Creativity: Amy of Happily Ever Now

Post 6 of HEIA: Creativity.

So I've never met Amy of Happily Ever Now, but her blog has become one of my favorites: it's clear full of joy and optimism. Finding the silver-lining (and then writing about it) is how Amy is creative. Read on to discover a little more for yourself:

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Attention: this is not Hannah.

Don’t click away yet! My name is Amy, and Hannah graciously invited me to write for her blog today! And I am absolutely excited that she did. I’m twenty years old, a college junior studying elementary education at BYU, and I write my own stories over at Happily Ever Now.

this is the only non-awkward picture of myself I could find.
just kidding! ...because even this one is kind of awkward. baha

Fishtail Braid How-to

Obviously the braid trend has been gaining momentum over the last few years. I must admit, at first, I wasn't feeling it. Now I love it. Although, I used to think fishtail braids were really tacky. There was something about the hair tie at the top that, to me, was gag-worthy. Take the lovely Blake Lively, for example:

She's obviously gorgeous, but I feel like the tie at the top is just...juvenile. Without the tie, I think a fishtail braid can be both bohemian and elegant. Which was the exact feeling we were going for with Kourt's bridal hair:

Creativity from Yours Truly: Steps to Creativity

Day 5 of HEIA: Creativity.

I am a creative person. As a little girl, I would play pretend for hours. I was a mother during the American Revolution. A mermaid in the midst of a deep and mysterious sea, a playful puppy, and even a gardener. I wore elaborate crowns and ruled my country in humility. I painted masterpieces. I educated young pupils in my classroom. I built fortresses and flew airplanes. I was anything and everything I wanted to be.

It often surprises me now when I hear anybody, young or old, say they aren't creative and that their imagination is lacking. Now that just seems absurd -- no creativity? Bah.

As adults, whether we are artists, teachers, doctors, politicians, pastors, parents, fashionistas, chefs, or athletes, we share one thing in common: the ability to create something where nothing existed before.

And so my friends, I created a list of pointers on how to become a more creative person:

1. Believe in yourself.
Back when I started working on my art minor, I walked into my first figure drawing class and felt very much like a journalist in a room full of artists. I was sure I wouldn't stack up against the rest. My teacher, Terry Morrow, was a tough grader, too, but told us almost every class that we were the "creme de la creme," that our minds were brilliant and we were capable of learning. I needed him to have that confidence for me when I couldn't, but I quickly learned that I really am capable. In fact, by the end of the semester I had won the title of "most improved."

A drawing of the same model on the first day of class and then towards the end. In the words of Terry, the "Big Mich" would have been really very proud.

Creativity: Elizabeth of Riding in the Sun

Day 4 of HEIA: Creativity.

And now, a word from a fellow journalist, my beautiful (and resourceful) cousin-in-law, Elizabeth. She uses creativity to enrich her day-to-day life, and improve her relationships with others. Read on:

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Swinging on a shoestring

As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention. Everyday life takes you places and demands results often when you have the least resources. When this happens- I wing it. Whether I’m camping, cooking a new dish, planning an international trip or searching for a new job, something always happens that requires me to improvise with however little (or much) I have.