cReativity exercises + an artsy weekend

Everyone needs a little time out for themselves...to be uplifted & inspiRed. I was totally overwhelmed by the LOVE from 25 women at An Artsy Weekend! Marci Welker, of Fallow Field Farm, put on a fantastic event this past weekend! Rhonna Designs was a part of it where I started out the weekend talking about my 100 Creativity Exercises.  I loved sharing a bit of my journey as I spoke about Creativity....& I ended with this:

"I believe all creative ideas are sprinkled from heaven. And many people can catch them at the same time.... It just depends on what you do with them. If you sit on it & hoard it, not sharing it.... You're going to lose it and may get bitter when you see someone else's execution of that idea & say- "hey! that was MY idea! They stole it! "

BUT- If you run with that idea, & share that spark... Not only is your creativity growing, but you are inspiring someone else & giving THEM the ideas to run with... All of us are creatively growing. The ideas aren't ours... They come from a higher source... & when we recognize that & share it... More ideas will come. I promise!"  

Seriously...this is how I feel & too many times I've seen very talented & cReative people let their jealousy, or 'me me me' attitude destroy what they had...sad, really! But, these amazing women *got it* & I loved sharing this with them.

Then the amazing Dana Engemann taught us how to make these cute boxes to fill our 100 prompts with! Chrissy Gardner WOWed us w/ her leather stamping & Marci taught us how to create a cool book for an art journal! The darling Tonya LeMone was amazing & shared her talent of bread making & cheese w/ a delish lunch! Dana delighted w/ Fairies, I taught a few of my chalkboard tips & tricks...the whole she*bang!

I was truly uplifted & inspired this weekend from all of the amazing teachers, creations, photos, food, and just the over-all feeling of happiness & friendship! I met such amazing ladies there & came away so fired up & ready to get cReative! I am so sad I didn't get that many pictures...my camera was full & I only got a few! I'm sorry I don't have any of you lovely ladies! Please send me some! *wink*

For more re-caps...check out these fab girls!

Shelley - House of Smiths

Margie- Just a Girl

if you know of any other re-caps...send them my way!

so....are you feeling uplifted & inspired? good! now, GO- cReate!

cReativity....it's all about exercising that muscle. every. day.

Thanks for the amazing response for our new Creative Team...I"m so excited, too! Each of them is so unique & I LOVE their creations with Rhonna Designs!  I was talking to my team about creativity...you can't force it. And you can't expect to be creative if you aren't exercising that creative muscle. Every. Day. You know I talk about my 100 Creativity Exercises a lot, but I believe in it. I know this workshop works. I LOVE these exercises & they've become a part of me.

Tonight...I'll be sharing some of my best ideas & kickstarts for your creativity in our Newsletter. So, go over to the site & sign up if you haven't already....&....as you Newsletter fans know...there's always a little 'nugget' of goodness in there for you! *wink*

Today...I wanted to share some of the fun things my new team have already created! Check out this party scene with Jing! Talk about using her creativity! I'm in LOVE with her unique creations!

She created Menu Boxes, Candleholders & Little place mats with Rhonna Designs. See the cute candle holders & folded place mats? These were created with the Chevron Tool Kit!

 The cute flower &  boxes were created with the Nautical Chic collection! 

 Loving that half lolly back there...so cute! Can you tell how she made that? Out of the Insta Patterns kit! Brilliant...sheer brilliance!

The darling 'Let's Celebrate' is from the Party Pack Kit, & the stars are from the Nautical Chic Banner Printable! Sooo cute, huh? Seriously sooo uplifting & inspiring how she used so many kits & brought them together so well. I love that about Jing's creativity....she's always exploring the possibilities, following her heart & obviously enjoying her process! 

Go on over to her blog for MORE inspiration using Rhonna Designs! ....such inspiring creativity!

Now...go! Create something today! Even if it's something for 5 minutes...do it! Your creative muscles will get stronger & stronger!

Creative Team Tuesday: DIY Birthday Party Hats & Teacher Gifts

 I always look forward to Creative Team Tuesday...I LOVE to see what my team comes up with using my Rhonna Designs! And today, Jamie & Melissa have some fab hybrid projects...DIY Birthday Hat Decorations & Teacher Appreciation gifts...LOVE them!

