What do you do to reboot your creative mojo? Mines been missing for a few months now for a variety of reasons - job hunting, my health, family members health etc but I really want to take advantage of the down time I have in the next week or so to do some scrapping. Right now I just get overwhelmed so don’t do anything. Lack of supplies is not an issue.
I get it Jennifer! I like to find colors or elements I'd like to work with. Then I just open up a 12x12 blank page & put a couple of those things on the page. I just leave it open. Something will hit me & I may only add one piece every hour, but eventually I get something done. This may be too slow for some, but I've always been a slow scrapper. My boss & I actually have an agreement. I'm allowed to keep my scrapbook page open as long as I do my work. She's a creative person too, she gets that need to act when the moment strikes. Good luck my dear!
Ooh, we've all been there, right? If I get stuck, challenges are always a huge help! @jesskab can I have your boss to be mine, too?
I know the feeling. I usually do something completely different (but creative). Crochet, work on a pocket letter or browse through magazines for stuff to use in the future for them. Or: Take an online class (not necessarily creative, for me languages or even something computer related will do). After listening to someone going on about JS for a while the urge to scrapbook again gets overwhelming - seriously. There are lots of free classes out there and I find them inspiring even if they are not scrap related.
You've been super busy, @littlekiwi - so I would make sure that you are well-rested and have had some time away from the job searching, from family obligations, etc. (this will vary from person to person, but you know you the best so . . . ). Maybe this means listening to music or going outside to surroundings that make you feel inspired and rejuvenated. Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram, etc., are all good places to find creative work, not just about scrapbooking. It's been a rare occasion that I have explored the web and not found at least one thing to inspire me. Of course, our gallery at TLP is a number one scrolling place for creativity for me. We have some amazing artists here! Above all, though, is just getting into your program and starting to make something. @jesskab had a great suggestion to just open up that canvas and start putting things on it, even if you have to spend all day going back and forth. What's amazing is at the end of the day, or at the end of your time you've allotted, you will have SOMETHING creative to show for it. Try not to just stare at the canvas. Put a photo or photos on it, and then start making decisions. Don't think too hard about what you are doing. Just trust your gut, your inner voice, that tells you, "yes, this paper" or "no, not that flower." Also, try Tangie Baxter's workshop "The Artist's Way Creative Cluster." She facilitates discussion and sharing while reading Julia Cameron's bestseller The Artist's Way. The book is amazing on its own, but having others go along the journey with you is even better. One of the great things that I have gleaned from the book so far is that we are filled with creativity and we just have to sometimes get out of our creativity's way and let it flow forth through us. I always felt that mojo or creativity was something that struck like lightning, but it's actually always there within us. To me, that feels like such an amazing gift, and it really helps me not to get paralyzed thinking that there's nothing creative in me. I'm so glad you have time and/or are taking time to scrapbook. Maybe something that I've shared, or that others here have shared, will help you!
grab a photo and begin there.. i always try and begin with the end in mind. Do some of the challenges and look through the gallery for mojo to kick in.
The only thing that gets me out of the funk is to have challenges to do. They push me to scrap and then after a few layouts, I get it back again!
I’ve made sure I’m well rested and rejuvenated- had time for me, spent time with family and friends so now I just want to take advantage of a bit of down time. I also want to put a bit of balance back in my life - the last two months especially the work to fun ratio has been way out of whack.
I made my first layout in eight months this week - any mojo I had previously dried up when I went back to work after 12 months off with my son. I chose a photo, restricted myself to a single kit and just went for it. It was surprising how it came back once I took the pressure off by using just a single kit.
I haven't scrapped much lately due to lack of free time, but also when I did have a few minutes to sit down and scrap I didn't know where to start, so I'd just watch Netflix instead. This weekend I actually had inspiration strike after I downloaded a batch of pictures for our weekend of camping last weekend and the pictures coincided with the fabulous new BYOC stuff from this weekend and they had outdoorsy stuff and camping stuff in there. So basically, the kick start to mojo for me is usually getting my pictures organized and making a list of what I actually want to scrap about and then sometimes it's being inspired by a kit that I see. Go make a list of what you want to scrap and then browse your stash to see if anything sparks your mind.
@littlekiwi looking through the galleries usually works for me or watching someone like Cheryl scrap - she has videos on you-tube, or starting with a template and going from there. I also usually only work with one kit at a time which makes the process faster.
I do challenges too- or find some inspiration to scraplift. More often than not- I find a real paper layout to try to make digital. That usually gets my juices flowing trying to recreate something! Good luck! ~~~mojo vibes~~~
Is there a challenge you didn't get to in previous months? Sometimes I just run out of time to do a challenge in its time frame, but the inspiration is still there, waiting for me. Perhaps there's one you could try? Or maybe just taking a break and doing something else might help. Giving your creative side some time off might let your mojo reset on its own. I garden when I need a break. Weeding is boring, but it helps when I'm stuck in a rut.
I agree with Sarah @Tree City - I try to look for more challenges that are around after I get all of the monthly challenges done. The "Why It Works" forum is a good resource for me. Good luck finding your mojo.
How about if you open a picture in your program and just start writing the journal first, don't even put a background paper just write down what you are feeling.
