Photo-heart connection: give yourself creative space

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It’s time for another Photo-Heart Connection! Haven’t done it before? You can learn more about how to find your Photo-Heart Connection here.  Kat talks about “making a commitment to connect art with heart” and invites anyone and everyone to add photography or artwork to the monthly connections.

“We are the facilitators of our own creative evolution.” ~ Bill Hicks

art wall

Sometimes this is the background people see when I’m on a Skype call.  I’m told it’s distracting in a good way.  Inevitably, I am asked about my art goodies and someone will usually say they wish they had a little creative area for themselves.

Mr B. will surely tell you that mine has grown from having nothing to having what could be a small store’s worth of supplies.  I have way too many supplies than space to put them, and this past week I even donated several bags of books in order to make room for them.  That should tell you something!

The very first step was in dreaming of a space for myself.  I’ve always enjoyed my bed as my cozy spot for reading and journaling, but a few years ago, when I flipped through a magazine about creative spaces, I started drooling imagining having something of my own (on a small scale, of course).

I’ve written before about turning our office into my create space, so I won’t show you around today, but instead I’ll tell you how it feels in here.  I come into this room and stare at the walls anytime I’m needing a pick-me-up.  I always get a feeling of unlimited possibility here.  I could create anything… I could dream of anything.  Seeing what I’ve already created all around me gives me confidence in my own artistic expression.  Looking at all the colorful supplies has me itching to touch them and begin something.

I can guess what you may be thinking.  “I’m not creative.” Creativity is like a muscle that each of us has.  If you don’t exercise that muscle, it will atrophy.  But pick up a pencil and do a little doodle and you’ll find that it’s been there all along.  Keep tapping into that inner creative gift and it will strengthen, I promise.  Everyone is born creative.  Each of us, in partnership with God, is creating our every day reality.  Only you have the ability to decide who you want to be next.

It doesn’t have to be anything big.  Maybe next time you’re at the grocery store, you’ll put a pack of colored pencils in your cart too.  Having a little cigar box of scraps, pens, or fabric can be the beginning of everything.  I didn’t start out deciding to take over the guest room with art supplies.  I began with a few magazines, a blank art journal, and a box of pens.

Tell me, what can you do today to find a small creative corner for yourself? Let me know how it goes!

I made this for you…

creative evolution 8x10

Read other bloggers’ PHC April posts.

Here are some previous posts about my create space:

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24 Responses to Photo-heart connection: give yourself creative space

  1. Wonderful space, there is nothing better than having a space for one´s own. I also have lots of art supplies, some of them I use but others are part of projects that I would like to develop in the future or are there because I am sure I´ll have an idea that will make me need them (!)… I don´t know if I am going to use them all, but meanwhile I enjoy having them around…

    • Naomi says:

      I think there’s something in just having the supplies that gives me permission to be a more playful and creative person. Who knows if that’s true, but I FEEL creative. 🙂

  2. Suzette says:

    I love your space…beautiful!

  3. Sarah says:

    Great space. I know I have a small store spread around my house. I feel sorry for Mallory someday when she has to get rid of all this stuff. Oh well in the mean time I will keep creating.

    • Naomi says:

      Yes, totally a small store! I’ve got to clear out the old to make way for the new. Who knows where it will lead… that’s a funny image of my family trying to figure out what it all is and what to do with it!

  4. Margaret says:

    What a great space to “CREATE”… Guess I need a creativity workout, I’ll have to see if I can work on that!
    Margaret recently posted…The Simple PathMy Profile

  5. seabluelee says:

    It’s clear that your creative space is well used. I love art supplies and have quite a lot of them…which I seldom use. I’m not sure why that is. Perhaps the same reason I love to read books about writing…but don’t write! I’ve accepted that my true creative outlet is photography, but that won’t stop me from buying more art supplies, or books about writing. 🙂
    seabluelee recently posted…Photo-Heart Connection: April 2014My Profile

    • Naomi says:

      Well I just love that you give yourself permission to buy supplies anyway! Thank you for visiting. 🙂

  6. susan says:

    Just looking at this colorful workspace makes me want to run to the nearest art supply store! And I love your message and also believe that we all have creativity within us. Stopped by to visit after Kelly introduced you in her blog post today…so nice to “meet” you!

