Inspiration is a funny thing. We find it without it ever having been lost. It is all around us. We just have to be open to it.

While the ideas we are inspired to are individual, often we find inspiration in the same places other people do. Nature, food, friendship – over the years these have inspired great paintings, stories, poems or architecture. In turn, those paintings, writings and buildings have inspired others.

Increasingly, or so it feels, our common sources of inspiration are Pinterest, Instagram and magazines. We look to what others have done and found and seen, no different to the 19th century British interiors being influenced by what people saw on their Grand Tour or even Damien Hirst being influenced by the work of Andy Warhol. Consciously or subconsciously we have always been influenced by the works of others.

My own inspiration comes from all around. I often find inspiration in travelling to other places, eating different foods, becoming enchanted with the patterns and colours used in local art. Closer to home my children and my garden inspire me to many projects too.

Over the past two years, other blogs have become a huge source of inspiration for me as well. I see so many projects  I would like to try or which give me an idea for a project of my own creation.

There are times too when simply the shape of an object will inspire me to a new upcycle, as happened when I made a chandelier from a coat stand or a shelf from an orange crate, or when a small incident will inspire me to write.

Where do you find inspiration for cooking, crafts, writing or other hobbies? In the same places as I do or somewhere else entirely? I’d love to hear.