Please welcome Grace from stripes & sequins!
We are in for a real treat today! Major bloginista and DIY-extraordinaire Grace of stripes & sequins is sharing tips to get out of a creative rut! She inspires me on a daily basis, so I’m thrilled that she stopped by today to bring some of her vast knowledge to us. If you haven’t heard of her (where have you been?) you MUST check her out!
Hi Small Shop readers! Grace here, from the fashion + DIY blog, Stripes & Sequins. I’m so honored to be guest posting for Erika. A lot of people ask me where I get the inspiration for my DIY projects, so I thought I’d share a few tips and tricks for that have helped me to find inspiration when I’m in a creative rut.
Look Beyond Your Usual Places.
I remember when I worked in marketing for Sally Hansen. One of our VP’s told me that catalogs from home stores (he swore by Crate + Barrel in particular,) were one of his favorite sources for inspiration for new colors. Who would have thought? I apply this mindset in my everyday routine, and have found that it helps me to stay inspired. Are you an interiors blogger? Try reading only fashion blogs for a day. (And vice-versa, if you write about fashion.)
Step Away from the Computer.
I know, I know… easier said than done, right? But you’ll be so much more inspired if you get out of your office and away from the computer. Go to the farmer’s market… the flea market… the bookstore. Those are just a few of my favorites…
Shift Your Mindset.
If you’re anything like me, you don’t always have a lot of extra free time to seek out inspiration. A little trick that has helped me is to shift my perspective. When I’m at the hardware store, the drug store, all of the places I have to go to regularly (even Bed Bath & Beyond,) I’ll play a little game where I pretend everything in front of me is hardware for a potential jewelry/DIY project. I’ve gotten some of my best ideas for projects doing this!
Go Vintage.
Ever hear the saying, “Everything Old is New Again?” One of my favorite things to do on the weekends is hit up vintage shops. In New York, my favorites are Pippin Vintage Jewelry, and the Brooklyn Flea Market… but anything goes – Goodwill, Salvation Army, you never know what you’ll stumble upon and find inspiration from.
Comments
Grace is brilliant! I may need to refer back to this post on a daily basis to see if it helps get my creative juices flowing
I absolutely adore Grace & her amazing DIY posts!!! She is beyond creative
These are definitely fabulous tips. I have been trying to get away from the computer more…it is amazing what a difference it makes! XO brynn
I love seeing two of my favorite bloggers collaborate!
This post is great, and I really need it right now. Sometimes with style blogs, you see the same post basically repeated throughout the week about a shop that just opened or a launch that just appeared. In an effort to stay original, sometimes I feel it’s impossible. But getting offline really does help, and so does looking for inspiration in unexpected sources.
This post is amazing! I love DIY projects and it’s so neat to see where other bloggers pull their inspiration from.
I love this, and am finding myself doing the same all the time! You really never know where inspiration will come from. That Grace is one smart cookie.
I’m feeling inspired to get out of the office right now!
Great tips. I really should read more fashion blogs.
I’m with Naomi. I just got into the office and I want to head out immediately! I’m a huge fan of Grace’s!
[...] – I’m over on Small Shop, today… sharing my favorite ways to stay inspired! Pin It [...]
Honored to be guest posting for you today, Erika! (I’d like to be out of the office, myself!)
Love this and Grace’s blog. Definitely easier said than done but stepping away from a computer really makes a world of difference. And, if you have to sit at your desk… make your office an inspiring one. Great tips here!
I love how this post is about finding inspiration for other posts! Headed out to take the pups for a walk…..they will be hunting for squirrels, I will be hunting for design inspiration!
[...] don’t forget to stop by Small Shop today, to see my guest post – sharing my favorite ways to stay inspired! Pin It [...]
Oh how I love Grace. She is so incredibly talented. Whenever I’m feeling in need of an inspirational (and totally doable DIY) I always turn to her. Great feature today, Grace!
Awesome suggestions!
What great ideas and wonderful inspiration. We tagged you today, so when you get a chance – stop by!!
[...] helping out at IFB’s fashion show for BaubleBar, and doing a fun little guest post over at Small Shop Studio. I also did a fun little nail art feature with Refinery 29… with two of my favorite [...]