This past year I began my Master's Degree and I will be buried in books, a few months at a time, for a while. This, of course, has cut into my knitting and creating time but it has also given me a chance to renew my creativity as well.
If you are a creative person you know that inspiration comes on its own time and in unexpected ways. You can't force it and when you try, the art suffers and you end up making something that isn't quite as wonderful as you'd like. Our culture today is always putting on the pressure to introduce something fresh and new to our "followers" and "fans." Social media is constantly sending notifications to post something new to keep people engaged or your business will be quickly forgotten. Sharing an "old" item is considered boring and unengaging. This pressure forces creators to act before they are ready, create when they are uninspired, and promote something that they are not passionate about. This leaves many creatives feeling disappointed about what they are putting out, knowing it's not their best, knowing that if they just had time to really work through the creative process they could end up with something amazing. The algorithm is not kind to creatives. Creativity has a natural ebb and flow, there will be times of high inspiration and then there may be no ideas or production for months.
In my time studying for school I find little ideas popping into my head. Since I can't act on them right away, I am forced to let them marinate...and actually sit for a while to be thought over, planned, and worked out. Slowly but surely these ideas are able to grow and become full grown items that I love. So while I may have no "new" items to share on social media to keep the insatiable public and social media consumers scrolling, my own creativity will actually flourish. I will be more than ready to create when the time comes and I'll be able to make and share things that have been allowed to grow to their full potential.
So I invite you to explore the "old" items in the shop because Industrial Whimsy handmade gifts never go out of style or season. Find inspiration in something that you've done before like a knitting pattern made with new yarn. Go back to old favorites because now just might be the right time to make them your own.
Stay in touch by subscribing to my newsletter, becoming a member on the app to earn rewards and get blog notifications, and by following on social media and YouTube. I'll be peeking out from under my pile of books soon!
(image from Wix)
Kommentare