How to 'PLAN' for Creativity

Some creative fun in my Gillio with PaperHouse's Wicked Good collection

There seems to be some belief that to be creative and artistic, you need to wait for some 'magic', creative inspiration that hits you, all of sudden, out of the blue. I'm not saying that these blasts of creativity don't happen, they do! And I'll talk about them in a minute.

Even if you get a great idea, you have to have the skill to implement it. You need to work on your craft. Practice it. Wayne Gretkzy didn't just walk on the ice one day and was an amazing hockey player - he worked at it. Sure, he had a natural talent but he improved on it and his passion for it motivated him to practice. We all have a natural talent at something - we simply need to find it, practice and fine tune and perfect it.

By simply working at your craft (be that your pretty planner, scrapbooking or pidgeon pose) you will get better, they don't say 'practice makes perfect' for nothing! Sometimes, especially in the early stages, you will makes things that you don't like and that's okay! The first time you rode a bike, you fell! Why should papercrafting be any different. We can't be an expert the first time we try something.

Now, about those blasts of creative inspiration...

Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.
-Picasso

 They do happen and usually it's when you least expect it. And more often than not, it's when you are not distracted by other things. At times when you are just about to fall asleep or you're in the shower or while you are driving. Your body is busy, so your mind is free to wander, to open up and that's when new ideas can pop in! Inspiration doesn't like to strike with original ideas when you are scrolling IG or Pinterest.

Whenever Einstein was having a physics problem, he'd pick up his beloved violin and play. Inspiration would often strike and he'd be able to solve the math. Even if it didn't, he'd enjoy the time he got to spend playing Mozart.

I gave this old dashboard a quick make over with products from PaperHouse. Those witch legs!

So, leave yourself time to let your mind wander. Turn off your music in the car and in the shower and turn off your phone well before you are ready to drift off to sleep. Give your mind time to shut off. It's ok to simply lie there and relax before sleep comes. 

Have a notebook handy, or, you can change a ring from one hand to the other. When you wake up, it will feel odd on the wrong hand and it'll prompt you to remember what you though of as you were about to drift off. It works great for the shower and while you are driving too!

Here are a few other idea to practice when you are having trouble getting inspired:

• Go somewhere new or try something new, change your usually routines.
• Play. Let go of the pressure to make something pretty, even try a different hobby
• Do your decorative planning at the same time every day/week, having a routine will train your mind to know this is when the magic happens
• Dance it out! 

I'm off to Brussels for PlannerCon Europe this weekend to help ladies there Plan for Creativity while Planning their Dreams and Planning their Christmas. Will you be there? Don't be shy, come up and say hello! Click here for ticket information: PlannerCon Europe tickets