👀 A Peek Behind the Scenes: Starting My Kwanzaa Printable

This story originally went out to my email subscribers — but I love sharing little behind-the-scenes moments from my creative process here, too! This week, I’m diving into a new cultural project inspired by Kwanzaa. It all started with a library trip and a stack of colorful kids’ books. 🌈

I used to teach college students about family and aging issues. Teaching and interacting with my students was my favorite part of the job. 💖 My second favorite thing? Developing interesting and engaging content for class.

Now that I work with kids, it turns out not much has changed! I love guiding students as they learn how to use Canva, but I also love developing content for the cultural education side of Theda.

For example, I recently opened an Etsy shop where I sold a kids’ printable pack about Day of the Dead. I loved researching, deciding what was most relevant for kids, and turning that information into colorful, meaningful activities using Canva.

Since I love teaching, researching, and designing, I had to decide what to create next. What did I come up with? Kwanzaa!

Yesterday I went to my local library and checked out a stack of kids’ books all about the celebration. Some are short picture books, but a few go deeper, so I’ll be taking notes and doing a bit more research online too.

Stack of Children's Kwanzaa Library Books

Once I’ve gathered my notes, I’ll decide what feels most important, relevant, and easy for kids to understand. Then comes my favorite part: designing in Canva!

That’s when I get to focus on colors and images that feel like the celebration itself — bringing culture to life visually. It’s such a fun way for me to learn about different traditions while creating something meaningful for kids. 💖

This month, I’ll be taking you along on my journey of creating my newest printable.

I’ll be in touch next week with an update on how it’s going!

Take care,

Christy

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