Club Creative Studio’s post today highlights the special delivery from the mail this afternoon. My special arrival came today, it was a box of beautiful beads. The beads in my photograph were sent to me specifically for the Bead Challenge called:  Bead Soup Challenge & Blog Party, #7.

Susan Sheehan is my Bead Soup Bead Challenge Buddy.  We were paired from over 500 participants in Lori Anderson’s Bead Soup and Blog Party Challenge. She is from New Hampshire and works primarily in glass, creating wonderful beads, many with the floral motif theme (which is right up my alley). We exchanged boxes and I received mine today! She should get the box that I sent her by Monday.

The excitement starts to build the minute you are assigned your bead partner’s name and location. I had a chance to look on Susan’s website and read a few blogs once I knew she was assigned to me.  With exchanged contact information we are able to keep track and communicate along our creative journey.  It is wonderful that we have put together totally different packages to inspire each other.  She creates in her studio and can be found selling her art at: http://www.susansheehan.etsy.com  The challenge aspect comes next as we sit in front of the bead stash wondering what to create and how to use the elements in front of us.  I anticipate using a few of my own items as well, but, the majority of the supplies will come from the pile she has gifted me.

 What’s in her shared treasure box?

Admiring this selection, the first impression that I had was she has a great sense of color. The combinations are wonderful and I am inspired to create starting with a good color palate in front of me from the get-go. She included an array in styles of beads which will certainly make for an eclectic feel of whatever I end up creating from this collection of bead types. I am faced with working with a variety of shapes, sizes and weights of beads and that is a challenge unto itself.  I am not afraid of mixing metals so the copper-colored chain and the silver clasp and bead caps don’t frighten me.

Susan has challenged me to basically create using pink, turquoise, and brown. There are many larger beads all of which can combine to become focal beads or serve as a focal bead all alone. The obvious choice is using the large amber-colored glass round as the main focal bead.  It made me think immediately of using it as part of a center tassel, at first glance so I will see if that changes when I hit the design table or not.

The tube beads dotted with mini-seed beads and floral theme motif are about one inch long, there are four of those. Two brown rounds are not identical but have been made with the same feel. She included six interesting pink glass mosaic feel beads that shimmer in the light, those are cool as well.  With an interesting mixture of tiny crystals and Lucite, I can  imagine using them as little accents of color and dangle beads right now at first glance.

The highlight of her box are of course her hand-made glass floral beads. She has included ten for me to use in my creation.  They are dotted with spots of turquoise, pink, brown, orange and a little bit of purple. Wonderful!

After I let my  “soup” simmer overnight, I will think about what I want to create and then sit down and design, arrange and question.  I plan to document my creative thought process and share the development of my special arrival…my box of beautiful beads. Be sure to visit this blog again as well as the Club Creative Studio Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/clubcreativestudio for updates on my beading challenge process.

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It’s winter where Club Creative Studio is located and  it’s cold.  It’s time to enjoy a little taste of bead soup.  No, I have not decided to actually EAT, sleep and breathe beads no matter what others think that I already do.  I am taking part in a beading challenge called Bead Soup founded by artist Lori Anderson.  This bead soup challenge pairs up persons creating hand-made beads and places them in a challenge together where they put together a goodie package and mail them to each other, challenging them to create from the stash. 

This challenge has three separate reveal dates so that bead artists have time to complete their projects. Most like me, plan to document the journey.  This is the first time that I am taking part in this event.  I first got word that my “Bead Buddy” Susan was from New Hampshire a few days ago. We have a means to communicate and keep in contact throughout this project.  

The full content of our packages are supposed to be a secret until they are received by mail. We are allowed however to give sneak peeks or “teaser photos”. These are two photos that introduce with curiosity concerning what I have included for this challenge.  When I asked Susan for a hint of what she was going to send me in her package, she said with a bit of wit and humor that my beads all had holes…included something old, something new, something purchased, something hand-made, and something blue. Hummm…I can hardly wait!

My reason for taking part in this beading challenge is to experience a creative challenge and go through my steps of creative thinking with beads sent to me.  I am also in total support of the artist paired with me as I am of all of the artists also taking part in this creative process (which totals over 500 participants).  They all eagerly use their creativity and talent to make hand-made beads and share with others for artistic growth.

Please stop by this blog often as I continue to share photos and information about how my first Bead Soup challenge is going. I am ready and willing to enjoy my Bead Soup and share it with you.

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It is no secret that creativity is a form of expression.

Have you discovered the reasons why creativity allows you to express yourself?  There may be several reasons why allowing creative thoughts and actions into your life can benefit you. In today’s Club Creative Studio’s blog post I want to touch on  few aspects explaining how creativity can  help you define who you are.  While it is true that “you are you” as a unique being and you are capable of expressing your individuality in several ways, how you express your creativity is where being creative comes into play.  Being creative and allowing yourself to be true will give you the chance to express yourself to the fullest.

