Day 68: Trash to Treasures

I was looking around on the web the other day, as you do, and I found this competition which asked people to make things from recycled stuff. As I was looking through the entries, I thought how many creative things you can make out of rubbish. The closing date had already passed (which is a shame), but luckily for us, the winner has been announced:

This crocheted flower is by Jane of Hooked Yarn. Can you believe its made from carrier bags? How amazing! check out her technique here.

There were loads of cool entries like necklaces made from Cheerio boxes, a heart wall hanging made of paper shopping bags and even some frilly knickers made from an old wedding dress!
Check out all the entries at http://www.makers-online.co.uk/blog/ You could follow their creative endeavors on their daily blog too.

What do you make? Do you knit, sow, make cards, jewellery...why not try making it out of unusual stuff? Be inspired by the stuff that's already out there and do your own thing with the ideas it gives you!

Be different, be creative...

Day 67: Charlie and Lola

I know what you are thinking, why have you put a 4 year old's T.V. programme on a teenager's creative blog? Well, hear me out before you pass judgement.

Charlie and Lola was originally a picture book for kids written and illustrated by Lauren Child. Believe it or not, it's really unusual for one person to write and draw the same book because the publishing companies don't like it (you'd think it would make it easier, but apparently not!). The thing I love about it is the collage she's used for the backgrounds, their clothes, props, everything. If they are eating a banana, then it will be a picture of a real banana. It's so cool!

Imagination is at the top of it's game in this one too. See how it will inspire you to be creative with stories or animation... if you haven't seen Charlie and Lola before, then watch this episode (it's only 10 minutes). In fact, even if you have seen Charlie and Lola, watch it anyway because it's so great.



I hope this has inspired you to be creative! I used to watch Charlie and Lola every morning with my little sister before she went to school, but now she thinks she's too big for it now (I have my doubts). So sometimes I watch it on iplayer by myself (because I'm so cool!). To be fair, I am studying writing for young people, so really, it's research!

Anyway, enough about me. Be inspired by Charlie and Lola. Do you have an interesting relationship you could creative from like Charlie and Lola's? Or do you have an interesting animation technique which could be the next craze? Use YOUR ideas and be creative...

Day 66: Imaginative Pizza

I went to Pizza Express the other day with some friends and had a yum pizza (of course). It was callled Padana; goat's cheese with caramelised onions and spinach. It was whilst I was eating this pizza that I saw they've got a pizza challenge on!

They're asking YOU to come up with their next brilliant pizza topping. If you win, you get your pizza on their menu and earn £5,000! Cool huh!

So, what would be your dream topping? Hot and mouth watering? Fruity and tangy? Meaty and chunky? It's up to you! Check out their website here for more details.

Now's your chance to get creative with your food and inspire a real restaurant with your ideas!

Go...

Day 65: Verity

Today's blog entry is dedicated to this gorgeous girl, my sister Verity. She's in New Zealand an has been for nearly 2 years now so I haven't seen her for AGES!

What's your sister got to do with my creative blog? Well, just look at this picture! She screams out creative to me. What she wears, the things she does, the places she goes...she's definitely a creative thinker!

She has been really supportive about this creative endeavor of mine from the start and has been a constant source of creative inspiration to me. That's why today's blog is for her, on her birthday.

Happy Birthday sis!

Think about someone you know who supports you in your creativity. Go give them a hug or something. We wouldn't be anywhere without support! Perhaps do something with your creative talents for them today...just something little...

Day 64: Vogue...Any idea?

Fashion, fashion, fashion! If anyone knows fashion, it's Vogue. It all started in 1892 as a magazine appealing to high class New Yorkers. It featured reviews of plays, books and music. Fashion was hardly mentioned.

That all changed when a man called Conde Nast took over the magazine in 1909. From then on advertisement and fashion took centre stage! The rest is, as they say, history. When he died in 1942 Time's magazine said, "for a generation he was the man from whom millions of American women got their ideas, directly or indirectly, about the desirable standard of living."

Ideas is the main point I want to focus on. For over 30 years this man gave women (and men) ideas, suggestions, ... What an inspirational man.

What ideas do you have that could influence the world? Is fashion your thing? Animation or film? Art or sculpture? Writing or journalism? How could you give people ideas?

Look at these pictures. Can you see how the magazine has changed? Ideas move on, progress, develop. Ideas are needed all the time and YOU are the new generation!

What produces ideas? Creativity! So use your creativity to inspire others. Use your ideas to make more. You know, like the snowball affect. Maybe that's what makes the world go round too!

I hope you feel inspired by Mr Nast and his creative ideas. It just goes to show that with a bit of umph and creativity on your side, your ideas can change the world...

Day 63: Give peas a chance

The other day, me and my sister where driving round the M25 coming back from a jolly camping trip. On our journey we went under loads of bridges as you would expect, but there was one which particularly caught my eye. Someone had written on a bridge in white paint, 'give peas a chance.'

