Now you might wonder at the title I have given this blog, but I’ve just been in California for a couple of weeks. I’m not wanting to show off but I want to talk about the whole idea of creative rest! I read a blog recently that stated the following..
‘Neuroscience is finding that when we are idle, in leisure, our brains are most active. The Default Mode Network lights up, which, like airport hubs, connects parts of our brain that don’t typically communicate. So a stray thought, a random memory, an image can combine in novel ways to produce novel ideas.’
It probably took me a couple of days to wind down when I was away and I’m sure you can identify with that. But how long does it take your brain to start thinking about things creatively again, what i mean to say is that when I left for my holiday my brain was a bit knackered. creatively I felt like I was a bit burnt out and I needed down time to unwind.
The mechanics to make my foam free wall.
I’d been thinking about making a foam free wall for about 3 months, I’d seem the mechanics idea in a wholesaler and thought ‘that would work’ but it took me to go away on holiday to be able to engage with the idea and think about how it would work. Are you now seeing why I gave the blog the title of creative rest….
Using moss of as my foam alternative
Its probably a thought that we all have, its good to be inspired in places aren’t our ‘normal’. Its actually important. I managed to waste an entire day looking around an amazing succulent nursery while I was away and you can read about it here. But seeing beautiful designs like a the succulent wall they had to welcome you in made me inspired. The oxford dictionary has the definition of inspiration as
‘The process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially something creative. The excitement of the mind or emotions to a high level of feeling or activity.’
So with all those thoughts in mind I came from my time away rested and encouraged. Knowing that I do need to more than ever, give myself times of creative rest. Therefore allowing me to continue to explore designing flowers, continue to try new ideas and share them with my clients and other floristry designers that I support through Young Blooms flower school.
This was the result of my brain slowing down…..
The finished design