We’ve all been there before – you’re burning the candle at both ends and are getting closer and closer to creative burnout. You’re clinging to the mantra, “No rest for the weary” as you rapidly begin to lose steam.

Though we’ve heard time and time again that you should get no less than seven hours of sleep each night, in this day and age with the busy schedules that we all juggle, getting adequate amounts of sleep each night is nothing short of impossible.

Thomas Edison agreed. Yes, the Thomas Edison, the famous inventor and idea person believed that his invention of the incandescent light bulb would liberate people from the constraints of sleep.

That’s why Edison was an advocate for naps.

But, not just any nap – power naps. Now, Edison wasn’t a supporter of sleep for lazy purposes. Rather, he encouraged people to get their rest for the creative, productive and overall work-ethic benefits that resulted.

Idea people, listen closely. If you’ve been struggling with a creative block, we might have found what you need to jump over this hurdle and never look back. The answer is sleep!

Though Edison seemed to be very proud of his lack of sleep, it was said that he only got as little as three to four hours of sleep each night. But, Edison did take power naps.

All throughout his property were napping cots. You could find these cots in his library and even in his laboratories. Though he had cots for his power naps, he wasn’t afraid to rest in some peculiar places, like under a tree in the middle of the day!

So, why did he like naps more than a full night’s rest? Edison believed that his napping helped counterbalance the intensity of his labor. Most days, he would take a nap or two. When he woke up from his quick rest, he was reinvigorated and ready to tackle the next problem.

The lesson to be learned here is that sleep is a necessary piece to the innovation puzzle. Sleep allows for you to reignite your creativity, to see things in a new light and to build on ideas that you previously struggled with. Rest is essential in helping us reach and exceed an even higher standard than we set out to attain on our pursuits for creative excellence.

Burned out? A good rest can help.

Copyright Davison, 2016

Sources:

https://www.brainpickings.org/2013/02/11/thomas-edison-on-sleep-and-success/

Images:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9d/Thomas_Edison2.jpg

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Saturday, December 5th would have been Walt Disney’s 114^th birthday!

Walt Disney is known as one of the most creative animators and entrepreneurs of all time. Did we also mention that he just so happens to be one of our founder and CEO George Davison’s inspirational heroes, too?

Born on December 5, 1901 near Chicago, Illinois, Walt Disney always had an innate desire to create.

Though we know Walt Disney, of course, for his popular creations of Disneyland and Disney World, we wanted to share with you five fun facts that you might not have known about Walt Disney himself!

1. At the age of 16, Disney dropped out of high school in the hopes of joining the Army, but was rejected for being too young. Instead, he was able to become an ambulance driver for the Red Cross in France.
2. Disney’s first animation studio was named Laugh-O-Gram. It was here that he began to tell modernized fairytales that were based on Aesop’s Fables. However, the studio went bankrupt (Luckily, that roadblock didn’t deter Disney!).
3. Disney was known for his skills as an animator; but, he also gave voice acting a chance as well. Mickey Mouse was created in 1928 and from there until 1947, the voice of the mouse was provided by none other than Disney himself, before it was turned over to an English voice actor. However, Disney loved the Mickey Mouse character so much that he returned to the studio in 1955 to voice Mickey Mouse shorts for his company’s television show, The Mickey Mouse Club.
4. After Disneyland opened, Walt Disney wanted to build a ski resort in California’s Sequoia National Park that mimicked a Swiss-style base village. Though Disney received approval from all governmental agencies, unfortunately when Disney passed away in 1966, the company felt that it could only handle one project at a time, thus deciding to spend their time completing Disney World.
5. Walt Disney won 22 Academy Awards and was nominated 59 times between 1932 and 1969.  Three of these awards were created specifically for him, one of which was for his creation of Mickey Mouse, while another recognized his contribution of music in the animation field and finally, an Oscar was given to honor Snow White and the Seven Dwarves that featured a traditional Oscar statuette and seven mini versions along with it.

Without a doubt, Walt Disney’s creativity and innovative legacy live on through the many parks, films and other memorabilia that now bear his name.

So, to commemorate Walt Disney’s birthday, we hope that you enjoyed these five fun facts that you might not have known about the man whose creativity continues to inspire creative minds all over the world!

If you have the same undeniable determination to bring your creative ideas to life, submit your idea today.

