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How To Create An Inspiration Board (Or: Do Inspiration Boards Have Secret, Magical Powers?!) ♥
in I Want... Inspiration!, I Want... Fun!22 Jul 2010 | 18 Comments
It's a little bit strange!
It's a little bit spooky!
But cue the theme for the Twilight Zone, because guess what? I'm at least 80% convinced that they do have secret, magical powers!
Mia Freedman recently wrote about her experience with vision/inspiration boards and when she did, I couldn't help but breathe an enormous sigh of relief and murmur ''a-ha, so THAT'S how you discuss them without sounding like a complete nutter!'' (Which was a teensy bit nutty in itself because, uh, I was the only person in the room at the time, but anyway!)
Now, I would describe myself as a sooomewhat cynical person. I was shooting my parents suspicious looks at the mention of the name 'Santa' from a young age, and can't help but shriek ''ha, we'll see about that!'' when the television informs me that I'm just going to love their next infomercial, so this whole sticking-pictures-of-objects-or-outcomes-that-you-would-like-to-receive-on-a-corkboard-or-wall-in-the-interest-of-gaining-them business seemed like another concept to be dubious about.
But! Being attracted to pretty pictures and finding myself extraordinarily bored one Sunday afternoon last year, I decided to give it a whirl. Pictures of European cities! Quotes about buying a home! Photographs of apartments! I began cutting away, adorning it with sequins, ribbons and using old earrings as pins, and before you know it, I had created my own vision/inspiration board to hang on the wall. Fast forward to six months later and goodness, would you look at that. I was packing everything up to (coincidentally?! I'm not sure!) move into my new apartment, and observed that almost every image adorning my board was reflecting something that had somehow mysteriously, uncannily and utterly surprisingly come into my possession! From the deliciously handsome biker boots to the tickets to international cities, I'm not sure if it all came about purely serendipitously or because having a constant visual reminder of what I was working towards slowly seeped into my brain and forced me to concentrate on my goals harder, but either way, it did and I'm converted!
Sure, scoring an image of Johnny Depp and placing it somewhere prominent probably isn't going to make him say ''look, Vanessa. This relationship has been a joy but you know what? I heard that some girl called Corrine has a picture of me on her door, so I think we should stop seeing each other!'' any time soon, but who's to say that having a postcard from The Greek Islands in my line of vision isn't going to spectacularly improve my chances of visiting there? If the picture that I had of Mia herself (my teenage hero!) holding a white Macbook on my board is anything to go by (and while I absolutely haven't tucked the almighty 'former Editor-In-Chief of Cosmopolitan, Cleo and Dolly magazines' title under my career belt like Mia, I did end up purchasing a white Macbook a few months later!): NO-ONE!
How To Create An Inspiration Board (And Test Out The Secret, Magical Power Theory For Yourself!)
x Gather an assortment of objects which mean something to you and your ambitions: greeting cards? Concert tickets? Foreign currency? University papers? Whatever! It could be labels from soup cans, if that's what's beautiful or important to you!
x Arrange them on a board (ensuring that it's positioned somewhere visible) using plastic push pins or old badges and brooches, or on your wall using blu-tack or double sided tape.
x Stand back and admire your handiwork, and know that the trophy for 'World's Best Soup Eater' is coming towards you soon!
♥
Do you have an inspiration board, and if so, has anything Twilight Zone music worthy happened to you because of it?!
xoxo
Comments (18)
I actually linked this post to my blog because I think it's great. But just wanted to add that it's very inspiring and if I ever get around to making one, I'll have to owe it all to you :)
17 Sep 2010, MissStella, thegirlinredheels.wordpress.com
I love inspiration boards and have always wanted to make one! You've just given me a big push :) I think it will be this weekend's pet project!
16 Sep 2010, Jess, http://missjshopaholic.blogspot.com/
This is so true, I've always kept journals of inspiration and it's helped me do the things I want to do :) manifest your destiny! :D
16 Sep 2010, Jade , http://jademusing.tumblr.com/
You have the best blog!!! Love this idea so much and am going to make one this w/e for sure, yay!
