Discover Your Creativity

I have been an avid crocheter for the past ten years; however, I first learned how to crochet when I was ten years old. Over the years, I have developed a keen eye for potential projects and find inspiration in a number of places. I once read a book that was written by a number of hippies that gave me a new outlook on arts and crafts. The book is out of print, however it was called, “The Woodstock Craftsman’s Manual”. The key point that I learned from reading this book was that it is ok to throw away the patterns and come up with your own ideas. Maybe this sounds like a rebel notion to the needlepointer, embroiderer, or seamstress who find that a pattern is the basis for their next project, but I jumped on this thought with full abandon.

In fact, I couldn’t look at another project the same way again. I took this principle to heart and began to view everything around me in new light. Of course, the creative process took over and I began fashioning arts and crafts items from everything I could find. If you look closely around you, you will also notice that many other artists have taken this notion to heart. Some people use creative methods to overcome a financial hardship. For instance, I heard of a famous artist who painted with Q-tips. Her paintings have been displayed in the most prestigious galleries, and when questioned as to why she preferred Q-tips, her answer was simple. She couldn’t afford paintbrushes and used Q-tips instead. By the time she could afford paintbrushes for her masterpieces, she had already mastered the art of painting with Q-tips and it became her trademark.

Today, there are many people who have confined their creative talents because they are afraid or have been conditioned to think “outside of the box”. I believe that genius and ingenuity lurks inside all of us and we all must rid ourselves of the conformity that we have been conditioned with. The human spirit was not meant to be confined to a certain prototype. It was born with wings to fly and soar, and to reach new creative heights. By allowing yourself the freedom to think creatively, to remove the restraints of “the right and wrong way to do things”, and apply this freedom to your arts and crafts, you may be amazed at how creative you truly are.