Drawing Creative Inspiration From Outside Of The Home

Some of you may know that I am an unapologetic, self-professed geek. I wouldn't dare use that word in a disparaging way, but as a badge of pride and honor. The idea of being a "geek" has come along way in the last decade, and I'm glad for its evolution. We all geek about something, right? Whether we like Renaissance Festivals or comics or video games or TV shows or even the Eukenuba dog show, if we are excited about it, we geek about it. 

And I geek about more things than I have the energy to dedicate to them: photography, poetry, Harlequin romance novels (and I don't even apologize for that!), all things cinema, jewelry (of course) and..... medieval history. Several years ago, I was invited to join a group involved with the Society for Creative Anachronism. This isn't the first time I've mentioned my involvement with the SCA and it surely wont be the last. But the reason I mention it here is to discuss the idea of drawing inspiration for our creative endeavors from things we wouldn't normally associate with it.

I've been a member of the SCA for more than a decade at this point, and it certainly didn't take long for the allure of all things medieval to draw me in. The elaborate costumes (and the liberties often taken with historical accuracy), the established hierarchy of royalty and the participation in, or recreation of, sport and combat and arts and sciences had me at.... well, it had me at hello.

The arts and sciences... I'll admit that was the biggest draw for me. The potential to learn basket weaving, tablet weaving, even falconry had me entirely enamored. And the jewelry.... always does jewelry, and the history of jewelry, play a role in my interests.

"As you navigate through the rest of your life, be open to collaboration. Other people and other people's ideas are often better than your own. Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you, spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life."
Amy Poehler

The SCA is the reason I learned bead embroidery, after all! I'd taken a little class about the history of beading, the use of beads in tapestries and clothing, the techniques utilizied, such as "couching", and how those techniques evolved into what we use today. And, though bead embroidery wasn't exactly used as jewelry, historically

speaking, it was my involvement in this group that turned me on to the idea. Now how cool is that, right? I'd always been a wire wrapper, so turning to bead embroidery was an adventure laid bare at my feet for discovery, all thanks to the combat archery, medieval feasts and arts and sciences of the SCA!

So now I encourage each of you to consider one of your activities or hobbies from a fresh perspective, and see how it can be utilized in a creative project. Like fishing? How can that translate to, say, jewelry or pottery or poetry even. Is Wonder Woman your obsession (and why wouldn't she be, am I right)? Then how can her headdress or lasso of truth be translated into wire wrapping, for instance?

Explore the world with new eyes and you're bound to see wonders.