Results tagged “creativity”

When I was in college we were asked to do a study on our daily moods by keeping an hourly journal.  By moods I mean when we stress out the most, when we're feeling most creative, when we feel motivated to study, when we just plain want to nap, etc. 

The idea behind this particular project was to show how stressed out we college students actually were.  No big surprise there.  However, what I remember most (besides the fact that I am a walking ball of stress) is my creative periods of the day.  It occurred to me that this knowledge held great power.  I could clock almost exactly when I was feeling most inspired. 

The hard part?  Well motivation of course.  How many times have you come up with that great idea and forgotten to write it down.  Or maybe you just wanted to doodle, but you turned on the TV instead.  The key is learning to take advantage of these times, particularly if you can become aware of when they are.

For me, it's early early morning (when everyone is still asleep and quiet) or late at night.  Since I tend to see the later side of the day more often, that's when I need to learn to kick it into gear.  Like now for instance as I write this around 10pm.

Why am I suddenly reminded of this?  I found this article which discusses a scientific study on this very subject.  

Turns out, according to researchers, we all have "eureka moments" later in the evening.  Particularly around 10:04pm to be precise.  However, as I mentioned above, most of us tend to forget to write our ideas down when the big AH HA! happens. 

It goes on to talk about the 9-5 work day and how (shock) we become less and less motivated until hitting rock bottom around 4:30 in the afternoon. 

So, if you were motivated to read this far, here's your homework.  For the next week you should pay attention to your own personal cycle and always keep a notepad handy.  When are you most stressed out?  When do you feel most inspired?  Motivated?  Tired? 

Don't do it for me, do it for yourself.  You might find it helpful in the planning of your day.  Not that I suggest you plan your days all the time, spontaneity is the spice of life after all.  It's just that, well, wouldn't you like to be ready for those creative spurts with a pen and paper, or your computer, or crayons?

Thanks to Neatorama, I found these amazing pumpkins.  Another incredible project that leaves me wondering, "Why didn't I think of that?"  Lucky us, Hallmark Magazine has the instructions for creating this and 4 other unique pumpkins for your doorstep!  They also provide visual instructions.

How-To Make the Carriage Pumpkin:
You'll Need

• 3 ornate metal belt buckles
• 1 pumpkin, about 12 inches tall
• Pencil or marker
• Knife
• Craft glue
• 1 ornate lamp finial
• Cordless drill fitted with ¼-inch bit
• 4 gourds, about 4 inches tall
• 2 quarter-inch dowel rods, cut to the approximate diameter of your pumpkin
• 4 ornate drawer pulls
• Heavy-gauge florist's wire

1. Trace the inside of each belt buckle on the pumpkin with a pencil and cut to create openings for two windows and a door. Glue the hardware over the openings. Remove or cut down the stem until it's even with the flesh of the pumpkin, and twist the finial into the top.

2. To create wheels, drill a hole through the center of each gourd. Insert one dowel rod into the holes of two gourds to create an axle, and secure with glue. Repeat to create a second set of wheels. Finish off all four wheels by inserting a drawer pull into the outside hole of each gourd for hubcaps.

3. Line up the two sets of wheels next to each other at about the same width as your pumpkin. Then wrap wire from one dowel rod to the other to fasten the axles together and to create a webbing for the pumpkin carriage to sit on.

4. Gently place your carriage on the wire.

How's that for some imagination?

Have I mentioned how much I love photography? 

Well there, I mentioned it again.

This shot was taken at work in the dimmer room. That's the room that houses all the power for the lights, theater and as you can see, a number of other little things.