You're so creative!

Sometimes when my sister sees things I have made, she will comment, "oh, you always were the creative one!" in an admiring tone of voice. And I feel a bit embarrassed, because while I like the things I make, I don't always see them as being "creative". I take a pattern, change it slightly, add a bit of embroidery or some fancy buttons. It's something I think anyone could do--but not everyone does. What makes us creative? Is it the way we were brought up? My sister and I are two years about, were brought up pretty much the same. What sort of environment encourages creativity?

I grew up comfortable, but with a large family and not always a lot of money for extras. So I loved the idea of being able to create the things I wanted. This turned into being able to create things that were different from what anyone else had--a bit different from my sister, who enjoyed dressing in the same manner of her peers. This attitude has carried over into how I dress my children--I enjoy making clothing that is slightly different, with unique touches that makes it apparent they weren't just bought at the store. But sometimes I still feel I have to work at being creative, that my ideas are just copies of things I admire. As I look to a wider range of inspiration, I am starting to feel I have acquired my own style, but I still feel a bit wobbly.