I must have about 10 layouts started and no motivation. I have lost my mojo! I have downloaded a ton of kits an templates but I just cant seem to finish anything! Ack! Help!
I'm just really struggling. I think part of it is being such a perfectionist. But part of it is that I just am truly not "feeling" it. I have some great pictures and I have a TON to scrap, I just can't seem to finish anything. Nothing is flowing well. UgH! Maybe I just need to totally copy somebody's layout so I can finish a page at least!
I certainly hope your "Scrappers Block" has gotten better! Just in case, I'll add some tips to the wonderful advice from the ladies above me..
Sometimes just taking a break can help, since forcing yourself can make it worse. In time, you'll miss it and run back to it with fresh ideas. Also, taking a nature walk really helps me get mojo back, since there is so much inspiration in the beauty of the "wilds". Or in addition to what others have mentioned, browsing other layouts, kits, or cool art may be of help to kick things back into gear.
@Sam: Cool, that's a great idea I'd not considered! I can see where some of the inspirational quote, photography, and art pages I follow might provide a spark on "blah" days.
I actually tried that this morning when I was chewing my nails over a layout I was struggling with, and it worked! I'll still fret over it a bit until it looks "right", but it gave me an idea for which direction to take with it. I also browsed through the layouts here in the gallery, which gave me an idea for a scrap journal project. Thanks again!
I thank you all for the good tips. I'm just downloading stuff and cruising the gallery. Taking lots of pics outside for inspiration. Maybe it's just the summer blahs and I'd rather be outside! But at least my instagram feed is blooming! LOL! Maybe I will get something completed tonight. IT's storming and there's not much else to do!
My trick is to put away whatever is frustrating me for a while. Then I work on some other hobby I enjoy - card making, photography, playing the piano. Or bake something. Ha! I do a lot of baking...Or I read a book and eat a Snickers Bar and drink a Diet Dr. Pepper.
Once I've given "that thing" a rest, worked on something else I love, I can usually return and finish what was bugging me before.
I love the idea of a nature walk and pictures though!!!
Recently I was struggling with a few of my pocket style layouts. I had the photos all laid out, but could not figure out what to add. Eventually, I realized that the pages I had planned to go together, just didn't, and I couldn't find a kit to match because the two pages did not go together. So I decided to ignore the time order of the pages and switched a pages around. In the future, it won't matter that the time is off by a week or so, and I managed to finish up that month!
Anyway, my advice is to spend a little time figuring out what the problem is. Are you just tired? Are the photos not inspiring? Do you need to find a new kit to specially match your photos? If you can identify the problem beyond general uninspiration it can really help.
Thanks! This is very very good advice. I have been seriously thinking about it for a couple of weeks! (Another reason why PS is the BEST!)
I think my problem is a combination of being tired (working too much), hating my new computer (windows 8 bites the dirt!), AND feeling obligated to scrap some very uninspiring photos.
So, I guess I need to buy a new MAC (because shopping is always inspiring! HA!), download some new kits, and give myself permission NOT to scrap photos that don't inspire me! I will print them and put them in a photo sleeve and be FINISHED. I can always "scrap" them later!
Now I am going to go do a tutorial so I can get in the mood to try something new, then I'm going to make at least ONE layout by the weekend with pictures that inspire me. That's my SLM challenge to myself!
Marti, get your comp upgraded to Win 8.1 (10's still too new for me to recommend) and look up how to enable desktop mode. It'll still have SOME awkwardness, but won't be nearly as bad as stock Win8.
Also, scrapping a new desktop or FB timeline cover helps when I'm blocked like that.
I had the same problem after my hard drive crashed and I lost about 30 layouts I had already finished. I was too bummed to try and recreate the lost pages that I had been so happy with. After about a week of not being inspired to scrap anything, I started a new project with the intent of coming back to pick up where I left off at a later date. (Maybe once I forget what my lost layouts looked like, I will be willing to scrap those pics again!) Good Luck, marti!
Humm... Maybe go outside and take pictures?
Ooooops, this is what I´m lacking... Cool pictures! I´m also with a creative block for scrap. although I´ve been doing other creative stuff
I'm just really struggling. I think part of it is being such a perfectionist. But part of it is that I just am truly not "feeling" it. I have some great pictures and I have a TON to scrap, I just can't seem to finish anything. Nothing is flowing well. UgH! Maybe I just need to totally copy somebody's layout so I can finish a page at least!