    • Naomi says:

      Susan, welcome and than, you so much for stopping by! I adore Kelly. She was one of my very first photography friends. I hope you’ll come back Monday for my blog tour post too. 🙂

  7. Barbara says:

    what a beautiful happy space

  8. Patti says:

    I love your willingness to experiment in creative endeavors. I wish I was braver.

    • Naomi says:

      Then be brave! Just tell yourself that you are a brave person and run toward the fear rather than away from it. (Heard that on The View today while I was getting a manicure.) 🙂

  9. Amy Putkonen says:

    Cool, Naomi. So glad to be back at your blog! How are things? 🙂

    I love this post. I just went to visit my sister last weekend, who is an artist that always inspires me. This last time she inspired me to get busy on my patio, which is going to be my play space for this summer. I bought some cool fabric. If I think of it, I will send you a photo of it. So I bought some fabric to cover some old tatty deck chairs and I will spray paint the frames a luscious springy color. I also bought an umbrella stand that is strong enough to just hold an umbrella up without a table needing to be underneath it. Cool. I might want the table anyways, but good to have options.

    Indoors, I am inspired by what you have done here. I love the IKEA magnet strip for little stuff. I have some of those but haven’t done them cool like that. I have an office at my work now and my plan is for next school year to jazz it up artistically. I don’t do art there, but it is a space that is pretty big (compared to what I have at home) and I can decorate it however I want and I want it to be a fun space since I am there most of my days. My plan is to create some artwork to put up on the walls and to have it full of color. I have a metal desk and I had considered painting it red or something. It is pretty ugly as it is. It would be nice to have my office space more of a “creative space”. Right now, I often don’t even use it because my desk is piled with junk.

    Thanks for the inspiration! 🙂
    Amy Putkonen recently posted…Scattered Life Collective: May 2My Profile

    • Naomi says:

      You get to spend so much sisterly time together… so nice! I’m inspired by all these fun projects you mention. Send photos. 🙂

  10. What a happy space indeed! It’s always fun to create spaces that meet our needs, nurture us, and just plain make us happy. And I can see how your colorful, supplies-on-the-handy place inspires your creativity. Way to go.
    Deborah Weber recently posted…The Birds and the FlowersMy Profile

  11. PR Brady says:

    Naomi I can picture you in your “office” doing the happy dance to Tyrells current hit. Everything about your post and site makes me smile. Awesome!

    • Naomi says:

      Lol. I do lots of happy dances over here all the time. I love pulling my sweet daughter off the couch when one of her shows ends and dancing to the music together. Thank you so much for visiting!

  12. Marcie says:

    Love this. So inspiring…and – yes – happy! And – I’m a true believer that we all have it in us to be creative…:-)!

  13. Linda Watson says:

    What a wonderful happy space. Understand completely about the books – I donate bags full to the local library’s bookstore on a regular basis.
    Linda Watson recently posted…Marks and WordsMy Profile

  14. Sherri B. says:

    I love your space – there are some great organization/storage ideas here! And your art is so lovely, as always.
    Sherri B. recently posted…I Spy With My Little Eye…Pink!My Profile

  15. kelly says:

    this is such a wonderfully, colorful happy space naomi. i’ve sort of been dreaming about a space of my own. maybe then i wouldn’t feel the need to take over the kitchen table when the mood strikes. 😉 happy creating my friend. xoxo
    kelly recently posted…what practicing calligraphy taught me about practicing gratitudeMy Profile

    • Naomi says:

      Oh, we do that too! I’d think your calligraphy supplies and photo props would make for a beautiful corner space somewhere in your home.

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