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Calling: Inspiration! Where are you?

Nikki · October 27, 2011 · 12 Comments

It’s eerily quiet here, and not because Halloween is around the corner.

I’m caught up on orders, the book has been released, and I’ve cleaned out my workspace (something I always do after finishing up a big project…I guess it’s my way of setting up for a fresh start on the next one.) So, I’m left with a blank canvas. What comes next?

I used my usual trick. I sat down at my sewing machine to play, and within a few minutes had a little something coming together in my head. I ran to grab some graph paper, a pencil, and a ruler, and before long had my next quilt pattern, (*Hopefully* I’ll post it next week…if my kiddos cooperate!) but my question to all of you is, “What do you do when faced with a blank canvas?”

Do you sketch?

Do you roam the aisles of your craft store?

Do you leaf through your favorite magazine, or scroll through pictures on Pinterest?

What gets your creative juices going?

And what’s your “go to” medium? For me, it’s sewing, but where do you know you’ll always hit a home run?

Feel free to leave a comment below…I’m looking forward to chatting!

Nikki, In Stitches

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Ask Nikki, Crafts, Inspiration, Nikki, Pinterest

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Comments

  1. Nikki says

    October 28, 2011 at 8:18 am

    PS…I just jumped into the world of Pinterest. If you’re not there yet, make sure you clear your schedule for pretty much forever…I could scroll through those beautiful pics all day!
    You can get a peek at some of my faves here: http://pinterest.com/nikkiinstitches/

    Reply
  2. Laura/Readerwoman says

    October 28, 2011 at 8:59 am

    Sometimes I , just “see” something (in a magazine or on the ‘net – that’s where I usually troll for ideas) and my mind will flash to something in my yarn, fabric or “it might come in useful someday” stash, and I will know how I want to adapt the idea to my tastes and skills. LOVE it when that happens!

    Reply
    • Nikki says

      October 28, 2011 at 9:05 am

      I know exactly what you mean! Doesn’t your heart just kind of skip a beat?
      (And you feel so proud of yourself that you can finally use something from your “it might come in handy someday” stash!)

      Reply
  3. Brenda Foehrkolb says

    October 28, 2011 at 9:46 am

    I browse through magazines — I have stacks (ok .. stacks and stacks and stacks) of decorating, DIY and craft magazines — what I love about keeping them is … the things I see today that inspire are totally different than the things that inspire in in 6 months — so I keep them all! My garage is great inspiration too — I have lots of “visions” waiting for me there ..

    Reply
    • Nikki says

      October 28, 2011 at 2:49 pm

      Oh, Brenda! If you could see the stacks I have! I’ve often thought about scanning my favorites and storing them on my computer, to get rid of “the stacks”, so I occassionally will sit down to start going through them, looking for things that stand out. I only get about half-way through the first magazine before I’m totally distracted and already drafting a new project!

      Reply
  4. Corvus says

    October 28, 2011 at 11:11 am

    Oh my- I don’t know the last time I’ve had a blank slate! I have notebooks and stacks of projects I want to do, and usually have about five projects in progress at any given time.

    Reply
    • Nikki says

      October 28, 2011 at 2:52 pm

      Corvus! You caught me! I guess I should have said “a blank canvas for blog projects.” I, too, have three or four projects always in the works for my personal crafting. There’s always something on my knitting needles. I always have a hand applique quilt going. And one day I dream of scrapbooking all of the pictures I’ve been stashing away!

      Reply
  5. Dorothy says

    October 28, 2011 at 4:41 pm

    My personal favorite is tumblr.com. Like Pinterest, there are tons of crafts to be discovered! My daughter and I have one called Craft Discoveries (http://craftdiscoveries.tumblr.com/), where we share things (always with a link to the crafter-artist-creator) we spot around the Internet. I also keep my eye out on Facebook and Twitter for things my friends or people I follow post.

    Reply
    • Nikki says

      October 28, 2011 at 5:34 pm

      OK, Dorothy…now you’ve got my attention. I haven’t delved into tumblr.com yet, and nothing’s on the schedule for tonight. Looks like I’ve found something to keep me busy!
      PS…You’re the sweetest! Thank you! It’s absolutely my pleasure to share with all of you!

      Reply
  6. Dorothy says

    October 28, 2011 at 4:41 pm

    P.S. And, of course, blogs like yours! Thank you for sharing your ideas with us!

    Reply
  7. Jill Verbick-OLeary says

    October 31, 2011 at 4:56 pm

    I get most excited when I can touch and see fabrics and trims, so a trip to my favorite fabric or craft store can really get my creative juices flowing. If I can’t get out, Pinterest. I could pin for days on end. There are so many talented artists out there who are so very inspirational. They motivate me want to think outside of the box.

    Reply
    • Nikki says

      November 1, 2011 at 7:11 am

      I’m the same way. Ordering fabric online is so hard for me…I need to see it and feel it. I need to hold it up to other fabrics for comparison, look at it from a distance…all of that. I think I’ve told all of you this before, but the part of sewing (or quilting, really) that makes me most nervous, and causes me the most stress, is picking out fabric!

      Reply

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