Making Vanilla Extract and Feeling Creative Again
Hello, Mavens!
Sharing a fun DIY project I embarked upon last fall… homemade vanilla extract.
This was a really simple crafty/DIY/packaging design project that really helped boost my creativity. Lately, I have been struggling with creating anything outside of work and design jobs.
I haven’t felt motivated and inspired.
Boooo…
And I’ve felt a little hollow. My coaching work is extremely rewarding, but when I think back to some of my happiest childhood memories, I was always MAKING THINGS. I was in a constant (yet fun) state of creation and my imagination did what it did best - run wild.
As an adult, creating becomes harder. There is less time, less space and sometimes less energy.
I wanted to challenge myself on that belief (as true as it felt) and create some meaningful Christmas presents last year. I binge watched Zoe Bakes’ TV series and saw her recipe for vanilla extract and I thought, let’s start here. I love baking (I bake probably every other day - usually healthy-ish stuff lol) and I love giving consumable gifts for the holidays. I want to give people stuff they will actually use. So this felt like an aligned creative venture.
It’s super easy to make (recipe below) and much to my relief, I enjoyed the process - especially making the labels. My specialty at OCAD was packaging design and I haven’t done any work like that in a looooooong time.
I’m happy to report the vanilla tastes absolutely delicious, and it gave me the boost I needed. I won’t be making these full-time (it is by no means cost efffective-you can literally buy it for much less) BUT it was simply FUN. Just FUN and light and there was no stress involved.
That is the kind of creative project I want - and need- right now.
I set my file up in Illustrator…obvy 😉
I rejected this initial concept/design. Felt too generic and I wanted to push the modern feel more. I knew I could make it cooler. I wanted it to feel like an upscale bottle of whiskey or spirits.
Bottom line - MAKE STUFF. DO STUFF. CREATE STUFF.
You will feel better after!!! It isn’t always easy to get started, but once you do, the hardest part is over.
To your brave (vanilla making) success,
Alana
