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ugh everynight i sit down to stamp, yet create nothing.. i have tons of supplies and what not yet i cant figure out anything make. i spend tons of time surfing blogs and the gallery yet i cant create anything....maybe i need a break or something?
thanks for letting me get that out...
i'm sure this happens to others, what do you do to unblock?
I'm going through the same thing at the moment. I haven't been happy with the last couple of cards I made, and I'm finding it hard to get going again.
I've been there many times before, though, and I know it will pass after a while. It better! I've got a fortune invested in stamping toys! LOL!
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I agree; going through on here and looking what others did helps me alot; and even tho I originally think I am going to copy what they did; I end up changing it up a bit. Looking thru magazines helps me alot also!
ugh everynight i sit down to stamp, yet create nothing.. i have tons of supplies and what not yet i cant figure out anything make. i spend tons of time surfing blogs and the gallery yet i cant create anything....maybe i need a break or something?
thanks for letting me get that out...
i'm sure this happens to others, what do you do to unblock?
Have you considered joing a swap? If you haven't already, they are alot of fun, and then you are basically forced to narrow down the type of card you are going to make. I found this has really helped me!
When I am not in the mood to make a card I stamp images and color them, sometimes this helps me think of making a card other times I just have images ready for when I do make cards. I also have started doing some of the card challenges here this way I am making a card and that gets me thinking about doing something different. This should pass just give yourself a few days.
ugh everynight i sit down to stamp, yet create nothing.. i have tons of supplies and what not yet i cant figure out anything make. i spend tons of time surfing blogs and the gallery yet i cant create anything....maybe i need a break or something?
thanks for letting me get that out...
i'm sure this happens to others, what do you do to unblock?
This has happened to me a few times. Usually, I take a break. I like to sort of come up with creations but if I get into a time when my creative mojo isnt' happening, I walk away from my stamps and scrapbooking for the night and come back fresh the next day. Or the next week, however long it takes For me, there is no rush unless I have a swap due, lol!
I've also reorganized my craft room - seeing it all "different" somehow makes it all free fresh and new and starts the creativity flowing. I see papers I'd forgotten about or ribbons or embellies that give me new ideas suddenly.
Another thing that works is I will take out ONE color of cardstock, ONE type of coordinating paper, brads, ribbons, etc and say that's it. That's what you have to work with. And say here, create! LOL. I challenge myself, lol. If I have too much, I'm too overwhelmed and I can't think of what to do or what if I make the wrong choice or what if this would look better ........ too much thinking, so I say here is the CD, PP and have fun!
I go through the same thing! Sometimes I feel so overwhelmed I just don't know where to start so I just give up. It helps me to do a sketch challenge. That gives me somewhere to start. Now if I could just find more time to spend in my craft room......
Many years ago I found an article re creative block and what to do to get past it
1. go to stamp area at the same time everyday/night. Looke at magazines, technique list or just browsw thru a decorating mag. Do not force yourself to make a card or any other project.
Continue to do this everyday. Time for mojo return varies so DON'T PUSH yourself. Objective: give your mind a rest and stop pressure to MAKE something.
2. Suddenly you will discover the Mojo is back.
There's a tip for dealing with writer's block: Just start writing something. It can be as simple as sitting down with a blank page and writing, "I can't think of anything to say, so I'm going to jot down some random thoughts..." The process of making yourself go through the physical motions of writing forces your brain past the block you have imposed on the creative process.
The same method works for stamping: Just start stamping something. Trim some cardstock. Color some images. Select some embellishments. Shift the elements around. Experiment with the layout. The physical act of going through the motions gets you past the creative block you've imposed on yourself by just thinking about it. It also bypasses that internal voice that we all have, critically judging our own work even when it's in its earliest development stages.
Suspend your expectations and just start doing it. That works for me... but after reading the other suggestions in this thread, it's obvious we all have our own methods. You need to find what works best for you. At least you know that you are not the only one dealing with creative blocks.
When this happens to me, it usually because I get overwhelmed by too many stamps sets waiting to be used, embellishments, new DP's, etc. So what I'll do is go through my stuff and pick ONE thing I really love. It could be DP, a stamp, ribbon, whatever. Then I build from that. For example, if I pick a piece of DP, I get an over all 'feel' from it. The color scheme will tell me what it would work best for, a birthday card, holiday, sympathy. Then I try to imagine the right stamp to go with it. Once that's selected, usually I have a pretty good idea in my head what else will go with it.
If that fails, I go through my card sketches, and check out the current challenges.
Don't worry, creative block usually doesn't last long, and before you know it, the ideas are pouring in so thick and fast you can't sleep!
I just wait it out. I don't have time to do swaps, crops or roam online for inspiration...and my brain can't scraplift/case/whatever you call it. So I just wait until it comes back. Although I do think sometimes over-buying contributes to the problem, b/c you have so much stuff and don't know what to pick. I've been working on that too by not buying as much and getting rid of stuff more. Sometimes you just have to sort thru ur stuff until you find something inspiring...it can be a stamp, a button, a piece of pp...anything that strikes a chord. Also, I have lots of hobbies (reading, playing piano, sewing, crocheting, baking, cooking, gardening) so i just move onto something else until my scrapping/stamping mojo returns.
Sometimes it stinks b/c you may feel like ur in the mood, but its just not there. Hope yours comes back sooner than later!
creative block...
