Inspiration

I actually wrote this blog out in long hand Tuesday night. My husband is a big World of Warcraft (WOW) player and I was kicked off the computer. So I sat down in my quiet bedroom and wrote in my little idea notebook so that when I finally got to sit down at MY laptop again, I would have a blog to post. Hopefully, when we get our taxes back the first of the year, I'll be getting my OWN laptop (funny how both are supposed to be mine) and then I won't have to wait to use it anymore:) Anyway, on to the Inspiration blog.

Inspiration can be found anywhere. Because of what my interests are (scrapbooking/cardmaking) and because being creative in those areas makes happy, I subscribe to A LOT of magazines that cater to those crafts. I subscribe to Creative Keepsakes, Simple Scrapbooks, Memory Makers, Scrapbooking Ect. (my mother-in-law gives me this subscription every Christmas) and Papercrafts. (I think my sister-in-law is getting me a subscription to Cardmaker for Christmas!!) To be honest, the magazines and books and websites I look at for inspiration are really just the easiest place to look (for me) and feed my creativity with the smallest effort on my part. (It doesn't take a lot of work to look at beautiful cards and scrapbook pages and be inspired to try to create beautiful cards and scrapbook pages!!)

BUT THOSE AREN'T THE ONLY PLACES I FIND INSPIRATION!!

Sometimes inspiration isn't even in the form of something I've SEEN. Sometimes I get inspired by listening. It could be lyrics on the radio, one of the wonderful podcasts I listen to, or even an overheard conversation.

Inspiration can come from anywhere!!! All I need is that little spark and BANG
I'm at my table, off and running with an idea.

A perfect example is that we got something in at work a couple of months ago, with brown paper packing on top of it. I saw that paper and immediately (BANG) saw "primitive" cards. I haven't used it all up yet, but I've made many focals for cards with it and so far everyone has liked them. Now the irony is, "primitive" is not a natural style for me, but for some reason I saw the paper, the possibility of crumbling and wrinkling and ironing and inking-----now the rest is creative history:)

Seriously, don't limit yourself when looking for ideas and sometimes you get the best ideas when you aren't "LOOKING." I wasn't looking for crafting materials at work. It just so happened I got the packing paper and was hit (BANG ) with the idea and away I went. I guess what I'm telling you is don't just open your eyes and ears, open YOURSELF to find inspiration.

Here are some things I find very inspirational...
If you have an Ipod:
*look up the Diva Craft Lounge. I listen weekly...and I think with them, you don't actually have to have an Ipod you can listen on your computer. I personally like to download them and listen while I'm working on a project.
*look up other craft podcasts. I find it very inspiring to listen to them while I work on projects. I also listen to them while I go for walks or work out at the gym.

For the internet:
Now I could go on and on and list a million sites, but if you are internet savvy enough to have found my blog, you probably have a list of your favorite sites already. I'll just add a few that I'm very fond of in case you haven't found them yet.
*www.TVWeekly.com they have webisodes every Friday that will blow you away and you will fall in LOVE with Tricia and Michael right away (I own EVERY one of Michael's stamps!!)
*www.paperwishes.com this one has a webisode every Wednesday that shows how to use their products. Some would say it's a "commercial" for what they sell, and maybe that's what it is, but I love it because it shows me how to USE what they sell. I love to buy stuff but often get it home and go "now what do I do with it?!" Paulette Jarvey and Sara Nueman walk you through many card making and scrapbooking ideas with whatever their feature product is (I own ALL the templates they sell!!)
* I think everyone knows about www.scrapbook.com and I like that place as I feel comfortable browsing the gallery there.
* I just joined Technique Junkies. It's a subscription only kind of deal, but if you are looking for new ways to use your supplies and get AMAZING results it's worth the money. They have incredible designs and it's not really the designs that are amazing but the techniques you'll learn. Go to http://www.techniquejunkies.com Just check it out and see if it's for you.
* there are also many GREAT yahoo groups out there that will help you get inspired. There is one just for Michael Strong stamps and so on. You can browse by topic in the groups and find one that you like. Or email me and I'll tell you the ones I belong to and you can see what you think.

Don't forget that the world holds inspiration just by what God has put in front of us. Go for a walk and look at the colors and the sounds and EVERYTHING. Look at your significant other, your kids, your pets (I so want to do a layout about my cats) your siblings, your parents, your friends, YOURSELF!!

If you have something that inspires you, please leave a comment, or if you have a favorite website, podcast, magazine, anything like that that you go to a lot for inspiration, please leave a comment so we/I can share it.

I'm off to be creative....well, actually to finish a Christmas card order!

Now go be CREATIVE, I know you can!!

God Bless,
LeighAnn