Friday 20 February 2009

Times Like These

These past few days has been a time for friendship, family and creativity. I met up with one of my college friends and we both realised that every time we meet up we get inspired to create and have the most amazing brainstorming sessions. She's a brilliant "ideas" person and multi-media designer. Our styles are different end of the poles ha! But we seem to compliment each other perfectly. And so we've now decided to meet regularly once a fortnight at a local hotel that has a beautiful lounge with inspiring art on the walls. It's quiet and has a good relaxed but business like atmosphere that just makes it perfect for us. Laptops, pads, pens and pencils in hand, we're going to brainstorm and also look at each other's work as well as encourage and push each other forward.

I'm working on more products for my online store including lots more digital craft packs. Papers and embellishments that can be printed out for scrapbooking and card making. Digital products that are perfect for traditional application. Each day as I work I do wonder if I'm mad. We're in a recession. The world's in a recession. Why on earth would anyone part with their well earned cash to buy my products? And then as I think about it I realise why they do part with their cash. The same reason I do. The same reason I buy craft products. Creativity. Joy. Relaxation. Escapism. Making pretty things. Making things to give away. Making things to preserve memories. It's joy in a moment of world madness.

Steve and I have talked about this often in the past couple of months. Our sales remain the same as they've always been. There's not been any downturn and we've been wondering why. We're grateful and feel incredibly blessed and praying that they remain bouyant!! We think it maybe the fact that most people still have a need to create and even more so in times of stress and upset. Such as the world is right now. It touches us all. You only have to watch the news each day. It's depressing. I know, as I sit at my computer working up a storm, creating, working it helps. My soul feels renewed and refreshed when I create. Just the same if I'm in my craft room painting, sewing or whatever else. It's at the heart of who I am and as such is a positive thing to do. It is escapism but not in a "bury your head in the sand" kinda way. It's a refresh your soul to cope with another day escapism.

And I'm sure I'm not the only one that feels like that. No matter what you do to create. My husband is a 3d digital content designer. His customers use his products to create animations and art. Some are professionals, other are hobbyists. Either way, that's what they love to do. It's no different. It's being inspired and creative. And sometimes even in times like these, we part with our well earned cash to buy that "can't do without at this point in time" product. Something that sparks our imagination or inspires us forward to something ne

I get moments every day when a niggling feeling of fear, doubt and worry try in invade my being. (And sometimes they succeed!!) I know it's because of the unsure world we live in. It's because my family are suffering with serious illness. These are the moments that I work extra hard to guard my heart and delve deeper into my work. My creativity. To be able to express myself through my work is a joy. Truly I'm blessed in that. And I know in times like these it's saved me more than once or twice.

Today we're going out for the day. Just to drive through the Kent countryside. We're also going to visit our little granddaughter and have a nice pub lunch somewhere. Time out. Time out to get refreshed together. It's a different kind of need for refreshing and has the same result. We come back home excited and fired up about work and each other!!

2 comments:

Niecey said...

Mmmm a pub lunch. Haven't had one of those in a while.

I love how you worded all this. So very true. And I'm so glad you share your creativity with the world. I love your art.

Mandy said...

I agree totally. When times are tough and resources few, creativity seems to abound.