Getting direction

When I started this blog, I did so as sort of a "should". This  sort of thing generally never works for me. I didn't really want to deal with a blog and I wasn't sure what I wanted to write about. So I started out writing monthly birthstone info. This doesn't appeal to me because it's not very original. You can find that information everywhere, so I stopped that and decided to let the blog go until something came to me.

Lo and behold, a few new things started coming to me. But I had to wait for some kind of direction or guidance. I couldn't force it to happen. I see the same thing as being true of the creative process. When I first started making jewelry and thinking I might want to sell it, my designs were very simplistic. They looked good, but they don't seem to have as much of a personal stamp as I see my more recent designs as having.

An example is the hemp and leather wraps I've been making. I started with round beads like I saw everyone using with similar designs. Since I've been buying gemstones, I keep picking up these little tubes that look so cool, but when I tried to use them in the standard bracelets and earrings, I didn't like the result. They languished in my bead box for awhile until the idea to use them for wraps popped into my head. These are the first prototypes:

Of course, anyone could do this and anyone could make these. But most people probably won't :) And from this, as well as other experiences and ideas, even more new ideas are emerging.

When I don't feel the creative force, I try to let go and wait for it to return, rather than forcing it or stressing out about it. And the creative force always does return. After Christmas, I was unable to make anything for about six weeks. Then suddenly I was compelled to make things again, and many new ideas have flowed from that, but I just had to wait for it!