Are you looking for a creative way to display a host of images on your wall without breaking the bank? Jennifer of Jennifer Lee Photographee used one of our collage templates to make an impressive display that clients love! She shares, “I used the “Album on a Wall: Best of Both Worlds” storyboard template from the Design Aglow store to create a photo collage canvas. In Photoshop, I resized the template from 20×48 to 20×60 to fit a narrow wall I have in my studio. I hand placed my favorite images from the wedding to tell the story of the day. I printed it at my favorite canvas lab, and I use it for display in my studio.

Today’s share comes from Laurie of Bee Photographie. She writes, “I used the Hand Drawn Photo Frames – Pen & Ink Collection for the frame and changed the fill color to a soft pink. I am a huge fan of polka dots so I grabbed the polka dot pattern from the For Collectors of Art and Style DVD Cover that I use for my client image discs. The combination was beautiful!

I created a white background in Photoshop and dropped in my polka dot pattern layer and changed the color to a warm grey. I then dropped a frame from the pen & ink collection over the polka dots and adjusted the height and width so that it would fit my cell phone cover (I got the dimensions from getuncommon.com). I was able to add in my text and center everything perfectly.

I love this cell phone cover because it is all me. It’s my personality and my favorite colors and patterns all in one. You can’t find this at the apple store :) I love all my Design Aglow product templates because they are so versatile. I was able to create a unique cover for my phone that was all my style and very easy to design. The combination of Design Aglow templates allows me to be an expert at designing custom products without being an expert at Photoshop.

I have had several people stop and look in awe at my phone cover. I had such great reactions that I have added these custom covers to my product list for my clients. As a thank you to my bride & grooms I am going to be sending those with iPhone’s custom covers made with my Design Aglow templates. Thanks so much for versatile products! They change my business!”

Thanks for the great share, Laurie~

Hi, this is Ashleigh again, the lead designer here at Design Aglow! I came across this interesting article the other day titled “The 5 Most Dangerous Creativity Killers” and it got me thinking…”What am I doing to stay creative?”

That’s one of those questions that I think can sometimes be a little confusing, so I assessed my “creativity cultivation” habits, if you will, and here’s what I’ve seen to be most helpful.

1) Try more than what is asked of you. When working on a project, try everything. No idea is a bad idea until you’ve tested it first. Trying multiple techniques will eventually lead to the right one, but even better, you will have discovered new ways to solve problems and you will undoubtedly use one of those techniques on a future project, even if it’s not fitting for this one.

2) Take a time out. Sometimes one of the most helpful things you can do for your brain is to just take a break. Go for a walk. Get up and dance. Run out for coffee. Whatever it is, give your brain some time to just take in some new scenery. It doesn’t need to be a long break, something as short as five or ten minutes could be all you need. I have been doing this to get over creative blocks for quite some time and can honestly say this method has never failed me. Walking away from a project for just a little while and coming back to it seems to always offer a fresh perspective.

3) Do something new. Read a new book, go to a play, visit a farmer’s market, go to a concert, go to a museum, volunteer, join a new social group, etc. New experiences bring new ideas to your brain. Your creativity draws off of your experiences, so the more new experiences you have, the more you have to draw from – simple.

4) Be open to criticism. I don’t mean negative criticism, but true constructive criticism – even if it is harsh. Another person’s feedback of your own work can offer great insight.  Even if you thought you had reached perfection, be open to the fact that someone else may in fact have a better idea. Many times that old saying, two heads are better than one is very much true.

5) Be a curious person. Learn a lot about a lot of things. Ask why and how a lot. I’m always surprised where this random knowledge comes into play in my work, but on several occasions it has been just that perfect little bit of knowledge to get my creative thought flowing.

6) Notice details. Creative people are detail people. When you see work you like, notice the details of why you like it. It is usually the smallest details that make all the difference. Learn why those details work and use that knowledge to build upon your own work in a new way.

