Laugh a Little

Do you laugh everyday?
 
Did you know that a little laugh could help you loosen up and experience creativity in a new way.

                         Source: icanhascheezburger.com via Kat on Pinterest

Try these ideas to get a few laughs in your day.

• Read comics


• Sing in the shower


• Wear a crazy shirt


• See a funny movie


• Act like a child for an hour


• build a fort


• get out the crayons and color

This is a small list to get you started. I'm sure you can come up with a list of ideas of your own. Sometimes life can be challenging and a little humor often gives us permission for "out of the box" thinking.

Boost your creativity, laugh today!

What is your favorite way to get a laugh?

Motivation Monday

Now is the time...

To watch the sun rise

To feel the real beauty and power of the sun, rise before 

the first rays hit.

Find a vantage point with a fine vista and wait.

Sense the stillness.

Watch as the sun etches out your world.

Enjoy the warmth.

Marvel at the miracle of renewal.

Feel your problems subside. 

When was the last time you got up early to watch the sun rise?

DIY Friday - Cool Drinks

I love Friday nights, hanging out on the deck with a fun drink. Since I have been on Pinterest I have found so many amazing drink ideas. Here are a few fun summer drinks to try to keep cool any night of the week.

Blue Ocean

Lava Flow

Lemon Vodka Slushy

Raspberry Mojito

For all my friends who prefer a non-alcoholic drinks, you can make most of these drinks without the alcohol or try the recipes below.

Watermelon Lime frosty

Strawberry Lemonade

Here are a couple of ideas to make your drinks more fun.

Freeze fruit or mint in your ice cubes

Turn your drinks into popcicles

Whatever kind of drink you like, enjoy your evenings and stay cool!

What is your favorite summer drink?

How Big?

Have you ever thought about having a big successful creative business? 

Today I have five questions to help you figure out how big you want your business, and the advantages to putting your plans into action.

Five Questions

How big can your handcrafted business be?

What are the advantages to making yourself look like a big company?

How would the way you present yourself affect the work you do or how you do it?

How would your work change if you achieved your professional goals?

How can you make people think they are dealing with a large established company?

Take your time to answer each question. Once you are done reread your answers. Put them away for a day or two and reread them again. Would you change anything? What can you implement right now in your daily business? 

Click the form below to print off your copy of the five questions.

Click here for the question form

Now that you know how big you want your company to grow, why not start acting like the company you want to be.

Do you have dreams of growing your creative business?

Be Inspired - Rocks

Words to Inspire

“I do not try to dance better than anyone else. I only try to to dance better than myself.” 
 Mikhail Baryshnikov

Idea to Inspire

Start your own collection of rocks. It is a great way to remember events in your life, as each rock will have a story you can share.

Photos to Inspire

I have been attracted to rocks most of my life. When I travel I always pick up rocks at all the places we visit. Rocks come in so many amazing colors, textures, and shapes, and can be very inspiring!

Source: hdw.eweb4.com via Marilyn on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via Theo on Pinterest

Source: Uploaded by user via Leslie on Pinterest

Source: farm2.static.flickr.com via Yelena on Pinterest

Source: bit.ly via Doris on Pinterest

Source: fieldandsea.tumblr.com via Valerie on Pinterest

Need a Creativity Jump Start?

Take a break

Sometimes when you spend a lot of time working on a project or a new ideas and you don't like anything you create, that's when it's time to walk away and take a break.

Have you ever noticed that some of your best ideas come when you are out shopping, or in the shower, or even at an event? Well that's because when we are not concentrating on a project our mind is relaxed and can see those blocked ideas freely.

When I need a break I go to the library or the bookstore. I read magazines and look through books of art in all different mediums, sketching my ideas as they come to me. Usually I come home with the idea I need to finish my project and several more to start future projects.

Figure out the best place to let your mind relax.

It might be cooking, playing in the park, sitting by a lake, or going to a museum. Whatever it is, take the time to recharge your minds creative bank and let the ideas start flowing.

What do you like to do to recharge when you need a break from creating?

Motivation Monday

                 Source: pinklemonadedesign.blogspot.com via Valerie on Pinterest

DIY Friday - Duct Tape

My Father loves duct tape. Anytime anything gets broken he goes for his duct tape and is ready to fix it. He was my inspiration for today's DIY post. Duct tape is an amazing product, and super strong.

I love that you can take an everyday ordinary product like duct tape and turn it into useful and fun items.

Check out these cool duct tape projects. 

