5. A Picnic Alone. As much as I love picnics with my husband a creative picnic alone can be nice too. I bring a quilt, a journal and a pen. Something about the act of driving to a park and sitting there waiting for inspiration always invites it in. I never leave without new ideas! 
7. A Nursery or Flower Shop. I love shopping for plants. Having little breaks like this can spark creativity or allow time to decompress in the middle of a stressful day. I always feel inspired and happy after buying a new plant for my home or a bouquet of fresh flowers. It's a simple exercise that can act as the perfect "me time".
9. Shopping. Once in a while I can get really inspired by shopping. It doesn't seem to matter where I shop… I just need to be in a busy place with lots of color, texture and sound. Sometimes I'll go shopping for fabric or supplies or even for clothing. A shopping break can be a good place to get inspired.
10. A Bookstore. Once or twice a month I head over to our local Barnes and Noble and pick up a huge stack of magazines. Sometimes when I'm feeling blue I'll purchase a book on a new skill I want to learn. I always feel better when I'm done. Sometimes it's good to get inspired by someone else's hard work… magazines and books are a great way to do this!
121 Comments
I love your photos and Ideas!
xoxo Luisella
I’m completely with you on the library and book shops! I’m also lucky enough to live by the sea, so going to the beach is a great place to get inspired, especially when it’s quiet!
Great tips! Thanks a mil!
Brooke
I love all these ideas! My favorite one is the farmer’s market 🙂 xx.
p.s. I have a $75 Shabby Apple giveaway going on if you’d like to join!
Love this!! For me, being in nature is always really inspiring and I love historic places too. One of the most inspiring places for me is Cranbrook in Michigan – it’s a campus but also has multiple huge gardens of all varieties and also a mansion that you can go inside. It’s a truly magical place.
The book store is definitely one of my fave places! I love the smell in there and its just so relaxing 🙂
Rory
http://www.wearaboutsblog.com/
This is such a brilliant post! I completely agree, sometimes a change of environment is just what you need to get inspired!
Libraries and bookstores are definitely my happy places, as well as nice grocery stores. A guilty pleasure is to grab a beer at the bar in Whole Foods, and then just take my sweet time wandering around the store 🙂
Bike rides are great to clear your head as well. If only it wasn’t 90% humidity in Austin right now.
Great post!
these top ten are so true. love getting out and about and letting nature give us some inspiration. love it.
xoxo
Thank you for the inspiration.
http://shannonhearts.blogspot.com/
I love this post.
I’m lucky enough to live in a historic district in a small town in wine country. I used to bike to work, and thought that was faster, I have found that walking to work gave me more time to clear my head, look at the beautiful houses, and fill my mind back up with fresh new inspiring thoughts. It’s definitely something that I will miss about this place when I leave!
–Erin
This is such a great post! I’m always trying to find inspiration for my blog. Sometimes writers block is a terrible thing. Yet again, your blog does not disappoint!
The library always makes me feel more motivated! I love flea markets and farmers’ markets 🙂
http://www.eatblogpray.blogspot.com
xo
I love going to a bookstore to look at magazines and drink a coffee! It is definately one of my happy places!
This is such a great reminder! Thank you.
Love this post! All are really great suggestions/reminders of places that inspire, thanks!
I adore this list! I’ll be keeping it in mind 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
http://thejoyfulfox.blogspot.com
love this post! i find the library is my inspiration for traveling. i tend to park myself in the travel guide aisle and delve into all the lovely travel books.
Great inspiration ideas! I particularly love visiting local historic districts/ downtowns. They always feel like a throwback to a more slow-paced time, where one actually stopped to just ponder, take in and enjoy life.
~mel
http://o-h-my.blogspot.com/
Beautiful images! LOVE!!
Cheers
~ Jillian
http://www.hersplitends.com
*Check out the fab freebie today at Her Split Ends!!
http://hersplitends.com/2012/07/18/giveaway-good-belly/
I love all the 10 places. They all give me lots of inspiration for my blog and just life in general. Thanks for the reminder.
Louise
I’m lucky to live near lots of antique shops and farmer’s markets and coffee shops! The problem is sometimes getting the motivation to go, and this just inspired me to do it! Thanks!
–Margo
Nice post, I needed it! 🙂
Love this post! One of my favourite places to look for inspiration is right here on your blog! You guys are so amazing!
Pip x
this is so perfect!! thank you for the fabulous ideas!