Jamie says: 

I junqued up birthday hats to set around as decorations for my daughter's birthday party. So that includes the hat from the It's Time kit with the music sheet paper. And then I used the Quatrefoil tag kit to make a medallion that includes one of the Starburst brushes. I cut those out and then layered with words form the Printable Sayings kit in the Easter Celebration collection. It was fun to pull from these different kits to come up with a birthday theme. **because there are no kits with Birthday sayings...hmm...I think it's time I get on that! *wink***

And run on over, because she's got a tutorial!

Melissa is amazing...in so many ways. She created these cute Teacher Appreciation Gifts with the Prize Winning Mom kit! Love it!

So inspiring...especially since this is our last week of school & I gotta get on it! LOL!

Enjoy the creative explosion here...I'm still on my Creativity Exercises HIGH! Loving it! Working on some really fun things...I just get so excited...the first thing you'll see as a result of the *explosion* is the NEW kit: Nautical Chic....Thursday will be the day for the release! Yea! 

Now...take those creative juices that are flowing & go! cReate something NOW!

Your Living Canvas Workshop starts today!

(image collage by Margie)

One thing I LOVE is having artsy, creative, amazing friends! And today, I wanted to share my dear friend, Christy Tomlinson's NEW online workshop: Your Living Canvas!

 It starts TODAY! I'm soo giddy! Perfect timing...during all of my *creativity explosion* this is just what my little creative heart needs...I'm taking it...are you? Go sign up! She's amazing! 

creativity exercises = creativity explosion

You've heard me talk about it over & over....the NEED for my Creativity Exercises. daily.

Yes. I do them every day. 

Faithfully. 

WHy? So my creative muscle will be strong, fit & ready to think outside the box- be innovative!

Well- yesterday I had one of THE most amazing experiences during the process.

You see, I've been having some ideas lately....the past few months. (actually the very first time I thought of it was last Spring! but, I tucked it away.)

Some crazy, WILD ideas. 

The kind that at first you think: "What am I THINKING?"

They've been....marinating. percolating. guiding me....step by step.

Then I went to Snap- the Conference & I heard some things that got my wheels turning even faster. I was reminded of a few ideas & promptings that I'd had...& I could FEEL that the timing was right.

I met some amazing people that really *sparked* those ideas. Again...marinating. percolating. guiding step by step in this process.

I came home on a cReative high & talked it over with my agent/husband: Jeff. I love him, because he's learned to not think I'm crazy...just let me brainstorm & be my sounding board! LOL! Well...the idea was there, the wheels were in motion, but we there were a lot of 'Hows' & 'What ifs' & frankly...FEAR! I was actually getting scared of the ideas that were coming!

But, again...marinating. percolating. guiding step by step.

Part of this process that's been guiding me was when I shared my Creative Process during my Creativity Week -inspiration. perspiration. innovation. creation. 

I've been really thinking a lot about this particular process & knew that with these 4 Creativity concepts along with my daily 100 Creativity Exercises all of the 'Hows' & 'What ifs' & Fear would work out.

So, yesterday Jeff got this idea & as we were talking about it, IT CAME! All of the questions, all of the 'Hows' & 'What ifs' came like a FLOOD of creative inspiration. It was so fast & furious I couldn't breathe! The fear is still there...cuz again...I'm skeered. But, it's so out of the box- fun- exciting...

the planning stage has begun.

And all of the daily creativity exercises primed my creative muscle to be ready for that inspiration when it hit! The concept itself is a huge undertaking & it is going to take a lot of perspiration, but I think it will be well worth it!

oh yea...& in the middle of this process, I have been designing a new collection for Summer that is making me sooo excited. The creative juices have been over-flowing! Hoping it will all be ready & finished by next week...just in time to kick off Summer!

eeeee! Soo excited! I LOVE being uplifted & inspired....stay tuned!

Creativity Week: Step No. 4- Creation

Creativity Week

Step No. 4> Creation

Throw aside all fear. Grab your tools to create. Ready. Set. GO!

After reviewing & completing Steps No. 1-3, you're ready for the best part...Creation!

To be creative you need to feel free enough to ....

