I am an Idea Bank

We all have different talents. That is why it is good to try everything you can as you are growing up in an effort to discover what your hidden talents are.

I noticed early on that my strongest talent is creativity. I used to think this was true for everyone, but I came to learn in time that many people have not nurtured their creative side and coming up with new ideas just doesn't come easily to them.

I have the opposite problem. I have so many ideas, it's hard to slow down long enough to sleep at night. I am happy to share my creativity tips with others.

Have you ever heard the saying that 80% of success is showing up?

You will enhance your creativity when you bring yourself into a creative environment. It is hard to sit at a table covered with paper, rubber stamps, ink, stencils, glitter and glue and not feel the creativity swell up inside you.

But surrounding yourself with creative people can be intimidating. So don't get discouraged. Realize that they all had to start somewhere. Some of them have a 20 year head start on you so don't compare yourself to them.

Keep in mind we all work at different speeds. It's not a race. There is no prize for finishing your drawing or your song or your drapes first. I tell people 'you can only be where you are.'

Don't be afraid to be a beginner. If we cling to our comfort zones, it's hard to learn anything new.

If you make a mistake, try to turn it around in your favor. It's not life or death.

Do your best not to compare yourself to other people. It's not uncommon for two people to look at each other's art and say, "I like yours better."

Dabbling is fine. Putting pressure on yourself to make everything perfect or everything a masterpiece will just take the fun out of the process.

Keep a notebook handy. I get most of my ideas for new projects when I'm working on something else. I was showing someone how to crochet a granny square. Suddenly I had an idea for a granny square scarf. Then that gave me an idea for a granny square pillow. Ideas come in waves. Grab your notebook and write them down right away. I had a writing teacher who said,"Ideas are like ducks. If you don't shoot 'em down when you see them, they'll fly away."

Whenever I am working on a novel, I get ideas for other books. When I write a song, other songs spring up. If you want to write songs or music, keep a tape recorder handy. Record that catchy tune before you forget it. There are very small tape players available that run on batteries and take the mini-tapes made for answering machines. Tuck one into your purse or backpack.

Let yourself cross over. If painting teaches you composition, use those skills for photography. If writing a song suggests a dance to go with it, make up the steps. Don't get hung up on labels like "I'm not really a dancer," or "I've never had a painting class." When that creativity train stops at your station, hop on board before it takes off.

Turn off your inner critic. He/she/it can critique you tomorrow. Right now is all about the process.

Enjoy the moment. Forget about what your mom would have said, or your cranky third grade teacher, or your sister who is the 'artist' in the family. Hello, families can have 2 artists or 6 or 20. We all have a right to self-expression.

Use books for ideas, but don't copy them slavishly. Use them to inspire, or to learn a technique from. But give your project your own spin. Realize that the minute a book goes onto the bookstore shelf, it is already out of date. New supplies are invented all the time. Magazines are more current. Browse them for new products that will inspire you to do things in a new way. Look at all the yarns that are available now that weren't around when your grandmother learned how to knit. Today I saw one made out of soy.

Go out and creative something. I know you can do it.