How Do You Find Inspiration for Crafting? 7 Ideas to Get You Going!

As any craft enthusiast will tell you, inspiration comes from, well, just about anywhere. Colors, textures, lights, and sounds flood our world on a daily basis. If you’re in the creative zone, you’re never more than one dappling leaf or shimmering puddle away from your next bright idea. If you can’t get into the creative zone, however, it can be frustrating, at best.

their responses, we’ve put together a few handy ideas that can help you get back in the zone. Read on for seven ways to hop aboard the expressway to inspiration!

1. Get moving!

A busy body makes a tired mind. Sometimes, it’s not actually a creative block, but a lack of focus that is hampering you. Rather than a lack of ideas, you might have too many ideas rattling around in your mind. Trying to organize them to pull out any single thought or idea can be frustrating and discouraging.

Get up, get moving, and run some of that spare energy out through your arms and legs. After you’ve walked, ran, swam, or skipped until you can skip no more, you just might find that once you sit down in a quiet room, the commotion in your head won’t seem so messy. If you’re not the sporty type and harbor a distaste for physical exercise, don’t worry. Any kind of repetitive movement works. Take to the nearest playground and hog the swings for a while, or go and throw some bread to the ducks in the pond.

2. Take a break from creating and absorb for a while

As enjoyable as it is, creativity and crafting also can be mentally exhausting at times. It might not feel like it at the time, but creating something out of fresh air from a vague idea takes a lot of processing power. Sometimes, your brain just wants to sit back, relax, and watch somebody else do the work.

Tuning into your favorite artists’ videos and media to watch what they’re up to allows your brain to rest and recharge, still in the crafting zone. Your subconscious is a powerful tool and probably will absorb more inspiration than you can imagine before you even realize that it’s happening. Refocus complete!

3. Change your backdrop

We all love our cozy craft corners, but staying in there feeling trapped when you’re blocked isn’t a great way to spend an afternoon – and certainly isn’t productive. They say a change in scenery is as good as a rest, so grab your boots and the family dog and take in some fresh air and local scenery.

Inspiring scenery comes in all shapes and sizes, and you don’t have to live in a National Park to find it. Whether its woodland, wetlands, or urban street art, inspiration often lies in the most unexpected places. Keep moving, keep walking, and allow your mind to process your thoughts.

4. If you can’t organize your mind, organize your craft room

If mental organization is lacking, physical organization often can strike a balance. Make the most of your enforced downtime and take the opportunity to clean up your craft room. Aside from the therapeutic benefits of organizing and decluttering, you might even find some supplies that you’d forgotten about that heighten your senses. Inspiration and ideas can attach to material things. Looking through old works and craft supplies just might trigger an idea that you’d filed away in the recesses of your mind.

5. Get Pinterested!

We love Pinterest. Really, who doesn’t? So simple, so many ideas, so many clipboards. Pinterest is the ultimate tool for gathering ideas and inspiration without forcing yourself to remember where you saw them. Scroll, pin, and walk away. You might not realize it, but the ideas will start moving from the back of your mind, simmering until the next burst of enthusiasm has you wielding a crafting knife again.

6. Creative Lucky Dip

If you really need some divine intervention, how about a fun game of craft lucky dip? Keep a jar handy with little slips of paper that mention colors, craft materials, themes, or anything else you can bring to life. When you’re blocked, simply close your eyes, pull two or three pieces of paper out of the jar, and get started! Sometimes too many choices can clutter and shutter your creativity. Having the impression that you’re being “told” what to use – even if it is by a piece of paper – can give you direction and help you focus.

7. Get Connected

Turn to your friends and your creative community. Taking the time to talk to others and appreciate their work can light that fire inside you. No man or woman is an island! Inspiration comes from the works and ideas of a global crafting community. Harness the power of social media to stay connected globally. Harness the positive powers of social media to stay connected and motivated.

Whatever works, the main thing is to refrain from yourself up about a creative block. The worst thing you can do is lock yourself away in your craft room and force your creative soul to produce something. It doesn’t work like that. If all else fails, forget about it for a day or two. If your brain needs a break, it needs a break. The good news is that you’ll return to your craft twice as productive and with a whole new creative flow of energy rushing through your hands and mind.

So, how do you find inspiration for crafting? The answer is simple: You stop looking for it.

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