Creative PLAY is the time to do something different than you've done before.  Do not worry about the results, rules, etc.  Feel free. Let it all go. 

Remember when you were a little child? You just played. You didn't think about 'rules'...were there any rules about how YOU made a mud pie? or how YOU climbed a tree? or how YOU caught a caterpillar & just let it walk all over your hand?

No...You just did it with reckless abandon....& you felt free. *at least I did..I remember feeling free...losing track of time because I loved playing so much* hee hee.

Creation is the same thing. Lose yourself in the process...just be free. have fun & break out of your normal patterns...LOOK at things in a different way. Just PLAY.

This is it...this is the time of your process where you let go of all fear & just PLAY. 

Creative play is crucial....every. day. 

I can't emphasize this enough...even if it's for 1 or 2 minutes.   

How is this possible you ask? Easy...just pick out one of my 100 Creativity Exercises.  Some days I don't have time...literally only have a few minutes. So, I may pick one out of my jar that requires more time. That's OK...I just put it back in & pick out one until I have a 1 or 2 minute exercise...& then I go for it. 

I PLAY.

I'm hoping you get the creative bug...practice these steps (they do take practice) until it's infused in you....you will live the cReative life you've always wanted. I promise!

And the great thing is...you can apply this creativity to every aspect of your life.  For instance...reemember how I have been training for my 2nd Full Marathon? I'm on week 15...just over 3 weeks left....and, 

THE worst thing possible happened! 

I got injured!

It's a Grade 2 Calf Strain...I've got to take off 5-8 weeks. um..yea. 

Needless to say...I'm  I was devastated. 

(hence, my absence from my blog/social media for the past couple of days..boohoo.) 

I gave myself a few days to 'grieve'...then, got back on my feet (a little wobbly *wink*) and, I'm figuring things out. I figure, I learned to LOVE running. *trust me, a year ago, I HATED running! LOL!* But, I learned HOW to love the process.  So...I had to look at this in a creative way...I thought: I can learn to love something else! And, you know what? It came to me last night...I've got to be creative about this, so, I'm taking all of that determination I've had for running & training & I'm going to focus it on a goal I've had for YEARS, but thought I could never do it....I started on May 1. When I get brave, I'll share my goal with you, but it's intense training & I'm really pumped about it!

I don't think I could have come up w/ it w/o thinking creatively; So...>>>I"ll be using ALL of the Steps to Creativity .

Inspiration :: Perspiration :: Innovation :: Creation.

working

being still

gathering

sorting

exploring

sparkling...

cuz...das how I roll.

Creativity Week: Step No. 3- Innovation

Creativity Week

Step No. 3> Innovation

Dare to be different. Dare to be eccentric. Dare to be a non-conformist. DARE to innovate.

After working on Steps No. 1- Inspiration & No. 2- Perspiration, Innovation can be a scary part of the process.

You might think you will fail. But, to be innovative it's essential to fight the fear.  You've got to explore. Explore ideas that are different...outside the box...upside down...on its side. DARE to look for things in a different light.... Dare to.....

Learning how to explore the unknown is essential in the creative process. Throw away all inhibitions. Forget all the things that are holding you back: 

excuses. fears. pre-conceived notions. rules. plans. 

It's time to turn off the main road...try the untried.  

Exploration is the perfect time to ask: 

What if...? 

My 100 Creativity Exercises are full of these...challenging you to really explore your creativity. ideas. thoughts. techniques. even the rules!  Without exploration, we can never have anything new. 

Now...a bit about *new* ideas...lest you think INNOVATION means creating the wheel again...no. that's not it.  In fact, most *new* ideas aren't even new. We are just building on the work of others. Originality comes from within...when an artist embraces the fluctuations, imbalances & disturbances & just goes with it to see what will come of it.

So, back to exploring so we can create something new.  This is something I created in an exploration exercise during my daily 100. 

I had been exploring the idea of using common supplies & objects to create something with a question in mind: What if I went out of my comfort zone using found objects & techniques that are not my norm.

This is what I came up with...an old shoe box that I cut into...added found objects: twigs, pebbles & glittered, painted, mod-podged & ....voila! I ended up loving my little creation using Rhonna Designs Spring Circus & Easter Sayings Printables! Who knew? I did this exercise before I had a bunch of deadlines...perfect way to combat my fears, get new ideas & explore! And I loved the final projects I made for my deadlines....it worked!  

