An Inspiration Round-Up

by | May 23, 2014 | my creative journal

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Are you feeling a bit creatively drained or empty?

Remember that we all need to fill the well with inspiration. Input can help spark up the fire inside of you, so here’s a round-up of my favorite inspiration posts on the blog.

I hope they motivate you to create, create, create!

Finding Inspiration and Putting it to Use

by | Jan 15, 2013 | my creative journal

We can all agree that the Internet has opened up a whole new realm of inspiration and connection for creatives like you and me. We have instant access to so much content and visual stimulation. It can be a feast for the eyes, propelling you into a world of imagination.

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Unfortunately, you’ve probably experienced information overload as well. Inspiration can quickly turn to overwhelm and self-doubt. It’s important to limit your information diet, but of course you want to take advantage of everything available as well. It can be fun to surf your favorite blogs, scroll through Pinterest and leaf through your favorite magazines, but then what do you do? How do you put inspiration to use?

Physically using your print magazines and tactile materials…

I’m a huge fan of print magazines and have a pretty hefty collection on my bookshelf. This year I’ve decided to really put them to use. Yes, they are beautiful and precious, but they would serve me better if I cut them up and used them in my journaling. I can also give specific issues to creative friends when an article would serve them well. Finally, I could also donate books to the library and allow others to gain some inspiration and knowledge. I need to process and pass things on.

Thinking back to 2012, so many books and magazines were kept safely on my bookshelf – collecting dust. So I’m making it a point to go through my physical inspiration stash and use them somehow. This goes for art prints, papers, stationery – all those bits and pieces of inspiring materials we tend to hoard. Stop hoarding, start using!

Using digital and virtual inspiration…

It’s sad to see many print publications disappearing these days, but thankfully a new generation of digital publishing is rising up to take its place. I definitely turn to online magazines and virtual content for inspiration as well. I want to share my list of favorites for visual eye candy, but before you click away, I wanted to talk a bit more about how to put that inspiration to use first.

Although you are looking at something virtual, if it peaks your interest, don’t hesitate to snap a photo or print out a copy to include in your journal. You have to take notes somehow if you are going to put that inspiration to use. I often have my journal beside me, so that I can doodle and jot down notes while perusing around.

To take it a step further, don’t just clip or bookmark the inspiration. For those who use Evernote, it can be too easy to just clip everything and never have time to look back! Think about why you want to stop and record that inspirational spark. I find it best to actually write out my idea as a task or project.

The point is to take in the inspiration, digest it and really think about how you can apply it to your work and life.

It really only takes a few minutes to see something inspiring and then decide that you actually want to start a series of prints in that same color scheme. Or perhaps a certain geometric design you saw will be the starting point of your next line of sewn bag design. Put inspiration to use by taking that tiny step ahead in the process. Eureka – inspiration hit – now what does that mean for you? I guarantee that changing your mindset in this way will help you feel truly inspired and more importantly – productive – at the end of the day. It’s really inspiration time well spent.

Now here’s my list of inspiring publications…

Of course, taking a walk outside and snapping photos can be amazingly inspiring as well. Putting inspiration to use can apply whenever that spark ignites.

I want to add that it’s not about making your recreational time about work – by no means. If you are taking time to recharge then acknowledge that the time is spent for that reason. However, if you are out trolling for inspiration, then make sure you put that inspiration time to use in the end. Looking for inspiration is completely different from recharging your energy!

So what sources do you turn to for inspiration? Have you put that inspiration to use?

Paloma Faith Music Inspiration

by | Oct 22, 2012 | my creative journal

Paloma Faith is an English singer-songwriter and she hit the commercial scene around 2009… but she had been around for much longer singing soul and jazz classics and dabbling in a band while attending college. Although there are music snobs out there that like the indie folks more… I do appreciate the commercial pop music scene, because I would have never heard many artists otherwise.

I really like her song Upside Down – a catchy tune in cabaret old timey style. I sort of like how the song is about being different and encountering different struggles in life, but there’s nothing wrong with doing it your way and staying true to yourself. I ended up drawing a girl upside down with a silly grin… LOL.

