Are You A FOODIE?

Find Your Inspiration!

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by Cheryl Christman

INSPIRATION
In-spi-ra-tion n.  the stimulation within the mind of some idea, feeling, or impulse which leads to creative action; a divine or holy presence which inspires.

What is inspiration, and where does it come from?  The things that inspire you could be memories, smells, relationships, music, textures, colors, patterns, hobbies, family, or even pets.  Inspiration is all around you, you just need to open yourself to the possibility of being inspired.  With such busy lives some of us tend to keep our head down and our eye on the ball in order to make it through the day.  This is great for checking off your “To Do List” but it’s stifling for inspiration.  If you’re looking for inspiration for your home it’s mandatory that you lift your head up, take a deep breath and a good look around.  It may be that your inspiration lies under the clutter of everyday life, it’s in there somewhere, you just have to help it find its way into the light.
It takes a little searching and it can help to step back and clear the clutter from your mind, as well as the sofa.  Still can’t find where you left your inspiration?  Take a road trip and visit a museum, antique shop, garden shop or an art gallery.  Open your mind to new experiences.  Challenge yourself for one day to look at everything from a new perspective, consider someone else’s point of view.  After you do this, you will have a clearer understanding of what really speaks to you.  Something else that helps me is to sit back and close your eyes, if it were a perfect world where would you live?  What would it look like?  What colors would be around you?  If it were your fantasy room, what would it feel like, what textures would make you comfortable?  Would there be a lot of color, or would it be more subtle?  Would it be warm and cozy with antiques and a big fireplace?  Maybe it would be crisp, clean and modern. You may not know what your style is, but I bet you know what you like?
Taking a new look at old things can also help you open your mind to new inspiration.
Pick up your clipboard and take a stroll room to room.  Give some thought to the pieces that you can’t live without.  There is usually a great story attached to the favorite pieces, which is why it makes it hard to let them go.  However, if those pieces are not useful, beautiful, or really valuable then it may be time to let them go.  The pieces that you choose to keep should have some redeeming qualities.  Just because great Aunt Helen left you some of her treasures doesn’t necessarily make them yours.  It’s possible that they could be the inspiration someone else is looking for.  I think recycling furnishings to a new home is helping the environment and your search for inspiration!  If the sofa has pizza stains, and the alphabet is written on it in magic marker it may be time to let it go.  Keep strolling, and taking notes on the pieces that do work, the ones you really like, and ask yourself why, what is it about the piece that INSPIRES you. Once you have made your way through the house, there should be some reoccurring themes that start to emerge.  It could be style, color, texture, modern, or vintage.  Whatever it develops into is a start towards understanding the things that move you. Remember, more is not always better.
I can honestly say that our house was not always a home, and it definitely lacked inspiration.  When my husband Art and I were married 13 years ago we were trying to combine the treasures of two families and it was a challenge.  Territories were staked out, and the inspiration was somewhere beneath a family of 7.  As we experienced new things, and traveled together as a family we naturally gravitated to the things we loved.  Our main inspiration for our home came in a dark hallway in an antique shop in New Orleans.  It literally stopped me in my tracks!  The colors, the texture, the beauty, and the time worn quality were overwhelmingly inspiring to me.  I could picture the entire room, the wall color, where it would hang, and the furniture that we would come in time, then the entire room came together at the tapestries feet.  Contemplating the investment for hours, calling home for measurements, negotiating with the shop keeper, and then anxiously awaiting it’s arrival all make for a great story. Needless to say the tapestry has found a permanent place in our home and gave us the inspiration we were looking for.  Our home is now filled with treasures, and the inspiration just seems to continue to evolve.
This was one of my exciting moments, I hope this helps you experience your own inspiration. Give yourself the freedom to have your own opinion, your own taste, if it invokes some emotion in you, chances are you are honing in on what inspires you.  If you want to touch it, smell it or you just can’t stop looking or listening, chances are it is inspiring you.  If you smile whenever you’re in close proximity, or take a deep relaxing breath whenever it’s near, chances are you are feeling inspired, so pay attention, INSPIRATION IS ALL AROUND.!