It all started with figs. In 2010, siblings Nate Padavick and Salli S. Swindell launched the website They Draw & Cook (TDAC). The duo came up with the idea during a family vacation. Padavick had been trying to replicate a fettuccine recipe with figs while Swindell was using her watercolors to paint the fruit in its crate. This led them both to realize how fun it was to illustrate food. Today artists from around the world submit their work to TDAC, making it the largest online collection of illustrated recipes. TDAC has generously shared several recipes with Girls That Create. Take time to create these delicious dishes with your family (click on recipe images for larger view). Jungle Critter Pancakes by Sue Mattero (website, Instagram) Harvest Apple Kale Salad by Lisa Lane (website, Instagram) Butternut Mac & Cheese by Lisl Christie Grandma Susie’s Ranger Cookies by K. We Recipe books can be purchased on the TDAC site. Swindell and Padavick are also behind the website They Draw and Travel, which is a collection of illustrated travel maps created by artists from around the world. More recently they launched Illustrators for Hire, an online global directory of creatives. Across all three sites the founding principle of TDAC is as true today as it was 10 years ago: to promote the careers of freelance illustrators. They Draw & Cook Website Instagram Pinterest Salli S. Swindell Website Instagram Nate Padavick Website Instagram Images provided by They Draw & Cook More Girls That Create posts: Kate Allan: Q&A With Author and Illustrator …

Sometimes the universe sends us a message. The most recent (for me) is this graphic from the National Museum of Women in the Arts. It’s a strong reminder on why I created Girls That Create and believe in its purpose with my entire heart. I’ve been trying to figure out how to financially support Girls That Create with an online platform. Several weeks ago I was chatting with a dear colleague who suggested I look into setting a Patreon account. What is Patreon? They’ve put together a great video to explain. Basically Patreon allows you to directly support Girls That Create on a monthly basis at predetermined giving levels (tiers). Based on the tier level you support, at the end of every month (and in some cases every three months) your support is rewarded with special offers that only those giving through Patreon receive. As written on the Patreon page, “Our platform provides thousands of creators the opportunity to create on their own terms.” Right now there are 200,000+ creators on Patreon. In a nutshell, if you like the content appearing on Girls That Create and want to see the project grow – become a Patron. If you feel strongly about balancing out representation in mainstream media and seeing more women in leadership positions in the arts – become a Patron. If you want to help artists and inspire the next generation of artists – become a Patron. You can stop being a Patron at anytime. Click HERE to see the different tier levels, they …

Renée Trudeau is the award-winning author of Nurturing the Soul of Your Family and The Mother’s Guide to Self-Renewal. A sought after life balance coach/speaker, her work has appeared in The New York Times, Good Housekeeping, US News & World Report, Spirituality & Health and more. Trudeau graciously agreed to share the following guest post with Girls That Create. In these uncertain times, cultivating an attitude of gratitude is a powerful action that can greatly benefit our emotional well-being. Want to Feel Good? Cultivate an Attitude of Gratitude Growing up, our overachiever family placed a high value on competency. Often that translated into a critical mindset toward self and others, where we frequently saw the bad before the good. This way of being, like all patterns, became habitual for many of my siblings. And as my father’s daughter and a champion of “let’s make it the best,” it’s a tendency I’ve been unraveling for years. When you walk into a room and see your child working on a science project, greet your partner at the end of the day after a big presentation, or receive an email update about a work project, do you see what’s going “right” or immediately look for what’s going “wrong?” Cultivating a gratitude practice has helped me to shift my perspective and see the gifts in any situation–even those that look horribly astray. An attitude of gratitude doesn’t come naturally to us. It was something I had to learn, to bring my attention and focus to, and to practice, practice, practice. I chose to …

