I haven’t been able to scrap since we started our kitchen reno. At first, it was simply that I was busy packing, setting up a temporary kitchen and figuring out how to feed the troops every day. Then I found that I was blocked. There are plenty of distractions and other things to do around here at the moment, so it would be easy to say that I just don’t have the time, but if I can write a blog post, or visit message boards, or watch bad TV shows, I know that I really do have the time to scrap, I’m just not doing it. So time to give myself a kickstart. Here’s my top ten ways to get back in a creative groove:
- Set a timer – 30 minutes is good because you really can’t stop to think too much. Glue and go, baby!
- Go back to the basics – scissors, glue, photos and a story. Keep it simple and play like you’re doing preschool crafts again. But a little bit neater.
- Find a sketch and follow it. Stray from it if you’re feeling your creative energy flowing again.
- Scraplift. Pick something from a magazine or online gallery and use it as a starting point.
- Go shopping. I have to be careful with this one though. I get overwhelmed and stalled by too many choices/decisions pretty quick.
- Get some photos printed or revisit some of your older photos. I love seeing my older boys when they were really little again and remembering the details of those days. I really want to get those stories/details recorded before they’re swept away by the rowdiness of bigger boys.
- Clean up. Not a fun solution perhaps, but often what getting in my way from scrapping again is the stuff that I’ve piled on my table since the last time I scrapped. Funny thing is it’s usually photos and papers I want to scrap with that are getting in my way!
- Browse an online gallery or some of your favourite blogs. Set a timer if you tend to get sucked in like I do.
- Crank the tunes! Something upbeat and happy. Dancing might not help you be a super productive scrapper, but it does help get the energy flowing. And it helps tune out some of those distracting things that might be calling to you.
- Check out some of your favourite challenge blogs or try a new one. Step out of your box and stretch a bit. I find that I often don’t LOVE the resulting page the first time I stretch myself, but then I’ll try it again before deciding if a new technique or whatever stays in my bag of tricks.
I could probably keep going with that, but there’s no need. Its time to carve out some scrapping time and just get scrapping! So what is your favourite way to beat scrapper’s block?