Beautiful photos and inspiration!
http://www.creativityandchocolate.blogspot.com
Great post! Even just going for a walk around the block, or exploring your neighborhood without a set destination in mind can lead you to some really inspiring places.
http://loveadeline.com
Flea markets are definitely a fun place to get inspiration from. My mother took me once when I was younger and I just remember finding so many really wonderful vintage things. If only I had been older and had money to get some of them!
These pictures are so pretty, I love old bookshops and vintage shops for inspiration
I’m surprised that you shop at Barnes & Noble rather than supporting your independent booksellers.
I love all of these ideas – thank you!
I love this! You have definitely listed some of my very top places to get inspired. But the great thing about inspiration is sometimes you find it in the most unlikely places as well!
beautiful pictures, thanks for sharing 🙂
xo Hannah
thebraidedbandit.blogspot.com
p.s. I am doing a giveaway for a $40 giftcard to my vintage shop! I would love for you to enter here:
http://shadesofmonetmd.blogspot.com/2012/07/giveaway-braided-bandit-vintage.html
great suggestions…I love taking myself on an “artist’s date”–it can be anywhere, coffee shop, lunch, the zoo–but I go alone & with no ipod, iphone, or book (notebook is ok for jotting down inspiration). the point is to observe and just *be* in your surrounding without needing to busy yourself. I have come to love it 🙂
#8o3
Meghan
I love this! The flea market is a great place to go. I also really enjoy the farmers market too. Sometimes if I really want to hit up the farmers market & its say….Tuesday, whole foods is great too. Their produce is SO colorful! & its so calming in there (even with my 2 year old in tow:)
coffee shops & book stores are definitely at the top of my inspiring places list! the decor in coffee shops is always the most inspiring to me- rustic wooden beams, exposed light bulb chandeliers, succulents…love it!
Lovely post, you really gave me lots of ideas what I could do during my summer vacation!
From those 10 I get most inspired when I’m in a library/bookstore and on a picnic alone. Actually, being alone in some places just enables you to see more than if you were there with a companion. It’s good to go for a walk and just watch everything around you – world is a very inspirational place if you look closer, no matter where you are.
Wonderful post!! I needed this 🙂 time to get inspired and get to work!
These are all so great! I so badley wish our historical district was bigger. It’s literally an avenue lol.
– Sarah
agirlintransit.blogspot.com
You don’t always need to buy stuff to be inspired <3 My favourite ideas here are the free ones x
I am easy to inspired by the good thing that I can see. This can be place, people or anything that can touches my heart.
Thank you! I’ve been lacking inspiration lately, so this is great!
great pics and ideas!
http://babybakerlove.blogspot.com/
Lovely photos! Your blog is such an inspirational source!
I love these ideas! I find that markets are very good places for inspiration too, I always go to weekend markets in the city! x
Kate {Modette}
http://modetteblog.com
these are very good ideas. i’m wondering who the girl in the library photo is? emma with bangs? elsie with lighter hair? or someone else entirely?
fantastic post!! My ways to get information are similar 🙂
Great post! Thanks for inspiration!
http://theprintedsea.blogspot.de/
Except the country drive (I lived in the country, and everyday was a country drive,ha!), we love to do your exact favorite’s. Especially the bookstore, where me and my sister’s and mom have gone for chill/creative time since the door’s have opened!Elsie, you and Emma have serious skill’s so these are lovely hint’s to share!:)))
perfect list! i’m going to try out some of your suggestions when i’m in need for new inspiration 🙂
xo, cheyenne
This is one of my favorite posts that I’ve ever read on your blog. I absolutely love it and it makes me want to go to every one of these places *right now* and get to work!
My top place to get inspired: right here. Your blog is always such a dash of creative energy for me. Thanks so much for the awesome ideas! I will get cracking…
I usually get inspired by people more than specific places. So I talk to friends whose opinions I really respect. Or I watch a speech or a TedTalk by someone who achieved something great. It’s good to have someone to look up to, and try to reach their degree of excellence. I don’t know, it works for me. But inspiration, where ever it is found, is so important.
http://natashafatah.com
http://natashafatah.com
such a sweet idea, I’m going to try doing these things on my own next time I have nothing to do!
http://strawberryskull.blogspot.co.uk/
So I’ve been searching all over your site and I can’t find an area to subscribe to your blog. I made it a bookmark on my phone but I would prefer to subscribe so I don’t miss any posts. Hope you have something like that!
By far my favorite post of the month! I love learning where and how people get inspired. I love every spot you said, I also love sitting with my coffee at a local park, so much to inspired by. Great post.
Love this!! I completely agree. What I like to do is find different ways to go to school. It opens a different enviroment and is a good opportunity for inspiration from something different. I like to see different neighborhoods other than what I am use to and always find something new.