Let’s say you are naturally a shy person. There is nothing wrong with having this quality at all, I am thinking of a word that has a reference to a characteristic many seem to want to overcome in some degree level.  Some people wish they were more outgoing, more brave and daring, louder, more showing of self-confidence.

Whatever the challenge we see as a potential shortcoming which by we identify with for any reason, I believe that by adding creativity into the mix, we  allow ourselves to tackle those challenges more readily.  Art therapists will probably be among the first of many to tell you that the use of art in many forms will free you of many things. I too believe in the power of art as a means of expression and a break through to many situational problems or concerns.  Letting out what is inside is a release of sort that can have a healing and revealing process associated with it. Do you know how being creative can benefit you?

 My Five Benefits to Being Creative

1.  Release.  Using creativity as a means of release can free you up of unwanted stress and tension. Free your mind of worries for a bit, or share what is considered over-load information in a different venue.

2.  Answers an Inner Need. Being creative allows you to be satisfied with the needs that you have to express what your imagination fosters. Do you have a need to be expressive and share your inner thoughts? No matter if a creative need is expressed to yourself in a private journal entry or sung out loud to the roof tops, creativity can call upon your inner needs and be filled.

3.  It’s Natural.  It may not seem that way sometimes but, we all have the potential to be highly creative. It is only when we become older that we lose sight of how easily creativity can flow because of all of our hang-ups. Being creative can become automatic and freeing we can appreciate the natural built-in drive to strive to be creative we already have, naturally. Creativity is natural and it is contagious. Creativity begets Creativity.

4.  It’s a Brain Game.  Looking at creativity growth as a personal challenge is a way to increase it with intended purpose. It takes practice to be creative without having to think about what you are doing.  The more times you are calling upon yourself to think or act on a creative thought or impulse, the faster those opportunities appear when you need them the most. Your out-of-the-box thinking concepts will become more frequent when you train yourself to be more expressive and imaginative every chance you can.  I believe being more creative can become a personal challenge and attainable goal.  Practice of anything will bring about a change.

5,  Shake It Up. Expressions of creativity shakes up our senses.  Adding a new view to a situation, a twist on a solution, or a vision of enlightenment stemming from a creative thought adds spice to life.  Even if you are not the one being creative but you are listening to a creative person or thought, their creative actions or words can inspire you to act in a creative manner as well.  Why not use creativity to shake up your world?  The world needs MORE creative thinkers. We need different solutions, we desire our days to be exciting and worth remembering. When creativity shakes up and changes something, we take notice.

If creativity or calling upon your creativity is not your strong suit, I guess I made this list for you in mind. If you can find one of the numbers helpful to inspire a creative spark and reason to be creative today, I’d love to hear about it by a comment below this post. Have a great day being “Creative Everyday”!

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Thomas Merton quote.

Club Creative Studio has a few questions for you to ponder today.  Concerning CREATIVITY…do you know where it can take you?  Hopefully you do not have to look long or hard to find it. Creativity can be found within yourself or within others.  So knowing that; where is it? Do you know where to look or who to look at? Do you know what it can do for you? Where it will lead you?

Discovering creativity levels within yourself or others is a growing and learning process.  As the quote from Thomas Merton suggests, art  (or creativity in general) enables or allows us to find ourselves. We can discover what is deep within us or at the top of the surface.  Merton also goes on to say in the quote that we can also lose ourselves at the same time, meaning that we can set ourselves free and experience creativity at its fullest, not paying much mind of other things going on around us. Creativity never grows old or goes out of style. Creativity may grow stale but we can always revive it and relive it and improve.

One place to start looking is quite obvious. Merely look ALL AROUND! Yes! Creativity is all around us, I have always said this many times. Open your eyes to discover the unique qualities of life around you. How can you get lost in creativity and where will it lead you?

While I was a classroom art teacher, everyday I would strive to stress in my students the importance of seeing creativity around us. Expressing it and experiencing creative venues gave our students the chance to see where creativity could take them.  Maybe they were introduced to a new concept. Maybe they found a new talent or practiced a new skill. Perhaps during our lessons, they grew appreciative of other’s creative efforts or served as inspiration to another as they expressed their own creative thoughts.  Taking extra steps to recognize where creativity is affords us the opportunity to search it out when we need it.

Where will creativity take you? The creative journey can be as long and as exciting as you make it out to be. It can be shared and appreciated.  A creative journey does in fact allow you to find yourself, express yourself and understand yourself. Creativity also lends the opportunity to get lost in the process, lose track of time and lose our inhibitions and fears about art or any other creative thought process or expression. Dance, prose, visual arts, theatrical arts etc., they all are expressions of creativity that take us to places we have never seen before. Relish in the creative process. Look around to gain it and foster it to grow it.

