Finding inspiration while staying home

I’m an introvert… like an extreme introvert. This current pandemic hasn’t changed my life that much. I already homeschool. So I’m used to being on the verge of loosing my sanity on a daily basis. Since we are in the states I miss visiting friends I don’t usually see.

I also miss going to the park with my kids, or visiting my favorite coffee shops. But honestly, I’m used to this whole “stay home” business. However, I realize my situation is unique and for some of you this is a really, really hard time. And really demanding times can kill creativity.

Staying home and dealing with all the mundane chores, breaking up kid fights, and keeping kids on schedule for school can really kill inspiration. Not to mention no interaction with friends and your support system. It’s easy to lose creative energy, especially if you are more of a people person than I am. So many creatives thrive in sewing groups, experiences and visits to quilt shops scoping out new fabrics. The real question is: How can you stay inspired during this time of home confinement?

Here are 6 suggestions:

1. Facetime, Zoom, Marco Polo… do all the virtual communication that is needed to keep yourself sane and in contact with others that encourage and inspire you.

2. Review pictures of past trips or places that inspired you in the past. Anytime we travel and I see some design or thing that inspires me I take a picture on my phone. It doesn’t even have to be a good picture, just a snap shot with a spark of an idea. Later when I am home and stuck in my less than exciting daily routine, looking back at these photos provides me with new ideas and inspiration.

3. Do some online window shopping. I’m on a strict fabric budget, so I don’t always have the funds to buy more fabric. But that doesn’t stop me from doing some online viewing. I love looking at different shop’s fabric bundles, especially shops that mix and match fabric lines. So often other creatives think up combinations of colors or designs that I would never think of.

4. Straighten up your fabric stash. So often after going through my fabric stash I find fabrics I forgot I bought (don’t tell my husband). Reorganizing and straightening up my fabrics ignites new and fresh ideas or reminds me of old ones I haven’t yet executed.

5. Check out what your favorite other creatives are doing. I follow lots of other quilters, fabric designers or creatives on Instagram and Pinterest. Now is a great time to check out their new patterns and even purchase one or two to learn some new quilting skills or to use some of those fabrics you just found in your stash.

6. Get outside. Even though we are social distancing, it doesn’t mean we have to stay inside all the time. My 3 year old loves going on a nature walk, which is really just a short walk looking at plants and flowers where we currently happen to reside. Taking the time to stop and appreciate colors, designs and patterns on a walk outside might just help you notice things you never have before. So really this should be called “stop and smell the roses.”