Now, I've seen the graffiti on this bridge before, but I've never really found myself pondering over it's meaning...

Does it mean, don't eat peas? Or set peas free...if that's what they meant they would definitely have a lot of squashed peas on the M25! Maybe it's an anti-motorway campaign?

If you were going to go to all the effort of vandalising a bridge on the busy M25 would you really write the words 'give peas a chance'? I don't think I would.

My point is (yes I AM going somewhere with this) that millions of people (maybe thousands) read that message every day as they drive to work, holiday or wherever and it seems to me it's not really achieving much.

I decided to do a bit of 'research' into this phrase and it turns out it's been used all over the place. Advertisement for allotment spaces, healthy living, eating hummus (chick peas)...apparently even Paul McCartney used to say it on tour with the Beetles!

So it would seem this phrase is saying something after all. But, maybe it's there for the sole purpose of entertaining drivers during the boredom that is the M25. It certainly worked on me. I saw it last Monday and I'm still thinking about it!

So, to conclude (finally) I've decided that this (still rather odd) graffiti is in fact full of creativity and has inspired this very blog entry. Don't get me wrong, I am in no way applauding vandalism, but it is a fun game to play in your head...what would YOU write on a massive bridge to entertain drivers (creatively I mean, no rude ones please)? How could you entertain the masses with your words?

Something to think about...

Day 62: YOUR world vision...

Every so often I get this magazine through my door called Bug. I must have signed up for it at an event I went to or something. It's sent out to young people by the charity World Vision, a children's charity dedicated to ending world poverty and injustice. This is Bug magazine's slogan;

"If you think you're too small to make a difference, you haven't been to bed with a mosquito in the room."

Pretty cool, huh!

Anyway, I was flicking through their latest magazine and on the back page was a competition I think you might be interested in. Here are the details as written on the back of the mag;

"Start imagining...
Imagine our crazy-mixed-up world has had a makeover...
It's no longer a place of injustice, intolerance and suffering.
Global citizens have put the planet on a 'get gorgeous' regime and it's become a wonderland...
What does it look like now? Have things changed for the better?
Email us an inspiring sentence, or two, for your chance to a win a newly-released Alice in Wonderland DVD. bug@worldvision.org.uk "

So, there's your challenge guys and gals. The creative part is up to you. What do you imagine...?

(Find out more about Bug here. Sign up for your own copy here.)

Day 61: Art Attack

Do you remember this? It used to be my favourite TV show when I was a kid, but I don't think I ever made any of the things he made (I am ashamed to call myself creative). This is obviously a big confession for me to make on a blog such as this, but I wonder if you are the same?

Morph, Smart, Blue Peter, they all had arty bits, but how many things actually got made? i feel I missed out a bit here, but there's no time like the present! Luckily I have found a craft that is ready for us all to try.

Are you up for the challenge? You might not be afraid of things lurching under your bed anymore, but I thought these were pretty cute. So try it in the holidays and see if you can get yours as good as Neil's!

Why not use his methods to make your own inventions. I know you've got the skills. Get your thinking caps on and start creating!



Don't fancy this one? Check out these ones too!

Day 60: Say what?

Okay, today's (hopefully) creative inspiration is a bit random, I must admit, but go with me.

If you're into film, writing for film, writing dialogue or if you just want to have a bit of fun, try this...

Watch this clip, just the first few minutes or so. I have completely NO idea what these guys are talking about or what the video is even about and that's the joy of it. My challenge to you is to write their script in English. What are they talking about? Can you tell from their body language? It can be about anything you like...

YOU decide!

Day 59: Photoshop wonders

I have found these amazing pictures on the web that were all made with the help of Photoshop. Now, I don't know much about Photoshop but just look at all the amazing things you can do with it. Photographers, get a load of this...

What would you do with the help of Photoshop? I hope these inspire you. Perhaps making pictures isn't your thing. Instead see what's around and be inspired to do your own thing with them. Could they inspire your stories, songs, plays, art, fashion...?

Whatever it is, make it creative!

Day 58: Smilie

Today, I have dedicated this blog to a very special 'person' in my life. His name is Smilie. I bought him from a Christmas bazaar when I was 6 years old with my first ever pocket money (50p). We've been inseparable ever since, even to this day.

Here he is with a smile on his face, ready for every occasion. He has shared in my joys and my sadder times, always with a smile to greet each one. Happy, dependable and reliable. That's Smilie.

Why am I talking to you about a panda bear? Well, I have just been to see Toy Story 3 and if you haven't seen it then GO! It's really all about toys and their loyalty to their owners which is a nice idea. I like to think Smilie is loyal to me. I can tell you that it's because of the Jesse scene in Toy Story 2 (where her owner abandoned and forgot about her) that Smilie has never left my bed. Do you have a special toy like Smilie that you used to play with?

