Fellow Michigander in Brooklyn Lesley Williams is a creative force to be reckoned with.
Her blog Creative Cookie is largely about her passion for fashion — she charmed her way into covering New York Fashion Week and has befriended some of the Project Runway talent — with healthy doses of art, crafting and decorating, among other creative muses. Last fall she launched a handmade zine, Easily Inspired, which she describes as “my take on fashion focused inspiration.”
And the brunches she hosts with her fiance, Kamau Ware, are creative showcases. Anyone can have people over for food and drink, although theirs is above average, but they also use their gatherings to showcase creative friends, so they might include live music, a film screening, a reading or whatever else strikes their fancy.
We’re fortunate to have met them through Brooklyn Artists Gym, where John used to paint and Kamau did some event planning work. Kamau and Lesley bought one of the first paintings John sold in New York so when we go to their brunches, it’s an honor to see his piece mixed into the stew of creativity.
The DIY Business Association Blog recently did a Q&A with Lesley on creativity — how she became creative, what inspires her, how she overcomes creative ruts.
Under the headline is “Rock your most creative self,” Lesley offers these tips:
What tips for being your most creative self?

1.Start small. Set attainable goals, each week, for your creative life. This could simply involve visiting a thrift shop, making a card, or watching a film.
2.Find accountability. Share your creative interest by maintaining a blog, joining a group, or taking a class. By engaging others in your exploration, you’ll find a support system and, maybe, a few champions of your work.
3.Spend time alone—even if it’s only 30 minutes a week to journal, collage, or stitch.
4.Do it now. If you have a creative impulse, act on it. There’s no better time than the present.
5. Never say or let anyone tell you that you are not creative. “There are moments in all of our lives where we might be stagnant, but we all have the innate urge, ability, and right to create something that did not exist before,” Williams says. “We are all creative in some shape or form.”

From Lesley’s Creative Cookie welcome to the new year:

My creative start for 2011 has included  gathering materials for collaging, writing notes of gratitude, and celebrating things big and small — there’s oodles to smile about. Life is not “perfect” but its pretty darn good & 2011 is showing promise of becoming a super snazzy year.