People who have yet to experience creativity or creativity on a high level might still understand this. When the creative vibe enters a person's heart or mind or spirit or all three or any combo, that's when it starts. For me, personally, it's warmth.
Starting small, little stirrings.
It pesters me, begging to be heard. If I try to ignore it, it might soften yet it's still there.
The feeling of need to acknowledge, listen, act on, record then expound on. Lest something precious goes away because it was ignored, I have to always stop whatever I'm doing.
If I'm asleep, it wakes me up.
If I'm driving my car, I pull over to the side of the road.
Sometimes it comes to me when I'm talking on the phone, the need to capture the creative idea will strike.
Why?
Absent of any valid answer, maybe the idea is floating around, searching for a receptive person to welcome it. Michael Jackson was a super receptive one to these creative ideas. He said it so well when he told people how his music came to him. He did write a lot of his music; he also used creativity to transform the music of others. One of his most iconic songs, Man in the Mirror, was written by Siedah Garrett. Michael transformed it into the one that is well known.
Throughout life, creativity forms have been a constant in my heart & mind. It started with writing poetry as soon as I could write at the age of 3 years. My maternal grandfather bought a notebook for me to write my poetry in. It was part of how he discovered the abuse I was suffering from in my parents' home. It explained some things he had wondered about. When he read my poetry, it revealed a lot to him.
Along with the suspected abuse, he saw into my creative thinking. The ideas about life, drawing, interpretations of things I did as well as my take on what people had said to me.
People were amazed that I had taught myself to tie my own shoelaces before I was even 3 years of age. My thinking went way beyond tying shoelaces. My grandfather encouraged me when no one else did. Cue in the song by Keali'i Reichel. It yeets me in time.
I am still here because you were there.
You were there when no one was.
As time went on, I would play in the tall grasses behind my parents' home, set on 7 acres? Maybe 10? Unsure about it. It was vast, to me. Pulling the tall grasses & little flowers, I wove them into crowns for my head, clothing & decorations for my dolls. Wove them into small purses, bracelets. The only one who admired then encouraged me was - yep - grandfather.
He passed when I was 17, I still miss him with every breath I take.
Such a great man, at family gatherings he is still spoken of with admiration, longing, deep love & respect.
As time went on, my creativity was expressed in poetry and sketching.
When I was AD USAF, based at Edwards AFB, CA, I met a woman who introduced me to cross stitch. The only needlework I had seen before that was crochet, knitting, chunky crewel, macrame'. My Aunt Elaine was avid in needlepoint. One of her works of art is even featured in a museum.
I did try to do needlepoint at her encouragement. The materials felt clunky & scratchy in my hands.
It was a slight no - no for officers & enlisted people to fraternize. The woman who introduced me to cross stitch was the wife of a USAF Colonel. She was a bit of a rebel; told me we had to be somewhat discreet. Beelzebubs work for an officer's wife & an enlisted woman to learn to do needlework together! Oh no!
That was just the beginning.
To say that cross stitch was mesmerizing to me would be like saying the statue of liberty was just a statue. Along with creations in the ceramic shop at Edwards AFB, my creative outlet was also cross stitch. There were 3 women who worked in the ceramics shop on Edwards AFB. They were so nasty & mean to me as well as a few others. There was no smoking allowed in the shop. It didn't stop them from chain smoking while disallowing others to smoke. Also, I started dating a guy who didn't understand why I loved doing ceramics. He decided to give it a try. I was working on one very detailed piece one day. He was supposed to be at work. He unexpectedly got the day off, appeared at my barracks room door to visit. He kept walking over to see my progress. Repeatedly, I asked him to stay away from it.
DON'T TOUCH!
Of course he didn't respect my warning.
The piece was in the greenware stage, very fragile. He teased me by reaching out with his index finger to just touch it.
It crumbled into a heap in front of me. Several weeks of work, gone.
He was shocked, I was LIVID!
Ordered him to leave, he complied.
Unfortunately, I eventually married him, should have known better.
His sabotages of me, were a constant throughout our long marriage.
After too many sabotages, cheating, several forms of damaging abuse, I left him then financed the divorce.
Some of the best money I have ever spent.
Turning away from doing ceramics to focus on something less fragile, I began doing more needlework. Deeper into techniques, more challenging designs. Poetry, needlework & French hand sewing became the constants. Like so many people who develop a love for needlework, I gave a lot of it away as gifts. As I look back, it wasn't as high in quality as the needlework I do in present day. It seemed to be, it just wasn't as I realize, now.
Learning to stitch on fine linen elevated the finished items in quality. Also, learning different finishing techniques improved the functionality of it. With so many free patterns available in so many places, if I had known about them, I would have bought far fewer patterns.
Coulda Woulda Shoulda
This is a design by Emie Bishop of Cross n Patch designs. It's just one in a series of a dozen or more annual ornaments. They start with the year 1992. This is the annual 2000 ornament from the "Christmas in my Heart" series. Have stitched the ornaments up to the year 2010.
Steady, steady, wins the race.
This is a design by Nora Corbett of Mirabilia Designs. Its title is "Deepest Love". Stitched on 32 Belfast Aqua Dreams fabric. Gifted to my eldest for her 18th birthday.
Same design, same designer. In the original colors. Stitched on 32 Raw linen. Gifted to a beloved friend. Framed in a 99 cent frame from Walmart, spray painted in eggshell enamel paint.
This is a random design found on the internet, unsure who the designer is. Stitched on 32 Belfast in Antique White.
In present day, it's rare that I give my finished needlework items as gifts. Most people, even people who know how much time it takes, don't appreciate it very much.
There are exactly 3 people in my life, now, whom I might gift my needlework to.
If you, dear reader, have read my prior blog entries, you may have seen that I still write. I also still write poetry. Maybe it will inspire you to delve into your own creativity in whatever form works for you.
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