creativity
This summer I seem to have lost my creative mojo. Is it too dorky to say mojo? Is there a better word for it? Anyway, whatever you call it, beyond cooking on the weekends and living on the leftovers and peanut butter and jam sandwiches during the week, I haven't done much of anything lately. In an attempt to remedy that, I decided to spend a little time in my little house studio this weekend. First of all, it needed a good tidying up. I cleaned up all around my sewing machine and ironing board, although I didn't quite have it in me to tackle the work table and closet just yet. Still, that little bit made all the difference.
I made a little garland from vintage book pages. There was nothing too it, I just used a big circle punch and sewed a long chain. I stacked three circles at a time and by folding the top and bottom circles, ended up with these flower-like shapes. I thought of doing something like this for Christmas cards last year but realized that there was no way I would have time to make enough. I think I'll do it this year and just start now, it's easy enough to make two or three at a time. I think they'll be fun wrapped flat around a postcard, and then the recipients can fold them open. See, already I have another creative project to think about.
Another thing about this project that makes me happy is that I don't have to buy a thing. I have way too much junk, and I need to start using it or getting rid of it. I worked on two more projects this weekend that I started long ago. I think this will be the focus of my autumn cleaning-using stuff up and finishing what I started. So hopefully, I'll have lots to show in the coming weeks as I do this. The more I think about it, the more motivated I'm getting. Yay!
As I was cleaning, I remembered that I had my grandma's thimble collection stashed away in a box, and decided to pull them out so I could enjoy them. As I was tidying up in the little house studio, I realized that many of them were tiny enough to fit on the ledge above the window.
I love being able to see them. She collected them when she traveled, and I know I gave her a couple as gifts when I was little, and I also have a bunch of just plain, utilitarian ones that she used when she quilted.
The garland is lovely. I like the books to art vibe.
Losing your creative mojo is really tough. I think we’ve all been there once, twice, three times… I’ve been feeling mine coming back lately after a bit of a dry spell. Now I just have to try to focus my drive into one or two projects at a time instead of my usual glut of things that end up half-finished in a closet until I dig them up years later and try to motivate myself to finish them (very tough, since I’ve got loads of new projects I want to move on to).
I really love the way you’ve displayed your grandmother’s collection; now it will keep you company in you studio and help inspire your new creations 🙂
We all go through dry spells…but the good things is that the mojo always comes back. 😉 LOVE the thimble display!
I love the garland… and the thimbles. So sweet.
I’d say both your garland and your thimble display idea are evidence that your creative mojo is alive and well!
easy as pie yet striking, magical new stuff made of old stuff : we love it! and a good way to get back started indeed!
Hurray for getting out of a creative funk! I love that you brought your grandmother’s thimble collection out. It’s very sweet to look at!