I feel like processes like this can really ignite something in me...it gets the sparks flying so fast, I can't stop! I just want to continue creating & then...naturally...I want to share that spark...these new projects, techniques, ideas....& then it grows- burns brighter & just sparkles!

This is the part of the process from which Spark the Event was created.  The whole idea of Spark is to share your creativity with others.  Margie, Liz & I knew that when we hoarded our creative ideas, it did us no good. In fact, when we don't share our creative ideas, we lose them.  You share your SPARK & it ignites!  We all *sparkle* as we share the creative ideas & processes we encounter.  I have said this before, but, “I believe all ideas are sprinkled from heaven…it’s up to us what we do with them.”

It's not OUR original idea....it comes from someone much higher than us that shares His ideas & creation with us. 

When we acknowledge that & have that attitude of sharing our spark, creativity will wash over us & fill up every little bit of us...our creative cup will run over. 

Don't be afraid of someone stealing your ideas. Don't be afraid of someone's talent. 

Don't be afraid of someone's creativity.  

They will be blessed with creativity & ideas & you will, too. 

There's room for everyone!

The ideas will come to you as you follow this process. I know it may not make sense in your head...but, it will in your heart. You need to let go, acknowledge where all inspiration & creativity comes from & embrace that inherent desire to create.  

Then, your creativity will sparkle! ignite...and you are ready for the Creation!

...to be continued...

Creativity Week: Step No. 2- Perspiration

Creativity Week

 Step No. 2> Perspiration.

You gotta put the work into it.

"Perspiration is the best form of differentiation, especially in the creative world." - Scott Belsky

As 'creatives' we want & need to be differentiated from other 'creatives'.  It's easy to copy someone's creative work. Anyone can do that. But, come on...how creative is that? It's not as easy to create your own work, though...& really do something different, is it? This is something I'm always striving for when create for Rhonna Designs...I want my designs to shine through...somehow differentiate myself from other designers.

So, building on Step No. 1- Inspiration, today we are focusing on PERSPIRATION during the creative process.  I've found that there are 2  things you need to do to really, really work at this...& that is firstly:

Gather the things that inspire you.  This is one of the best steps in the process.  If you are a writer, gather  works of literature that you are drawn to.  If you are a singer, gather pieces that move you. If you are a photographer, gather photographs that inspire you. If you are a blogger, gather ideas for great content. 

You get the picture...the *gathering* process takes time. It may not be done in one minute, hour, day or even week. But, it must be done. Inspiration boards are how I gather my inspiration. Sometimes, I'll have a color scheme I'm working on...& I'll need to gather pieces that inspire me to create with that color scheme. 

Source: Uploaded by user via Rhonna on Pinterest

Source: Uploaded by user via Rhonna on Pinterest

Source: creamylife.com via Rhonna on Pinterest

This is one reason I LOVE my Pinterest boards...they are online 'inspiration boards' I can 'PIN' or gather things to that inspire me.

Case in point...lately I've really been 'craving' getting back to calligraphy. I took classes, taught classes & have spent hours & hours practicing...but, it was over 20 years ago! So, I've been working at getting inspiration- being still as I get that inspiration & then gathering ideas, tools, quotes & such to work on my calligraphy again.  I'm rusty. *ahem*  So....the perspiration has begun.

I spent hours & page after page of parchment as I perspired over this reunion of my love affair with the calligraphy pens, nibs, inks, parchment.....& guess what? It wasn't until AFTER about 10 pages of practicing, that I *remembered* the tricks & keys I used to teach...it's all about wrist/hand flourishing AND pen pressure/sensitivity.  WOW! It took me that long to gather & perspire! I had a ton of pages I'd gathered...but, was any of it worth saving?...worth building on?

I needed to....

Once you've gathered your ideas, it's time to sort out the very best. I sorted & sifted through all those pages. And, of course, the last few were my best. It was obvious when the *spark* lit! 

So, I had all of these good ideas, but I needed to sort through them & throw the bad ones out. THAT is how to get the REALLY good ideas! *wink*

now...it's time for Innovation.

...to be continued...