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You always hear people referring to their "mojo" or their "groove" - sometimes you'll hear someone say that they are really in their "groove" or you may hear someone complain that they "lost their mojo".
For more than half my life, despite a deep longing to create and be known as �creative�, I strongly believed that I was creatively challenged. That somehow, I was short changed on the �creative gene�. I was firmly convinced that some people were born creative, and others just weren�t�.and I was part of the latter group. It wasn�t until I got tired of �looking through the window� so to speak, that I decided that I was going to just try and see what happened.
Fast forward 10 years later. As I look back on my creative journey, I marvel at how far I�ve come, and the lessons I�ve learned along the way. My thought process has undergone a radical transformation. I have come to believe that everyone is gifted with creativity � yes, some have it in greater measure than others � but everyone does have it. More importantly though, creativity can be developed, it can be nurtured and it can grow.
I thought it would be interesting and informative to hear other people's perspectives on creativity and the different approaches people have regarding creativity.
Where do you guys get your inspiration from? Do you ever struggle with finding your mojo? If yes, how do you get it going again? Do you actively do things to develop your creativity?
you took the words right outta my brain...and i have had to nurture my creativity...my mother is an artist (not me tho)...and so some of my sibs and our children are very talented...i do several "crafty" things...some much better than others...what i have found is that attempting something is worth more than sitting back lamenting...i have had days where i have "lost my mojo" similar to what they call writer's block...but i just move on to something else and it eventually flows again...i get inspired by too many things to list completely...other's work...nature...something in a store...etc...i do actively seek inspiration from these sources
__________________ That's not gray hair...it's brain cells escaping! Kari E-R
oh yes, at times, I've lost my creativity, but love this site and all the blogs to get my creative juices flowing again.
Sometimes taking a break for a couple of days helps too.
as i work on the craft mess i was thinking about this also.i had a rough start because the bookmarks i made i couldnt even stamp,i was too nervous about how they would look.as i have grown more confident about the bookmarks i started using simple stamps on them and it is making me think of ways to use them on a card.not quite ready to do cards because i cant find my good cardstock yet.it may not even exist anymore,we dont really know what all got destroyed in our house fire but most of the craft things survived so am still holding out about buying any new cardstock yet.besides the area is not quite ready to work in yet.but i have made enough progress that dh even commented on what i had accomplished.take it day by day to rebuild confidence is the way for me.
br3n
Creativity is DEFINITELY a muscle that needs to be exercised! And many ways to express it, whether it be through cooking phenomenal meals, sewing, decorating a house... hey, even getting dressed I've dabbled in all sorts of crafts (and have the stash to prove it!) and have been focusing pretty exclusively on papercrafting for the past 12 years or so. My style has changed a lot and while I still love learning new techniques, I no longer feel the need to demonstrate all my knowledge on a single cardfront, LOL.
I really enjoy many of the Stampington publications, and have actually started an art journal of sorts. I love their "Art Journaling" mag, and while I may not be an *artist* in their sense, I love jotting down my thoughts, scribbles, and swipes of color. Quite cathartic!
First off I like to say your cards are beautiful. I visit your site often. I was also into art of some type growing up. Before I knew about rubber stamps or companies such as SU I use to trace cards my family would receive and paint them my chosen colours For me the industry has gotten too large. I still like the craft but I fine myself going simple. I especially like your cards that just use the designer series paper. Very eye-catching.
About creativity I find a break from the normal routine of everyday helpful or doing things that you thought couldn't do. For example I volunteered at office (non-profit) that needed help I was out of the workforce for a while. It changed my can't into can. Cleaning often helps me as well to. Especially part of the house that you have been putting off for a while. Also surrounding my self with other artists that do different than cards
I've always been creative but I do better when I am creative every day. If I craft (or draw or paint) most days, I find I stay in the "zone." When I take a long hiatus, it takes a little while to become comfortable again.
Definitely tempered by my moods. I know some people who craft when they're sad or upset or stressed; the projects that please me the most were nearly always made when I was happy. Apparently I associate the feeling I had when I made it with how I feel with the finished product.
As far as feeding my creativity... there are a few things I do for that.
This year I've really focused on giving up what I considered to be my personal creative limits and tried to creatively "live" outside of my comfort zone. For example, I'm such an over-thinker and perfectionist. So, to address that, I set up a weekly challenge for myself where I have only 10 minutes to create a card out of my scraps.
It seemed like a huge impossibility at first... but now I love it! It has shown me that it's ok to just try things and not be so concerned about the outcome! Honestly, it's given me confidence in my inner creativity... that if I just force myself to just make a decision and let all my doubts about what I'm doing go, I can come up with some pretty sweet things!
Along those same lines, I've tried things that were never "me" before... allowing myself to doodle with Copics when I've always told myself I can't draw led to a totally new to me card that is one of my favorites from this year.
I feel like I'm creating much differently this year than ever before. Trying to stretch myself and letting myself do things that kinda scare me has been very eye-opening and inspiring. It's been a sort of crafting evolution for me.
__________________ Paper Crafts Go-to-Gal member #1507gallery witticisms... a witty blog
I get the best inspiration from other people. I love to go to craft shows to see what people are making (and selling)! Then there is the local craft stores, and books or magazines. Since I found Splitcoast, I can always find a new technique I haven't tried (with instructions), or peruse the gallery. But frankly, I can walk into Js and see a fabric and I'm hooked. That happened about a month ago, fell in love with a fabric that would be perfect in my son's home for kitchen accessories. I walked out without buying and had to go back about 4 hours later because I couldn't get it out of my mind!
For me, I get a picture in my head of something and I have to create it. Not every creative person works that way, and there are times when things don't come together and I have to walk away that day. But the best times are when the ideas are flowing so fast you can't keep up with them. I agree anyone can learn to be creative, there is enough learning to go with any craft to keep your mind young always. There is such accomplishment in the creating and completion, everyone should experience it! Too many people defeat themselves by saying "I can't".
I think the answer is "Heck Yeah!" I do almost every day.
Every day it's almost a battle, the chores or sitting down and creating. Cooking dinner or creating. Feeding the cat, or creating. Gardening or creating. You get the picture.
I think that we try to shove as much "doing" in a 24 hour day, that there is not enough time to create.
I can doodle as much as I like when I'm standing in line, or waiting for a movie to start. Or page through magazines and cut out inspiration. I've bookmarked countless web pages to go back to when there is time. Only, there never really has been enough time.
So, now I have discovered that time needs to be set aside to create. All those other things that need to have time allotted to them? Being creative is now one of these things. And I don't have to "create" something. I can play with a software program, mess around with ink. Color. That's creative. It's now a time to do something for me that I don't feel guilty about.
Do you struggle with creativity?
