Dear Devotee: How to unleash your creativity and begin your creative journey

Dearest Devotees,

I got an email from one of you wonderful people who take out time from your busy schedules to read this blog of mine asking me how to unleash their creative mind. She wanted to know how you begin to explore your inklings and how to find your home art form and was wondering if I could give her a list of references and things to explore and aid her in her journey. First of all, to that lovely devotee, I'm really flattered that you thought to ask me about this. I think it's great that you are making this effort and seeking help in it as well. Secondly, I thought it would be a great idea to write a post on my list of references since I know that a lot of you are here because you have beautifully artistic and creative spirits as well and may like knowing of some references to strengthen your creative side.

• Join online/offline community projects like ScriptFrenzy, NaNoWriMo, Art Everyday Month, 365 day challenge, etc. These are great ways to get involved in the ever growing online creative community as well as a wonderful way to kick yourself out of a rut and to create with abandon for a while.
• Have a Creative Genius Day/Night: This is a wonderful idea I got from Jenny's post on her blog Life After College. It involves setting out blocking out some specific time in your schedule to create a day or night just devoted to creating and engaging your imagination. Think of it as a really mini artistic retreat.
• Get out and try random stuff. There are so many different forms of art out there, so many different experiences just waiting to happen. Just get up and try stuff until you find something that you find interesting. Who knows, you may be pleasantly surprised at what you may find.
• Engage in Artist Dates or an Artistic Retreat: Engage your creativity by feeding the desire to have new experiences inside you. If you don't have much take some time to see that new movie you've been dying to see, or if you happen to have a free week coming up (spring break anyone) why not commit yourself to exploring different inspiration sources through an artistic retreat.
• Read and work through books like The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron and Art and Soul by Pam Grout. They are wonderful for overcoming the initial feelings of apprehension.
• Creating a regular time to create and partake in artistic exercises weekly , if not daily: Make your artistic pursuits an official part of your day by giving them a specific time slot in your day. I know it may sound obvious but you would be surprised at how much of a difference it will make to your level of artistic output just by giving them an actual time slot instead of waiting until you are free and feeling inspired.

These were just a few of the suggestions I would give to any friend seeking to begin their walk down the more unconventional path to the discovery of your inner artist. Whether you are new to the concept of artistic self exploration or whether this is a path you've been treading for quite a while now, I would suggest looking into the suggestions above to help you take the next step in your journey.

Love you all and Stay inspired,

P.S. So let me know what you think. What would you recommend to those seeking to unleash their creativity? What advice would you give to them? Feel free to let me know in the comments below.

Dear Devotee:My Top 10 Spring 2010 Must-Haves

Photo from: strawberryblueberry

A while ago, I put up a post asking you all to feel free to contact me with suggestions, questions and advice and ellie commented:

...So have you found anything out there that is a must have this spring? I did see some scarves that might brighten what I have, but then I thought..I'll get hot in that or spill something on it...

A while ago, I did a post highlighting the major trends for Spring 2010 here, but that was just giving you a general idea of what to expect ( and what I thought was lovely). But as the weather gets warmer (barely) and the time for intense spring shopping nears I realise we will all need a more definitive of what would be good to get, so I've put together this spring 2010 must-have list below:

Key outfit pieces

1. A Chambray shirt: The Americana take on the classic white men's shirt, this piece is a definite spring 2010 favorite. Through it over your cute floral dress or digital printed playsuit (see below) to reinvent your outfit.

2. Brown cargo pants.

3. 80s pop slouchy tees

4.White jeans with blue wash: I tend to favor dark washes because they are easier to dress up and down, but I must say that lighter washes have definitely stolen the show for this spring. Styles to look out for are the ripped and patched jeans.

5. Lace, lace and more lace: Lace details are definitely a must have for this spring, and they are a big enough trend you should shop around for a major clothing item that is part lace. Go for lighter shades for a dreamy day look and darker tones (like black) for a rocker chic/boudoir reminiscent night look.

So those were 5 of my spring major item favorites but since spring is mostly a period of transitioning I sometimes feel that the key to creating an on trend spring look that still reflects you is through your accessories, which is why it was so difficult for me to narrow it down to five. That being said, here are 5 spring 2010 accessories that no style maven should be without:

1. Floral print fringe scarf

2.Navy blue military style jacket or vest with gold details.

3.Patchwork print and light blue tote.

4. Spring leather jacket: This jacket has a warmer tone and is lighter in weight than the its autumn/winter version. Think carefree indie girl at woodstock festival instead of hard-rock chic.

5. Brown cow girl boots: Channeling your inner Americana.

Finally here is my hodge-podge mix of Spring 2010 hits for those who are in search of concepts to work with:

1. Polka dots

2. Chambray (shirts most especially)

3. Bows of all sizes

4. Pastels and blush colours

5. naval strips and military details

6. warm-toned spring leather

7. lace

8.spots of bright colours

9. light blue denim

10. Florals and digital prints

Ellie don't be afraid to get those cute scarves. I know that this season seems to be all about the pastels but if you are worried about taking care of them, this season's floral and leopard prints as well its "spots of bright colour" are definitely the way to go. Hope this helps.

Don't forget to enter my Abazias Diamonds giveaway by leaving a comment under the post darlings.

Love you all and Stay inspired,

P.S. So let me know what you think. What are your spring 2010 must-haves? How will you transition your wardrobe into spring? Feel free to let me know what you think in the comments below.