The aspect I love the most about being an artist is the fact that what I create can be shared and appreciated. While creating, as I continuously find myself and lose myself in art, I also get the thrill of giving and sharing art.  To view results of  my creativity, please take time to view creations on the website. The inventory is updated and evolving often.  The creative spirit is there to inspire, appreciate and best of all, purchase! Enjoy! http://www.clubcreativestudio.com

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Great reflection quote for the creative person.

Today, Club Creative Studio shares a quote that has inspired me and is proven to be correct for correlation in the world of the arts.  Creative quotes can be great reflective words and inspire on many different levels. The words of Vincent Van Gogh can transform your way of thought with a certain focus.  These three simple lines can become your everyday challenges for your creative spirit.  Are they words that you can relate to, or hope to incorporate into your creative world?

I Am Seeking

Are you a person who seeks out creativity or yearns to explore new adventures?

I feel that as a creative person I am always seeking. I seek to find the time to create, and stay motivated. I look to find the best materials, new materials. I seek knowledge and wisdom from others in the arts. I search for the best technique to incorporate in my creations. I seek to become a better artists on a daily basis. I am seeking answers to my many questions. Yes, I am a seeker, are you?

I Am Striving (And Thriving)

Are you a person who is striving to thrive in your environment?

Are you one who wonders how and if you are actually doing a good job in your creative life? Do you know what it takes to thrive in your own creative level or situation?  If you have creative goals and are striving to obtain them, it is more likely that you will have milestone successes and can relate to the reward of thriving in your field.  Does your current creative journey give you satisfaction and joy?  If it is not are you taking steps to get you to the point of thrill? I feel that I am striving everyday to perfect a technique, try something new, or maintain a productive status.  Thriving in both my art and business is among my most general and continual efforts.  Whenever I am given the chance to express and provide art and help another side step and overcome ordinary, I know I have just experienced a slice of “mission accomplish”.  I am doing what I have set out to do each and every time I create Art That Sets You Apart! Learn to evolve.

I Am In It With All My Heart

Are you dedicated to your creative tasks?

Being a creative person calls upon the inner strengths. Are you the type of person who can stay focused from start to finish of a project? Are you dedicated to the progression of your art or craft?  Your productivity depends upon your work ethic and dedication.  My personal mantra: Be Creative Everyday reminds me that I am “in it with all my heart”. I own the idea that I can express myself through art every day in some fashion or form. Past, present and future are all markers of time that has or will show me that I am indeed involved with creativity with all my heart.

This notion of knowing that I have my heart involved with my work helps me shape creative efforts in my workspace: Club Creative Studio.  On many levels, the past has been a part of this creative growth.  Love of art and hands-on creativity has proved to be a creative outlet for me. In experimentation and creative growth, the experiences of the past have taught me to use those events as background starting points of prior knowledge and skills. Your art may feel like a thing of the past but, it is what also helps propel you into your present art and your future creativity.

In present-time, knowing that I place my heart and soul into creating art gives others the opportunity to see what the creative spirit can offer and share.  In future-times, maintaining the drive and personal attachments of art created proves that an artist does put their personality and a bit of themselves in all creative tasks, resulting in expressive, personal and unique creative endeavors.

Caring And Sharing

I would love for you to visit the Club Creative Studio website to see for yourself how I am creative everyday. 

http://clubcreativestudio.com

I care about you and your creative processes.  I am also happily sharing art and information about Club Creative Studio on the Facebook page.

Please join us there and consider clicking the “like” to enjoy sneak peeks of hand-made art and gain inspiration, learning about creativity.

http://www.facebook.com/clubcreativestudio



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Club Creative Studio hand-made wire bracelet.

Turquoise bracelet hand-twisted wire from Club Creative Studio.

Club Creative Studio speaks often about creativity. Here on the blog, you will find inspiration from art, project ideas, and other helpful information stemming from creativity. Today is no different in that I am sharing a short story from the spark of creativity that comes from the opportunity to collaborate and brain-storm.

I attended a networking event a few months ago and there, I met very interesting business people. Among all of them, I met a lady who had a common thread with me. We both shared the love and passion for beads. She was also designing jewelry so needless to say we had much to talk about. What began from a single common friendship fostered a bond through beading. As we connected via other social media methods, we learned more about each other. We planned an outing together to a local bead store that was going out of business. It was there that we spent several hours looking and speaking about beads as well as shopping for beads. It was really a fun time to spend time with someone with a shared enthusiasm for beads and supplies. We are now “beading buddies”.

