Expressing myself #1: Building a fortress

As a teenager, privacy in a house full of family can be difficult. My room is the only place where I truly feel it belongs to me and I can do whatever I please. I am lucky to have parents who don’t restrict me in any way when it comes to expressing my creativity. One way I express myself is through creating a space that represents me.

I get my creative side from my dad and he taught me very early on, that the things you create by yourself are more valuable to one than the things that are simply bought. That’s why I like to make decorations from scratch, get my hands dirty, so that I will be proud of the end result. I like to see my room and my creations as projects, because it gives me a goal to work towards. Of course the decor I make evolves with time, my interests and my mood, but the important thing is to never throw anything away. I am happy to say that I consider many of my projects to be art. They inspire me everyday and make me smile.

This started out as an empty canvas. The most important conditions I have is to create something that a) reflects my personality and b) inspires me. Of course there’s the aspect of the piece looking good and fitting into the vibe I want to generate in my bedroom (which is a positive, fun, light, easy, quirky but also slightly moody one by the way), but in first place I want the process of creating my project to be fun.

Collaging is probably my favourite thing to do when I’m bored or just in the mood. It’s easy and makes for great decoration and even presents for friends or family. I like the sticky glue, the washi tape with it’s cool patterns, the glitter, the mess and the feeling of achievement when you’re done. For me, it’s basically the coolest hobby ever. Every collage I make turned out differently and I love the procedure of positioning pictures, quotes, drawings, stickers, ribbons…. the list just goes on and on.

I sometimes get these creative surges, compelling me to start a new project. I love that about myself because my ideas never cease to amaze me. At first I had difficulties with putting my visions into practice but I’m slowly getting the hang of it and looking at ideas realistically, trying to reduce the things I need for the given project into things I already have. The Internet is a great place to draw inspiration from. Just by simply looking at pictures online I can get the idea for my next project.

I like to collect brochures, leaflets, little cards, ads, postcards and pictures to hang on this metal string-like thing I purchased really cheap from IKEA. The thing I like about it is that I can constantly change it and shape it into a story of my experiences, memories, dreams and just random shit.

I also collect magazines that I categorise in a shelf I have just for them. They are also sources of inspiration for me, even if they’re from 2008 for example. Magazines in general fascinate me; the layout, the photography, the fashion, the content… Everything carefully structured to generate a certain vibe or feeling. I love that. Yes, magazines promote beauty and body type standards that pressure us to look a certain way, but I generally enjoy looking through them on a lazy day or cutting eye catching snippets out for my collages.

Last but not least I like to put hidden messages in my room – small things, that have a positive impact on me when I spot them. This little note above is on my door. Every morning when I get ready to go to school I will see this and instantly smile. Smiling improves your mood instantly, as science has proven, so it’s a fun gesture I do for myself.

I truly believe that in order to have good work ethic and be happy, one must have a place to do so. If you are surrounded by things that motivate and inspire you, doing homework will be half as bad. If you’re in a place you feel comfortable in, it will be one of the places you go for some me-time.