Just finished my first page in almost two years...

Discussion in 'Scrapping Pad' started by twomoredays, Sep 23, 2016.

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  1. twomoredays

    twomoredays Her name is Rio and she dances on the sand

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    I guess that's what you would call some major scrap block. I feel like I don't even know where to start anymore.

    Has anyone else taken a very long hiatus from scrapping? What helped you get back into it scrapping?

    I don't have that shiny, new learn all the things so I'm afraid I will fall back out of the habit. Heck, the only reason I had time tonight was that my husband took my littles to go see their grandparents and I have to work tomorrow. In my hiatus I've upped my photography game and spent a lot of energy on that, but so many of those photos end up sitting on my hard drive.

    Isaac loves to look through his books and Sam is always asking where the pictures of her are... So there's that motivation, but how do you get back into the scrapbooking flow?
     
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  2. carilyne

    carilyne It's only impossible if you think it is

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    Congratulations! Doing the challenges help me. The other that helps me is to do some current and then some from where you left off. The gap starts closing. Maybe (sorry lots of talk of how much time left until the end of the year) you could make a goal of making a book for Sam -- I don't know if you are one who tries to fill up the book but just make a goal of 20 pages or something manageable.
     
  3. klee73010

    klee73010 I might have a thing for drummers

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    Congratulations! I remember feeling so out of the loop, and overwhelmed, when I saw where my pages were, and how everyone else was lightyears ahead of me, talent wise. That was my motivation. I wanted to be better and move forward. I know you mentioned you didn't have that same reaction, but maybe start small, maybe with an ATC or or art journaling, of you need to scrap out some emotions!
     
  4. gonewiththewind

    gonewiththewind I choose joy.

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    I just get in there and start scrapping. I think too much (about everything really) so letting go of what I think should happen and just doing something, anything, usually helps me the most get through a scrapping funk.
     
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  5. corsicar

    corsicar Dinner tonight? Something chocolate I'm sure!

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    I restarted scrapping this summer after a break of 4 or 5 years. I might have made 1 or two things during that time, but only for designer blog challenges. But I got married last year and even though I had the album for that, I really wanted to make scrapbook pages with some of the wedding photos. So I just started! It helped that over the summer I had lots of time and I could do challenges and get my rusty skills back in order. Also, I HAD to buy new TLP supplies so I could do the challenges here, so then I wanted to use those and make other pages. I'm busier now that school has started but I've got my groove back and I know I can make 1 or 2 pages a week usually.
     
  6. Rikki

    Rikki Next I'm going to look up naughty limericks

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    A few years ago I came back from a long hiatus. I was so out of the loop, new shops had come and I really had no idea what was going on in the digiscrapping world anymore. I just started continuing my annual album (which by that time was the album from let's say 3 years ago) and started making it really simple. Only journaling with bullet points and stuff. I just wanted to get it done. By the time it was I was totally back in the swing of things.

    My suggestion would be not to focus on artistic pages with lots of detail and millions of elements and such, but focus on getting pages done and slowly ease back without any pressure. Nothing is worse than starting new and feeling bad soon after for not finishing things.
     
  7. scrappyjedi

    scrappyjedi Patience you must have, my young padawan

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    Welcome back to scrapping! :)

    I took a quick cruise through your lovely gallery (LOVE your page style!) and noticed that you were really on board with the MOC in 2015. So maybe what @carilyne said about doing the challenges would help you dive back in?

    I took a pretty long hiatus from scrapbooking when I was in my last two years of college (I was so busy!), got married right after college, and didn't get back into it until maybe a year or two after that. This was back in my paper scrapping days, and what got me started again was my mother-in-law asking for help doing an album of photos of her kids. All it took was a specific project to get me back in, and I was hooked again! So maybe a project would work for you? A vacation album? Christmas album from a previous year, or even jumping in and starting a Project Life album?

    Whatever you find that fuels your mojo, we are happy that you are here again!
     
  8. cfile

    cfile My bags are packed for Platform 9 3/4

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    welcome back! Just in time too with DSD on the horizon and lots of sales plus the fun free part I of the collab... If you have a hard time jumping in at first (as @carilyne has said) try the challenges or even the templates from the challenges and the free blog hop to help you get started. Just jump on in.. it is like a bicycle... you never forget :) Can't wait to see your pages!!
     
  9. PLM

    PLM I know there's something in the wake of your smile

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    Hi!!! I was wondering how you were, since I encountered one of your posts a while back. Life can come in between, thta's true, but we are really glad to see you back!
    I would also say, start with the challenges to get the touch of it back and you'll grow into it again.
    Have fun!
     
  10. michelepixels

    michelepixels A pun is not fully matured until it is full groan.

