The Joys of Using a Journal

Inspiration can happen spontaneously, which is why I always carry around a journal with me. There isn't necessarily a specific time that I plan to come up with ideas and It's not something I can turn off. I find that many things can lead to sparks of creativity and I always want to be ready.

I know that in our modern age, practically everyone has a phone that can be used for making notes (& I entirely use that as well), but there's something beautifully simple about keeping my thoughts in a notebook. Picking out a pen with personality, a neat journal that speaks to my personality, & seeing my own handwriting on a page makes it all so personal & truly puts me in the right headspace to create.

Ideas can come out of seemingly nowhere. I'll be walking & an idea comes to mind randomly & I know that right then and there I need to jot it down. I've learned the hard way that if I don't get these thoughts down ASAP, they'll scatter in the wind. This is the kind of good habit that I'm so glad to have adopted.

Many things have been known to light the fires of inspiration. I listen to music frequently to wind down, & that often creates imagery in my mind. Locations and aesthetics that I then try to recreate. Artists such as Banks, Sucré, and Rina Sawayama are a few of my current faves, & I'm always down for 90s R&B. Other creators put me in the mood to create.

I like to sketch ideas for outfits too, visualizing them on the page before I get to work on them. As much as I sometimes want to leap headfirst into a new project, doing it this way helps me figure out where to start & what the end result should look like. I'll make variations of a garment & decide which one I like best before my crochet hook meets yarn, & helps to make sure what I envision is properly realized.  

It doesn't always have to be a specific idea related to fashion either. Sometimes I jot my thoughts down when I feel like expressing myself or when I'm working through something. My intent isn't always to create, but identifying what I'm feeling helps with the artistic process. In my opinion, having a journal is a must-have & I can't imagine doing what I do without it.