Finding Handmade Inspiration

Finding Inspiration

Do you ever wonder where inspiration comes from? I did, I do, I still do. I’m feeling a bit philosophical tonight so please bear with me while I ramble.

I look at photos of all kinds. I have posts from people all over the world on my Facebook page, I watch tutorial videos, look at magazines, crafting books of all kinds. I even look at the backgrounds of the photos that I take of my grandson when he is playing around outside, at the park, the beach or wherever. I even have one bead company that occasionally posts a photo on my Facebook specifically for the purpose of inspiration and ask “what does this photo inspire you to do”.

Even with all that I see and choose to see more of, it does not seem that any inspiration comes from this.  Inspiration, where does it come from?

Truth is I really don’t know.  I am sure that the geniuses of the world who delve specifically into how our brain works would say that somehow the images of the things that I see lodge themselves into my overworked, sleep deprived, aged brain and come out in the creations that I make.  Maybe! Maybe Not! I am far from a genius so who am I to say?

What I can say is what I believe.  I believe that inspiration springs from our heart.  Of course, our mind plays a huge part in it, sure it does.  But the actual inspiration, no that comes from something stronger than our mind.  For instance.  I created a bracelet a while back using twin beads and a circular stitch that I learned from a free video tutorial from Beadaholique.  I had so many people compliment me on the bracelet when I wore it and many asked me to make them one.  Well I am in the business to sell jewelry, so for very close friends, yes, I may make them one for a gift.  After all, having folks wearing your art will sell more art, right?  Yeah, I think so too.  Anyway, I digress.  First I emailed the company and asked them if I could sell this particular bracelet that I was making.  The answer was a resounding “NO”.  So okay, I asked and was answered.  But still.  The video was free, and the knowledge of the stitch is now my own, once it goes into my brain, I am the owner (according to some copyright attorneys I consulted).  Anyway, I did not want to do anything that would cause anyone any issues so I don’t sell that particular bracelet.  But I kept thinking about it. It was just festering in my brain.  Then one night or should I say morning after going to sleep, I had a dream.  Some would call it a vision, I call it an answer.  In this dream, I saw exactly how to create this bracelet right down to the additional beads to use, where to put them, what to take away and everything.  The next day I created the new bracelet.  Now it can only be called my own as far as I can tell.  Here is a photo of the bracelet in the vision. Not a great photo but you can sort of get the idea.

Because of the different colors used and of course the bad photographer (me) it is difficult to tell the stitch is the same, however, completely different bracelets.  The top is from my dream, the bottom is from the tutorial only with different colors.

One came from a learning experience and the other from “inspiration”.  That inspiration came from somewhere within me or was put in me from who knows.

Another instance of inspiration from where I have no clue is this.  I had made some beads from polymer clay over a year ago, a couple of them were just scraps that I rolled up into balls, baked and coated for just a slight shine, the other were shapes of leaves that I had created.  Mind you these were some of the very first polymer clay beads that I had attempted.

I pulled them out of the bin and laid them on my desk where I create and placed them “front and center”.  Well over a month has gone by and they have been moved to the side, back to the front, to the back, piled into a pile of other things, covered up with other stuff and it would seem just generally forgotten.  Not so.

Tonight, I was sitting at my desk, reviewing my facebook and my forum on Handmade Artists Forum and playing “words with friends” with my cousin.  Suddenly the beads were in my hands and I was making earrings.  Two pair of earrings.  Now you tell me where did this come from.  I am still scratching my head on this one.  I had not given them a thought and suddenly I am going through my findings and crystals and this is what I ended up with.

So tell me if you can, where does inspiration come from? What is its form? How do we tap into it intentionally?

I await your responses.

Written by a Bead Thing

Tags: beadthing, creative block, finding inspiration, Handmade, handmade creation, handmade creativitiy, handmade ispiration, handmade jewelry

Posted in Handmade