Regain your lost Crafting MOJO - Get Inspired !!!!
Warning: this is a talky post
We all need MOJO and inspiration to start crafting! A missing MOJO is scary and boring and frustrating. But where do we find that light of hope that would brew up a series of lovely ideas in our brains and keep it going till you drop dead!
Inspired by Others Work
Well, after I was introduced to an Indian Crafting site it opened up a new world to me...with loads of crafters ...some who have become my best friends along the way and a road to blogging! Once into blogging the only way I learnt or got inspired or saw people getting inspired was by others work...well to me that surely is a good thing ...to learn from others but that cant be the only way to get inspired!
Books and Magazines
Much before the world of blogging and FB took over I use to sit with my family and craft...with ideas from books and magazines...something that my mom taught me and believe me that's the best thing to do. Seeing others work on FB or blogs or Youtube or Pinterest and learning from them somewhere down the line blocks your mind, restricts your own creativity. One could say, wont craft books and magazines do the same? Well, my answer to that one is -NO!
The Craft Book and Magazines that talk about techniques and styles are the one which you should buy...borrow to read etc.
Apart from a typical Craft book and Magazine....an interior designing book, home decor magazine is a crafters next best friend. Sometimes the colour combos that the home stylists use for decorating the interiors of a house could help you with some out of the box creation....a colour combo which you might not use otherwise....
A costume styling book or magazine could also have loads of matter to inspire you. If you are someone, who uses a lot of fabric also in his/her scrapbook or smash book this is actually the place to take a peep. You may want to try making some pockets with chiffon/net/laces/velvet....they dont only add that glamour to your project but also create and differentiate it from other crafters work. Again they do widen your knowledge on color combos....and textures that could be the icing on the cake for your projects. Not to forget, the trims or ribbons we so often flaunt are a part of costume styling!
Food magazines are another place to look for some inspiration! A beautiful looking mousse or cake or a nice cream is a piece for colour inspirations. They teach you about blending colours ...layering of colours and the proportion in which each colour could be used to create the magic.
Anything and Everything
Read some books on designing, colour combinations etc...they unblock your mind from the same old stuff that you may find every single person doing around you....coz believe me after a year I got bored of getting inspired from blogs and turned to all of the above for inspirations and that is definitely a breathe of fresh air!
Journalling and styles on calligraphy and designing the alphabets is also a good read and tells you on how you can plan your fonts etc. for your sentiments.Anything and Everything
When you next time buy crockery for your kitchen do look deeper for designs and colours that you could incorporate in crafting!
You guys might find me crazy if I tell you I don't leave a stone unturned to peep into my neighbours house to see what furniture or home decor they have tried or what new dresses or sarees they recent bought...and believe me they all know for sure its for crafting inspiration and not coz am into clothes! Your favourite shawl, bed sheet, curtain or duppatta could be used as inspiration to craft too!,I also dig into my friends bags and wallets and purses....sometimes they have beautiful patterns that could be the stepping stone to a great project! I remember Neha Bhatt and her card inspired from a bag she owned!
Having taking her name, I should share what she once shared with me, like her am into quotes big time and believe me they (quotes) can give you an idea for a card design or a mixed media canvas to shape up beautifully. Revolving your card around a favourite or beautiful quote is not only interesting but very much a fun thing to do...try your hands on it ! Do it with your favourite song or a film title.....you will see what crazy ideas flow into your mind.
Go to exhibitions....theres a lot you learn there...they dont specifically have to be a craft exhibition....
Go to exhibitions....theres a lot you learn there...they dont specifically have to be a craft exhibition....
The list is endless, just look around you and you can see inspiration on design and colour combinations all around you.....open your mind and breathe in and take in as much as you can for the real world as way too much to inspire you!
Document your Inspirations for future reference
- Carry a journal/ notebook with you always to jot down your ideas .
- Click a pic of any object that inspires you ...stick it on your journal for a future reference.
- Chop off a piece of fabric that got you inspired and staple it on the journal.
- Make notes when you watch a youtube video.This will not only help you go through some ideas you may have had but have not tried or help you remember a brilliant idea that you may have forgotten if it was not noted on your journal.
Books and websites or Ipad apps I follow :
1. https://northridgepublishing.com/my-account/ -charges some 500 bucks with some really cool books and magazines
2. Page maps website or follow them on Pinterest for card/scrapbook sketches. They also have books.
3. Try Creating Keepsakes book from landmark on the net or crosswords online shopping site
4. Art Attack- Show on Disney. They also have books
5. MAD- show on Pogo. They also have books.
6. Scrapbook Creations- Ipad app
7. Reloved- Ipad App
8. Papercraft Inspirations- Ipad App.
9. Flow-Ipad App
10. Inside Out -Home decor magazine
11. Good Homes- Home decor magazines
12. Interiors- Home decor magazines
13. Martha Stewarts website
14. http://design-seeds.com - for all who love colours
14. http://design-seeds.com - for all who love colours
When it comes to listing books its difficult as my bookshelf has too many crafting and designing books to label here....hehehhe but they are all my favourite as they have helped me to learn and ideate.
Hope this piece of talky post gives you enough ways to finding that MOJO and inspiration when you feel let down...bored and TOTALLY UNINSPIRED!!!!!
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I love this post... thank u saumya
ReplyDeleteIts such a wonderful post Saumya ...Thanks a lot for putting it in words...and the efforts involved! I was happy to see art attack n mad mentioned along with inside out n papercrafts :D !
ReplyDeleteThis is absolutely fantastic post Saumya... You have explained the true meaning of designing. Love it. You won't believe but i am following the same ways to get inspired. And i totally agree how too much exposure to any video tutorials can block your very own creativity. Thanks for sharing this.
ReplyDeleteYes Saumya, I too love browsing through home decor, interior magazines. JET WINGS the monthly in flight magazine is also my fav to browse through for inspiration (I hoard a huge collection of these).
ReplyDeleteThose are some really good ways to be inspired adn stay so. I think nothing we ever do is random, it is always a result of something we saw, heard, felt, or the obscense of it too sometimes. And crafting is definitely something that comes from your mind, so if you feel empty or with no ideas, just stop looking for ideas, give it a break and start enjoying the little things we do and see and feel everyday. That's where it all comes from! :)
ReplyDeleteThis is such a lovely post. Very useful. Thankyou.
ReplyDeleteI think our inspiration is always somewhere around us, something we see, hear, feel or even the abcense of it. It's all those little thing we do in our everyday life, that gets converted in our crafting, so if you feel blocked, i think we should give it a mini break start enjoying those little generally unnoticed things and voila, it'll strike you when you least expect it to! :D
great post...creativity can strike you anytime anywear - An interesting perfume or new flavour could inspire a design. I love watching masterchef to get inspired by their food presentation. I have made so much jewelry inspired by that
ReplyDeleteGreat post Saumya.
ReplyDeleteIf u r creative and really passionate,u can get inspired anytime...anywhere...and by anything..Thanks for sharing apps. I was totally unknown to few.