Inspiration
 

I've been doing this for a really long time. But I feel like I've just lost my mojo. I hate everything I make. I need something to inspire me, but not other peoples beads. I want my own new idea to get excited about. I've tried cleaning my workspace, buying new glass colors, photographing flowers...nothing.
Where do you find inspiration that leads to new awesome beads?

Play in a new medium for a bit...mess around with some paint, simple quick strokes of whatever comes to mind. (not looking for a finished piece--just a play ground). Dump out your junk drawer, mix and match, make piles. Walk into your closet with a paper towel tube, look through it with one eye and wait until you get a combination of colors or textures that make you smile. Go into your yard and lay on the ground- a new view can help. Flip through a magazine upside down and watch for colors that grab you or unexpected shapes. Play with some mixed media. Listen to some favorite music with your eyes closed...let your mind wander. Mix it up!! :) We all get in creative funks from time to time. For me...its letting go of my primary focus and finding something playful else where....eventually I get back to what I wanted to work in but have had some fun in the journey!

I sometimes look at landscape photos, not to do landscapes, but the colors and forms inspire me.
Like this: https://www.google.com/search?q=free...w=1440&bih=686

I try to remember that I am doing this for fun.

I love to look at fabric for color and design ideas

Great ideas! I'm going to try them all. Thanks.

I find that one or two rods from Double Helix can trigger me because they are unexpectedly reactive.

I don't even make any beads out of them.
I just play with the silver glass in the flame and let my mind wander.

Often though, when my muse is hiding on me it's because I have stress that I am either hiding from or that is coming from unexpected or sometimes unknown sources.

Good Luck and I hope your muse comes back from vacation soon for you.

And to tell the truth, what I usually do is go out to make some beads for Beads of Courage. That gets me thinking and moving, and off to wherever my mind/daydream leads me.

There are some great ideas.

A lot of my inspiration comes from colors and textures. Recently, old drawings from botanics, water creatures, corals, microscopic images have inspired me. But I have to admit, I often have more ideas than I have time, so fortunately, no lack of inspiration.

Someone I know who coaches writers (including on writer's block) once told me that to get people's creative juices flowing, they need to be limited. It is often the abundance of options that blocks it. So you could try that. Use only one color (series) or one shape. Use only one decorating technique. It might get your creativity going, but will also improve technical skill.

I pick colors I'm not all that fond of and make myself work with them. It is amazing how fast you can come up with ideas for rods you do like.

I still love Pinterest which is not quite as fun now that it's overrun with ads. I have favorite boards I look at whenever I need some inspiration. Just search color inspiration on Pinterest for some great ideas.

I came back with ideas for color combinations after a recent visit to an art museum--that started the juices flowing.