoming fear and doubt. These meditations will help makers focus and may even lead to some creative breakthroughs. Read one a day, or devour the whole book in one sitting! It's up to you.

An essential companion book for anyone who struggles to stay inspired, especially during a time when creating and making can feel trivial, Meditations for Makers shows us that we now need makers more than ever. Features 75 original line drawings.

184 pages, Paperback

First published October 19, 2021

Reviews

[Maggie Bathory · Rating 5 out of 5]

The beauty and joy of this book is the randomness about the philosophies of life and being a maker. I prefer the random reflections of life and creating over a structured book of general meditations. As a creator, my thoughts tend to fleet from one thing to the next; so I enjoy being able to pick up this book first thing in the morning, select a page, or continue reading where I left off. I dive into Deanne’s words that can be affirming, insightful, and always happy and then meditate on them in the stillness of the morning hours. Sometimes, when I find myself stuck in a funk or stalled with a project, I pick up Deanne’s book and go to one of the many pages I have bookmarked and mediate on that to get my creative mojo going again. Somehow her considerate deep thoughts resonate with me, which propel me to be confident in my making, so I can carry on and create more.

I personally am tired of the rigid and structured meditation books. I get bored with them and never hold on to them for very long. This book is chockfull of happy and insightful thoughts that fill 176 pages that include Deanne’s line drawings. Each page has 2-3 different mindful meditations that motivate a maker to create. The 6x8 inch softcover book is portable and lightweight, so it’s easy to take along. This is not a book on how-to create, nor is it a book that is structured and written as a motivational book. That is why I like it so much. It’s a book containing reflections on life and the human experience that in most cases are relatable to many of us who create. The style of prose is similar to having a conversation with a friend who shares their thoughts and considerations about what they are thinking and their resolutions. During these types of conversations, we learn more about life and oftentimes apply the teachings to our own lives.

Deanne’s personal stories are just what I need to help me be a better and more motivated maker. I think her book lends a more friendly and approachable read than many of the rigid and stoic meditation books that seem to be the trend. Those books come across as distant and cold. Whereas this book has a warm and inviting vibe that makes you want to pour a cup of tea or coffee and sit with it for a while.

[MookNana · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are some interesting thoughts here, cleverly expressed. I know I will ruminate over several things I read for quite a while. A broad variety of topics are included--love, faith, family, creativity, interconnectedness, nature, gratitude, and so much more. The affirmation of how important the process of creating is, both for oneself and the world, really resonated with me.

What would have worked a bit better for me would have been an organization or structure to the book. There doesn't seem to be any obvious reason for how the meditations are ordered or presented and I missed that sense of purpose or intentionality.

Still, there is a lot of encouragement and inspiration for positive reflection here, and I think anyone would be better off for giving it a read!

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an absolutely lovely, mind – stimulating book of short snippets of creative wisdom from a woman who creates! Yes, some of the snippets are about rug hooking, which I have never done, but I found so many of them were inspiring to me in my work as a fiction writer and collage artist. There is much here that I will be journaling with, and I think it will take me more than a year to go through it! I’m going to be gifting this beautifully-rendered book to many of my creative friends and know that it will be gladly received and put to creative use.

The whimsical line drawings are the perfect touch!

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Mardi · Rating 3 out of 5]

"...to all of you who turn your hands to something...."
This is a lovely gift book for the creative folks on your Christmas list. I'm reviewing a digital advance copy from NetGalley but it looks like the print will have lots of room to add your own thoughts (as the author encourages you to do) & doodles and also to add color to Fitzpatrick's minimalist drawings.
While lovely and introspective, these seemingly stream of consciousness explorations on creativity and the nature of craft and inspiration are more ruminations than meditations. There is no order or organization and they do run on for 175 pages or so. Not for me but I do know crafters and artists who will eat this up.

[WM · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is an interesting book to dip into and read the odd snippet. It is a collection of the author's thoughts on creating. It is rather difficult to read as the meditations are in no particular order. It would have been helpful if they were in chapters and perhaps had some inspiring pictures.

[Susie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not quite as I imagined, but a nice book to dip in and out of. Probably better as a book rather than a kindle book (easier to flip the pages at random).

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

[Hazel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a nice wee book that you would dip into, its not one to read all in one go. Thought provoking and quite interesting. I really enjoyed seeing the line drawings.

[Joni Owens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a lovely reassuring book. This can either be read straight through or opened randomly and read a passage. The art is simple and beautiful.