5 tips on how to get inspiration (without copy-pasting what we all see on social media)

Inspiration is everywhere these days! Pictures and content enough online but how to overcome the feeling of not being overflooded? Don’t get me wrong I see truly amazing stuff out there but sometimes I feel creatively blocked by the idea of seeing it all and not being “original”.

I used to be spending hours and hours on Insta for inspiration but eventually feeling tired or not inspired at all and even worse doubting your own work/style...

But I know better: just create what you really like, put all that you have in it and your brainwaves are per definition unique;) To help you out a bit: the 5 tips below always help me to get me in a creative flow:

1: Find quitness

Easier said than done, I admit, but it is often hard not to get distracted or worse over-stimulated. Find a quiet place where you can simply gaze. Outside always works better for me, since fresh air adds up to the element of quietness.

If you follow my stories on Instagram, you often see me taking a walk during lunch time with my dog Guus in the local forest. I sometimes put in my earplugs and just wander.... Outside gives room for inspiration but is also a place to find it (see tip 5)

2: Buy a lovely notebook/sketchbook and always carry it with you

Always in my purse, backpack or suitcase: my marble notebook!

Inspiration always pops up when you aren’t expecting it. Just a thought or an idea for a new embroidery piece, materials to use, themes etc. Write them down because you will forget ;)

I often look back in my old notebooks for inspiration.

3: Places to go: my 3 favourite ones

1. Exhibitions: Love to visit exhibitions about fashion, design or textile but even outside this category exhibitions are a place to free float your creative brain;)
2. City trips: New surroundings & atmosphere always lead to new ideas. I’m fond of visiting haberdashery & fabrics shops on city trips or other small craftsmen shops. Concepts stores, galleries and thrift stores are also high on the list. I hereby tend to disregard the city centre with all its tourist traps. My last trip was to Paris, I will share some of my favourite addresses in an upcoming blog!
3. Find the biggest bookshop in town, beside my earlier mentioned magazine addiction in blog nr1, I’m also a huge fan of the so-called coffee table books...

4: New materials

This one is really my favourite! Working with beautiful beads and sequins every day is great but it could also block your creativity. Just start using other materials like paper, paint, wool, gemstones, plastic, left-over fabrics etc. The beauty is the list can go on forever...;)

My extra tip in this case would be to be creative unrelated to any projects you are working on and just be playful with new materials like you have seen them for the first time. New ideas guaranteed!

5: An open view

This is easier said than done, and I often admire small children who look at the world with such curiosity and open mind. Trying to observe is really something you should train, but when you obtain this skill it is a limitless pool of opportunities.

Some examples of beautiful things surrounding you: colours, structures, what do people wear? letters, nature, movement, sounds, buildings etc



Hope to see, meet, or hear you soon, let’s stay in touch:

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