Ideas

These stunning earrings from Arco Iris  make a subtle
change in the standard feather earring design that
makes such a huge impact

I often see great ideas when I'm browsing Etsy, going shopping or just out and about. Really beautiful jewelry designs, unique logos, an elegant twist that makes an standard item of clothing so much more interesting... and every time I see these things I wonder how on earth the designer came up with that idea. It is so obviously a great idea once you see it but often such a subtle tweak on existing designs that you would overlook it, or so different to the standard that it would have to have taken a stroke of inspiration to come up with.

More recently I have begun to realise that other people see some of my ideas in the same light. Designs that seem so obvious to me, or even ones that I don't think are all that special, sometimes elicit that 'wow' response in others.

I have concluded that creative people often see their own ideas as obvious or mundane when an equally creative person would view them as genius. As a result it is very easy to undervalue your own ideas and creativity and forget how unique they really are. Particularly if you craft as a hobby and thus don't get a lot of feedback on your creations and if the feedback you get is always friends and family you will never be sure how honest they are being.

One small addition to the common hoop shape has made these
earrings from Sonya Rasi completely unique

By extension, people who don't think that they are creative may be far more creative than they realise simply because their great ideas seem obvious to them and nothing special.

Remember this next time you question your creative skills and take the time to recall positive feedback you have been given in the past. And if you see something that you think is truly amazing, take the time to tell the person who made or designed it - it might just make their week!