Such an uplifting post. Sometimes we lack moments of inspiration and it’s quite necessary to search for it! Perfect places to find it too 🙂
Cathy Trails
This is my favorite post of this blog ever ♥ I could really relate to it. I would add one thing to my personal list: to visit my grandma, with loads of books, albums, attic, basement, Barbie dolls… my Granny is a collector of all kinds of things, and she has an amazing style (she was working in fashion design all her life). Revisiting familiar places can help a lot to learn to see things from different angles. Did I say adding 1 thing? I forgot an extra: to read this blog, of course 🙂
great idea to get inspire. I guess coffee shop is the place to get inspire.
3lin
I love this post! I can’t wait to try out these ideas 🙂
Grace
http://gracep-photos.blogspot.com
Adore all of these ideas! I’ll definitely need to try some of these.
xo Heather
http://ahopelessnotebook.blogspot.com/
Great ideas! Thanks for sharing! I would just add to your list a bike ride. Since I’ve started biking I see my city in a different way, I take different paths and see lots of places I would not see by car or public transport. It makes me feel good and fill me with ideas 🙂
Thank you so much for this post… I get inspired at all of those places, but never thought about it before! Wonderful!
http://rivercitysammon.com
All of my favorite places I go!!!❤
http://www.LesliMarie.com
Love it! Something we all can find where we live!
I agree!! Coffee shops are really inspiring! I’m a writer and I find coffee shops really inspiring to work. The one I go to is my little secret since I only like going there alone. It’s a very intimate space to me.
Speaking of inspiration… I just wanted to let both you and Emma know that you two are a very large part of what inspires me. I have a (slightly demeaning/boring) summer job, in which I am allowed to browse the internet, which means I end up reading endless blog posts. This blog is my absolute most favourite to read, and I am always looking forward to the next post. It makes my slow job so much more enjoyable. To be honest, I come home full of inspiration and ideas for my own life, and feeling super creative. (Not from my work, but from reading your blog.)
I have become a big fan of food blogging from reading Emma’s posts. My hobby and passion is baking and I someday hope to open my own bakery or sweet shop of some sort. The more I read your posts, the more excited I get about baking, creating, achieving my dream job, and having a blog of my own. You guys seriously brighten my day!
I wanted to let you know that you are the main reason that I have gone ahead and started my own blog. It is a blog for a local catering business that my friend and I are starting up. I have taken many tips of yours and found them to be extremely helpful.
I am hopeful that I can reach my goals of what I want my life to be like when I am your age/what my dream job would be… and your real-life stories have encouraged me to see that it is totally possible! I cannot thank you enough for the daily boost of inspiration and creativity that you give to me and all the other readers.
You guys are amazing role models.
Thanks for taking the time to read this lengthy comment, it means a lot! I was not sure where else to put it haha.
Keep up the fantastic work! I hope one day I can travel from my home in Canada to the States and see the Red Velvet Shop in person!
Thank you again,
Larissa (Lari) 🙂
http://larissweetshoppe.blogspot.ca/
Wow, thank you for this post! I’ll definitely have to think about this article next time im feeling low on inspiration!
http://sunkset.blogspot.com
yes! I always love a good ol’ coffee shop or bakery. Currently Panera is my go to place (cuz of the free wi-fi). Once in awhile I will go to the park with my dog and people watch. Another one for me is Disneyland. I have a Seasons Pass and just sitting there with my Minnie Ears and people watching gives me some great ideas!
I library and bookstores are my favs, also i love to go to the boulevard
Lucky for me I actually LIVE in my city’s historical district. I love it! Walking home is the best…
I have always liked your blog, but lately I am seriously LOVING it. Since the recent transition to the new format and the addition of ‘everyday elsie’ the blog feels much more like it did when I first started loving it. I love a good DIY, but your voice is what grabbed me and it’s so good to be having more of it lately. 🙂
PS love this post so much.
so inspiring! thank you for this 🙂
xo
alysamadisunshine.blogspot.com
I can definitely relate to the bookstore idea! I’m addicted to magazines! I have stacks and stacks of them all over my house!
These are such great tips! I’ve been in a bit of an inspirational rut lately and this was just what I needed to read!
Xoxo Sarah
theantiquepearl.blogspot.com
That’s completely true! Hi and thanks for the nice inspiring sharing! 😉
Visiting your blog is my best way to get inspired!
http://mykitschworld.blogspot.com.es
I totally agree with your inspiration places!! http://katejones.me/
Such gorgeous ideas, I love them all! x
I am inspired when I walk by the sea. It is a rather simplistic way to be inspired but it is so peaceful and beautiful.
http://minouche.illustrateur.org/
Thanks for sharing all theese great ideas! Will keep them in mind next time I need some inspiration! Super nice blog!
