The creative zone is a wonderful place where new ideas are conceived, and innovative pieces of art are brought to life. In the creative zone, time doesn’t exist. It’s a beautiful realm full of wonder and surprise. It’s a place of magic we all want to visit. So, how do you produce the right environment to get to this artist’s heaven on-demand? Here are some tricks to fast-track you to the zone.

1) Find your sweet spot.

Identify when you feel most productive creatively. Don’t fight it. Not everyone is meant for a 9:00 to 5:00 workday. For me, my most fruitful hours are between 11:00 am and 7:00 pm. I like to work even later if I’ve gained momentum that’s getting projects done. My day starts a lot earlier than 11:00, but I like to go for a walk and tidy the house a little before I get serious about crafting. Then, I can focus on artistic projects without distractions.

2) Free-play without a critic.

Play with your medium without a rigid plan. Allow your spontaneous artistic mind to wander and explore new ways to combine materials to make interesting new pieces. I pull random craft items out and lay them on a table. Then I mix them up to get unique combinations. This exercise is a process. Once you’ve exhausted the routine combinations, it’s amazing how fresh new ideas reveal themselves.

3) Take a break.

Look outside for inspiration. Exciting original crafts are the product of creatives who actively seek out stimuli to generate new ideas. Take a walk, go to the beach, the mountains, the zoo or the park. The exercise and fresh air nurtures your creative spirit and promotes action.

4) Sketch design ideas on paper.

You don’t have to be good at drawing for this exercise to work. The process of doodling frees your mind and hushes the internal sensor that holds you back. Forge ahead. Be bold. The idea is to let the drawings come naturally. You’ll be pleasantly surprised how much this simple act empowers your artistic style. Try it!

5) Dedicate time to developing your craft and your talent.

Commit to branching out and trying new types of crafts that excite you. In this unfamiliar territory you’ll find renewed energy that’ll quickly develop into exciting new craft ideas.

The creative zone is wonderful rejuvenating place that replenishes our positive energy. Make it a priority to set aside time to make a craft, get messy and get in the zone.

Be kind to yourself. Keep trying. Wherever you are in your crafting journey, you’re doing great!

Live, Love, Create!

Lisa