I like to create something everyday, even something small like a layer of colour on a blank page. If I don’t know where to start, colour is my kick off point most times, grab some paints and choose 3 to 5 colours and make a background to work on immediately or another day.

Things I might do to fill my creative soul daily –

I like to follow an organized prompt based challenge. This month I am taking photos with Susannah Conway’s August Break and art journalling with Creative Bug and Dawn De Vries Sokol.

Art Journal a background or finish a whole page in one of my sketchbooks.

Sketch a flower from my garden or a mushroom spotted in the woods. Maybe a quick pen sketch or a watercolor impression or a combination of the two.

I will pull out my Gelli Plate and see what I can print with it, or try and use my stencils in a new way. There are so many ways to use equipment like this, the results are seemingly endless and often pleasantly surprising.

Taking a photo of the aforementioned flowers and mushrooms or anything which catches my eye. Remember to always look everywhere, including over your head and close up.  I will often get right down to ground level to capture a fresh mushroom while it is in it’s prime.  They only last a day or two, so I love to see a new one pop up!

Make a sketchbook/journal from scratch, I have just discovered this and I may well be addicted to combining paper to make my own book. By making your own sketchbook, you can use all the same papers or mix them up with plain sheets, patterns, music paper, used notebooks, tracing paper and even fabric.

Add to or browse my ideas books which are full of clippings and ideas from magazines over the years. I recommend keeping a book just for sticking in clippings for future ideas, mine are full of fashion, recipes, quotes, jewelry, nature and colour ideas.

Absorbing other people’s creativity is also a fulfilling thing to do and I like to –

Listen to a podcast like The Jealous Curator or Elise Gets Crafty, usually when I am walking the dog by myself and I can look like a maximum fool as I smile and laugh along with the presenters and guests of these enlightening interview podcasts. The Jealous Curator’s chat with the wonderful Kate Bingaman Burt had me laughing aloud while wandering the streets recently!

Read a book , I am currently reading Amy Snow by Tracy Rees which is great so far. I picked it up mainly because it is by a British author and set in the UK.  I am not usually a big historical fiction fan, but this is a good read.

Browsing a magazine. Current favorites are  Flow and Illustoria.

Visit a museum or gallery and stop every so often to make some notes or sketch a part of a painting or a pattern. In fact, I have not done this for a while and now I write about it, I am keen to visit the St Louis Art Museum with my sketchbook! I tend to look for snippets to draw or note down, a quote or description or a colour palette.

Visit the library and browse a new section, see what is in the wild flower section maybe? How about kids picture books?  Looking at kids books must be one of the most joyful opportunities in the library!  Even though my boys are too old for picture books, they are full of ideas and I still love to browse for the illustrations.

So many ways to keep your creativity alive and inspired.  A little everyday.

A little creativity and a little exercise for your body and your brain.

Don’t forget your notebook, you never know when a genius idea will strike!

Happy Wednesday x