Creativity

What does it mean to be creative?

For a long time, I did not consider myself to be creative.  I like making things, but my skill set is sorely lacking.  I can't draw or paint, power tools are my enemy, even my handwriting is pretty bad.  School projects used to drive fear into my heart.  Nothing looked the way I wanted it.

The advent of the computer and Internet have helped me make my projects look more polished.  I can find graphics to manipulate (PhotoShop is a dangerous tool!), play with fonts, and incorporate different layouts.  Creating library displays (print and video) is something I love doing.  I consider myself to be more of a designer than a creator.

I bake. My chocolate chip cookies are amazing as is my chocolate cake.  But they both come from great recipes that I've modified a bit.  And my cakes don't look pretty.  Decorating is another skill I lack.

I also crochet and knit.  I can follow a pattern pretty well, except for the major shaping projects like clothing.  I've even improvised a few patterns myself.  But I still need that inspiration piece, something to model my work on.

People tell me I'm creative, but I feel like a fraud because none of my ideas come completely from my brain.

So what is creativity?  Is it the idea? The finished project?  What does creativity look like in the modern age?

I will be sharing different projects that I've worked on - yarn work, baking, library displays, crafty gifts - as well as where I get my inspiration.

I hope you get some ideas to spark your creativity and share your own projects.