endless creativity: part one

Creation and inspiration are good buddies walking hand-in hand. They are inseparable. If you're running low on inspiration, chances are, your creativity in dwindling as well. Let not your heart be troubled! There is a cure! Over the next few weeks, I'll be sharing how I stay creative. Part one is simple:

Easy, right? I have a collection of things that inspire me sitting on a dresser in my room. This dresser is the first thing that I see when I wake up. It also happens to be where my I keep my record player and and a few of my favorite books. Needless to say, I'm over there a lot! Just looking at my little display makes me smile and makes me want to create something. It's filled with my favorite colors, textures, objects, and even things from my travels that bring me happy memories.

My stash of inspiring objects includes:

• Owls. Lots and lots of owls. Most of them are either vintage or from other parts of the world. Owls are magnificent and beautiful creatures. Also, being wise is something to aspire to, am I right?
• Vintage vases, tins, and even a cool rotary phone. One thing that inspires me to create the most is to think back to a bygone era and imagine what I would be doing without my computer, my iPad, my iPhone, Twitter, etc. People back then must have been SO productive with other things, am I right?
• Records, old and new. This kinda goes back to my previous point, but it includes music. Music is an instant cure for the creative slumps.
• Mementos from my travels. Every time I travel somewhere, I try to pick up at least one small souvenir. Pictured here are a small matryoshka doll from Russia (I collect these, I love them SO much!) and a bamboo wall-hanging from China. If you love to travel like I do, try to bring home whatever you can! It doesn't even have to be big. Just whatever will fit in your bag.

Of course, your list will probably be completely different than mine! If you don't know where to begin, make a list of your favorite colors, your favorite patterns, favorite places, anything and everything that'll inspire you. Collect the items and put them in a place where you'll see them on a daily basis. Change it up every once in a while to keep things interesting. You'll be surprised at how it might affect you.

xo, e.m.