Watch the video above and sing along with the lyrics below…

Angels watching over me with smiles upon their face
Cause I have made it through this far in an unforgiving place

It feels sometimes this hill’s too steep for a girl like me to climb
But I must knock those thoughts right down I’ll do it in my own time

I don’t care (care care)
I’m half way there (nowhere)
On a road that leads me to straight to who knows where

I tell you what (I tell you what)
What I have found (What I have found)
That I’m no fool (That I’m no fool)
I’m just upside down (Just upside down)

Ain’t got no cares (Ain’t got no cares)
I aint got no rules (Aint got no rules)
I think I like (I think I like)
Living upside down (Living upside down)

Watchin people scurry by rushing to and fro
Oh this world is such a crazy place it’s all about the go go go

Sometimes life can taste so sweet When you slow it down
You start to see the world a little differently When you turn it upside down

I don’t care (care care)
I’m half way there (nowhere)
And I’m just soaking up the magic in the air

I tell you what (I tell you what)
What I have found (What I have found)
That I’m no fool (That I’m no fool)
I’m just upside down (Just upside down)

Ain’t got no cares (Ain’t got no cares)
I aint got no rules (Aint got no rules)
I think I like (I think I like)
Living upside down (Living upside down)

(Whoa Whoa Whoa)
You gotta slow it down
(Yeah Yeah Yeah)
But then you pick it up
(Whoa Yeah Whoa)
C’mon and try a little topsy-turvy back-to-front the right way round
Take it slow slow slow (You gotta pick it up)
Yeah Yeah Yeah (See you slow it down)
Hey Yo Yo Yo (Tell me something something)

I tell you what (I tell you what)
What I have found (What I have found)
That I’m no fool (That I’m no fool)
I’m just upside down (Just upside down)

Ain’t got no cares (Ain’t got no cares)
I aint got no rules (Aint got no rules)
I think I like (I think I like)
Living upside down (Living upside down)

I tell you what (I tell you what)
What I have found (What I have found)
That I’m no fool (That I’m no fool)
I’m just upside down (Just upside down)

Ain’t got no cares (Ain’t got no cares)
I aint got no rules (Aint got no rules)
I think I like (I think I like)
Living upside down (Living upside down)

You can check out her collection of music and a listen via
Amazon

Lenka Music Inspiration

by | Oct 8, 2012 | my creative journal

It’s probably no surprise that Lenka is a huge success – you’ve probably heard her songs and seen her videos on MTV and such. I was immediately drawn to her voice and cutesy pop style, but especially her point of view. I think it was in large part because of the time in my life when I first discovered her famous song, The Show.

I felt like the song said exactly what I wanted to say, being a bit lost at the time and wondering what my life meaning and purpose should be. There are times when we all feel a bit like that, just caught in the middle and it’s all so overwhelming. Perhaps they are really just universal feelings that we can all relate to at some point in our lives. My little default girl drawing is my interpretation of listening to this song. Just me and you know what? It’s totally okay.


You can enjoy the cute video above and sing along with the lyrics below…

I’m just a little bit caught in the middle
Life is a maze and love is a riddle
I don’t know where to go, can’t do it alone
I’ve tried and I don’t know why

Slow it down, make it stop or else my heart is going to pop
‘Cause it’s too much, yeah it’s a lot to be something I’m not
I’m a fool out of love ’cause I just can’t get enough

I’m just a little bit caught in the middle
Life is a maze and love is a riddle
I don’t know where to go, can’t do it alone
I’ve tried and I don’t know why

I’m just a little girl lost in the moment
I’m so scared but I don’t show it
I can’t figure it out, it’s bringing me down
I know I’ve got to let it go and just enjoy the show

The sun is hot in the sky just like a giant spotlight
The people follow the signs and synchronize in time
It’s a joke nobody knows, they’ve got a ticket to the show

Yeah, I’m just a little bit caught in the middle
Life is a maze and love is a riddle
I don’t know where to go, can’t do it alone
I’ve tried and I don’t know why

I’m just a little girl lost in the moment
I’m so scared but I don’t show it
I can’t figure it out, it’s bringing me down
I know I’ve got to let it go and just enjoy the show
Just enjoy the show

I’m just a little bit caught in the middle
Life is a maze and love is a riddle
I don’t know where to go, can’t do it alone
I’ve tried and I don’t know why

I’m just a little girl lost in the moment
I’m so scared but I don’t show it
I can’t figure it out, it’s bringing me down
I know I’ve got to let it go and just enjoy the show
Just enjoy the show, just enjoy the show

I want my money back, I want my money back
I want my money back, just enjoy the show
I want my money back, I want my money back
I want my money back, just enjoy the show

You can enjoy snippets of her music via