Connect with your Muse

This month's Etsy Metal team blog Carnival topic is ......

"20 things to do to kick start Creativity"

I thought that it would be fun to try to list some tricks of the creative process....here's my list- randomly...off the cuff...

#1- Do an assignment in a random, off the cuff way....LOL

#2- make ridiculous limitations to your process, like drawing with your feet or writing when you're really tired (like I am now)
#3- make something intentionally ugly.
#4- try using a new material
#5- take a "walk" or go skipping around the block (it's impossible for me to skip without laughing)
#6- read a random part of a reference book
#7- stretch and drink a glass of water (we are often dehydrated here in Arizona)
#8- set a time limit on your current work (get it done and out of your way...there are so many creative ideas just dying to come forward!)
#9- write a poem
#10- do a bit of gardening- be tactile- smell the soil
#11- watch a favorite movie- notice why you love it
#12- Road trip! Go see something you've never seen before in your area- even if it just means driving/ walking/ biking etc down a new street.
#13- go to the library
#14- make random stuff with your scrap materials-
#15- realize that you might not be making a masterpiece, and get over it
#16- take a nap
#17- go to the hardware store and pick a few materials that you think might be fun to play with.
#18- Try to make a list, and put it on your blog
#19- don't erase/ delete your "mistakes" -sometimes the irregular is more interesting!
#20- when all else fails....Chocolate. (maybe that should be the first one!)

well, that's my list for tonight- I'm sure I'll think of more- (including the exact perfect one that I'll be kicking myself for forgetting) Here are the other Etsy Metals team members who have created a list...

  (There are 15 other Etsymetal metalsmiths blogging on the same topic today. Please go and check out their articles, they will all be sure to get your creative ideas flowing!!)

http://www.chris-parry.blogspot.com/ - Chris Parry

http:
//www.sarawestermark.blogspot.com/ - Sara Westermark

http://www.kmjewelrystudio.blogspot.com/ -Katie Miess Kohlhagen

http://www.amandaconley.blogspot.com/ - Amanda Conley

http://wildflowerdesigns.blogspot.com - stacey

http://www.evemmetalsmith.blogspot.com - Esther Eve

http://www.jewelrytutorial.blogspot.com/- 2Roses

http://www.fluxplay.blogspot.com - Maria W

http://cosmosmoonjewelry.blogspot.com

http://vtakahashi.blogspot.com/ - Victoria Takahashi/Experimetal

http://lunatic-art.blogspot.com [Berenice Schaltegger]

http://brookemedlin.com/blog (Brooke Arin Medlin)

http://metalriot.blogspot.com (Thomasin Durgin/Metalriot)

http://bcyrjewelry.blogspot.com - Beth Cyr

http://catherinechandler.blogspot.com/ - Catherine Chandler

Enjoy!- Maureen BZ