Where does inspiration come from?

I'm writing an article about sources of inspiration for quilters designing their own quilts and want to run a few ideas by my readers at this blog.
This is the view of the "big blue cupboard" I have from my worktable - there are lots of other things on the cupboard, but two of the big sources of inspiration for me are the jewel box or modified jacob's ladder block which was orphaned from a project a couple of years ago because the client did not care for pink in any form. It constantly reminds me of the importance of accuracy in piecing and the fact that with several not necessarily totally fetching fat quarters and scraps you can make a very compatible whole.
The framed print is by a local and lesser known folk artist who, I think, is very under rated. It is the view of Hall's Harbour that I have as I come down my road and enter the village from the west side. Someday I will ask Marjorie for permission to make a quilt out of that painting.
Where else do I find inspiration? Lot's of times from the sea - that's a given with Nova Scotian artists, but also a lot of time from pictures and layouts in magazines, from websites - the International Quilt Study Centre in Nebraska is high on that list, and of course from bloggers' pictures, from online fabric stores and from the large stores that still send out actual printed catalogues - I think I have every one put out by Hancock's of Paducah, Connecting Threads and Keepsake for the last ten years and wouldn't dream of throwing them out. Lately too, as I've been going through my stash trying to get a handle on inventory, I have found a trove of 1.5 inch swatches from Keepsake and a whole bunch of 2 inch ones from the New England Quilt Supply Company. Seems serendipity that at the same time, I have been looking a lot at doll quilts and "Little Quilts"
Let me know your take on inspiration!
And for those waiting for another instalment of the Sea Creatures Tutorial - I hope to have done enough more piecing to show how to put an irregular, scalloped border around the part whoch will have applique by late Sunday or early Monday.