Creativity part 2

[jimboriley52]

To add to my first post Creativity here is another example. My Liverpool football club shrine

[iforget]

I was ever so confused by mention of a previous creativity post...I eventually found it via your profile but it is posted in a liver group and I am not a member there so could not reply to the original post there... and so I am doing that here...

There are lots of documented cases of people with a BI finding they have a talent or ability that they did not have prior to their injury. In some cases it could have been there all along but unnoticed and in other cases it is such a complete change that there is no explanation... it just adds to the interesting sides to brain injury

I never had an artistic bone in my body pre injury but now I practice and occasionally teach arts and crafts - especially paper crafts, art journalling, altered art and mixed media...my previously manicured nails have been replaced with paint-stained inky fingers and my clothes usually sport tell-tale signs of whatever I am working on that day

Like you, I see ideas and inspiration every where and my poor long-suffering husband had to draw the line when the creative chaos started to overspill from my workroom studio and the spare room began to fill with things that I kept because "I can make something with that"... even though I rarely did make anything with the things I kept. Now I have to be able to justify keeping something by outlining the project I will use it for and I have to at least make a start within 6 months or its gone.

I started trying to pin projects on pinterest but kept forgetting to go back and look,. I had a notebook for ideas but often would forget to make decent notes or forget to look at the book later...and then I would forget the book even existed and start another book... I was getting nowhere fast.

Then I started my own version of a smash book...this is a ring binder book that has lots and lots of pages and tabs and pockets and there are clips and washi tape strips on every page so when I see something I can just "smash it down" on the page...either write it, clip, it, stick it or stuff it in a pocket.

The smash book is not formal and the process becomes whatever works for you but I find it helps and eventually the inspiration book becomes a mini work of art in itself.

I don't know if something like that might work for you to help you gather and retain some of your creative ideas...but it rarely hurts to try... you may find your own super better way in the process...

Good Luck and great work btw.

[angelite in reply to iforget]

Hi iforget,

Any chance you could put some of your work on here for us to see ?Would love to see what altered art and mixed media is about. x

[iforget in reply to angelite]

angelite I am happy to share but we are going on our travels this week and so it won't be until I get back from the trip.

[angelite in reply to iforget]

Thanks,look forward to it.Have a good trip : ) x

[Hidden in reply to iforget]

I think your 'smash book' sounds GREAT! I want one. Must try remember to try...

[angelite]

How fabulous !Loving the padded leather backdrop too : )

I have always loved art and poetry but aside from an odd poem or some craft project help for my son's school work never had the time to pursue it after my teenage years - life/work took priority.I think perhaps that as many are unable to return to employment or have to reduce hours and can perhaps not be as physically active as before,it frees up more time for the mind.I still have the odd creative burst -the greenhouse revamp of last year,festooned with decorations and solar lights and my lovely glider chair in the midst of my little palace !

I hope you get as much enjoyment from the special place you have created as I have mine and continue to add to your collection : )

[jimboriley52 in reply to angelite]

The leather backdrop is actually wallpaper. As for posting more pictures the reply box does not give me the option to send attachments and if you start a post you can only attach one image. If anybody knows how to post more attachments please let me know because that's one thing I have had before my illness and after is I am a Dinosaur where I.T is concerned although I think it is a generation thing

Another thing where I have flourished since my Brain Damage is my composing of letters which I send to my local papers letters page. Before I wouldn't dare to send a letter to the local press in case it wasn't published or if it was would I be ridiculed by other readers. Now I have had 20 letters on various issues in 18 months

[iforget in reply to jimboriley52]

Wow I would never have guessed that was wallpaper (from the photo )

because this board is a health board its not really set up for bulk picture sharing - if you have a website or a blog you can upload pictures to that and put the link in your profile so we can all find it...otherwise maybe use picasa to collage a couple at a time and upload them in a new thread every so often. Pics can only go in the new thread...there is no option to add them to an already established thread

[Hidden in reply to angelite]

I'm sad: I've lost my creativity/ideas, even kept having them after my ABI. Used to always have loads but all gone = lost yet more of me now. Overloaded with tasks wearing me out daily = NO room for FUN or IDEAS or CREATIVITY, breaks my heart.

[jimboriley52]

I am sorry to hear that Muddled. But with hope it may come back one day. Stay POSITIVE