Copyright Davison, 2015

Sources:

http://www.biography.com/people/walt-disney-9275533#video-gallery

http://www.inc.com/larry-kim/31-surprising-facts-about-walt-disney.html

http://entertainment.time.com/2013/10/16/10-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-walt-disney/

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4004/4697933152_f4430ec5b7_b.jpg

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We think that you will be, too, whether you consider yourself to be “creative” or not!

In the documentary, professionals that many people would deem creative, including an author, a filmmaker and a computer scientist, delve deep into the creative process, “discovering and inventing new processes that yield great ideas.”

They explore the varying meanings of creativity and suggest that it is simply making something that didn’t exist before, like a work of art or a new dinner entree!

The video also reinforces the notion that creative people must push their ideas forward, whether they feel that their “light bulb illuminates or not.” Further, the documentary suggests that all ideas are a sort of “remix” of another idea or as we like to call it, a “Better Way” of doing something.

There are so many great messages about creativity in the video. In fact, one of the interviewed sources says that idea people should realize that, “Your ideas are not you. Criticisms of your idea are not criticisms of you.”

For inventors, idea people and anyone who has ever been told that they’ve dreamed “too big,” the video is a must see:

Copyright Davison 2014

Sources:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weIQIthC3Ks#t=48

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January 17 is National Kid Inventors’ Day and we wanted to talk about how this day came to be and why encouraging kids to use their imaginations and creativity towards inventing is a great idea!

The basis of this holiday is to acknowledge the past and present accomplishments of kid inventors and, additionally, to encourage the creativity of future kid inventors.

So, what exactly is the significance of January 17? Well, this was the birthday of famous inventor Benjamin Franklin, who was born in 1706. While Franklin is best known for his inventions, like the bifocal glasses among various others, at the age of 12, he also invented the first swim flippers!

Although tomorrow is the national celebration of kid inventors, on November 8, 2013, we had a kid inventors’ day of sorts at our creative-design facility, Invention land, when we hosted an event that was sponsored by WQED’s Design Lives Here. At the event, middle school students from across the Pittsburgh region participated in four different inventing activities, such as the Speedy Shelter, Zip Line, Paddle Power and Invention Challenge. Through their participation in the 2013 Invention Convention, the students were given a chance to exercise their creativity and ingenuity through S.T.E.M (science, technology, engineering and math).

Despite the fact that every day is a great day to inspire your kids to be creative and exercise their imaginations, tomorrow, in particular, is the perfect time to give them a boost.

Here are a few tips and ideas to motivate your kids to think outside of the box and use their imaginations!

• Sit down with your kids, give them a blank piece of paper and let them brainstorm and dream up their ideas for inventions. Ask them questions about their inventions to spur their creativity.
• Help your kids make a prototype of the invention. Now, this doesn’t have to be the most extensive prototype. Rather, gather objects from around the house and work with your child to turn an idea from their imagination into a tangible prototype.
• Just like at Davison when we challenge inventors to “Dare to Invent,” encourage your child to enter their invention into a science fair or contest. This will not only motivate them to put their best foot forward, but it will also give them experience in communication by presenting and explaining their project to others.

National Kid Inventors’ Day shines a light on just how important kids can be in the invention of new products. Be your child’s biggest advocate and encourage them to follow their dreams, no matter how big or how small they may be!

Copyright Davison 2014

Sources:

http://www.examiner.com/article/january-17-is-kid-inventors-day

http://news.yahoo.com/jan-17-ditch-resolutions-day-kid-inventors-day-152800119.html

http://www.kidinventorsday.com/

Images:

http://www.kidinventorsday.com/

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The following list of 29 ways to stay creative has been floating around the Internet. And, it is pretty good, but who validates the efficacy of the tips? We do, while adding some of our own ideas with the help of credible sources (They have to be credible, they’re on the Internet).

1.) Make lists: Based on the fact that VH1 still exists, America loves lists. Here’s why.

2.) Carry a notebook everywhere: Garry Keller, co-founder of Keller Williams agrees.

3.) Try free writing: Like your English 101 professor made you do.

4.) Get away from the computer: And your smartphone, and your tablet and text messaging.

5.) Quit beating yourself up

6.) Take breaks: They’re right, according to Science.

7.) Sing in the shower: We don’t know if this makes you more creative, but you sound like it.

8.) Drink coffee: Or just go to a coffee shop and drink water.

9.) Listen to new music: Listen to a genre of music you’ve never heard before.

