Keeping in Touch: the Inspiration Care Package

This post is written by contributing author Anabel Bouza.

As someone who has been moving around a lot, I lament the fact that I'm often leaving new friends behind. Oh, the heartbreak of creating friendships, just to say farewell...

Of course, I try to see the positive: I have friends in far places! As long as they're there, I can still call that place, home. Another good thing to result from this: it forces me to come up with fun ways to keep in touch.

That's how I arrived at the idea of the inspiration care package.

Photo: Anabel Bouza

All you need is a small tin can or similarly lidded, light-weight receptacle. As to the contents, the possibilities are endless. Some of my own ideas so far:

• A mini-project in a box: all the materials needed to create a brooch, necklace, bookmark, or whatever you can fit within the container. 
• A miniature stationery set: tiny pencil, pretty paper, ribbon, wax and seal...

• A small diorama or collage, to be finalized by the person who receives it.

• A tiny embroidery project. Include the pattern — even better if it's relevant to the person receiving it — needle and thread, even a tiny embroidery loop if it fits.

• It could also be just a miniature collection of beautiful textures and colors, visually stimulating. Almost like an amulet to keep inspiration flowing!

I've been hoarding buttons, paper, and fabric my whole life, so I have more scraps and notions than the average human — although I suspect many of you are in the same situation. You're not? Well, don't feel discouraged! Just head into the world (or your cabinets) with a gatherer's mindset.

Photo: Anabel Bouza

Keep an eye out for graceful twigs, cool looking train tickets, blown out christmas bulbs... Any strange little thing can become treasure!

I can almost hear the collective gasp coming from the minimalist's corner! As long as you're making care-packages with your finds, they can't accumulate and weigh you down. Actually, this may be a good way to finally do something with all the random bits of beauty you already call clutter.

I would love to know what other people do with their scraps — those too small to use in your work, yet too precious to discard.

Would you like to be at the receiving end of an inspiration care package, or would you see it as 'homework'? 

This post is part of Listen to Your Heart month on Kanelstrand. Read the rest of the posts here and join in the discussions, we'd love to know what you think!

Anabel Bouza insists there's powerful magic in the action of creating something out of a vague vision, a chill of inspiration. She is an illustrator with a passion for nature, paper manipulation, and pointing her camera at things.

Her appreciation for simplicity dates back to a former life in Cuba - her strange homeland - where she refined the ability to see the alternative uses of common objects, and the enchanting side of things. She's often found blogging as Weird Amiga, hard at work in her sunny studio, or staring at things as if looking at them for the first time. Her tiny family is comprised of her husband & a turtle; they're new to the city of Chicago, and they love it. Connect to Anabel via facebook and twitter.