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Friday, August 30, 2013

Zoey Washington on Creativity


Zoey Washington is not only a fashion editor and illustrator for major fashion magazines, she's also the founder and force behind LITTLEbird - helping fashion forward kids, teens and parents learn the essentials of a versatile,  and individual wardrobe.  As part of our Creativity Made Simple campaign, Zoey took time to talk with us about her love of crafting and sewing.

Creativity Made Simple is all about finding the time do what you love even when life is busy. Have your own question for Zoey? Share in the comments below, and she will select five to answer.

Make sure to check out her awesome fashion-inspired friendship necklace project, too!


1. How do you make time to craft?
Crafting, for me, isn’t always about having a designated time. Which is why I love quick and easy fashion projects that often originate with a vintage item or something that I have laying around my closet. For me, crafting is about taking something and making it better, more interesting and most importantly, more personalized. I think that DIYing is the perfect way to transform an everyday item, like a t-shirt or clip earrings into a one-of-a-kind treasure that expresses my personal style.

2. Who/what was your influence to craft?
I have loved fashion since I was a little girl. I love how fashion mixes creativity with business and problem solving. But who can afford everything that they see in magazines? No one. So my strongest influence has always been in magazines and high fashion. I love taking an idea that was made for the masses and tweaking it to express myself. My mother and grandmother both know how to sew, which was always a huge inspiration.

3. Name a crafting item you can't live without.
I cannot function without a glue gun. It is the working woman’s sewing machine, in my book. When I was in college I would even hot glue the hem in my pants because I was too lazy to get them altered (I don’t advise that, by the way). Now my glue gun goes with me from city to city because I am always plopping something vintage on an old purse or adding rhinestones to any and everything.

4. Someone says, "I'm not creative." How do you respond?
When someone says, “I’m not creative.” I give the same answer, as when people say, “I have no style.” I say, “That is simply not true, you just haven’t discovered it yet.” Most people think that creativity or style means that you know EXACTLY how you want to look and that everything you do turns our picture perfect. But in reality, creativity is always present in what we do. From what you wear to work to the car your drive, you have made a series of decisions that express your sensibility and style. Being creative doesn’t mean that you hand-make everything or that you have a glue gun at the ready. Being creative is about how you put things together, and that can exist on the simplest level. Being creative often involves not being perfect and seeing the fun and beauty in the process of making something. Once you realize that you will start to look at yourself and your time differently.


Read posts from our Creativity Made Simple influencers Vickie HowellTim HoltzKim ByersTori SpellingRachel Faucett, and Amy Bell, too!

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