Creativity – It’s Serious Business Folks!

Yup, serious business!

I was watching a little Oprah not that long ago (don’t judge me!) and stumbled upon her interview with Brené Brown, a research professor who studies vulnerability, courage, authenticity, and shame. She’s most well-known for her Ted Talks ‘The Power of Vunerability’ and ‘Listening to Shame’. If you haven’t watched them, do it RIGHT NOW…In fact here you go…I’ll make a cup of tea. See you in a wee bit…

Brilliant, isn’t she?!

Anyhoo, during her interview with Oprah Brené got on the topic of Creativity and singled it out as one of the universal traits of people who live ‘wholeheartedly’. And then took it a step further.

In one sweet second of syrupy TV all my deep-knowings and years of art-making were validated with this statement…

“Unused creativity is not benign.
It matastizices.
It turns into grief, rage, shame, judgement, sorrow but we are divine beings and we are, by nature, creative.”

I KNEW IT! I KNEEEWWWWWW IT! I’ve known it since the beginning of time, since I first made something (sweet music probably) and procrastinated doing it again and then felt bad and then finally got around to it and then felt incredible and then the cycle started again…the circle of life…I mean Art…well, dysfunctional Art.

Creativity might seem like finger-painting, time-wasting and sappy self-indulgence but this is serious.

Expressing yourself in some way or another is serious.

Processing and metabolizing life through the action of creation is serious.

For our physical health we need to eat well, move regularly and get hugs. For our mental and emotional health we need to CREATE THINGS!

>> How do you fulfill this emotional-nutritional need? What do you create in life?

If you don’t have an answer to this question or are feeling flat, uninspired or blocked then I’d love to go on a creative adventure with during my course CREATIVE SCAFFOLDING which is kicking off on June 8th.

It’s revamped and repackaged especially for release as an online course and I want to share this inaugural experience with you.

You can find all the details here (what to expect, why bother, etc.) and keep your eyes peeled in the next few days for an invite to some interwebinal hijinks and creative block-busting fun that I’m putting together.

There was so much goodness spilled on Oprah’s sound stage that day that they had to make TWO episodes for Brené’s interview. You can catch the highlights here over on Oprah-interweb-HQ.

And if anyone feels like buying me a copy of Brené’s latest book ‘Daring Greatly’ or ‘The Gifts of Imperfection’ for my birthday/wedding/being alive that would be aaaawesome. Marvelous stuff!

Danika’s Handmade Journal

Your Handmade 2010 Journal

by Danika Rameshfar

Why not start this new year…new decade even…out on a more insightful note with your very own hand-made journal? Easy to put together, this can be a reflection of your own creativity and something very personal, a way to explore your true identity.

Fill it full of memories, sketches, doodles, lists (oh, I love a good list), a mini 2010 calender, schemes, letters, maps, dreams, stamps, stickers, flowers, rubbish and those free postcards you get in pubs and tourist information offices. Write a novel, biography, songs, poems. Draw yourself. Draw someone else. Create a recipe, a knitting pattern, a spaceship…It can be anything you want it to be, so go for it!

Below are a list of steps taken to make this sample journal, but they are only guidelines. Feel FREE to do anything you want to your journal, decorate it in anyway you see fit and above all, make something that speak to you.

Materials:

• Thick brown paper
• Cardboard
• Glue
• Stapler
• Scissors
• Decorative items e.g. leaves, ribbons, sequins, music manuscript paper, wrapping paper, etc…

Procedure:

1. Cut out 2 pieces the same size from your cardboard. These will make the front and back covers. Make them as big or as small as you want your journal to be.
2. Cover both pieces of cardboard with brown paper, using glue to hold.
3. Cut pages for your journal from your selection of papers. I like to do three-quarters of the pages paper I can write on (coloured, lined, sketching paper, etc) and the other quarter more decorative (pages from magazines, novels, music manuscripts, photos, etc.).
4. Staple pages together down one side. This will be the spine of the journal.
5. Glue the front and back covers on over the where the staples are.
6. Use leaves, ribbon, wrapping paper, etc. to decorate the cover.

