About a week ago I shared with you how I met up with my friend for coffee and our little afternoon adventure inspired me on so many different levels. One of the things meeting with Jennifer encouraged me to do is make an Inspiration Board. Do you want to know the truth? Until just a few months ago I thought Inspiration Boards were SILLY! {isn’t that crazy!} I didn’t understand them and thought there were one of those “things” artsy people do even though they make zero sense. But… I WAS SO WRONG!
Now that I work from home; now that I’m responsible for keeping a team of 4 busy; finding inspiration, motivation & creativity is KEY! And I *finally* understand how important having an Inspiration Board really is.
That’s my Inspiration Board up there in blue. Isn’t it amazing??? Zack cut the wood for me and drilled the nails. I painted it and added the wire + pieces of inspiration.
Here’s why adding an Inspiration Board to my workspace was important:
1. it’s helped me to add pretty art to my office
2. it serves as a catch-all for the pretty + interesting things I find
3. it helps me to define my personal & professional goals
4. it motivates me to work on my goals daily and weekly
As an Indie Biz owner, all of these things are super duper important. Some times it’s just too easy to get lost in the shuffle of deadlines and packaging orders and purchasing materials. All of those things are critical, but if your purpose and goals aren’t constantly on your mind then it’s really easy to get off-track. Looking back, every time Gussy Sews has made a big, forward-moving change, like hiring another employee or re-organizing the studio, it’s because I had my goals written out.
Having these goals clipped to my Inspiration Board would have been better, but still — writing them down and seeing them nearby is always the first step to success.
Something that’s exciting for me is I can change my Inspiration Board as often as I want. Or as often as I accomplish those goals. And I just love the color — it’s a muted turquoise. It’s beautiful and super inspiring, a big change from my go-to color, pink ;]
Do you have an Inspiration Board in your office or studio? If not, what’s holding you back? If yes, what things do you have hanging?
♥ Come back tomorrow for a saturday craft DIY on how to make your own Inspiration Board!
I love it!! And it’s my favorite color:)
HAppy Friday!
Unfortunately at this precise moment, my “workspace” happens to either be at Target, orrrrr a tiny itty bitty corner of my bedroom where I can fit a tv tray (yay portability?) and an ottoman to sit on. An inspiration board would take up more space than tiny corner, but I think I’m going to make more of an inspiration “journal” and just leave it open on my nightside table.
I wish I worked from home, hah. Your life seems so glamorous, I love your blog. Annnnnd I’m rambling because I drank too much coffee. Hah.
Also; I really do like your inspiration board. I was just too busy rambling to say so <3
Can I just say that I TOTALLY feel your pain? My workspace is our dining room table!! :) However – I love your optimism… “yay – portability?” That made me laugh! :) Have a great Friday!
I remember when the dining room table was my workspace, but my husband kept telling me to hush my sewing machine because it’s one of those tiny little things that are SUPER loud, which isn’t conducive to living in an apartment with little furniture, because then the noise just echoes and echoes. Eek!
Annnnnd my optimism goes far, but sometimes not far enough. Blegh.
You have a great Friday too, darling!
I just adore your inspiration board!! I am in the process of revamping my studio (its just about done) and I think I might need to pop over tomorrow and see just how you put it together so I can add one to my space!!!
Thanks Gussy for always inspiring others!!!
I *really* need to do this. I usually have a few things hanging on my wall but never an inspiration board, its a great idea though! We’ll be moving soon & will have a designated a room for my studio that I’m excited to decorate. :-)
I need an inspiration board! I love it! Unfortunately my to do list is so huge right now.. I need to buckle down and get my to do list under control.
but LOVE the color too!
I love the inspiration board! It is such a good idea to have all of your great ideas and inspiration in one place that you can SEE daily to remind you why you do what you do! I have lots of magazine pictures in a binder and pretty pictures on pinterest but they aren’t where I can look at the EVERY DAY and be inspired! Maybe I need to make myself an inspiration board! :) Happy Friday Maggie!!
so loving the turquoise and orange!
