Explore - Inspiration

Do you remember the last time you had an idea that you loved for your next design project?

It is easy to let those ideas slowly fall apart when we get sucked into our everyday lives, our routines, our online marketing, or our daily chores of running our business.

Inspiration - is a sudden creativity in artistic production. Do you know what that feels like?

The best way to explore a new idea is to know when an idea is coming to you. No it's not magic, it is a physical reaction that lets you know to pay attention.

Try This

Grab your sketch book or journal and go back in your mind to the last time you had that feeling of inspiration.

Answer these question:
►What did it feel like when the idea arrived?
►What time of the day was it?
►What physically indicated your inspirational moment?
~visual - what images did you see
~audible - music, a song, someones voice
~Smell - inportant to remember a familiar smell can bring back a flood of memories
►What about your emotions at the time? Did they play a part?

Visual images are really important for me when I have that inspirational moment. I don't always hear whats going on around me, but I do get that excited tingle, that need to create in that moment. There are times when that moment has happened to me when it is not possible for me to just drop everything and create, so I always have a notebook with me and until I have a chance to put my idea on paper I can't think about anything else.

Do you remember the last time you had an inspirational moment? How did you feel?

Photo's to Inspire - Rock Formations

When I was young I loved rocks. I wanted to grow up and be a geologist, until someone told me I would have to study science, and I hated science. So, I did the next best thing, creating jewelry and working with gemstones.

This week I have amazing Flickr photo's of rocks formation from all over the world. Their beauty will inspire you to see new colors, shapes, pattern, and textures. After you check out the picture as a whole, check out all the little details, maybe you will find something new to inspire you.

Lower Antelope Canyon by Rod Monkey

The Rocks of Fistral #5 by Aubrey Stoll

Layer (rock) cake 1 by felixspencer2

Teter Rock by busychild424 (Josh)

Camel Rock at Sunset by Kevin Eddy

Devils Garden - Arches NP by Tucapel

Bird Rock - Point Lobos, California by PatrickSmithPhotography

It was hard for me to choose just this small colletion, I could have added lots more. If you want to see more use the tags rocks and canyon when you are on Flickr, and enjoy the beauty of our world.

Leave me a comment on what inspires you, and I will share with everyone that you are the source of inspiration for the photo's in the post.

Creative Busniess - Make Time

As we know things are going to start moving quickly, and the holidays will be here before we know it. As the weeks go by, we will be spending more time on our computers marketing our shops and trying to get our next sale.

It is important this time of year to put all your time management skills into practice. This way nothing gets over looked and you are still getting the things done you need to get done.

Need time management information? Check out these posts Time Management and More Time Management.

Even thou we are in crunch time for the holidays, it is important to stay creative and keep coming up with new ideas. We need that creative time to make all the work stuff worth it.

So don't sacrifice your creative time. If you are finding it difficult to find time then schedule it on your calendar or add it to your do list. You want to make sure you are using your hands for more then just typing, but creative growth as well.

More tips to help you create time for art, in this post Time for Art.

Do you create as much as you want during the holidays? Share your ideas.

Inspiration Everywhere

Last Friday I shared with you about my weekend plans in the post Creative Happenings. My family and I went to Chicago's Navy Pier and enjoyed a wonderful day.

The art at SOFA was truly amazing! Their were artist from all over the world in almost every medium, and the displays were just as unique as all the very special art.

When I go to art events they inspire me to want to take my art to the next level, and the this show got my creative juices flowing. I see new and exciting hardware inspirations coming soon.

Do you have an event in your area that inspires you?

Shop News

I received my book 1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse by Garth Johnson, and to my surprise I have 4 pieces featured!

Here are photo's of my page's.

As promised last week I added several new items, including these fun hair pins, some men's accessories, and I brought back a couple of favorite pieces now that I have the supplies to create them again.

I am working on filling up my Etsy shop, in anticipations of the shoppers finding me this holiday season. :)

This Monday I purchased a spot in the Etsy Showcase for Men. So, this week (11/8 -15) only all the Men's items in my shop will have FREE SHIPPING.

BLOG NEWS

If you missed Thursdays post Creative Obstacles check out the comments section, lots of good sharing.

Also, check back tomorrow for pictures of my adventures at SOFA - Sculpture Objects Functional Art, and later in the week more creative ideas and a poll on the side bar.

Please feel free to contact me anytime if you have questions or suggestions additionsstyleblog@gmail.com

Have a great week!

Awaken you Creativity - Art Opportunity

I was reading the magazine Fiber Arts last week and in the back they have a listing of Competitions & Opportunities.

I saw this opportunity and I had to share

The Sketchbook Project: Library

Call for participants. Ongoing. Be one of the founding contributors to The Sketchbook Library by signing up to receive a sketchbook, filling it up with art, and sending it back. Sketchbooks offer a glimpse into an artist's life, which is why we want to make a publicly accessible library of sketchbooks that people can browse, peruse, and check out. This sketchbook collection has the potential to open a new line of communication between the artist and the viewer, since the experience of making and viewing are both so personal. Anyone can sign up to receive a sketchbook. Before joining our permanent collection, sketchbooks will be exhibited at select galleries across the United States. Each sketchbook will be barcoaded and cataloged, allowing visitors to choose what they want to look at via theme, medium, geographic location, name of the artist, etc. Sketchbooks will be shown in Los Angeles, Brooklyn, Chicago, Atlanta, and St. Louis. To sign up to receive a sketchbook, www.thesketchbookproject.com. For more info on Art House, www.arthousecoop.com.

Sound like a great opportunity. Are you going to give it a try? Let me know. I would love to feature you on the blog.

Creative Happenings

One thing I enjoy about living close to a big city (Chicago, IL) is the easy access we have to art events.

This weekend is SOFA Chicago (Sculpture Objects Functional Art).

This is an amazing show that showcases a variety of art from jewelry, ceramics, fiber, sculpture, glass, and fine art, from all over the world.

Here is a blurb from their website:
At SOFA expositions, prominent international galleries and dealers present masterworks bridging the worlds of design, decorative and fine arts, showcasing the rich visual heritage of the decorative arts alongside new, innovative expressions. The works presented bridge historical periods, art movements and cultures, from ethnographica, Asian arts and mid-twentieth century modern to the most cutting-edge contemporary arts and design.

I usually attend this show by myself or with a friend who is into art, but this year my family wants to go. So my daughter, her friends and I, going to take the train to Chicago and meet my husband (who will be coming from work), for an afternoon of art.

This show is very inspiring and I am really looking forward to attending. I will take lots of photo's and share them with you on Monday.

Is their event in your area that inspires you? Please share.

Explore - Creative Obstacles

You were born with everything you need to be creative

You don't have to wait for a muse to give you inspiration;

You don't have to wait until you know everything about your craft.

You only need to get still and listen to yourself.

Tara Leigh from How to be Creative if you never thought you could

As artists we create our own obstacles. We have a tendency to compare ourselves to other artists, other shops, and how we run our business. Not taking into consideration that if we are not creative in one area we are in others, not to mention learning anything is possible.

A couple of obstacles in the creative process are

FEAR - our inner critic and EXCUSES - waiting for inspiration.

The creative process require is a little courage, also

- Surrounding yourself with the tools you need

- Finding what inspires and encourages you

- Practicing often

Trust the voice inside of you that has never stopped telling you that you need to create.

What are your creative obstacle's? How do you overcome them?