Voices and Ginsu knives...sorry, no sex

Writers have different ways of approaching a new story. Ideas come from everywhere if we take the time to see them. Some writers talk about ‘the voices talking to them’ and stuff like that. Nothing wrong with that I guess as long as they don’t instruct the writer to pick up a stapler or extra-sharp No. 2 and go all Ginsu on somebody.
I don’t hear voices and I’m pretty sure it would freak me out if I did. But ideas and phrases come to me when I take the time to recognize them. It’s usually in the quieter moments, like folding laundry or when I’m driving. Most of the time I leave the radio off in the car because the constant chatter keeps me from thinking about anything other than the daily radio topic.
And I love those moments when an interesting way to say something just pops in from….somewhere. Maybe the subconscious.
Because I think for writers, even when we’re not concentrating on our story the subconscious is still mulling it over and thrashing it about, trying to work out the plot, the many subplots, and all the other aspects that tend to drive us slightly nuts.
Hmmmm….probably explains some of the voices.
So how do you approach a story? Do you start with a small idea and expand it until it grows into a full fledged story? Do voices tell you what to write? What’s your method for getting the words down on paper?