Making time to get inspired

One of the problems I encounter in trying to make time to be creative outside of my day job is that the time you free up isn't just about making things. It's all too easy to want to rush straight into the making; you're time poor and want to have something to show for it at the end, and it's what you've been missing the most!

But in the end, you wouldn't tackle most projects like that. Everything needs planning and preparation, and sometimes you just need to give yourself a bit of time to work out what's inspiring you and what you want to put out there. You might find you end up with something more satisfying and better put together than had you just rushed into things.

So what can you do? Take the time to look around yourself and see what inspires you. This could be anything from going to a local gallery or art shop, pulling together a board on Pinterest or going somewhere you haven't been before. My husband and I went to the Royal Botanical Gardens in Kew for the first time last autumn and it was the best thing I'd done in ages - a beautiful crisp autumn day, cold but with sun and blue skies, and so many beautiful leaf colours. Best of all, their Gingko trees still had all their yellow leaves. I could have stared at them for hours. I also took a ton of pictures inside the Palm House, finding all sorts of beautiful leaf patterns. It was a chance to break out of my normal routine and see something new.

Here are a couple of pictures from when I visited - maybe they'll inspire you too.