10.) Be open: This tip seems pretty obvious.

11.) Surround yourself with creative people: It worked in Zurich in 1916.

12.) Get feedback

13.) Don’t give up

14.) Practice, practice, practice: For only 10,000 hours!

15.) Allow yourself to make mistakes

16.) Go somewhere new: OR just take a new route to work.

17.) Count your blessings

18.) Get lots of rest: Or step away from your workspace, and read four pages from a book that brings you delight.

19.) Take risks: Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City suggests a biological explanation for why certain people tend to live life on the edge — it involves the neurotransmitter dopamine, the brain’s feel-good chemical. – Time.com

20.) Break the rules: This tip seems as trite as “thinking outside of the box.” But for the sake of consistency.

21.) Don’t force it

22.) Read a page of the dictionary

23.) Create a framework: But first, find out what a framework is.

24.) Stop trying to be someone else’s perfect: This goes without saying. But Daniel Craig’s approval would be nice.

25.) Got an idea? Write it down: See number 2.

26.) Clean your workspace: Unless you are Al Gore.

27.) Have fun: We definitely have fun.

28.) Finish something: Finishing is tough. Here’s some help.

29.) Collaborate: See number 11.

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There is simply nothing better than lovely locks. The bob, the beehive, the mullet, the mohawk, the Hamill Camel, corn rows, afros… oh hair!

We made a musical about it; spend billions of dollars to tame it, color it, grow it; and we buy wigs and add weaves to make it better than that we can grown on our own.

Ours is a culture obsessed with hair. It’s nothing new. As long as there have been humans, there has been hair envy. The Egyptians, the Greeks and the Romans paid attention to every hair on their heads; and it’s pretty much the same today.

But, let’s focus on some more recently invented hairstyles. If nothing else, it’s good for a laugh. We could have told you that anything called ‘the beehive’ was a bad idea!

Stylish, Inventive Hairstyles to Celebrate

1950s:  Plenty of Elvis imitators could be seen walking around. Guys were super slick with greased-up pompadours and ladies were lovely with long bobs and equally-stylish pixie cuts. The bouffant was also big (literally) and the ponytail made an appearance.

1960s:  Plenty of the looks from the 50’s had staying power… and the beehive was born. Bigger was clearly better; looks were full-bodied and voluminous! Generally speaking, curlers were ‘in’ and hairstyles took quite a bit of work to achieve perfection.

1970s:  Holy hippies! Looks were longer and less ‘done up.’ Parted in the middle and straight down to the waist was a common style. The shag made an appearance and the feathered look was hot, thanks to Farrah! The Hamill Camel, popularized by figure skater Dorothy Hamill, was a terrific short hairstyle. And, many African-Americans popularized a more free look with the advent of the afro.

1980s:  Hair was BIG. Big bangs and Aqua Net hairspray were a must. We basically looked like founding members of Motley Crue. The mullet was another equally-unflattering 80s look. Tails were a happening look for guys (and by happening, we mean we should have never let that happen!)

1990s:  The 90s were less hideous than the 80s, which isn’t saying much. Apparently, we took some cues from George Clooney and Jennifer Anniston. ‘The Rachel’ was popularized, thanks to a character on the hit-show, Friends. And, guys started to emulate George Clooney’s Caesar-esque ‘do. Sideburns got long and grunge looks gained some popularity. There was generally more variety and fewer big-haired fools polluting the environment with aerosol cans.

2000 and beyond: The modern mane pretty much comes in all sizes, colors and styles. Straightening irons are hot (literally and figuratively), but waves and curls, both loose and tight, are also in. Bangs are big and messy; un-styled ‘do’s are nice for summer. MTV tends to influence the younger folks to add streaks of color or height on top. Red carpet up-do’s remain popular for fancy affairs. Color, highlights and lowlights have been a mainstay in the millennium so far.

Recently, there also has been a Davison-designed product that has been “making waves” in the hair industry!  Stylists Emilio and Gino brought their over 40 years of hair-styling expertise to Davison, along with an awesome idea for trimming your own bangs at home.  Beautiful Bangs, a sleek, easy-to-use tool for maintaining style at home, emerged!

What will the next “mane” attraction be?  Time will tell!  Happy Hair Day!

(The Beautiful Bangs client has not realized a net profit)

A typical project does not get a royalty agreement, sell in stores or generate a profit.

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