What Inspires You? Oh Renee Design

Hi all! I am really loving this week of inspiration...these ladies have been creating some really inspiring inspiration! haha. Renée of ohrenée design blog is oh so sweet to guest blog today about her inspiration! Renée is just about the sweetest most warm hearted person. She loves to promote her blogger friends and brings beautiful images to life through her photography, whether it be via iphone or professional DSLR. I cannot tell you how much I enjoy all the images on her blog and I look forward to seeing these images day to day. Thank you Renée for such an amazing post about what inspires you! 
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Hello hello lovely friends of Lo and Little Somethings! My name is Renée. If you haven't stopped by to say hi before, I blog/ramble over at ohrenée design and I also run my own photography business and online shop! 

Annnnnd I am so so so honored to be guest posting for Miss Lo as she is off on vacation!

  Trying not to be jealous over here, how abouts you? :) 

Lo very sweetly asked if I would talk about what inspires me. 

And my first thought was....oh crap. Ummm. Food? Haha. I love to eat. 

I guess inspiration is one of those silly things that we sometimes aren't even aware of. I carry a little journal around with me to scribble thoughts and drawing ideas when they come to me but it took me a little while to actually figure out what those moments were caused by. What it is exactly that I'm doing when I'm inspired...ya know? 

Inspiration. That's a pretty big word. 

SO. I broke it down to the few things that consistently move me to be creative and think in new directions. It doesn't mean that twenty three gazillion other things don't inspire me on a daily basis, but these things are what do so repeatedly. 

1. Magazines

And by magazines, I don't mean the actual articles (although sometimes they do too). Mostly I mean the photography, print, colors, models, room designs, etc. And what do I do with this inspiration? I hang it on my wall. 

I also have a giant binder of outfit ideas from various clothing magazines too. But that's a post for another day:) 

2. Anthropologie

I know I know. It's expensive. And I honestly only own a handful of things from there. BUT, every time I walk into that store I'm inspired. The colors, displays, patterning. It's the kind of visual stimulation that really speaks to me. And that goes for their catalogs too. They often end up on the inspiration wall. 

3. Vintage Patterning

Any type of retro vintage patterning really slays me. I swoon like some girls do in a jewelry store. I'm quietly stockpiling my vintage wardrobe as I find more and more fun pieces when thrifting and on Etsy. But I also am a sucker for vintage patterned sheets, pillow cases and tablecloths. They all make me want jump in giddy circles when I find them. 

And then their colors, patterns and florals make their way into my home decor, styling and art. I often find myself most attracted to prints and colors that reflect these vintage looks. Which is why I like to surround myself with these things....make sense?! :) 

Gahhhh. I for real just typed in "vintage fabric" on Pinterest and this is what I got. Oh I want!!! 

4. A Day with my Camera

Sometimes, when I'm feeling a little less than inspired or motivated to be creative....I take a walk with my camera. For some reason, behind that little square viewfinder, I find my inspiration again. Even if I'm only taking photos of cracks in the pavement. And if a walk with my camera isn't in the cards, I peruse some of my favorite creative photography online. I guess I'm a photographer at heart! 

All of this helps to inspire my photography and a few of the items I sell in my shop, Little Sparrow Somethings. I am a bit of an eclectic artist and am still working on making this space what I want it to be. I have a new line of illustrated prints ready for the fall and am compiling a collection of my still life photography for sale as well. It all just takes time. But you can be sure that you'll see bits of these inspirations throughout my work! 

Two important things I learned while writing this post. 

I am visually inspired more often than through any other way. And I like colors. Go figure:) 

Finding your style of creativity isn't always easy, especially with the overwhelming group of amazing artists out here in blogland! But, if you stick with what you are good at and realize what consistently inspires and encourages you to create I really feel like you'll be more true to yourself as an artist. At least in my humble little opinion. :) 

Thanks again Lo for letting me ramble on and on over here!!! You are the sweetest!!

loves, renée

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I just think Renée is great, don't you!? I love Renée's ideas about finding your own style of creativity. I agree in her thinking that it is really important to stick to what you are good at and to enhance upon that with what inspires you. Sounds like a delicious cocktail for creative genius! I would love to share with you lovelies my favorites from Little Sparrow Somethings here:

Thanks so so much for stopping in, I hope that you visit her blog, shop and photography!

-Lo