Five Ideas to Get Your Creative Juices Flowing

We all get stuck sometimes. Perhaps  you’re an artist, a photographer or a writer, whatever you do you probably struggle now and then coming up with new and fresh ideas. Times when you just can’t seem to move forward.  Generally these times are characterized by low energy, maybe not eating properly, lack of motivation or just a general lack of inspiration.  There are a few different things to try to snap yourself out of this phase.  Give one or more of these a try!

1) Get enough sleep, try a cat nap (15-20 minutes) can be enough to recharge your thinking.

2) Go for a brisk walk, sit in the sunshine, give thanks for the beauty around you.

3) Hit the gym, or do some form of physical exercise like jogging, swimming or biking to boost your energy level.

4) Stimulate your mind by looking through magazines, reading a good article or visiting a bookstore, These can all help to unblock your creative flow.

5) Go for coffee with a friend, a good conversation and sharing session might be all you need to get going again. 

Here are some of my latest designs from my store Designs by Shell…Thankfully the creative juices are still flowing here…

Checklist for Holiday Decorating

Well if you head to a mall or big box store you’ll already see Christmas decorations spread throughout. Even though it seems a little early to talk about decorating it’s a good time to take stock of what you already have and decide if you need to add anything to freshen up your existing decorations. Maybe you want to change or add a new color theme or add some new elements to your decor. Here’s a little video clip that might give you some simple but elegant ideas to inspire you in your holiday decorating.  Elegant Decorating for Christmas. Here is another great page with Easy Decorating Ideas!

1) Take stock of what you have. Recycle anything you don’t want or won’t be using.

2) Plan… Make a list of decor ideas if you plan to add something new, (like a wreath or swag) collect your supplies.

3) Check all light strings, buy replacement bulbs or new strings

4)  Don’t try to do it all in one day, set aside one day for the interior, one for the exterior and maybe another for decorating the Christmas tree.

5) Watch for post-holiday sales and or coupons to save money on decor items you might need.

Zazzle has recently given us a huge range of new products to design so you guessed it I’ve been busy adding new creations to many items that would make fun holiday gifts. Here’s a sampling…

Ways to Budget for Your Holiday Shopping

Does shopping for the holidays stress you out. It doesn’t have to if you create a budget and stick to it. If you’re not a list maker I suggest you try it for your Christmas shopping it really can take the pressure off.  Here are a few ways that may help you with your shopping this holiday season.

1) Create a list of all the people you plan to buy for, if you plan to buy even a small gift for someone like teachers, hair stylist, etc. right them down too!

2) Now beside each name you’ve written down write the amount that you plan to spend on that person (doesn’t have to be exact)  Add up the amount if it exceeds your budget, then trim down your list. Do you really need to buy a gift for that relative you only see once a year! A nice card may be enough!

3) Use cash to buy your gifts… you can watch your pennies better and may make better choices. Credit cards can get you in trouble here…

4) Start shopping early, keep your list handy at all times. You never know when you might come across the perfect gift for someone!

5) If the malls and stores stress you out. Shop online from the comfort of home, you can find some really unique gifts this way and many sites offer online coupons for savings!

Here are some designs and items I’ve been working on for my store Designs by Shell, come by for a visit and find some unique gifts too… Stock up on gift tags, labels and holiday postage…