7) Write down your ideas. This has been so important to me. I keep notebooks everywhere. When I have an idea, I write it down or sketch it out. Some of these ideas end up translating to work, some don’t – or haven’t yet. :) Creative thought is not very structured, so if an idea comes to you that you hope to remember, it’s best to write it down because it is very unlikely that idea will ever come back to you in the same form again. If you write it down, it is there for you to refer back to and build off of on command.

8) Enjoy what you do. Fun and creativity seem like they should be synonymous to me. It is always easier to be creative when you are enjoying the work.  If you are not enjoying a project, find a creative solution that gets you excited about the work. I have had a few projects where I knew the direction I was going would eventually turn out okay, for someone else’s liking, but something about it really felt against the grain for me. I just was not enjoying the work. So, I switched up the idea and remodeled the work until I was truly enjoying it. In the end, I believe l created better work doing this rather than sticking with my original path.

9) Hang out with other creative people. Creativity really is contagious. Everyone has something to learn and everyone has something to teach.

10) Don’t give up! Creativity is often a reward for perseverance. Although it can happen, most often the best ideas are not the first ideas. And no one is brilliantly creative at the flip of switch. It takes time and hard work to develop your most creative ideas. Give yourself the chance and it will be there but don’t give up before you reach it. It will be worth it.

How do you stay creative? I’d love to hear! Feel free to comment below~

Just the other day I was thinking about how little I actually use photographs in my own home. I love to capture moments through the lens that have meaning to me and that tell a story. Do you? Most of the time I am using the images for my blog to inspire others. I was quite amazed when it suddenly hit me that I don’t use my own photos in my own home! So, now I am inspired to inspire my walls. Here’s the thing…I am in the process of moving to Germany so I cannot exactly start a project like this when I will be moving in a month or so. What I have done though is collected ideas and information to do this as soon as I get to Germany.

The first thing I did was start with the concept of creating a photo wall. What images would I use? How would I arrange them? Would they tell a story or just be random? For me, I love to look at an image and remember how beautiful that moment was. I love photography just for this exact reason, the memories they can ignite within me. I went to Pinterest for my inspiration and found some creative ideas!

I will be getting my images printed before I go to Germany so I don’t have to worry about that when I get there.

As you can see by these images it is quite simple to just pin them with a sewing pin or even a skinny tack. You can go with a designated plan for the layout or you can do like I do and go with what pleases your artist’s eye. Each photo wall is going to have a different mood or style; it is all up to you. Personally, I prefer a more tidy and simple feel to arranging photos on a wall.  On the other hand, I also love a more “full” look so maybe somewhere in between will be fun.  I also love using photos within the walls of a staircase. Don’t you love the image with the white walls and stairs? Sometimes rounded walls can be a challenge for hanging artwork on so photos are a great compromise.

The idea of adding photography into my home is exciting. I cannot wait to get to Germany and start this project. I will be sure to share my journey with you!

How do you use photography in your home? Have you ever just filled a wall with tons of photos? I am constantly looking for inspiration outside the brain of my computer. I am looking forward to being able to walk over to a dedicated inspiration wall in my home and breathe in all the goodness with my eyes.

Jocelyn xx

Jocelyn Casey is a guest contributor and blogger. She loves to explore. She was born on a ranch in Ocala, Florida, and grew up with a painted pony and a long list of summer chores. Shortly after her studies in Interior Design, she packed a bag for London and never looked back. Jocelyn has been traveling the world for the past 10 years, finding inspiration in every moment. The Little Room of Style is Jocelyn’s cozy corner on the internet were you will find just about everything that inspires her to continue moving forward in life… with style! See more of her musings at thelittleroomofstyle.com

Image credits: Ladies Home Journal (top left) Southern Living (top right) Ladies Home Journal (bottom right) HomeLife.com.au (bottom left)

Have an idea for an inspiring contribution to Design Aglow? We would love to hear from you! Email us through the contact form here.