My beading buddy bought a bracelet (say that three times fast). The wire bracelet was a store sample from one of their classes. When we looked at it we thought the same thing. We both had wondered how it was made, and if we could figure it out by closer examination, since there was not a way to get instruction from the store that was going out of business. We both had mentioned that we had wanted to try to create something similar but had not taken instruction on the technique. We thought that we could make them ourselves. We ended up splitting the cost of the bracelet and I took it home to dissect so we could recreate it later.

After meeting for a brain-storming session, we combined our creative time, and collaborated with our supplies to make our own versions of the same bracelet. Turns out the pattern was a good starting point for us to springboard into our own style and wire-wrapping techniques. Our skill levels were expanding together and we were inspiring to each other. That is what I am thankful for today, the opportunity to connect and support the creative drive of a fellow artist. Can you think of someone you have merged talents with or have benefitted from bouncing ideas off of? Do tell how it was a positive impact for you.

I am now getting comfortable with the technique and my materials. I will soon be able to offer these hand-made bracelets online for others to enjoy and purchase http://www.clubcreativestudio.com

Feel free to “like” Club Creative Studio on Facebook. You can see a “Sneak Peek” from time to time of a fresh design on the Club Creative Studio Facebook page at http://www/facebook.com/clubcreativestudio

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What a great quote to start off this blog from Club Creative Studio.  I welcome you to take a few minutes to watch this video and be inspired from a nine year old boy’s creativity.

If you have ever wanted inspiration to create and use low-cost materials then take a look at what this YouTube sensation video has to offer. You’ll witness simplicity of dreams from the eyes of a child, using his creativity and cardboard. It’s CREATIVITY at its best. Bringing tears to my eyes having heard about this a while ago and then again as I post today on the Club Creative Studio blog: I share this highlight, as I continue to watch the wheels turn and confidence grow in creative thoughts of a young boy, Caine. Be inspired! Be CREATIVE!

Enjoy.

I wish I knew the source of this art.

Is sleep over-rated? I have this thought from time to time. Phooie on sleep!  A perfect sleep or powerful rest are sometimes far and few in between. Are they for you?

It is no secret that many have difficulties sleeping for long periods of time. Some people have medical issues with sleeplessness, others blame this lack of sleep on a busy mind. No matter the cause of sleepless days, weeks, months you may be able to turn those hours into productive times.

For me, not being tired enough for a good sleep, or being restless is a sign that I need to be doing something creative.  I use those times to plan, experiment or apply a hands-on technique that express creativity.  Creativity never sleeps.  Your mind is always racing with creative thoughts.

I figure that I might as well act upon those creative times instead of dwell on them in an idle mode. I can be more or less creative as I get more or less sleep.

There are certain days of the month that I find that I am awake longer periods of time and are then in turn are more creative and productive.  If you have that pattern, take advantage of how you feel. If there is a certain time of day that sparks you to focus more, then take that as a sign to do what you do best when you can.  It may be a matter of being in-tune with yourself that allows you to be at your most creative levels.

Take time for the things you need like sleep.

Take time for yourself and remember to listen to the needs of your body. If you do need extra sleep then by all means attempt to get that. Insomnia is no joke. If you need to be awake and creative, then find a way to make that happen.  Find a balance. Find your balance. Do not deprive yourself  of sleep for creativity but, be creatively productive in those times that you are unable to relax enough for normal sleep needs.

Your mind needs to rest.  Your body needs rest for well-being, we all know this. No one knows YOU better than YOU.  Sometimes that lack of sleep one day is what you will make up for on the next day.

When it comes to CREATIVITY, I find it helpful to seize the moment.

The ideas, trials, errors, experiments may be forgotten if not acted upon quickly so when you are dealing with a creative effort sometimes it is best to act upon it when the mood strikes.  That may be the reason that some of my best ideas come to me in the middle of the night. For goodness sakes, if you are too tired the next day remember what a good power-nap can do for you?

Happy creating to you today – no matter what time of day or night it is for you!

Keep Educating Yourself.

As today’s Feature Friday post I would just like to add a few graphics here that I found to highlight as inspiration.  I hope that you have the opportunity to take time for yourself and use it wisely to improve upon something intellectually.  It may be as simple as taking an hour out for a teleseminar or webinar or an extended plan for a course or degree.

The reason I have chosen to take a minute to post specifically on this topic is because I recently took the plunge, overcame fears and took part in my first teleseminar and webinar situations.  They were very rewarding, and proved to be a time investment! It took too long to beat around the bush and not explore these key educational opportunities, so I decided to join in.  What will you be able to do to improve yourself creatively? What’s your way to K.E.Y. in life? Feel free to share your learning experiences with us here in a comment.

I wish you happy CREATING and happy LEARNING DISCOVERIES!