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this may sound silly...but I know there are many folks out there that fall in the category of "emotional eaters" and while I will claim to be both...I have found recently that when I'm having a terrible day (like today) that I reach for some ink and stamps to just vent my feelings out...that and I have found it's calming to just play with the paper stuff! Anyone else find themselves reaching for their stuff when they are feeling down? just curious!
I tend to be blessed with an upbeat personality and don't have many "down" days. But when there are family members with problems I'm concerned or worried about, it helps to immerse myself in cardmaking or some other project.
When I'm concentrating on just which shade of purple looks best, I find I can't worry at the same time.
PS I know very well that worrying doesn't help, but moms just tend to do that.
__________________ Bugga in OK
"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." Dalai Lama
Wow, good question. For me, no. I was blah yesterday, not a bad day, just a day and was feeling sad. I got home sat at my craft table to work on a card, but nothing looked right. I wasn't feeling it. I sat and watched TV the rest of the night. I work better when I'm happy and well rested.
absolutely! An emotional stamper/scrapper. Not that I reach for it when I feel down. That would be smart! But when I scrap or stamp I do forget my worries and feel better after doing it.
I do not think I am an emotional scrapper/stamper. I seem to be in my craft room every day and find I work better when I am up beat, if I have a blah day then it is better if I read or clean or knit (my new thing) because the creativity is just not there.
I know that I'm an emotional eater and I wish I could be an emotional stamper. Like Erin, I am happy when I am stamping (which I've been doing quite a bit lately) but it doesn't always happen that way.
I also wish I could clean if I'm down (like Sharon). My house would look a lot better and then maybe I wouldn't get down!
Believe me, I'm not making light of the subject, I have suffered from depression and know how bad it can get. I do think I should stamp and create more. I'm throughly loving it the last week or so!
No...but I SHOULD be!! It would be much healthier than being the emotional eater that I am! *sigh*.
Like others mentioned, I just don't feel the mojo if I'm down or worried or upset about something. I need to be calm, or at least "managing" my stress in order to get any creativity flowing!
No! i can't concentrate and my mojo leaves me in a flash! I get frustrated at myself for not bieng able to produce anything. I tend to just sit and stare at the blank card totally lost!
*Hugs*
this may sound silly...but I know there are many folks out there that fall in the category of "emotional eaters" and while I will claim to be both...I have found recently that when I'm having a terrible day (like today) that I reach for some ink and stamps to just vent my feelings out...that and I have found it's calming to just play with the paper stuff! Anyone else find themselves reaching for their stuff when they are feeling down? just curious!
I think that is great! You have a way to vent! Good for you! :p
I am also an emotional eater, and I also suffer from depression, big time. On medication so the depression is mostly controlled. I just started stamping about a year ago and I find that it is excellent therapy for me. I get so involved in what I am doing that I don't think about eating and knowing I created something makes me feel great. I am not an artistic person, so mostly the cards don't turn out they way I would like them to. So I wrap the cards and dontate them to different nursing homes in the city, so they can open them like presents. Hopefully, they get a kick out of looking at them. Opps! sorry! didn't mean to ramble on so much.
I always turned to my craft room when I was having a down day. I would get lost in the paper and ink and before I knew it I was happy. Well a week and a half ago my son was deployed to Kuwait. I thought, I'll make some cards to send when I get an address. Well it isn't working. I find myself just sitting here and nothing goes together and when I do stamp sometimes tears smear the ink. Tell me this will pass and I can send him bright cheerful or funny cards.
I cry when I don't stamp the sentiment straight or after I've heat embossed, I discover stray black embossing powder that has turned my adorable bunny image into a leper.
Does that count? ;)
__________________ "Satan trembles when he sees the weakest saint on his knees."
I'm too busy eating to stamp if I'm upset. :lol: :lol: I can't stamp if I'm in a bad mood. That darkness seems to flow onto the paper, so I usually just watch tv or knit to take my mind off things.
I cry when I don't stamp the sentiment straight or after I've heat embossed, I discover stray black embossing powder that has turned my adorable bunny image into a leper.
Does that count? ;)
I feel your pain, Ted. For me, though, it's usually a crooked sentiment. Waaaaaaa!!!!!
Man I wish I could be an emotional stamper, because I sure do reach for the chocolate! I tend to stay out of the craft room when I'm feeling low. During those times my motivation goes down the drain and I tend to get frustrated which just makes things worse.
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I can't be creative when I'm not in a good mood to start out. I just get even more frustrated and nothing seems to flow. I'm pretty slow when it comes to designing a card so a certain amount of patience is needed that just isn't there if I'm feeling crappy to begin with. Great question and some really interesting answers.
I cry when I don't stamp the sentiment straight or after I've heat embossed, I discover stray black embossing powder that has turned my adorable bunny image into a leper.
Does that count? ;)
LOL! If I'm an emotional stamper, it's that kind, too, Ted. Less crying and more growling though!
