Where do brilliant idea's come from?

Since I was young I've been constantly asked "How did you come up with that idea?" by my friends or family. At times I've struggled to answer them for I really don't know. My mind is sometimes a mystery even to myself!

Ideas just come to me which can be fantastic but also a curse. At times my mind is so active and full of ideas that I don't know what to do with them all. I'm constantly inspired and find new ways of looking at things, at the world and at designs.

As a child I was very creative and always making things, drawing towns, designing houses and worlds where anything was possible. My sisters would constantly ask "But what made you think of that?". "Where did you get the idea from?". And lastly "But why don't I think of things like that?" I simply couldn't answer and I think for many creative people that is just the way it is.

There are people in the world who are mathematical and can picture equations and formula's in their head. That is foreign to me and I can't comprehend how they do it. And I'm sure they view me the way I do them.

Today I came across a site on Etsy that blew me away and I was amazed that someone had come up with these ideas. So simple yet amazing.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/neskita

From their store website:

"This is your place to buy high-quality printables for yourself, your children and your home. All items in this shop are PDFs that will be sent to you by e-mail. All you have to do is print and assemble"

How amazing are these! I wonder if the creator was trying to find an activity for her children to do on a rainy day. That is how many ideas are formed - from necessity. Much the way I started my art business.

I love the way these also promote pretend play. As you can see from my previous entries, I am a huge believer in children engaging in pretend play. We need to nurture and encourage it and I am thrilled their are other artists out there who obviously feel the same way.

Pretend Play And My Dream Kitchen.

Continuing my blog in a similar nostalgic theme, I can't help finding inspiration from my own childhood. Whether it be the novelty cakes we ate, to the tent cubby houses that we hid in with all the stuffed animals or the pretend shopping and tea parties. Pretending to be a grown-up was a popular past-time.

There was always tea to be poured, dollies to be bathed or given haircuts (or massacred as mine all were!), to making mud cakes and eating pretend plastic food. Pretend play is part of childhood. For a child such as myself with a vivid imagination, my parents encouraged it and helped us build elaborate cubby houses.

I've tried to create similar play spaces in my house for the children. Our boys were running between each other's rooms so much that we decided to cut a hole/secret door in the wall and gyprock it up to make it into a secret passage way. This has been a huge hit with our boys and other children who visit.

Some parents who have visited are shocked we made the opening in the wall, but also pleasantly surprised at how such a simple idea created such a fun play space. And in any case, it can be simply gyprocked up and painted back over once they are older (and sick of each other!), others none the wiser.

Therefore what about a porthole in a sailors mock bedroom. Or a little raised platform/stage for a budding little thespian to hold a show. A bedroom or playroom can be as simple or elaborate as your imagination takes you.

One of the things most parents lament is the lack of pretend play in children today. They would rather play playstation or Wii to pretending to have a tea party. Or watch TV rather than planning a trip to the moon in their rocketship.

A teacher once told me that they are now having to teach pretend play!

It is wonderful to see designers incorporating pretend play into their furniture and decor. Even garden landscapers are now creating "garden rooms" for children to play and explore. It may be more sophisticated now but it is still heartening to see.

Which brings me to my dream kitchen. This would have been my perfect play room. For someone who loves her kitchen and also running a store, I can imagine myself playing as a child in this kitchen. To be honest, I would love this mini-version for myself even now! I don't know quite what I'd do with it but it is so adorable.

Pictures from Pottery Barn US

I hope you've gained some inspiration from this blog. Think back to when you were a child and the ideas will flow!