Thanks for this post. Today was one of those days where I was uninspired and lacking in motivation, but reading this helped out. I think I am going to go hang out at a cool little coffee shop today. Thanks, Elsie 🙂
Elsie! Oh my gosh I needed this today. I’ve been feeling so burnt out at my job and need some inspiration. Thanks for the beautiful post!
I like your blog very much. All are really inspiration images. All are really nice. Keep it up.
A bookshop can undoubtedly become source of inspiration. Along with a nice cup of coffee one can get tons of ideas on their mind.
These are so great!
Diana
http://unusuallylovely.com
this post is so true, the best inspiration comes when you least expect it! markets are so perfect for finding unexpected things xx
http://laurenharrisart.blogspot.co.uk/
Great ways to get inspired. I also like to picnic alone.
Thank you – Now I’m inspired, as you can be inspired 😀
http://lecoursdeschoses.blogspot.de
I absolutely love the picnic idea! Perhaps I’ll give it a try! Thanks for posting 🙂
I love this post! Thank you!!!!!!!!!
love, polly 🙂
Most of your places of inspiration are great places for me too. It’s nice to refuel at places like that.
Vintagehoneybee.blogspot.com
These are great! Thank you for endless ways to get inspiration flowing 🙂
I love your pictures! Just as every post of you two!
It´s one of my favourites!!! Xx
That’s a great list!
Christen
http://www.anunordinaryhello.com
Love all these options. Love your blog.
octoberchic.com
Excellent post. Thanks Elsie!
Great list! I miss taking long drives to think and get my brain creating! One of the few downsides of moving to NYC. I suppose LA will have to be my next move to get in (a lot) more driving 🙂
the library is definitely so inspiring – just the smell of the old books, and the sound of the binding crack when you open them up is enough to get the creative energy levels up! Here in LA we get the benefit of some pretty awesomely architectural libraries too, great for the senses!
now if only libraries would sell coffee too! 😉
XO
This is a fantastic idea. Love new ways to inspire people and this is very unique and the pictures are an amazing accent. Love this post and I plan on going to all of these places and trying it out 😉
It’s amazing how much a change of scenery can supercharge your creativity. Driving around the country and libraries are my favorites. Long country drives are also the best times to discover new music.
-BekahDrey
http://bekahdrey.blogspot.com
These are all wonderful ideas! I’m going to try going on a picnic by myself sometime!
I really like all of these, particularly the country drive these are also really good ways to relax your mind from everyday stress!
turquoisewildflower.blogspot.com/
Wow, great blog.
Great ideas, Elsie! So thanks for sharing them – I’ve been trying to think of what I should do next to inspire me 🙂
Another great post! 🙂
I agree completely with the Flea Market for inspiration. You’re lucky though, Springfield has some of the best Flea Markets (and so many of them) that I’ve ever seen. Its my second favorite part of visiting my soon to be in-laws. The Springfield Trading Districts are my favorites!
Great post! I love going up to my garden and whispering sweet nothings to my plants – I always end up with loads of sweet ideas when I’m concentrating on nurturing something 🙂
Katie. xxx
Great ideas. 🙂
http://mythreadofthought.com
Beautiful Pix
You are wonderful
Ibby
Denmark
http://www.ibbyheart.com/beauty
This is such a fun post! Love it! I might just have to do a spin-off version. Thanks for the inspiration! 😀
Such a great post, Elsie. A trip to the local coffee shop always does the trick for me. 🙂
Ronnie xo
Very cool! Love to try these out 🙂
Val
http://valentinaduracinsky.blogspot.com/
You guys are an endless source of inspiration, and I’m so thankful for that!
Agree on Libraby, Coffee Shop and Bookstore!!!
Love this!!
Xo
http://kendra-genevieve-rose.blogspot.com
I am printing this out and sticking it on the fridge tomorrow! By the way, mentioned you on my blog today.
I’m not a regular reader on your blog, but I’m glad I popped by today. I’m having such a blah afternoon that I’m going to do just this…. get out of the house! Just made myself a cup of coffee, so I’ll probably swing by a flea market / antique mall, and then maybe try to find inspiration in the line at the post office 🙂 Have a beautiful day!
this is a great post.. thank u!
http://www.frankvinyl.com
great inspiration! I always love stopping by youur amazing blog
http://www.frankvinyl.com
This is a great post, and I have the typewriter from the picture;) xx