“But I’m not Creative….”

Images Copyright 1990-2007 Stampin’ Up!

How many times have I heard THAT at a workshop??

You never hear a child say something like that. All children have absolute confidence in their ability to create. It doesnt matter to them if their creation isnt perfect, or isn’t worthy of the Art Gallery. They just love that feeling of creating something. Why then do we adults become our own worst critics and lament our lack of ability?

The point is that just the simple act of putting aside a little time to express yourself creatively is good for your soul! Many of my customers tell me that the feeling they get when they allow themselves to make a card or a scrapbook page takes them away from all the other things that cause them stress. It’s really important to take time for yourself, and creating a new project can be part of that. I love watching people at my workshops completely forget their other problems for a while and just make something beautiful. It’s a real buzz for me.

But how do you create something if you honestly believe that you have no creative skill? One great way is to CASE, (or steal) other people’s ideas. CASE stands for Copy And Share Everyting and in the papercraft world it is absolutely fine! Sometimes it’s just the start you need. Usually you’ll end up putting your own spin on it anyway, and it becomes yours. You’ll find lots of ideas in Magazines as well as on internet sites, and of course, this blog.

Above I’ve put 2 cards side by side. The first card is directly copied from Page 77 of the new Stampin’Up! Idea Book and Catalogue. You’ll find this a great resource as it is filled with card, layout and project ideas on every page. (If you dont have one yet, please contact me at higgiz@bigpond.com) The second card uses exactly the same layout and design as the first card, but I’ve used different colours and different stamps. How cool does it look? See, it’s OK to copy and then make it your own.

So the next time you feel as though you are lacking inspiration find someone else’s idea that you love, and make it yours! And I dont want to hear you say you-know-what!!! 🙂

Happy Stamping Guys!

Linda