Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree…Fa la la la la la la la la!

By Shana Karn, Co-Owner of The Second Knob Gifts & Antiques, Owner of Shots by Shana Photography

Yes, I do randomly break out in song during the holidays. So what? It doesn’t matter if I’m home alone, or shopping with hundreds of others at the mall. When the mood hits, I just let it go! And, yes, sometimes I do merge Christmas carols. I’ve always attempted to be creative and do my own thing, so why not combine Oh Come All Ye Faithful and Joy to the World?  And, maybe Rudolph really does ride in a one horse open sleigh?  And, who doesn’t think that seeing Mommy kissing Santa Claus didn’t lead to Grandma getting run over by a reindeer? If you ask me, these two suspicious events are definitely linked.

Albert Einstein said, “Creativity is contagious. Pass it on.” I wholeheartedly agree with him, which is exactly why I am spending this morning writing about creativity; I AM hereby “passing it on” to you. Being the co-owner of a gift & antique shop allows me to frequently use creative expression. Stop at our shop and browse through the seven rooms of gifts—each a shining example of my creative freedom. Whether it is repurposing two old ladders and barn boards into a shelf or finding a way to make a wall of garland visually appealing, the shop is one big example of my creative expression. I am lucky in that I have a forum for my creativity.

Dictionary.com says creative means resulting from originality of thought. Yes, this just about sums up creativity. I possess original thoughts, therefore I am creative. Years from now, when folks are tweeting and facebooking this quote, you will think to yourself, “Ah yes that was one of Shana Karn’s quotes. I knew her when….” I am most creative when I’m looking at the antiques. Unlike my Dad and the shop’s co-owner, who looks at them and finds their history “neat,” I look at them and find their possibilities endless. I love the idea of re-purposing—who doesn’t thanks to HGTV shows like “Flea Market Flip?”         I look at an old wooden lard pail and think, “Fill it with inexpensive slipper socks and leave it at the front door…add a sign that welcomes friends to remove their shoes and slip into something more comfortable.” This year, antique and vintage totes and old ladders are my all time favorite pieces for getting creative. I use them for display—but I love to give customers ideas for purposeful use, too! Being creative is much easier when you are getting creative about something you truly enjoy or love!

Of course, another outlet for my creativity is my photography: Shots by Shana Photography. I truly enjoy and love photography. Whether I am shooting kids, families, weddings or senior pictures I find myself always waiting for the “a-ha” shots; those specific moments when I snap a picture and the light is “just right” or the subject’s smile is the real deal. I love shooting outdoors, off the beaten path. It’s me, my camera and a subject (or subjects) and often a prop or two and it is FUN. The more creative I am with poses or people (often both), the more fun the shoot is. There is a dynamic in families and, frequently, after just a few minutes, I am able to figure it out and then I know whether I need serious or funny or adventurous or laid back—and no matter what the dynamic dictates, it always demands creativity.

You may consider yourself “not at all creative” but creativity is expressed in endless ways—perhaps you are not “crafty” but are a creative cook; or maybe you cannot decorate a room but you can write a brilliant story; maybe you can’t draw a picture but you think outside the box. Creativity is somewhere within each of us just waiting to be discovered and unleashed. This year, find yours.