Imagination

Creative block.  Probably something like writer's block.  I sometimes fiddle with beads, wire, and chain, and just can't come up with anything that makes me happy.  I'll start a necklace, realize I don't like where its headed, take it apart, and start over again.  Sometimes it all just comes together.  Other times, I spend more time ripping things apart than putting them together.

I realize there are many factors affecting my creative flow (lack of sleep and lack of time, to name a few), but I wonder if there is an art to being creative.  Is using your imagination an art in and of itself?  I look at Conor, my 4-year old son, who is wonderfully inventive and imaginative, and I think that most parents would say the same of their young children.  So, do we lose the ability to be creative as we age?  I hope that I can always foster and encourage creativity in my children.

A recent conversation with Conor went something like this:
Conor:  When Friday comes into my room, I can fly.
Me:       Friday comes into your room?
Conor:  Yeah, Friday is a boo-yak.
Me:       What's a boo-yak?
Conor:  It's a kind of a thing that turns into a ghost.
Me:       The boo-yak's name is Friday?
Conor:  Yes, Friday comes in and we fly all around my room.
Me:       That's pretty cool.  I didn't know you did that.  Today is Thursday, so tomorrow is Friday.  Will Friday come into your room tomorrow?
Conor:   No, he only comes on Tuesdays.

I can't make this stuff up, people.  I struggle to keep up with his creativity at times.  Like when we're playing trains and he wants his train to talk to my train.  I mean, other than introducing our trains to each other, and saying "Hey, let's pull some freight," how much does a train really have to say?  I do my best, but it's a struggle for me.  I realize that this type of pretend play is different from artistic creativity, but I think it all comes from the same general area of the brain, right?  Perhaps more train-play will be good for my creative juices.

I finally sat down and made a bracelet this week.  (Actually, since I started this blog post 2 weeks ago, it has now been 2 weeks since I made the bracelet.)  It will soon be for sale in my Etsy shop.  Ideally, I like to wait until I have a few pieces ready for sale, and then do a photo shoot for them all at once.  I think it's a better use of my time, and it helps to give my website a cohesive look and feel when my photos are all shot in the same light.  I made an exception this time, and just took a few photos of the bracelet today, so I can share them with you.

This bracelet feels like autumn to me, with the amber and brown tones.  It was made from a mix of new beads, and some that I repurposed from consignment store pieces, so I will be making them in limited quantity.