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I have absolutely no desire to stamp or scrapbook. I just sit at my desk and just look at everything and do nothing. I don't even want to CASE a card. It has been like this for 2 weeks now. My friend wants to come over tonight and stamp with me and I really don't want to do it.
I read all the new posts on SCS but have no desire to look at the new uploads. Is this a sign that maybe I need to get out of this or just a downtime? I am getting depressed thinking about it but have no idea how to get out this funk.
My husband says "the muse is not with you" when that happens to me.
I say, don't force it. There are times when it's not productive to sit there.
Maybe you should sit down with a favorite beverage and look through a stamping/scrapbooking/craft magazine.
I just looked at the new Take 10. It always amazes me what people come up with that seems like such a simple idea. WHY didn't I think of that?
If your not a denomstrator don't worry about. Do something else you like to do that is totally un-stamp related. The desire to stamp will come back. If you are a demonstrator I would try and do enough to make minimums, and otherwise take a break.
Whoo, I have never had that slump. I don't envy you. We have had a stamp night where one gal was not in the mood, lots of things going on in her life, too busy, etc but came anyway, thinking it might help. It didn't work. Maybe you and your friend could go see a movie, instead.
I bet if I started to do housework, my stamping slump would be over and I would drop the mop. Hope something helps. but it just might take time.
I've gone thru a "writers block" if you will call it. I have no desire to stamp at all. My stamps have actually accumulated dust!! But once you come out the other side - LOOK OUT! I go crazy stamping and doing all kinds of things!!! The best cure for stampers depression (for me) is to join a swap. It will MAKE you stamp, and remind you of why you love it!! Join a small swap - 10 people max. You don't want to have to do a swap with 45 people right off the bat. You don't want to have it feel like WORK.... it should be fun!! It will help you get back in the swing. It's worked for me!! ~Pam
Sometimes I get into slumps also. Give yourself permission to do something else for awhile. Your enthusiasm may come back faster that way than if you try to force yourself to "have fun and stamp".
I agree with the above posts. You can't force creativity. I know I can be having a wonderfully productive stamping/scrapping day and if dh comes home crabby, it's gone, just like that.
Don't force it, find something that you can do that would be "de"stressing, I find that stress is the WORST thief of creativity there is. Blessings to you!
The best cure for stampers depression (for me) is to join a swap. It will MAKE you stamp, and remind you of why you love it!
Me too. When I experienced the death of a loved one I could not bring myself to do anything fun at all. Eventually I made myself join some swaps and it did come back. It'll come back to ya'. Don't worry- there's nothing wrong with you.
-Diana
__________________ Behind every successful mother is a basket of laundry!
Don't beat yourself over this. I am sure as most of us here can attest to is that stamping is for most a fun thing and even if you are a demonstrator it should still be a "fun" thing to do. Maybe you are just needing a break from everything - go get a nice book and get into it something you can enjoy whether it is romance, adventure, crime who done it - whatever - my only suggestion is that it should be a fiction so you can lose yourself awhile. A factual book can be too depressing or too much thinking goes into reading those so give yourself a break
I am in the same boat as you. I had to make my demos for a workshop tomorrow morning, and had no fun doing it. I only did it because I HAD to, and I still partially cased what I did.
Hope you start feeling up to your old stamping self!!
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I recently went for about 6 weeks without any stamping. I couldn't believe it, but I was just too busy and when I had time to stamp, I just really didn't feel like it. I looked at the stamps, looked at the mags, and just didn't care. I had a couple of things during that time that required me to stamp and as someone else said, I just CASE'd it so that I didn't have to think about it and spend time on it. but once the slump was over.... I spent about 3 straight days of stamping everything I could find! I stamped all weekend long and had to force myself to go to bed so I could go to work on Monday. So don't worry... this too shall pass. :-)
This happens to me quite frequently. I find that sometimes it stems from not having my stamping/scrapping space organized. I tend to either go into a stamping mood or a scrapbooking mood and will do only one or the other for a few weeks. Then I'll do that for awhile and switch. I keep the two hobbies pretty separate. To get back into things I always go back and look at my favorite scrapbook pages and that makes me feel creative and helps to make me want to do more favorite pages. With stamping, I just have to leave it for awhile and then to get back into it I either join a swap which makes me stamp or I get my favorite stamp set out and that will get me going.
I also enjoy other activities like reading and watching movies so these things cut into my stamping/scrapping time, too. I get anxious when I don't touch my stamps for awhile though because I've spent a lot of money on this hobby and I don't ever want to lose interest or the desire to do it.
Oh, you could also join the RAK group if you haven't already and just make yourself send a few cards. Maybe that would help get you going.
I went through that for about a month and a half. I just finally got out of it last weekend when I hauled out my Classic Convertibles set to make some masculine birthday cards. I think I as tired of working with florals (which are my fave). I found that working with stamps that are simple and don't need a lot of different colors (just black, silver and red) made it simple and fun. I only used versamark and did heat embossing on it. It made it simple with great results.
I wouldn't force it like the others said. Just let it run it's course. I was on here less and didn't look at the galleries. I think I was just too overwhelmed. If you have another hobby, concentrate on that one for a while.
It will pass...believe me, I thought for sure my hobby was over!
Roxane, I don't know where you live, but come and walk in the woods with me. It will cure anything -- beautiful blue skies, bright sunlight, colored leaves, etc, etc.
I'm almost at your point right now with this 2-week RAK I agreed to do. I can only do about 4-5 cards at a time and then I'm grouchy and have to get away from stamping. I don't know what I'll do when I get started on my Christmas cards.
Thanks everyone, it is nice to know I am not the only one who has these moments. I am a demo so I hope to get the juice flowing again soon. I will give it sometime, I think I will do a swap but will have to really wait until after the first of the year, too much going on.
I feel better just being able to get it off my chest, sometimes just talking about can make me feel better.
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I also enjoy other activities like reading and watching movies so these things cut into my stamping/scrapping time, too.
you need to rearrange your workspace. the reading cuts into stamp time, yes, but the stamp table is facing the tv so I can do both at the same time!! :lol: I enjoy both of them too much to do only one at a time.
I have been in that slump especially when I was working two jobs.
Sometimes in the day I still dont want to stamp but have found
I like stamping in the evening when everyone has gone to bed.
I have a question is the Take Ten a magazine or book and where do
you get it.
Thanks
Julie
__________________ A frown is a smile upside down!!!!!!!!!
Take Ten is a special edition magazine put out by Stamper's Sampler. Really great ideas for cards to make in about 10 minutes. Find it at a local Scrapbook store or you can order direct from the publisher.
Karrie G.
__________________ Stamp as if your life depended on it!
SCS Member #8990
I know when I haven't been motivated I just started picking up and organizing my craft room. I think once my work space was clean and organized I couldn't wait to get it messed up again!
For me, walking really helps, especially late at night. I'm able to clear my head and without even meaning to, I get creative. Sometimes I walk until I have to get back home so I can execute what I've just created in my head.
But also cleaning the stamping studio is a good thing to do. Either I get inspired, or the room gets really clean. It's a win-win.
Sometimes, I have so many ideas going through my head I have to sketch them out in the middle of the night so I don't foget them when I wake up. Other times, I walk in my stamp room and just stand there waiting for something to hit me and it doesn't.
When I'm feeling in a slump with stamping, sometimes I'll switch over to scrapping and try to do a few page layouts (which takes a couple weeks) and then I just get back into stamping when an idea hits me.
What is wrong with me?
