Creativity is the freedom of a blank page...

I find it truly helpful to reflect in words and doodles. I love to read and make notes on

what I have read. I especially like using quotes as motivation and a starting point.

For me writing with an ink pen allows me to change colours with moods and

seasons. I really like the feeling of writing in a notebook much more than when I

type. I find it easier to remember where my notes are and to go back to them. If I am

working on an article or a blog then I like to collect thoughts and notes in my journal

book. I will then often write additional notes on scraps of paper, napkins and receipts

if in a café and something comes to me. I carry a little note book around with me too.

My father was a journalist and I think I may have picked this up from him – ideas

come to me at funny times and they go again if I don’t capture them.

When I run I often listen to podcasts or think. If thinking, then my best creative ideas can come from the rhythm of running – its meditative for me – I then have to scribble it all down when I get home or if I have my phone – quickly make a note. I also have watercolours and black fine liners for painting and doodling.

As my children are older - I now have a lovely space at home that has grown from their

playroom to my study. I have the luxury of a room of my own! This houses an

enormous old table.

At one end wedged up against the book case is where I work from home when able. It's my work space where I join meetings, teach workshops and write work blogs and papers. When I need to be more creative I can move down the table.

The middle is where I sit and spread out papers to create sketch notes. As part of teaching I like to draw concepts in sharpie pens as sketchnotes. I think I must have a very visual memory. The different view and moving seats I find really helpful.

Finally I have my painting and home desk. Here I am surrounded my quotes,

snippets, pictures. My ‘desk treasures’. I have my watercolours open, pens and

pencils ready and usually the latest doodle ready to go.

Over the years I have adapted and honed how to best keep and arrange all the

snippets I collect up. I have a journal that I use to reflect in and also to make notes

from any non-fiction books that I read. I often mark pages with sticky notes or I turn

the page down. I love to go back through a book and reread pages marked and

make notes. I share learning sometime on linked in now as have largely

disconnected from twitter and blue sky. I do sometimes lift quotes and sections from

fiction books too. I am often ripping bits out of magazines and the weekend papers

we get – I have been known to bring snippets home from waiting rooms or take a

photo of something to transfer. Thus my journal ends up being more of a collage and

scrapbook.

I have also got beautiful books handmade with beautiful paper and covered in sari

material – I have a collection of these as for a while I did a daily doodle based on a

quote or a few words. As I developed the doodles using watercolour this is now more usually painted on thicker paper so the daily doodle books are for now waiting on my

shelves – I will return to them.

I also love to paint from nature and most holidays I will spend some time painting

and enjoying the times when I can relax and while away the day. I have a variety of

sketch books of different sizes and love the memories they hold. The weekend in

Nice when the sun shone and I painted in bright blues, the days in Cornwall with

softer skies and autumn leaves, the bright ceramic inspired pictures from Lisbon. I

rarely return from a walk without a leaf, a shell or photos of something that caught

my eye. I love to have a few things on the go so I can return to them. When I am

feeling overwhelmed and in need of solace I often start by re-reading something from

my journal, or I look through my collected quotes and before long I have picked up a

pen or a brush again.

As Maya Angelou says ‘You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you

have.’