Creative is defined on many levels for me.
Primarily I define it as making something new out of an assortment of unrelated and related things.
In the past I preferred to use patterns, recipes, or other formulas to guarantee my success. First time or tenth time. I still used the formula.
In the end, product did not end up like the picture. That was on me. I make a mistake somewhere on the defined path.
This was meaningful work and I was happy with what I was doing.
But I realize now I was merely a copier. Not really a creative.
Today I wonder where was the spirit to make things more my own in those days. Why did I feel compelled to follow the “rules” and do what it said? As I write this I realize that my process was out of a well conditioned habit to do what you were “supposed to do”.
Now, years later, perhaps wiser, I see that I can make things my own. Change it here or there, use different colours, knit it here instead of crochet, draw extra lines, not use full sentences.
So, my meaning is now adjusted to making something new out of many things, my own way.
That feels more Creative. Now to get rid of the formulas!