It’s safe to say a lot of us are doing porch drop offs this year when it comes to gifts. Why not spruce up your present for a special girl with one of these free printable Powerful Girl Gift Tags?!? There are eight different gift tag designs included in the printable. Just print, cut, and write to and from on the back and you’re good to go! Click to download Free Printable Powerful Girl Gift Tags Things you should know before downloading: Girls That Create printables are for PERSONAL USE ONLY You may NOT modify, re-sell, redistribute, or claim the design as your own If you’d like to share this project, credit must be given to Girls That Create and linked back to this post For best results, print the gift tags on cardstock paper. More Girls That Create posts: Self-Esteem Activity for Girls: What I Like About Me and Picture Books With Women and Girl Main Characters www.girlsthatcreate.com

Every four years The Professional Association for Design (AIGA) activates its community of designers across the U.S. and beyond to Get Out the Vote. The 2020 Get Out the Vote: Empowering the Women’s Vote poster campaign (in partnership with the League of Women Voters) invites AIGA members to design nonpartisan posters to commemorate the beginning of 100 years of women’s voting rights. This campaign aspires to support voter participation, while also offering examination of the history of voting rights and women’s fight for equality. “For more than a century, women have played a fundamental role in shaping an inclusive and active electorate. Women have powered—and continue to power—the vote. Even as this year continues to bring unprecedented challenges to our communities and our democracy, we know that our nation is at its best when everyone has a chance to participate,” said Virginia Kase, CEO of the League of Women Voters of the United States. See all the submissions here.  Five Posters Empowering the Women’s Vote Title: All the Cool Girls Vote Submitted By: Lynell Ingram AIGA Chapter: Chicago Artist Statement: “Voting is our right, our duty, and our power. I believe in women, women’s’ empowerment, and our ability to influence the world and our collective futures for the better. This is my watercolor painting to put what I want to scream from the rooftop into an image and to speak to all of us, including the young or disenfranchised. We need our voices to be heard, on all platforms, but especially at the ballot box.” Title: Her …

As a child, author Dana Love was lovingly taught by her mother how to color pages in her coloring books. She was shown how to stay within the lines, color in the same direction, and allow her imagination to run wild and have fun. This skill would serve the author well through her life’s journey. Love has endured many harsh challenges, including childhood abuse and domestic violence. In honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM), she contributed the following guest post on how coloring helps her cope. She is also author of the coloring book Beauty for Ashes and shares sample pages below.  Believe It or Not, Coloring is Therapeutic! When I felt no one could understand what I was going through, and I felt alone during the difficult times in my life, coloring helped me to cope and to heal. I’ve experienced childhood sexual abuse and domestic violence. I’ve had to have surgery to repair my brokenness. I endured the loss of my father to suicide, job loss, and experienced sexual harassment on the job. I did not enjoy any of this, nor did I ask for any of these things to happen to me. My experiences span the timeframe from a child to an adult and so the fact that I can relate on both levels is a blessing because while I may never have an answer for why I endured mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical abuse, I did overcome. Now, I am passionate about helping both adults and children to overcome their difficult times …

The good folks over at Teaching Tolerance have made 33 powerful posters (from The One World series) free to download. Originally featured in Teaching Tolerance Magazine, the posters are 11″ x 17″ and high resolution. Educators can easily print and then place them to inspire both students and teachers in classrooms. In addition to posters, Teaching Tolerance offers lessons, learning plans, teaching strategies, student texts, film kits and more on their website. The organization also produces several podcasts: The Mind Online Queer America Teaching Hard History Go to the Teaching Tolerance website to download any of the 33 poster works. Click the thumbnail for an image file, suitable for your device wallpaper or using in your teaching materials. Or click the ‘Download PDF’ link for a high resolution version suitable for printing these 11″ x 17″ posters at school or your local office supply store. Five of The One World Posters Frida Kahlo Summer 2018 Illustration by Luis Pinto   bell hooks Fall 2004 Illustration by Antoaneta Demireva Ruby Dee Fall 2015 Illustration by Tanamachi Studio Harvey Milk Summer 2017 Illustration by James Victore Kay Ulanday Barrett Spring 2020 Illustration by Lisa Quine About Teaching Tolerance The mission of Teaching Tolerance is to help teachers and schools educate children and youth to be active participants in a diverse democracy. The organization provides free resources to educators—teachers, administrators, counselors and other practitioners—who work with children from kindergarten through high school. Educators use their materials to supplement curriculum, inform practices, and to create civil and inclusive school communities where …

