The Spirit of Creativity

Most days, I do not feel very successful in my creative endeavors.


Especially when I encounter problems like the Stool Pigeon or what is sneeringly lovingly referred to by me as the Alabama Pillow debacle.  Sometimes, looking over my Pinterest boards inspires me, and sometimes overwhelms and frustrates me.  I'm sure you have those days as well.  At one time or another, we all feel that someone else is more creative than we are and much better at creating.

But the truth is we all have a creative spirit, whether we feel like we do or not.  It is a God-given gift.  No, you weren't outside playing on the swing set when this gift was passed out.  We all just have to find it.  I feel my highest area of creativity is in photography.


But I want to be creative in other areas.  I just have to locate those areas.  Right now, we are playing an ugly game of hide-n-seek!

We are so fortunate to have so many items at our disposal to use in our creative designs.  Pioneer women only had scraps of material and thread, but those beautiful quilts they made are still being bought and sold today!


My grandmother made quilts and I still have the one she made for me when I graduated high school.  I would never make a quilt.  I don't have the desire or "eye" for pulling one together, but I love admiring the quilts made by others.

So, if quilting isn't your bag of beans, what is?  What are some ways you can get your creative mojo?

Repurposing.  This is the MOST popular trend of our time.  If we can't do anything else, we can give new life to an item around our home or something we literally find on the street.  A coat of paint to a worn out table turns that ugly duckling into a beautiful swan (or a sow's ear into a silk purse -- you pick one).  My husband is great at repurposing items.  He took a broken guitar and made this.


He welded some of his grandfather's old tools together to create this rustic cowboy.


It's a unique piece and holds memories of his grandfather.

Creative Sharing.  Every blog and Pinterest board in the world has this going on.  How cool is it to take an idea you've seen on a Pinterest board or blog and add your magic touch to make it your own?  For instance, sugar scrubs!  I've made one, you've made one, all God's chillen' have made a sugar scrub.


But YOUR scrub is unique because you've tweaked it -- added this, taken away that, and made it your own!  The joy of creating comes when you share your idea with others and see what they can make with what you've started. AND, the more ideas you collect from others, the more creative you will be in making them your own.

Take a class.  I've always wanted to take some cooking classes and will probably do so in the near future.  I'm a good cook, but I like finding different ways to make an ordinary dish extraordinary (even one I won't eat) for friends and family.


Rearrange the furniture.  Sounds so simple, right?  And its FREE!  Rearranging the furniture in a space gives it a totally different feel.


Which in turn, inspires you to get creative with some of your other decorating.  Those vignettes you were getting bored with will take on new life once you start mixing them up a little bit.


Bake some bread or muffins or an apple crisp.  Nothing gets you in a creative mood like smelling something wonderful baking in the oven.  Trust me on this!


Beauty and creativity is in the ordinary.


Look around to find yours!




sharing at Mila's Little Things

6 comments

  1. Benita,
    Photography is definitely one of your creative talents. While a picture may be worth a thousand words, some pictures speak better vocabulary than others. Your photos say beautiful things in a graceful way that makes me want to linger over them.

    Have a wonderful week,
    Judith

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    1. Judith, thank you so much! It is one of the "creative" activities I truly enjoy!! I hope you have a great day!! Hugs!!

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  2. I love the humor in your husband's work :) He's really talented.

    I'm a dabbler in many things, but a master of none lol I think I'm the only person that hasn't made a sugar scrub.

    xo

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    1. WHAT…no sugar scrub?! Blasphemy! LOL. Thank you, he is very talented. He’s a great photographer and writer also! Like you – I haven’t mastered anything yet - it is all trial and error (mostly error) LOL. In fact, I can’t even write in cursive....I have to print everything! LOL Hugs!!

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  3. Hahaha The guitar man is hilarious!
    Your husband is talented!

    xx
    Mila

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Mila, he does a great job!! Have a great evening! Hugs!!

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