Oh, I loove your inspiration board! The wire + clippies look like a great way to hang little lovelies. :)
It’s SO adorable! I love the color too! Great idea adding the wires. And yay for having a handy hubby. I know it’s going to fill up quick! Enjoy it and keep looking at it from time to time. It’s a great way to get “unstuck.”
Oh yes, I definitely do. In my studio and a special one in my Pinterest since I do the majority of my work on a computer.
LOVE the board! And the color is perfect!! :) We have all of our inspiration photos shoved into file folders. HA! :) We might just be working on something like this, this weekend!! :) Thanks for sharing!!! Hope you’re having a great time at TCC!
We’re big Inspiration Board people. Having inspiration board has helped us define our goals for our lives and our business. And, of course it’s artistic so it makes us happy and helps us remember what we hold most important in order to create a beautiful life! Here’s our bit of Inspiration Board inspiration: http://lovefeasttable.com/blog/inspiration-boards/
Chris Ann & Kristin
I see alot of the commentors saying that they just don’t have the space…but really you can make/find room…you just have to be a little more creative in carving it out that’s all. Case in point…my hubby and I live in 687 sq.ft. and I have found room to fit a studio/desk in this space by giving up the dining room table that we NEVER USED. I put up an inspiration wall by painting magentic chalkboard paint onto a wall that goes into the bedroom…a space that everyone viewed as a passage….and was totally disregarded as any space what-so-ever. Here’s my post on my “inspiration wall”…hope this inspires you ;} Fondly, Roberta
http://con-tain-it.typepad.com/my_weblog/2011/04/you-have-to-begin-telling-the-story-of-where-you-are-going-not-where-you-have-been.html
I have an inspiration board at my office desk, but need to add one into my sewing space :). If nothing else, I love to hang cards and notes that inspire my heart :).
I love your cozy little space … and I spy a little mug rug :). That makes me happy to know I’m kinda sharing in your days!!
XOXO … hope you’re learning lots at TCC. Let’s chat next week before you head off to Blog Sugar, k?
My inspiration board is cluttered. I am going to focus and reorganize it to make it a true inspiration for me. Thank you!
I need to do something to show my goals and remind me of what I want. Its hard having a husband, toddler, newborn, and puppy in my house! I always seem to gravitate towards trying to make sure they are all happy and forget about myself! I also keep using the excuse that I will start my business and craft area when I finally move to Minnesota. I just better do it when it comes time to! Love your little work space!
Your inspiration wall totally inspires me. What a great solution for decorating a narrow space! Thanks for sharing!
My comment was directed to Roberta’s chalkboard walll with shelves.
I love browsing inspiration boards! Here’s a link that I had bookmarked with some pretty sweet boards: – http://www.snaptheconference.com/inspiration-board-round-up/ .
I love your ‘board.’ I just did mine a few months ago and call it a vision board. It was a fun, sometimes hard, process about my future. http://www.sbryant.me/2011/03/25/create-a-vision-board-pt-1/
Just wanted to tell you that I came across your blog through Key Lime…your stuff is ADORABLE :). Already making a list of what I want :)
I love your inspiration board! I revamped some shutters i found at Goodwill for 50 cents to make one. Right now I have a few cut outs from an old (talking 80s) Vogue magazine, a few birthday cards and a picture of a cupcake.
thank God you’re doing a DIY on it tomorrow! woop woop! i so need an inspiration board, too!
love that board, maggie! i have a bulletin board over my jewelry bench – if i ‘pretty it up’ do you think that would work?
Love your inspiration board – so pretty! Mine is just a boring, old cork board but it works.
I LOVE the inspiration board idea…I might need to get something like that up in my craft space…just to give me that extra nudge to get moving on some projects… :)
I love this… I would love to use an old window to do the same next to my sewing/crafting table!
I love your inspiration board. I have one very simular. I found a huge picture frame in a thrift store for 3.00. I took it home and painted pink with raspberry highlights then strug wire across the frame. Then if that wasn’t bright enough I painted clothes pins then added glitter. To keep the glitter from getting on everything I sprayed them with clear acrylic. My board makes me feel happy when ever I walk into my craft room.
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