Sunday 23 June 2013

Creative Life Series: The Creativity Date and the Creativity Box


 "Every child is an artist. The problem is to remain an artist once we grow up." ~ Pablo Picasso

I think of myself as a creative person. My interests, my approach to solving problems, my button business and my dreams for the future all revolve around creativity. It has had such an influence on my life, particularly in the last two years, helping me to discover new crafting hobbies, make things I can be proud of and that build my confidence, introducing me to lots of fellow creative sorts through this blog, and acting as invaluable therapy during the tough times, that I am increasingly passionate about helping others to discover and strengthen their own creativity too. The benefits it can bring are boundless.

Creativity, in my view, is a muscle. The muscle is always there, but some people carry it around with them their whole lives, never using it, or even being aware they have it. Others use this muscle when they need or want to ‘push’ something; when they need to come up with a solution to a problem, when they want to make something or write something or perfect dancing the foxtrot. The most creative people actively invest time and effort in the ‘creativity gym’, exercising this muscle. These folks know that the more you use your creative might, the faster the ideas come to you, the stronger your creativity gets, and the more creatively fulfilled and happy you can become.

This knowledge, combined with the fact that, let’s face it – being creative is ridiculously fun – is the reason I started doing two things a few months ago.

  1. I started scheduling in a ‘creative date’ in my diary every month. This is different to Creatives Unite in that I don’t actually work on a craft or art project during this session. It's a little like the idea of an 'Artist's Date' Julia Cameron puts forth in The Artist's Way
  2. I put together a Creativity Box, to use during the date.



So what do I do during this date?

Well, I make a cup of tea.

I take my box and some cushions and plonk myself down on the floor, or on a grassy spot at the park.

Usually my canine companion joins me.

I take my brightly coloured felt tip pens and my sketchbook…

…and I play.

I write down my creative goals for the coming month, and decorate them with bright swirls and squiggles.

I plan blog posts, recipes and craft projects.

I cut snippets and pictures out of magazines, stick them in my smash book and scribble whatever ideas they bring to mind.

I make a mess.

I read about creativity.

I pin inspiring images and craft ideas on Pinterest.

I draw.

I journal.

Children have a natural gift for playing. They spend their days pretending to be dragons and doctors, princesses and puppies. They can make a house out of a cardboard box, a smiley face out of a pizza, and a castle from toilet rolls. They run for fun, cover blank pages with bright colour without an ounce of trepidation, notice the small things and make up stories as easily as they process facts.

Somewhere along the line, we start being told to ‘sit still’, ‘walk, don’t run’, ‘stop being noisy’, ‘don’t make a mess’, ‘don’t waste paper’, ‘think before you act’, ‘it’s time you got your head out of the clouds and faced up to reality’, ‘work is serious and should be taken as such’ and ‘write neatly’. These things are all instilled in us by grown ups who care, and who want to us to become considerate, thoughtful, self-disciplined and self-aware adults.

But we do lose that ability to play, and I don’t believe we’re supposed to. I think we’re supposed to stay curious, supposed to be able to creatively express ourselves, supposed to run through a field of daisies going ‘aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!’ just because, and hey, if you want to pretend to be a dragon it might brighten up that Tuesday afternoon team sales meeting. Just don’t expect Marjorie to ‘get you’.

A creative date once a month is your chance to play, and can bring a world of benefits:

·         Relaxation, or a way to work through problems. Mindless activity can provide a distraction from worry.
·         This is a brilliant way to generate more ideas than you can possibly handle!
·         Gets you ‘in the zone’ ready to work on another creative activity, or tasks such as essay-writing. I often have creative playtime before button-making, and before writing blog posts. It’s a little like the concept of morning pages as also outlined in The Artist’s Way. It readies the mind.
·         Use the time to write in your journal, or cut and paste. This encourages self-reflection and centres your soul so you can think more clearly about what you want from the month ahead.
·         Just for the pure joy of being creative, being messy, playing, not worrying about being perfect, and expressing yourself.

And the creativity box? Just what it says on the tin. A special box in which you keep all sorts of fun stuff for your creative dates. In mine I have:




  • My sketchbook/smashbook
  • Fun pens
  • A colourful messy list of creative goals for the coming month
  • Whatever creativity-themed books I'm reading
  • A magic glittery, swirly thinking stick. Not sure why. 
  • ...And often a selection of crafty bits and bobs for being messy and creative with.

If nothing else, this is a great excuse for some time away from everyday life each month. A chance to do something that requires no planning, special supplies, money or precision, but that can produce really valuable results.








