INSPIRATION & CREATIVITY

What inspires you? There are many things in life that can help inspire someone. I will try to help by giving you some ideas, some examples of what inspires me at times, and how to be creative.

First of all you do not need a plan, most of the best ideas come out of the blue, but you need to be aware and be open to be inspired. Once something hits you run with it, or right it down if the timing is not optimal.

When looking for inspiration you can look go out on a clear night – look at the stars, the moon, the way the winds blow the trees, or a flag, look at movement, colors, the lack of color, the way things are blurry at night or shadowed.

Listen to the sounds, and the feel of the moment can inspire you to write poetry or a story, paint, draw, sing, carve wood, bead, or just about any craft or hobby you are interested in.

Whether or not this is for fun or for business getting out of your usual surrounding also helps, or looking at something you may see every day, but looking at it in a different way. Go to the park, to the beach, to the store, the zoo, a pet store, to a museum, to a fabric store, to an art shop, to a bead store- people watch, look at colors, styles, designs, faces, emotions, moods, and the atmosphere. All of these things can inspire creativity in one self.

If you like fabric, beads, paints, or what ever your medium, another technique that frequently works for me, is to gather colors that look good together or a grouping of supplies, when you start to see the collection all together and see what you have in front of you the creative juices start flowing, you get all sorts of ideas.

If you have too many write them down, keep a notebook or journal, keep one also by the bed, for late night or early morning inspirations. Books can inspire you to create new and fantastic wonders.

Here is an example of something that inspired me. I had been reading to my 7yr old daughter a series of fairy stories, she was going thru that faze. When in the moment, I was thinking how I can make something with that feel, what would it be like. I ended up making a fabulous new design of jewelry. Instead of a fairy ring of mushrooms, I made a flower ring and used over one hundred little beaded flowers and made a necklace out of it. So this is to show you that the simple task of reading to your child can inspire you.

Let your mind wander before sleeping, early in the morning, when you are half asleep and half awake I find the mind is more open to go many different places it may not have traveled before. Be ready to right in your journal ideas you have, colors you want to work with or a feeling you want to express, be motivated to try them when you are awake and ready for the adventure.

I hope you have enjoyed this journey to things that can inspire us to be creative. Use it, do something new, and enjoy your surroundings. If you want to check out what my inspirations have inspired me to create check out my website at http://www.kimforbeads.etsy.com/ or come to a local show – I usually list the next up & coming shows on my site.