7. Start exploring and discovering…

Take a look at these links for more inspiration for your unique journal –

• Wreck This Journal
• Journal Art
• Recycled Journal tutorial
• Heart the Art Journal Prompts Project 2010

Danika Rameshfar is a crafty soul from Queensland, Australia. She made this journal originally as part of a project, exploring her ‘True Identity – who we were created by God to be’ and the result was so beautiful that Little Fire asked her to share.

Two New Starts

Hmmm I don’t know how Christmassy these are buuuuuut I’ve decided to take up 2 new creative endeavors.

One is photography. I know NOTHING about it but I see so many beautiful things every day in Brisbane and wish I could record them. So I am at least going to try. Here is the view from my blanket in the park one lazy Sunday. Good book + warm sun + grassy patch = Bliss…

Second is embroidery. I have always wanted to know how to embellish stuff I knit or even bags or scarves and recently picked up a kit from work, put together by Stitch-It guru Jenny Hart. And it’s brilliant! I love it. Haven’t done loads yet and my stitches are still a little wobbly but this is my first attempt pictured here and I came up wit the design myself. I drew it lightly with pencil on the material and then stitched over it. I’m so proud of myself and keep eyeing up things in my wardrobe to get the Little Fire treatment…whatever that may be ;)

White Ribbon Day

I’ve got my White Ribbon…have you? Today is the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. A day where everyone can make a promise to actively work towards healthy, safe, nuturing relationships, free from fear and violence. More information on today can be found at www.whiteribbonday.org

A year ago I had the great priviledge of being ask to write and record a song for a UNIFEM (United Nations development fund for Women) charity album that was released in the UK. The album, called ‘She Holds Half the Key’, was a project involving artists from all over Northern Ireland, donating their time, talent, recording studios and energy for free to create a unique and highly eclectic collection of music.  

Artists included The Motion Project, Mojokelt, Courtnay Giffin (my fav!), Daniel Ma’ani (if Cat Stevens and Bob Dylan had a baby…) and myself to name just a few. All the proceeds from CD sales go to the UNIFEM Trust Fund which supports the ‘Say NO to Violence against Women’ campaign and can be purchased here. I strongly urge you to consider buying it, supporting not just a wonderful cause, but local initiatives and creative collaborations!

‘Colour Me’, my song on the album, was actually written before I was asked to contribute. At the time I had no idea what I was going to do with it, it seemed so out of step with other material I was writing at the time. I think it must have been meant to be. And in honour of White Ribbon Day I would like to give you the chance to listen to it for free…I really hope you enjoy it…OK so I can’t upload it here at the mo’ but feel free to head over to my myspace page to hear ‘Colour Me’ for free…sweet!

Fashion Face

I have been thinking…well, obsessing, as the title says…about make-up. Yes, it’s shallow and all about surface-beauty, so not the most important thing in the world. But I like it. I feel like it is an extention of how I express myself, and when I have no money it’s a much cheaper way to change up a look than having to buy a whole new wardrobe!

And my one-stop shop for all my make-up info and tips is fashionface.tv the most freakin’ brilliant site ever, and of course, no big secret. Their video tutorials are all over YouTube and have even been published in the Style section of the Sunday Times. They’re normal girls having fun with make-up, using products I can actually afford and creating celebrity looks with ease. I love their trend tutorials, showcasing what look is on the catwalks or in magazines in a way that doesn’t make you feel like you belong at the circus! Oooo, and they have a blog, so you can feed the addiction between new videos being posted!

So that is what I’ve been daydreaming about. I even put in an order with my sister back home to pick me up an eyeshadow palette (Sleek make-up Graphite Palette…it’s only £5!! Wow!!) used in their latest video that you can’t get in Oz. Man, I miss Superdrug :)