Handmade Marketplace #3

I didn't get the workspace finished.  One thing led to another and now I'm going to have to repaint the bedroom and rearrange furniture to get the workspace like I want it.  So rather than just procrastinate on this tiny assignment, I've created a huge procrastination that will take ages to finish.  It's terrible, I know, but my bedroom will be Robin's Egg Blue and that makes me smile.

Rather than examine the why's of my deep psyche, let's go on in the book and explore inspiration.


According to the book, if you're looking for inspiration....try window shopping.  Whatever your craft, peek around at similar work.  Discover what you like and don't like.  "Look at work that is similar to your own.  If you throw clay bowls, see what other people who design clay bowls are doing.  Look for new trends and new techniques that you may be able to put your personal twist on."

I began creating my own forms and notebooking pages years ago when I just couldn't seem to find what I needed.  My very first form was a tally-sheet.  My state's homeschooling laws require a minimum number of hours that need tracked.  A training seminar I went visited gave out free blank tally sheets to keep track of these hours each month.  It didn't suit my needs at all, so I made my own.  It has seen many revisions through the years and will probably see many more, but it always fits me.

I think most of my inspiration has been not in what catches my eye, but in what doesn't work at all...so I fix it. I make it what I want.  When I see other forms, I am generally thinking about how to change them.  That sounds rather snooty though, doesn't it?

I don't only have anti-inspirations though.  These are some places I find inspiring:
Notebook Pages
Kay Miller Designs
http://www.etsy.com/
Pottery Barn Kids

I realize most of those have little to do with education, let alone planning forms, but they still inspire me with their color and cubbies.
 
I need to work on a notebook for the ideas that pop up.  I've found it easiest to create quick google-documents to store online ideas, but I have too many and need to work on filing them into folders.  I'll make that my project for the week - storing those inspiring ideas more conveniently.

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