We all go through them: creative slumps. Some of the best advice I have heard to avoid a creative drought is to create every day, even if you are not feeling particularly inspired. But what happens when you can't even muster up the energy to make a doodle? Something that usually helps me is to turn to the things I find interesting that are totally separate from my art. My favorite movies, books, photographs, blogs, everyday items, pets... the list goes on. It's like the song: "I simply remember my favorite things, and then I don't feel so bad"... or rather, uncreative.

This may seem like an obvious tactic, but rather than just looking at these "favorite things," try and use them. Take a really close look at the colors in that old family photograph, or the shape of the sofa you covet online but can't afford. Thinking of these things in terms of your art or craft can open up a whole new avenue to create. This can be a great exercise for crafting anything, from a piece of jewelry to putting together an outfit! Below are a couple of examples; feel free to add what your own inspirations are in the comments!

A great example is SagesCupboard's inspiration from the ancient Egyptians which she wrote about on HandmadeNews.org:

In many cases the less literally adapted the inspiration is the better. Take this staircase below for example. The colors silver, pale blue and white might make for the inspiration of an abstract painting, or the way the glass curves may inspire a jewelry design. Keep an eye out for anything that strikes your fancy, and soon you'll have so much inspiration you'll be struggling to decide what to tackle first!