The creative process can come from one of two places...  

Discipline, or chaos. The disciplined artist has a goal in mind, and the skills to reach that goal through planning, preparation and patience. These photos are of works by disciplined artists...The Tiger is a watercolor by my father, and the quilt is by my mother-in-law.

Both of these people are organized and methodical, and achieve beautiful results through such an approach. 

I am of the School of Chaos.

I almost never have a design in mind when I begin work. Instead I scatter gemstones on my workbench like a voodoo priest would scatter chicken bones, hoping that they will speak to me in some way. First a shape may come to mind, and then I might draw some random lines within the shape on paper (if I can find a pencil). If that looks promising, I will make a bezel for the stone most appealing and plunge into cutting out layers of silver which sometimes ends up working nicely, other times not. I have managed to put together some interesting pieces out of previously unsuccessful attempts, but sometimes that has required leaving the scraps sitting on my bench for months. Getting in the way, and gathering dust.

I wish that I could be organized, and plan my material expenses and the use of my time, etc. My mind simply doesn't function that way. Even the word "function" is an overstatement. Entropy is the very definition of my daily life, and it is a struggle to accomplish much at all some days.

Whenever I have had conversations with people who are not involved in any sort of artistic endeavours, I invariably hear the "I wish I had talent like you" kind of comment. To those white-collar folks jealous of the artisan lifestyle, DON'T BE.

For the chaotic artist, life is usually one frustration after another, with little financial security and even less emotional stability. You think your life behind a desk is boring? I'll trade you. I do what my chromosomes tell me I'm supposed to do, but I do so kicking and screaming. If I were remotely good at math, I would go into banking and make myself a comfortable life. If I could trade my musical skills for a strong sense of discipline, I would do it in a heartbeat.