Here’s this week’s Say What?

“He was one of those men who think the world can be saved by writing a pamphlet.”

–Benjamin Disraeli

Let’s play a little name game You can use any resource you have available to you - the internet, books, friends or strangers, your address book - whatever you need.

• Roll a die or use a random method to choose one letter from the alphabet
• How many names can you come up with that start with that letter?

An inspiration tag is just a phrase or two meant to give you a jumpstart on your creative expression. So read the tag below and interpret it in a creative way. There are no limitations on the medium. In fact we’d love to see a visual or listen to an audio interpretation. Admittedly, some of the tags will lend themselves more to a written format than any other.

So here it is - Tag! You’re It! Have fun!

The garden was covered in a blanket of snow.

For newer readers, here are some posts from our past.

2007

Quick Steps

• Say What? Take #41 - April 30, 2007
• Break Away #31 - May 1, 2007
• Inspiration Tag #37 - May 2, 2007
• Neighborhood Countdown - May 3, 2007
• Lyrically Speaking #20 - May 4, 2007

News and Announcements

• Wow! It’s Our 1st Birthday - May 3, 2007

2006

Quick Steps

• Shapes, Shapes, Everywhere - May 5, 2006

News and Announcements

• Welcome to a New Outlook on Life! - May 3, 2006

The idea behind Break Away is to let your mind go and see if it will break away from your normal thought patterns.

The word is “Anniversary”

Here’s how it works:

1. Write the Break Away Word in the center of a paper (or if you’re lucky - a whiteboard).
2. Write/Draw the first thing that comes to mind when you look at the Break Away Word.
3. Write/Draw the next thing that comes to mind.
4. Continue the process for 10 minutes or until nothing new comes to mind

Let your pen or pencil find its own way, don’t try to force any associations into a pattern.

When you’re done, take a look at your paper/whiteboard. Where did you end up? Are there any connections that surprise you?

Create something new.

Easy for me to say, right?

And you’d really like to do it, but –

• you don’t have hours to spend on learning a new creative skill
• you don’t have a bunch of money to spend on supplies
• you don’t know where to start
• you don’t even know what kind of project to start
• you don’t have anyone to teach or help you get started

Excuses. Every single one.

One trip to your local market, superstore or hobby store can negate every one of those excuses. How?

Be a Kid

Wander through the kids’ craft area. In your local market or superstore it will probably in the toy section. Most hobby stores have a specific kid-friendly craft section. Pick up a few of the kits that look interesting to you. You’ll find everything from plaster hand casts to jewelry to soap and candle making kits.

Why kids’ craft kits?

• Most of them are inexpensive
• They come with all the materials you need
• The instructions are designed to be understandable for kids in grade school or middle school
• The projects are designed with kids’ attention span in mind
• The projects are quick introductions to the craft and quick, tangible exercises in creativity

Benefits of Being a Kid Again

• You get to try your hand at something new with little or no pressure to do it well
• You get an introduction to a set of skills and knowledge you didn’t have
• You get to test drive a project before sinking a lot of money or time into the craft
• You can be silly and just have fun
• If you have children, you can use this project as quality time with them
• Successes, no matter how little or silly, make us feel better
• Your inner child gets a chance to come out and play

How do I know?

How do I know that these kids’ craft kits are worth trying out? I know because it’s how I’ve tested a lot of crafts out.

I’m curious. I always want to know how to do the creative things I see other people doing. I’ve learned to crochet, knit, make silver wire bracelets, use an indian bead loom, and many other things. For most of those crafts, that one little taste was enough. But others, like the ones I just named, I’ve since invested more time and money in.

Give in to your curiosity and that inner child that says “wow” or “I wanna try that.” Take a slight detour on the path of your creative journey.

You may find a new skill that you’re good at.

At the very least, you’ll have some fun.

Here’s this week’s Say What?

“One’s real life is often the life that one does not lead.”

–Oscar Wilde

Today marks the 2nd anniversary of YourCre8tivity’s first post. Over the past two years, we’ve posted hundreds of creative prompts. We’ve posted some articles and ideas. But YourCre8tivity isn’t where we’d hoped it would be.

As the date of the site’s anniversary drew closer, I began to ponder it’s future. Should it continue, as is? Should it continue with some changes? Perhaps I should let it die a quiet death?

The decision wasn’t entirely mine to make, nor did I trust my sole judgment. Geminifatcat was one of YourCre8tvity’s founders, is a blogger in her own right at Time Well Wasted, and is my best friend. FlippantMoniker is also a good friend and someone whose judgment I trust. So it was to the two of them that I turned for help. The discussion lasted for hours and covered a wide range of topics. But in the end, it came down to one question I needed to answer.

Who Am I to Tell You About Creativity and How to be Creative?

I am not an artist.
I am not an author.
I am not an actor.
I am not a singer.
I am not a scholar or expert on creativity.

If I am not any of these things, how do I have any right or authority to tell anyone else about creativity?

I was given an answer that I didn’t expect. Geminifat and FlippantMoniker told me a secret.

While they enjoy the activities of the people we tend to think of as ‘creative’, they were also intimidated by both the people and their activities.

So, Who Am I to Talk to You About Creativity?

I am your next-door neighbor.
I am your friend.
I am your mother or sister.
I am someone who wants to be creative.
I am you.

But most of all, I am someone who, over the years, has realized that creativity comes in many forms and sizes. Creativity is more than the great works that artists, actors and authors produce. It is more than the combination of specific synapses firing. It is something that we are all born with.

Somewhere along the line, the chance to exercise our creativity seems to fade for most of us — but it doesn’t have to.

So, who am I to talk about creativity? I’m someone who is making a consistent effort to exercise my own creativity day-to-day because I think its important, and I think that even small exercises of creativity can change both mood and life.

Creativity is a journey and it should be part of everyone’s life journey. Sometimes journeys are easier when they’re shared with others. So I’m sharing mine with you.

Interested in walking the path with me? Your company is welcome.

Let me know, via comment, email, or post on your own blog, where the creative journey takes you.

Here’s an exercise to get your thoughts moving. Pick a number (it has to be equal to or greater than 5) and write down something having to do with Sports that matches each number in quantity.

If you’d like to see an example, take a look at the Gratitude Countdown.