Stay Home + Make Something

For 13 years, we have blogged nearly daily (for some years, three times a day—augh!) at A Beautiful Mess. Our motto has been “stay home and make something,” and we never imagined a world where that motto would mean what it does today.

Over the coming months, we promise to work hard to help you live your best life at home. This is not an easy time and we want to do our part to support our communities, and to help those in need and to continue doing what we have always done—share recipes and project ideas that you can do at home.

Last week, I saw my therapist and she said something that has stuck with me so deeply. I was talking about how trivial it seems that I am stressed about being mid-move and not having our home set up for our children in the wake of this crisis. She said, “One of the most important things you can do, not just for your family but for your community, is to make your home a place you want to be.” I have thought about this daily.

Over the coming weeks and months, we will do our best to help you find small, doable ways to make your homes a place you want to be. The first thing we wanted to do is a fun contest to challenge us all to do something creative each day! Here are the details:

While we practice social distancing, join us on Instagram and our apps, @acolorstory and @filmm, in the #StayHomeMakeSomething challenge, where we’ll be giving away daily $100 small business gift cards (your choice) and then making donations to, and promoting various COVID-19 causes across the world.

How to Enter:
1. Stay home.
2. Make something. Could be a well-shot photo, a video, a design, a painting, a recipe, a craft, anything!
3. Post it on Instagram and tag #StayHomeMakeSomething
4. Wash hands. Repeat. Enter as many times as you want.

Then, we will pick a winner every day for two weeks starting this Saturday, 3/21 and ending on Friday, 4/3. We will DM winners on Instagram, and we’ll be sharing your creations. No requirement to use our apps or buy anything. We’re just a small team trying to find a way to encourage something positive right now. This isn’t about productivity. It’s about trying to find calmness. All of the love to our community, and please, please be safe. – A Beautiful Mess + A Color Story + Filmm

US, Canada, UK winners only
A Beautiful Mess Giveaway Rules
Photo by: Julia Cox
  • this is so beautiful. thank you for supporting small businesses. I’m really worried for all the hardworking people who bring light to our communities. sending love! xx

  • Today my kid and I made a bunch of little origami frames, then he wrote a message to his friend in the middle of each. We then biked around the neighborhood and he taped them on friends’ doors. Exercise, dping something kind, and a simple art project combined – it was a bright spot in a pretty terrible week.

  • What a beautiful challenge! I already worked from home most of the time but having everyone else here too is the challenge! haha!

  • I love your idea of the #StayHomeMakeSomething challenge, Elsie. It’s been wonderful to see all of the creative ways that people maneuver challenging times. I especially love your intention to “do our best to help you find small, doable ways to make your homes a place you want to be. ” ♥️You have transformed a sad situation into one of possibly, beauty, and joy. Thanks!

  • Such a sweet idea! Question- does your insta have to be public or is there a way to participate with a private Instagram account?

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