24 Jul 2010, Chantelle
Just found your blog and adore it! Great post. :D
24 Jul 2010, M, www.emeraldesign.blogspot.com
Well, I put up the postcard University College London gave out of "World Class Study/London" back in 2008... and this year I'm headed to London School of Economics to read Law! Other things include a page from a Max&Co. catalogue that says "Electric Freshness. Il guardaroba delle "oh-so-cool" girls." (The wardrobe of "oh-so-cool" girls.) But I don't know if that applies to me! :P
Visual inspiration + positive assertions! <3
24 Jul 2010, Manda Sun, http://wearenotlikeeveryone.blogspot.com/
I have 2 inspiration boards.. one for running and one for travelling :) They are *the* great greatest invention I know of. xoxo
23 Jul 2010, The Pieces, http://wanderlustandwallflowers.blogspot.com
Perfect timing!!
Incredible... I was thinking about having a more proper vision board just yesterday!
And you write a full post on it? Great!
Anyway, I need to make mine something more focused to what I want, instead of something pretty filled with things I liked.
Maybe will help!
23 Jul 2010, Euforilla, http://euforilla.blogspot.com
I have a pink gingham bulletin board that I keep treasured postcards, Dumbo pins and other keepsake (a pressed clover blossom from ireland, an Edward Gorey ballerina cutout)
I'd like to have another board for more inspiration too ~
23 Jul 2010, Rachael, http://www.glassofwin.com
Hmm, it sort of just happened that I have a bit of an inspiration wall over my desk.
My initial idea was, when I re-decorated my room, that I'd get those sticky, large letters and just put INSPIRE. on my wall, but I couldn't find the letters anywhere and so I let the idea slide. Instead I started adding little postcards to it (of Oscar Wilde, Audrey Hepburn, Twiggy) and pictures of friends and I and quotes (mostly in relation to London) and oh, suddenly I found myself booking a trip to London again and seeing the particular friends in the photos a whole lot more in real life :)
22 Jul 2010, Anisha, http://livelifedeeply.net
Lauren - Haha! ;D
Michelle - You should definitely give putting one together a whirl!
Allie O'Bannon - Oh, that's so very cute! Congratulations!
Julie - Well sidle yourself up with some magazines this weekend and get down on it, miss! :D
Kimberley - Haha aw, thanks Kimberley :)
22 Jul 2010, x Corrine/Frock & Roll x, www.frockandrollonline.com
Lovely post (as usual) Corrine. It reminds me that I must update mine! Inspiration boards are fantastic and I can just tell that all your readers are going to go forth and create themselves some magical ones! x
22 Jul 2010, Kimberley, http://dreamdelightinspire.com
I've always wanted to do one of these :DD.
22 Jul 2010, Julie, http://juliettemaxwell.com
I've never had a real inspiration board, so to speak, but when I was in high school/right after graduating I kept a board with images I loved because they were aesthetically pleasing. On the board were a few things like pictures of adorable puppies, magazine cut outs of a couple in a photobooth, madly in love, etc.
I can't say I've gotten everything that was tacked up on that board (It was also covered in Jones soda labels and I don't even drink soda anymore) but I married the love of my life and currently live with two adorable shih tzu's so maybe there is something to this.
22 Jul 2010, Allie O'Bannon, http://www.little-skeleton.com
awesome post! i've never made an inspiration board before. but i believe it could work!
22 Jul 2010, Michelle, http://whollyafool.wordpress.com
I don't have a inspiration wall as much as a Taylor Lautner lovefest wall but I like this idea! ;)
22 Jul 2010, Lauren
Leigh - Thanks, Leigh! And good luck! :D
22 Jul 2010, x Corrine/Frock & Roll x, www.frockandrollonline.com
I've recently made an inspiration board myself. It's too early to tell if it's going to work, but who knows it could. Great post!
22 Jul 2010, Leigh, www.beflossy.com