Here are 10 powerful quotes from women Latinx artists that speak of perseverance, possibilities, and staying rooted in who you are. Curious about the term Latinx? Read Shereen Marisol Meraji’s post ‘Hispanic,’ ‘Latino,’ Or ‘Latinx’? Survey Says … for NPR Code Switch. Latinx Heritage Month (Hispanic Heritage Month) is celebrated nationally from September 15 to October 15. 10 Powerful Quotes From Women Latinx Artists “Write with your eyes like painters, with your ears like musicians, with your feet like dancers. You are the truthsayer with quill and torch. Write with your tongues of fire. Don’t let the pen banish you from yourself.” ~Gloria E. Anzaldúa, author, poet, activist “I believe in the possibility of art being disruptive and trying to break boundaries and resist prior tendencies and norms of society.” Graciela Carnevale, artist “Art is above religion and politics because all humans are capable of creating, and we are all artists.” Marta Minujín, conceptual and performance artist “I’ve been a story-teller all my life but I realized it only recently.” ~Isabel Allende, writer “Being an artist doesn’t start because you’re 21, and it doesn’t end because you’re 51. You are who you are until the day you die.” ~Jennifer Lopez, actress, singer, dancer, fashion designer “My weapon has always been language, and I’ve always used it, but it has changed. Instead of shaping the words like knives now, I think they’re flowers, or bridges.” Sandra Cisneros, writer “All I tell artists is, ‘Do what you love. Never let anybody talk you into changing what your musical idea is …

Did you know the only major museum in the world solely dedicated to championing women through the arts is in Washington, D.C.? With its collections, exhibitions, programs, and online content, the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) inspires dynamic exchanges about art and ideas. The museum addresses gender imbalance in the presentation of art by bringing to light important women artists of the past. It also promotes great women artists working today. This fall the NMWA is presenting a lineup of innovative online programs to connect visitors to women artists. See the calendar for dates and times. More Online Engagement The museum’s blog Broad Strokes informs online visitors about women artists in the collections, helps them explore exhibitions in greater detail, and provides vital information about gender disparity in the arts. The @WomenInTheArts social media channels on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram amplify the museum’s collection, programs, publications, and advocacy by connecting with global audiences. The award-winning #5WomenArtists campaign raises awareness about gender equity issues in the arts and has initiated tangible, real-world impacts for artists and arts organizations around the world. Free Online Activities See For Yourself Cards: Create your own museum experience using these fun, interactive art cards. See for Yourself cards correspond to selected works from NMWA’s collection and special exhibitions. Use them to engage with artworks and discover fascinating facts. Art, Books, and Creativity (ABC) Curriculum: The ABC curriculum consists of 14 lessons, which combine visual arts and writing activities. ABC introduces students to artworks by women, as well as basic art vocabulary and …

Looking for a wonderfully quirky indoor planter to shower with creativity? Then the Face Plant is perfect for you. When my oldest daughter and I saw a picture of this little square of joy, both of us knew we needed one to live permanently at our home (full disclosure, 30 Watt sent me a sample of the planter to review). Planter With a Happy Face So what separates this planter from the thousands of others out there on the market? You can personalize it with facial expressions and messages using any dry erase marker. I also love the minimal design and its built-in nose and ears. Those little details mean you can store favorite sunglasses, eyeglasses or simply change the planter’s mood for the day. The girls and I have had fun dressing ours up: At $16, this little planter is a great gift. It is made of 100 percent ceramic and has a drainage hole in the bottom for proper plant care. The Face Plant is available online at www.30Watt.com. The company prides itself on manufacturing unconventional products and gifts that empower people to be clever. Happy creating and planting! More Girls That Create posts: Make Your Young Girl An Art Space and Unique and Thoughtful Gifts. www.girlsthatcreate.com