Create Anyway - Ashlee Gadd

Motherhood and Creativity Can Coexist

You have creative dreams swirling in your heart, but pursuing them while juggling diaper changes and carpool schedules feels impossible. The notion of finding time and space seems out of reach. You might think you can only focus on mothering or creating, but what if you could do both?

What if you viewed creativity not as a selfish pursuit, but as an essential part of your well-being as a mother? This book serves as your much-needed permission slip to embrace that possibility—through the photos you take, the stories you tell, the meals you prepare, the music you play, and the gardens you cultivate.

In this unforgettable book filled with rich storytelling and stunning photography, writer and mother Ashlee Gadd invites you to set aside guilt and discover the sacred bond between creativity and motherhood. Create Anyway is part commissioning and part pep talk, designed to propel you forward with renewed energy, purpose, and enthusiasm for nurturing the creative dreams God has placed in your heart—right alongside the demands of motherhood.

Here's to creating in the margins of motherhood. Here's to creating anyway.

Praise for Create Anyway

“If you've ever felt like your creative energy and your motherhood were at odds, Create Anyway will be a balm to your soul.” – Ruth Chou Simons, mom of six, bestselling author, and founder of gracelaced.com

“Create Anyway is an anthem, an invitation, a spark that will ignite a fire in your heart.” – Gretchen Saffles, founder of Well-Watered Women and bestselling author of The Well-Watered Woman

“If you're seeking a manual to help you reclaim the sacred slowness of motherhood and creativity, pick this one up today.” – Hannah Brencher, author of Fighting Forward and Come Matter Here

“The stories and wisdom in Create Anyway will inspire you to prioritize and delight in making art, not in spite of motherhood, but because of it.” – Laura Wifler, author, podcaster, and co-founder of Risen Motherhood

“I cried tears of release throughout this book. It's dreamy, gorgeous, and raw, allowing me to finally exhale after two long, hard years.” – Leslie Means, creator of Her View From Home

“Part pep talk, part permission slip, this beautiful book honors both the journey of motherhood and our God-given desires to create.” – Kayla Craig, author of To Light Their Way and creator of Liturgies for Parents

“Create Anyway is a compassionate call to embrace the ordinary and find beauty right where you belong.” – Rachel Marie Kang, founder of The Fallow House and author of Let There Be Art

“If you've ever questioned your value during the long season of mothering little ones, I highly recommend this book! It feels like letting go and coming home at the same time.” – Anjuli Paschall, author of Stay and Awake

“Ashlee leaves breadcrumbs of hope, affirming that we are not alone in the messy margins of life. Instead of waiting for the 'perfect' moment, we have permission to lean in and create something beautiful right where we are.” – Jena Holliday, artist, author, and founder of Spoonful of Faith