Smilie's getting a little old now, so he spends most of the time sitting on my bed chillin' out, but when we were young we would get up to all sorts. I remember making him a drum kit out of plastic pots and lolly sticks, playing make believe all the time, and I even made the scarf he is fashioning in this picture.

Creativity is in my past, shown through the life of my favourite childhood toy. What do your toys show? Childhood is full of creativity (which I spoke about on Day 13). There's a great scene in Toy Story 3 where the growing up Andy and a little girl called Bonnie play with his toys. Playtime was and is full of imagination and fun. Do YOU remember? Go back to your play days and see what you can find. You never know what you might rediscover...how will it inspire you now?

Day 57: Campervans

Aren't they just great! It's basically a house AND a car! What more could you want? There is so much I could say about campervans, but for today, I will try to stick to their creative element (but it'll be hard!).

Think of a colour, and then another. Maybe a pattern or two. Then a curtain design and a seat pattern. Hey, why not chuck in a personalised logo too. Throw them all together and the chances are, you could probably find a campervan which covers the whole lot. They are all sooo different with their own unique style. You really can be as creative as you like with a camper!

When I was a teenager, we had a campervan. It wasn't quite as cool as a T1 or T2 like the ones above (yes I'm a campervan geek and know all the models!), but boy did we try. Instead of your average white T3 (which was the model they made after the cool ones above), we had it dark blue with a light blue Celtic boarder around it. We had carpet, curtains and seat covers to match and it was the coolest thing ever!

I want one now! You can tour the world in them in style and everything...

Anyway (I told you I'd get carried away!), this is your creative challenge for the day. Have a look at all the designs and choose your own. Have a think. What would you choose for your camper? Pick your own colours, curtains, patterns, hubcaps, seat covers, door knobs...and don't forget the accessories; cups, plates, tea towels, awning...I even found a template you can practise your designs on!

If that's not your thing, then maybe you could think about designing campervan merchandise. There's tons! Mugs, keyrings, clocks, pads, clothing, bags, bookends...

Go for a ride with it and see where you end up!

Day 56: All those patterns

Are you the same as me? Most of the time I don't even realise I'm doing it. I'll be staring at the clouds absentmindedly and before I know it I've turned a cloud into a huge foot or a praying mantis. You know what I mean?

Takes the past two days for example;

Yesterday I woke up in a tent and the outside had got wet and stuck to the inside. After looking at the strange shapes it made, I decided it looked like 2 vicious sea creatures. One was attacking a (smaller) human and the other was trying to stop the attach. Story?

Today I saw the shape of a crouching boy in the middle of the clouds. His skin stood out because it was made of dark cloud, whereas the thing n his lap (a book, towel, map, scroll..fill it with whatever you like), was shining white. It was so cool!

Sometimes it's raindrops falling down a window. Their positions make a word or an interesting pattern which reminds me of a cat's face. Even when I was a little girl, I would think the raindrops on the outside of a moving car were having races...

Creases in fabric, bobbles in the ceiling, holes in rocks, ridges in a tree...I do it with everything!

I have decided that this all part of being creative. If you know what I'm going on about then you are one of those creative thinkers too.

Luckily for you, you're in the right place. All of these 'sightings' got me thinking, there must be something we could do with all of this...

The next time you catch yourself doing such a thing, write it down. The crouching boy I saw today could definitely become an interesting character and the thing in his lap, the perfect plot opener! And two ferocious sea monsters, well...

So, there you have it. Don't waste this creative gift, use it to inspire your own creations.

I wonder what you will see...

Day 55: The draw!

As is the tradition with uni students, every summer brings about a change, whether it be to a completely new house or back to the comforts of home. To be honest, most of this 'change' brings about all sorts of annoyances. Everything has to be put into boxes and carted from here to there. You have to clean everything and generally it's just a big pain in the butt!

Speaking of buts, there is ONE thing which I have decided is a plus (kind of). It makes you sort out that draw/cupboard (even entire rooms in some cases) which you've been avoiding for ages and getting worse is the process. We all have one, student or not, that gets filled with 'things'. Birthday cards from 3 years ago, old ticket stubs, keys, buttons, paperwork, an odd sock...you know what I'm on about.

What has this got to do with inspiring creativity, I hear you ask? Well, if you have got anything from this blog so far, it should be that creativity can be sparked by anything. Even a minial task such as clearing out a forgotten draw. (Doesn't that just scream creative possibility to you!)

This is my challenge for you today. GO to that draw, delve right in and sort it out! Is this the challenge? No! The challenge is to enter it with your creative thinking cap on. What will you find? How will it inspire you? Who knows! The only way to find out, is to do it.

Better yet (or simply to avoid that dark place), why not do someone else a favour? Offer to sort out your nan's draw. That big dresser in the hall where she keeps stuff from decades ago. Now that would be an interesting draw!

What will you find to spark your imagination today...?