If you've been doing any type of craft for awhile, at some point people will ask about sources of inspiration. Nature is a popular option, as is art or the materials themselves. But frankly, inspiration is everywhere. Here are three places I've found inspiration recently:
1. Coffee Shop
And not just any coffee shop, but Starbuck's! I bought a Starbuck's gift card recently and was delighted to receive a little carrying case for it. I love the little bird stitched on the back. If you are giving gift cards, why not make a cute carrying case? This one is knitted, but you can certainly sew, bead, or make one out of paper.
2. Chocolate Bar
Okay, so I get inspired by food a lot! I saved the wrapper from this Endangered Species Chocolate bar because of the turtle. I didn't buy it because of the turtle—I bought it because it has blueberries—but at home it dawned on me that I wanted to bead a square for Bead-It-Forward and this year's theme is turtles. So now I have an inspiring starting point. (I'll post my design here when it's done, hopefully early next year.)
3. E! News
No, I wasn't inspired by a celebrity's jewelry. I actually was inspired by the colors of their TV logo—aqua, red, and brown. Every time I see it, I keep thinking that I need to make something in this color combination.
So, there you have it. Three ideas and I didn't even get to the cool (but inspiring) shoe prints I left all over the floor when I walked into the house after shoveling snow.
Where's the most unusual place you've found inspiration?