If I'm already having a down day, nothing I do in stamping will turn out right anyway, so it's best left for a day when I have positive feelings to guide me to the "zone."
I really started stamping and scrapbooking the most right after my dad was diagnosed with Lymphoma. Once I got in the habit of stamping when I was upset, I just kept stamping all the time!! LOL
Honestly, when I am stressed its great to stamp.....when I am depressed my projects are just ugly! But it does make me feel better just to create something!
I definitely fall into the category of not being able to stamp when I'm down. I wish I could pick myself up by stamping, but I always end up not liking anything I make when I'm down.
__________________ Julie my gallery
I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Phillippians 4:13
I get easily frustrated when I'm down and find that I can't be creative, so it's best to stop and spend time on SCS looking at all the creative cards others have made.
When I am stressed, I go to my card station and create. It gets my mind off the thing that is stressing me because I need a clear mind to get the right image, with the right paper, with the right embellishment,.....If I am in panic attack mode, the thought of food makes me sick and I have to force myself to eat. I lost 35 lbs. this past year. Joined a program and started exercising daily. Now I just need to keep it off.
I'd have to say no. If I'm really down or stressed, I tend to find it hard to sit at my craft desk and concentrate. Instead I tend to reach for a good book or a video game.
I'm right there with you, laadeedaa! When I'm stressed, stamping/making cards always relaxes me. I shattered my wrist in November and just this past week have been able to "get creative" again. The chocolate calls me frequently, but since I can stamp again, maybe I can drop these lbs. I've gained! Isn't it great to have an outlet! Take care and keep on stamping!
Yes, I'm one of these. If I'm down I find stamping and paper crafting generally lifts me right up and out of myself, like a good book or movie. It's like vacation from myself. I can lose myself totally, lose track of time, and then when I emerge, my negative emotion has subsided, and I can deal with the problem.
I am emotional and passionate about my stamping. I think it comes through my cards. It is definitely soothing and comforting for me to create. I think what also helps me is that I listen to Christian music as I stamp, and a lot of my cards focus on God. It also helps to think about the joy that someone will get when they recieve my card. Just a few thoughts on why stamping helps me.
I stamp (and eat) when I'm both happy and sad. But, I gotta tell ya, stamping has gotten me through the absolute worst times . . . Not to be too morbid, but, my dear mother-in-law and father-in law were diagnosed with cancer and died in the same year. I also lost my Mom that year to Parkinsons. Being the nurse in the family, I was their hands-on caregiver. It was either stamping or Prozac. I still think of them and honor them in my own way through stamping. In fact, just stamped a card this week about cookies and embroidery, and, yep, made me think of Mom's needle work and fabulous sugar cookie recipe.
It's just not possible to create something you love and be in a bad mood.
If I am tired (I usually am...) or stressed out (which I usually am as well) or in a bad mood the "mojo" doesn't flow, baby... It's frustrating because I WISH it would cheer me up, but as others said, I just can think if all my wires are crossed.
When I'm in a bad mood I watch TV, snack or sleep... Or all three. And yes I'm on anti-depressants!!! lol
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When I'm having an "emotional" day, I just BUY stamping stuff, never actually get around to USING it. Does that count as being an emotional stamper? LOL
My DH will say to me if I get down or really crabby, "would you just go stamp something!" so yes, I guess you can say I'm an emotional stamper!!!!!!!!!!! LOL
Man I wish I could be an emotional stamper, because I sure do reach for the chocolate! I tend to stay out of the craft room when I'm feeling low. During those times my motivation goes down the drain and I tend to get frustrated which just makes things worse.
Well, I'm not an emotional stamper, or sewer..... but I am an emotional piano and guitar player. If (when) I find myself in an emotional nose dive and I try to sew or stamp nothing good will come of it. Stamping and sewing gives me too much time to "think". Like....... which fabric, which pattern, which stamp, which paper, which ribbon...... on and on.
BUT! When I play the piano or guitar, there is no guess work. The notes are right there in front of you. Sometimes I will play for 6 or 7 hours non stop. At the end of that time I either feel better or I am even more morose than when I started. So I try to stay away from pieces that have any sentimental attachment to them. I also stay away from pieces that I have to struggle through.
So, I use music as my cathartic. I don't listen to music, I make the music. Sometimes it ends well, sometimes not. But stamping and sewing just aren't possible for me when I'm in turmoil.
__________________ A good dog, a sewing machine, and an old guitar......
I'm not sure I would call mine emotional, but I do seem to do things with passion.LOL
It is definintely my creative side that can take me away just like those Calgon bath commercials. It is a comforting place to be in my mind and a day without stamping is usually not a great day!!!!
__________________ LizThe joy of the LORD is my strength.Right Brain Madness --My blogProud member of the redDivasKSS certified multi-step stamperFan Club member since 2004