Creating a “Ghost Pet”

Jan Gutowski
10/8/23

It’s Sunday night, and as I anticipate getting back into the work routine for the week, I wanted to squeeze in one last little creative project for the weekend. I had seen “Ghost in a Bottle” crafts before, and I always wanted to try them using sculpting clay instead of cloth. It is October, so my Halloween vibe is at peak. I ran down to Michael’s and picked up some 3.5″ cork-top bottles, some mini eye hooks, ultra-thin filament string and some black Halloween moss. Once I got home, I got the idea that some glow-in-the-dark paint might be a cool addition, so Amazon to the rescue! I love that they will deliver same day!

It’s a super-simple project, and it was nice to just relax while shaping mini-ghosts and listening to “Beetlejuice” in the background. I am someone who does Halloween all year round, so ANY project that is spooky-themed brings my energy up!

As an extra little touch to give the Ghost Pet some personality, I created a little Death Certificate with his name on it, and the day he became a ghost. I also made sure that the cork top can be opened, since he’ll be happier if he gets some fresh air once in a while; and as in the case with this little guy, he likes 80s music!

In addition to carving out some relaxation time for myself today, I felt that I needed to dive into some creative time to reset my brain as it relates to setting healthier boundaries. One of my shortcomings is that I often allow stress and frustration get the better of me – and even though I know not to, I sometimes still do it. My job is helping others explore ways to show up as their best selves, leveraging their strengths and talents. Part of that is also recognize when perspective (and a pause!) is needed to get our heads right through self-care. This is an ongoing effort, and it gets easier over time; but we are still imperfect humans, trying to work things out and be at our best. Giving ourselves grace is necessary to pick up and keep trying.

Today I made pet ghosts, and it enabled me to spend some time with myself doing something fun and relaxing. As a result, I was able to put some of my other life stresses to the side for a little while, and I was able to reset.

Don’t forget to take some time out for YOU today! Boo!

-jg