Making Creativity Come True

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What does it take to turn a creative idea into reality? It seems like a simple question, but truly creative ideas are tricky critters: they don't fit well with existing ways of doing things, they create conflicts between people, and they can even cause companies to go under. And the worst part is, truly creative ideas usually fail. After all, it's their novelty and uniqueness that make them creative in the first place, so it's no surprise that they don't always work. Companies (and people) famously abhor change for exactly these reasons. Sure, that idea sounds great - why don't YOU try it out and let me know how it goes? So what makes a particular creative idea likely to be implemented, and when are you likely to be able to see your idea turn into reality?

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Friday Finds: Cool Products!

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For today's batch of internet inspiration, we've got a pile of wonderfully clever home gadgets. Starting at top left, there's (1) a soda bottle drip catcher, (2) a bathtub desk, (3), the "Hamdogger", (4) a thumb page-holder, (5) an umbrella pot, (6) the "Lay 'n Go" lego mat, (7) a clever no-mess paintbrush, (8) the easy "Drain Changle" de-clogger, (9) anti-theft sandwich bags, (10) the "Cushy Closer", (11) a magnet tiny parts bracelet, and (12) the owl earbud-declutterer.

All of these products are wonderfully simple and creative solutions to otherwise annoying little problems, from tangled earbuds to a crippling lack of hamburger buns. In several cases the inventions were also serendipitous discoveries. Jennifer Briggs invented the Drain Changle after accidentally clearing a clogged drain with an errant piece of floss, for example. Spending a few bucks to support creators like her is a fantastic idea, but with a bit of creative adaptation and DIY spirit, these gadgets would also all make fun home projects as well. So feel free to get your hands dirty and impress your friends; although enjoying other people's creativity is okay too.

Happy Friday!

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I'd Scan That!

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As QR codes have become more common, they've begun to fade in the eyes of consumers. Getting people to pull out their phones and scan over to the advertiser's website is taking a bit more work, but with a 30% tolerance in readability some designers have taken license to play. I recently came across this fun compilation on Mashable of some of the most creative designs out there, with more at BitRebels.

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Update: Click on through for some fun concept re-designs of those ubiquitous UPC bar codes.