How Does YOUR Creative Mind Work?

Because this is a brand new year, I think it’s a good time to stop and think about HOW we use our creative mind —  are we actually being creative and coming up with new ideas and approaches to old ideas or just seeing things through a foggy window.

My best illustration for this very important part of using our creative brains is from one of my little 5 year old grandchildren.  We have been making coupon clutches non-stop since the middle of November.  All the grandkids know exactly what they are, what they’re used for and WHO we’re making them for (for our customers), so that’s pretty well set in stone.  Well last weekend the kids were over and I was working on some “Pink Swirl” clutches and little Sarah, who is a self-proclaimed “pink girl” saw it and immediately fell in love with it and made up her mind that I was making it for her.  She told me…. “Mamaw, when you get my pink coupon clutch done, don’t put any coupons in it”.  So I said that was fine, and she could put her OWN coupons in it.  She then informed me that she didn’t want it for coupons, she wanted it for her art coloring papers, so they won’t get lost.  She then went on to tell me how she can get some coloring papers from Mommy’s house for inside, and she could put her crayons and pencils in the pockets.   I  told her that she didn’t need a “coupon” clutch – what she needed was an “artist” clutch.  Boy howdy – did she jump on that!!!  YES! she said.. I need an artist clutch.   Here are pictures of the “normal” coupon clutch and her artist clutch…..

Now then….. here’s the “artist” clutch!

With my “one track” mind, I would NEVER have thought about additional uses for the standard “coupon” clutch — but a little 5 year olds’ creative thinking about changing it for what SHE needed was awesome to me. 

So, the idea here is — think about some of the most “common place” things that people take for granted and see what you can perhaps come up with to improve on them.  What changes would YOU like to see?  And how about your customers?  Listen to what they’re saying when they come and go, and you can maybe come up with a variety of new or changed items that could become the next “best seller” for you this year.