Flowers

Wallets

Lampshade

Clutch

Bags

What cool things have you made with duct tape?

Do You have a Hobby?

The best part about owning your own creative business, is doing what you love. You get to create and earn money on your creations.

Sometimes I think we forget that life is not all about business. Even thou we love what we do, it's still our business, and it's important to walk away and take a break every now and then.

Having a hobby, different from what you do in your creative business, is helpful in making us better business people and generally happy in our everyday life.

I love to cook! That is my hobby. Creating different meals and coming up with new ideas lets me be creative. I cook because it makes me happy, and I can share my joy of cooking with my family and friends.

When your not working on your business, what is your hobby?

Be Inspired - Waterfalls

Words to Inspire

“Remember today, for it is the beginning of always. Today marks the start of a brave new future filled with all your dreams can hold. Think truly to the future and make those dreams come true.”

Idea to Inspire


Pull out your old sketchbooks or journals, and page through your designs and ideas of the past. Let your past inspire your ideas of today.

Photos to Inspire

I love waterfalls! They are are amazing force of nature, and the sound of the running water is inspiring. I would love to see and hear any one of these waterfalls. Enjoy today's collection of photos.

Source: jootix.com via Steve on Pinterest

Source: 1x.com via Jessica on Pinterest

Source: goo.gl via Else on Pinterest

Source: pxleyes.com via Pia Zoraya on Pinterest

Source: boredpanda.com via Veselina on Pinterest

When is your Creative Time?

I am a morning person.

I like to get up in the morning exercise, spend some time outside, do my computer work and any paperwork I need to complete.

After my busy work is done, that is when I can be creative. I need to have projects and paperwork off my mind so I can spend my afternoon feeling my most creative.

Everyone has a different schedule and when they feel most productive.

What is your best time of the day?

When do you feel most creative?

Motivation Monday

                         Source: mth2012.tumblr.com via Valerie on Pinterest

DIY Friday - Glass

Recycling old glass or second hand glasses or jars is a great way to create a beautiful new object to use in your home.


Updating old glass items is easy and fun. Give these projects a try.

frosted glass

milk glass

gilded glass

mercury glass

etched glass

What fun glass projects have you tried?

What Would You do Differently?

When I started my business, I was kind of flying by the seat of our pants. I read lots of info on having an online business, but I didn't know what to expect. With a little planning my business might be different today.

If I had to start my business over today, I would do things a little differently. 

I would plan a little more, by writing down what I want to achieve and having specific goals. I would also have a plan for growing my business and a way to track my success. Over the last 3 1/2 years I have grown my business, and now have goals and plans in place, but sometimes I think of where I could be if I had started my business a little more organized.

What about you, If you had to start your business over what would you do differently?

Be Inspired - Art Glass

Words to Inspire

“People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.” 
 Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Idea  to Inspire

Start a color idea book. Use a notebook to glue in paint chips, colorful photos, or images of beautiful places. When you stuck on what color to use, use this notebook to inspire a new color combination.

Photos to Inspire

How can you not be inspired by the amazing colors of art glass. Today's collection has hand blown glass, vintage glass, and a couple of pieces by Chihuly to inspire you.

Source: google.ca via Gail on Pinterest

Source: google.com via Laurie on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via Cee Em Jay Es Gee on Pinterest

Source: artfulhome.com via Dede on Pinterest

Source: Uploaded by user via Nela on Pinterest

Source: chacha.com via Billy on Pinterest

The Sound of Inspiration

I was sitting on my deck the other day, taking a moment to myself, and I closed my eye and listened to the sounds of my neighborhood. During those few minutes I had a creative moment.

Do you ever use the sounds around you as inspiration?

I realized while sitting there listening to the wind blow through the trees,  the birds singing, and a near by sprinkler, that if you relax your mind and enjoy the sounds around you it gets the ideas to flowing.

I think sounds regardless of where you live can be inspiring. I remember when I lived in New York City the sounds of the traffic and the people were great for sparking new ideas.

Listening to music, sitting in a park and listening to kids play, even just the sound of a fan has it benefits for sparking your creativity.

What sounds do you enjoy for creating creative moments?

Motivation Monday

                              Source: google.com via Valerie on Pinterest

Happy Sunday

Finally we are getting a little break from the excessive heat. Our temperatures are dropping from the 100's to the 90's, now all we need need is a some rain. I am looking froward to working on my jewelry outside today, and get out of my dark basement studio.

I hope you a good day!