Yes I was going to suggest try scraplifting a layout you really like from the gallery. Good luck!
OMG...I was that way yesterday! Drove me crazy!
I just started to jot down ideas as they come and what photos I especially want to scrap. Sometimes a theme develops.
going through my scrapbook albums make my mojo reappear.
I certainly hope your "Scrappers Block" has gotten better! Just in case, I'll add some tips to the wonderful advice from the ladies above me..
Sometimes just taking a break can help, since forcing yourself can make it worse. In time, you'll miss it and run back to it with fresh ideas. Also, taking a nature walk really helps me get mojo back, since there is so much inspiration in the beauty of the "wilds". Or in addition to what others have mentioned, browsing other layouts, kits, or cool art may be of help to kick things back into gear.
Hope this helps you or someone else.
I always look for inspiration from social media! Never copy, but it tends to help!
@Sam: Cool, that's a great idea I'd not considered! I can see where some of the inspirational quote, photography, and art pages I follow might provide a spark on "blah" days.
It tends to work for me! And it's also like a little break so I won't get frustrated. I hope it helps!
I actually tried that this morning when I was chewing my nails over a layout I was struggling with, and it worked! I'll still fret over it a bit until it looks "right", but it gave me an idea for which direction to take with it. I also browsed through the layouts here in the gallery, which gave me an idea for a scrap journal project. Thanks again!
I thank you all for the good tips. I'm just downloading stuff and cruising the gallery. Taking lots of pics outside for inspiration. Maybe it's just the summer blahs and I'd rather be outside! But at least my instagram feed is blooming! LOL! Maybe I will get something completed tonight. IT's storming and there's not much else to do!
When I'm in a slump, I usually try to buy a new kit. All that new goodness usually breaks my blahs!
My trick is to put away whatever is frustrating me for a while. Then I work on some other hobby I enjoy - card making, photography, playing the piano. Or bake something. Ha! I do a lot of baking...Or I read a book and eat a Snickers Bar and drink a Diet Dr. Pepper.
Once I've given "that thing" a rest, worked on something else I love, I can usually return and finish what was bugging me before.
I love the idea of a nature walk and pictures though!!!
Recently I was struggling with a few of my pocket style layouts. I had the photos all laid out, but could not figure out what to add. Eventually, I realized that the pages I had planned to go together, just didn't, and I couldn't find a kit to match because the two pages did not go together. So I decided to ignore the time order of the pages and switched a pages around. In the future, it won't matter that the time is off by a week or so, and I managed to finish up that month!
Anyway, my advice is to spend a little time figuring out what the problem is. Are you just tired? Are the photos not inspiring? Do you need to find a new kit to specially match your photos? If you can identify the problem beyond general uninspiration it can really help.
Thanks! This is very very good advice. I have been seriously thinking about it for a couple of weeks! (Another reason why PS is the BEST!)
I think my problem is a combination of being tired (working too much), hating my new computer (windows 8 bites the dirt!), AND feeling obligated to scrap some very uninspiring photos.
So, I guess I need to buy a new MAC (because shopping is always inspiring! HA!), download some new kits, and give myself permission NOT to scrap photos that don't inspire me! I will print them and put them in a photo sleeve and be FINISHED. I can always "scrap" them later!
Now I am going to go do a tutorial so I can get in the mood to try something new, then I'm going to make at least ONE layout by the weekend with pictures that inspire me. That's my SLM challenge to myself!
Marti, get your comp upgraded to Win 8.1 (10's still too new for me to recommend) and look up how to enable desktop mode. It'll still have SOME awkwardness, but won't be nearly as bad as stock Win8.
Also, scrapping a new desktop or FB timeline cover helps when I'm blocked like that.
I had the same problem after my hard drive crashed and I lost about 30 layouts I had already finished. I was too bummed to try and recreate the lost pages that I had been so happy with. After about a week of not being inspired to scrap anything, I started a new project with the intent of coming back to pick up where I left off at a later date. (Maybe once I forget what my lost layouts looked like, I will be willing to scrap those pics again!) Good Luck, marti!