PS: Apologies for the little gap in blogging there; as you'll know from my going on about it constantly, I'm doing my first craft fair today so it's been full-on preparation lately. Will share photos this coming week! 

23 comments:

  1. This has really got me thinking. I love making things but often say how difficult I find the creative process. I struggle to come up with my own ideas. I tend to use other people's patterns or suggestions which is fine, but I want to be inspiring other people. I love to daydream but often stop myself. I'm getting my pens out and finding a box today. Thanks xxx

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    1. I think it's often a case of giving yourself permission, of reminding yourself that when it comes to these creative play sessions, you can't 'do it wrong'. It's surprisingly hard to do! I've found that by repeatedly sitting down for these sessions, it soon becomes easier and I get into the creative zone more quickly. I'm a person who finds it hard to make a mess and do anything unplanned, so these sessions have worked really well for me. x

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  2. I think you are spot on with the playing malarkey, as adults we forget, we become inhibited, embarrassed to play, to create, to enjoy, to be free! If you use your creative muscle you are understanding the need to play. If you set up an actual play date well, good for you, allow yourself time not to be distracted by everyday stuff! Hope you have many more of these special days! :) x

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    1. Thanks Ada, one of the things I admire about you is your ability to take vintage sheets and wallpapers and actually use them, instead of only stashing them away. You're not afraid to play with them and see what comes of it, a special quality indeed! x

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  3. Love the idea of the creative muscle - sometimes the things we do seem like one off items, WIPs that get finished and then moved on from to start again, but I'd never thought of it as having a cumulative effect. Not sure my life would allow for a regular creative date at the moment but love the idea! Hope the fair goes well x Jane

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    1. I wonder if you could manage one, say, every two months? I think it's like anything you do repeatedly, the more you do, the easier it becomes and the stronger the creative muscle gets. Have fun playing! x

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  4. Have really enjoyed your Creative Life posts so far Anna, it's great to see into your creative soul a little.

    I really hope the craft fair is a great success and look forward to seeing the pictures of your stall especially.

    Claire x

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    1. Thanks Claire! I really enjoyed doing my first craft fair and will share photos later this week. x

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  5. This is a great post, it now has me itching to make my own little creative kit!
    Before I had my son (who is 4) I loved card making and scrap booking. For the past several years all my lovely card making bits and pieces has been stored away in the attic, but after reading this it has inspired me to dig them out and make a date with being creative!
    Claire
    http://Daydreamsinthegarden.blogspot.com

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    1. Putting the creative kit together is half the fun! x

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  6. What a lovely idea to schedule in quality creative reflective time. For me crafting and creating are squeezed into a tiny time gap usually around my baby's sleeping patterns hence my blog. I am going to get a box and put all my creative ideas in it and schedule a play date. Thanks for the inspiration... Sam x

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    1. It's certainly not easy with a little one, but I like the idea of a box because it means that when snippets of time to come up I have everything in one place ready to go. x

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  7. Beautiful. Beautiful thoughts. Beautiful messmaking. Beautiful ideas. Thought provokingly beautiful selection of books.

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    1. Thanks Laura, I particularly recommend the Keri Smith book as she's big on grown ups not being afraid to be silly and play to aid creativity. x

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  8. I think you've hit the nail on the head - the majority of us seem to lose our ability to be creative, make mess and play once we're all grown up.

    I do like your creative box idea - I've tried to do something similar with my sewing area and have a little creative space in a spare room, surrounded by pictures, postcards and ideas from magazines.

    It's just such a shame that work always gets in the way! I'd be able to be so much more creative if I didn't have to work 9-5 five days a week. x

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    1. Oh, 9-5 can be so obstructive can't it! Love the idea of your sewing space though. x

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  9. I love your crafty stuff! It's all so cute. Where did you get it from? Especially the birdy stationary?

    http://OhHayDesigns.blogspot.co.uk/

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    1. Wilkinson's! Really good for reasonably priced fun stationery. x

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  10. I love the idea of a creative box and a crative date! :-)
    Carly
    x

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  11. What an absolutely fantastic idea! I got all giddy just thinking about it! Definitely an idea I will be adopting.

    erinbulger.blogspot.ca

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  12. Just found your lovely blog through Bloglovin. Great post. I'm exploring Creativity at the moment and also try to make a little time each week to myself to relax and let my mind 'play' and create!

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  13. I really love the idea of a creative box! I really need to make more time for myself to be creative. I was in a stress awareness session at work this week, and when asked what we do to cope with stress, my answer was to do something creative. Maybe if I do this more often, I will be less stressed!! Anna x

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