101 Ways to Stay Creative

Last night I received a message on Tumblr asking for advice on how to stay creative, and I realised how this is a problem for many people (including myself). So I decided to compile this list to refer back to, and to possibly inspire anyone who may actually read it...

1. Read lots of books to enhance your vocabulary.
2. Keep a sketchpad / notebook with you at all times.
3. ...And a camera.
4. Stay up too late.
5. Drink coffee - it makes you happy and gives you energy!
6. Travel.
7. Make mind maps.
8. Create endless amounts of Pinterest boards. Follow Pinterest boards. Become addicted to Pinterest...
9. Listen to alternative music genres - electronica, dark wave, house, ambient, experimental.
10. Make checklists of the things you want to do.
11. Stick pictures of things you love on your bedroom walls.
12. Take photos of everything you feel inspires you.
13. Experiment with different media - watercolour, graphite, oil paint, pastels, collage.
14. Go for a run.
15. Clear your workspace. Or leave it messy - whichever you work best with. But I find I can't work in a cluttered space (mainly because there is no space to actually work).
16. Don't try to impress.
17. Meditate.
18. Research artists / designers.
19. Create a moodboard of something that inspires you.
20. Watch films.
21. Do not rush things!
22. Make the best out of your mistakes, e.g. if you accidentally slip and scribble a line over your very perfect drawing, make something out of the line.
23. Keep a dream diary. Write as soon as you wake up so you don't forget.
24. Break the rules.
25. Doodle.
26. Write a list of things to draw.
27. Don't be a perfectionist.
28. Read non-fiction books on your subject of choice - art, fashion, etc.
29. Have a late night wander with your headphones on.
30. Read magazines.
31. Listen to songs from your childhood. I used to download all Mum's iTunes music onto my iPod and so I was brought up on 80s/90s music like Pixies and The Smiths.
32. Change up your makeup routine. Use colour where you don't normally.
33. Find some DIY projects to do.
34. Press flowers.
35. Be yourself. Don't do anything you don't want to do.
36. Discover alternative fashion trends - seapunk, minimalism, 90s grunge, preppy, bohemian, avant-garde, lolita,  revival of the 60s... There is an extensive list of fashion styles here.
37. Sign up to a local craft class.
38. Go charity shopping.
39. Get away from the internet for a day and see what you can do with your time.
40. Make a playlist for someone.
41. Read poetry.
42. Buy a funky hat.
43. Do something new every day.
44. Look through people's sketchbooks.
45. Go to a festival!
46. Make a list of inspirational quotes.
47. Get a Lomography camera and follow the rules.
48. Grow flowers in your garden.
49. Look at people's workspaces. Use ideas to enhance your own spaces.
50. Dye your hair a quirky colour.
51. Take a half-hour nap to revive your creativity.
52. Complete a 'Wreck This Journal'!
53. Go to the cinema alone.
54. Have a long bath surrounded by candles.
55. Drink green tea, it takes lovely and it's healthy too.
56. Have a 'blind date with a book' - go to your local bookshop and buy the first book you see.
57. Draw something new every day.
58. Visit local art galleries / museums. Sit down and enjoy your time there.
59. Take a drive in the rain.
60. Change your journey routines - get the bus to work if you usually walk, bike to school if you usually get a lift.
61. Say 'yes' to new opportunities and possibilities.
62. Design your dream tattoo, even if you don't go through with it.
63. Click the 'random article' link on Wikipedia until you find something that interests you and read the whole article.
64. Educate yourself about a new culture.
65. Spend a night camping in your back garden - minus a tent.
66. Take up a new hobby - embroidery, gardening, cooking...
67. See your favourite bands live.
68. Go 'people watching' - sit on a bench in town or watch from the window of a cafe.
69. Burn incense.
70. Talk to creative people.
71. Listen to your favourite music.
72. Create a time capsule to open in ten years. Include: a letter to your future self, a doodle inspired by your favourite song, a recent photo of yourself, a quote you feel deeply about and something small from your bedroom.
73. Learn how to lucid dream.
74. Start a blog.
75. Decorate an old jacket with badges and patches.
76. Eat foods you wouldn't normally try.
77. Visit all the places in your town that you haven't been to before.
78. Attend car boot sales. Buy things to decorate your room or workspace with.
79. Go on a long bije ride!
80. Create new words for colours that you see - e.g. 'Palma Violet lilac' or 'Pistachio green' and make a colour book.
81. Find out the Dictonary 'word of the day' and write a poem based on that word.
82. Have the occasional lazy day.
83. Create a scrapbook diary. Include tickets, receipts, wrappers and other things you encounter each day.
84. Throw a party.
85. Stock up on new flavours of herbal tea.
86. Focus on the present.
87. Make a gift for someone you appreciate.
88. Read biographies of people that inspire you.
89. Practice the things you want to be good at.
90. Focus on the positives in life! Write a list of reasons to be happy.
91. Go to Ikea and find something to revamp in a way that represents you.
92. Assume that you can do anything.
93. Get plenty of sleep.
94. Read the '365 Days of Inspiration' book by Lizzie Cornwall - a few ideas on here are taken from there, it's a really cute book full of quotes and ideas.
95. Make a 'dream collage' of all the things you want to achieve. Refer to it whenever you feel like giving up.
96. Use a thesaurus to learn new words to use in everyday situations.
97. Make your own fruit juice.
98. Write down negative thoughts as they enter your head. Then scribble them out.
99. Make new friends and let them share the things they love with you.
100. Smile more.
101. Make some of these tips your new resolutions to stay creative!

I love: ROOKIE

Rookie is a website / annual magazine for teen girls, featuring a multitude of cool stuff including music, dreamy editorials, fiction, diary entries, playlists interviews, and much more (you even get stickers in the Rookie Yearbook Two)!

The fabulous Tavi Gevinson (above) founded the website AGE 12 and has remained the editor in the six years since. Her coolness is laced throughout each post and the whole greatness of Rookie is due to her undying dedication. The fact that she has been able to achieve so much at such a young age, all while juggling school and other commitments makes her one of the people that inspires me the most.

Rookie bases their content around a different theme each month, some of which have included things like enchantment, work, play, paradise, mystery, freedom, drama, mythology... The list goes on.

Here are a few samples of what they feature in both their yearbook and on their website. I can only wish that everything they posted was in print though, as I prefer reading tangible things rather than web pages!

Camp Rookie and Meadham Kirchoff photoshoots by Eleanor Hardwick

All Dressed Up and Nowhere to Go shoot by Erica Segovia featuring Recollection Vintage clothing

BUY ROOKIE YEARBOOK ONE

BUY ROOKIE YEARBOOK TWO

You won't regret it, these have provided me with hours of entertainment and a ton of enlightenment and inspiration! Rookie Yearbook Three is to be released on October 21st and you will be able to buy it here.

Sheinside

Fashion brand Sheinside were lovely enough to send me this amazing mint green coat. It's one of my favourite coats and it's perfect for winter as its woolly texture makes it so cosy. It's also a sweet pastel colour that goes with all my light clothes! 

You can buy the coat here for just £27.70, an amazing price for a big winter coat.

I had a friend take some photos of me wearing it a while ago and here are a few of them;

Headband and two piece: both handmade by me

Lipstick: Collection Cosmetics Gothic Glam colour 'Scorned'
Eyeshadow: Elf  baked eyeshadow colour 'Baked Plum'

Photos taken by Cat Downes.

You should also look at some of Sheinside's other items. Here are some of my most recent favourites:

Kenzo lookalike t-shirt, £8.45

Grey winter jumper, £12.60

Striped dress, £10.01

Pink flared skirt, £9.76