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    I never totally stopped, but in 2013 and 2014 I made maybe a dozen pages, which is nothing compared to my prolific digiscrapping from 2007 through 2012. I also nearly dropped digiscrapping to focus on photography. I was seriously considering opening a business. So I think the first thing that might have helped me is putting the idea of a photography business way, far back on a back burner. (Not suggesting that; just thinking out loud, realizing that probably was a factor for me.)

    I think finding a great digiscrapping forum has been a big thing for me. I was committed to one forum from 2007 until about 2010. After missing scrapbooking for 2 years, I started at another great site at the end of 2014, but it wasn't very active. Other things distracted me and after a great first half of 2015, I nearly dropped digiscrapping again in the second half of the year. But I was determined to get back into it. And then I rediscovered The Lilypad around last Christmas. I don't know how I'd barely noticed it before, when I've been in the digiscrapping world since 2007 (I even worked on some creative teams long ago).

    So I renewed my commitment to Sundays being my scrapping day (a resolution I'd made at the beginning of 2015) and jumped into TLP's Month of Challenges. I think the fact that TLP has an active forum where I enjoy dropping in for a quick visit every day keeps scrapping in my mind on a daily basis, so I even scrap on days other than Sunday sometimes. And participating in the challenges keeps me going too, because it's a fun routine that pays off in discounts on more pretty stuff for future pages! :)

    So I recommend committing a time period to scrapping (put it on your calendar perhaps) and participating here. Welcome back to scrapping!
     
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  11. bestcee

    bestcee In love with places I've never been to

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    Welcome back!
    My break from scrapping ended by me coming to digi from paper, so probably not much help for you! But maybe making a goal to get some photos for Sam printed and ready for viewing could be your goal?
     
  12. jenn mccabe

    jenn mccabe She's OUR sunshine!

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    This was me too. I took about two years off from paper scrapping bc I was busy with an Etsy shop and could not deal with that crafty mess and the mess of paper scrapping. Enter digi scrapping. And aside from a short hiatus here or there (like 3 months due to school or whatever) I've been going since 2009.

    I don't know if this motivates you ... but I was super excited to see your page in the gallery yesterday morning! I love your pages and your photography .... and want to see more! I hope you can find just a little time to keep it up. Maybe get a small book or album together of some of your pages and watch your kids go through it ... their joy might inspire you?
     
  13. wvsandy

    wvsandy Grinning Granny

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    Yes, just get started. The joy you feel and your kids feel will keep it going. Use templates, challenges, whatever to get you producing quickly and help find the time to create. I know some scrappers who started by working with their photos. Select what you want to scrap, edit if desired, maybe even jot a note of journaling. Then when you have a few minutes you already know what you want to work with. Enjoy jumping back in!
     
  14. HeatherB

    HeatherB Ain't nothin wrong with a few dust bunnies!

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    Welcome back! It sounds like you have some pretty good advice already. Maybe a project for Sam so she can have her own book, doesn't have to be a big one. And then let your fancy drive your scrapping direction from there.
     
  15. amandac

    amandac Read, or Run? Hmmm ...

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    Welcome back Kim, it doesn't seem that long ago you were here last, I remember your adorable profile pic! I feel time slipping through my fingers :) ... the girls have given some great advice so i haven't anything "life changing" to add ..... just Hi!!
     
  16. PLM

    PLM I know there's something in the wake of your smile

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    @michelepixels , I loved reading your stories, it's one to keep in mind for when things slow down a bit.
    I also love your idea of sunday being your scrapping day, but I'm wondering how you actually can keep this resolution in real life? My sundays always seem to be very filled without any warning....
     
  17. mimisgirl

    mimisgirl It's all about ME!

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    hi KIM! I have missed you - I took an almost 2 year break when my youngest was born, so yes, I understand what you mean. For me the motivation came form simply doing it because i liked it. I use my scrap time to refresh after dealing with three kiddos all day and it helps me. Hubby sees that and gives me the time each week. I also started an inspiration board on Pinterst, which helps me when I want to scrap but have no ideas. And like you, my kiddos love their books - there are tons for the oldest, and at the moment, none for the youngest ( I need to print, LOL) so his asking helps keep me going.
     
  18. Scrapping with Liz

    Scrapping with Liz Crafts for days.

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    Maybe organizing your photos or looking through galleries. Usually those things get me motivated. Maybe do a little shopping!

    But I would definitely look at how much joy it brings your children to look at their pages and let that be your big motivater. That's a huge one for me. When I see them looking through their books over & over again it really motivates me to keep at it.
     
  19. michelepixels

    michelepixels A pun is not fully matured until it is full groan.

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    My Sundays are usually very open. Maybe a different day would work better for you.
     
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  20. PLM

    PLM I know there's something in the wake of your smile

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    Hihi, can I add an extra day to the week and have it in 'private modus', so no-one knows this extra day is there???? :yup
     

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