So, as a creative community, I know there are others that have ups and downs with inspiration, am I right? Ugh, I have been really struggling lately! This has happened before and I know it will happen again, and often it goes along with what's happening in our lives... so, I'm trying to be patient, but it can be frustrating. So, do you have any tried and true ways of getting off the uninspired train? The gallery is FILLED with beautiful layouts, and I always start there (and Pinterest, of course!), but how about you? Any advice?
I definitely have ebbs and flows with creativity. The gallery is a great place to look or even Pinterest too. But sometimes the thing that helps me is organizing photos and/or kits on my EHD. Sometimes I'll stumble across and kit that I haven't used yet or a photo that sparks something easy to scrap that will get me moving again. I also keep a list of pages that I want to scrap in an excel spreadsheet, so sometimes I will go into that list and then create folders in my "To Scrap" folder on my hard drive. I create a folder for each of the pages I want to make and then I copy the pictures that I want to use and even copy thumbnails for the kits/templates I want to use. Sometimes being that organized makes the scrapping part seem like it'll take less effort and that will inspire me to get started, but if not, when I do come back later and feel inspired to scrap it's like a jump start to be all organized already. It's less decisions to make later, so maybe that will help? And sometimes, you just can't force it. Just keep on taking pictures and when you get some more time and space for scrapping you'll have lots to choose from.
I hear ya. Sometimes mojo just up and disappears with no warning, and sometimes it's most definitely related to life. After DD's concusion and then DS's broken elbow, I just didn't have the time to sit and scrap--really focus on scrapping--for, like, almost 2 months. (I made some pages, but they came together piecemeal, in between dr appts and stuff, ya know?) And I certainly didn't have the brain power required to be creative. But like Karen, I still organized my stuff (I'm a big photo tagger). It was a project I could do in little time bursts, and it let me feel like I was still involved in my hobby even if I wasn't able to open PS and scrap. And, like you're doing, I still checked on the forums and gallery here, which would give me little sparks of inspo that I'd file away. I'd think "I know I'll have time and energy soon: this is a cool idea I want to explore once I have the chance." The monthly challenges also helped me because they gave me focus. Usually I can just open PS and a page comes together, but if I'm feeling mojo-less (or however you want to word it), it can be more difficult for me to sit and scrap. Plus, like I said, my pages were coming together in little 5- or 10-minute bursts on PS, so the challenges gave me the direction/focus I needed to put a page together.
I think that happens to everyone. Life gets in the way, other things are taking priority with your thoughts and time. I find the best way to get thru it is to hang out, chat (which there is always lots of that going on here), look at challenges and the gallery and eventually you'll get inspired to want to jump in again. If it's not fun at the moment and stresses you out, don't do it. Give it some time.
Totally agree with @bcgal00 on this one. Haven’t been inspired to scrap yet I just keep hanging out here and know that one day life will allow me to scrap again.
Yeah, I've been on the no mojo to scrap for awhile now. I tend to go in bursts usually in December/January to get me through the holiday season depression. I did a massive old photo organization in September/October before I had oral surgery. So I didn't feel like doing anything for over a month. The couch was my best friend. In December I did quite a bit of traditional scrapping. Some photos I found that could be added to previous pages and other things like that. I did a few digital pages over Christmas of the photos from a massive building fire that happened early a.m. Christmas Eve in our downtown. I did a few pages in January as well. I do keep taking photos though and all these scrapping ideas pop in my head. I just don't feel like actually doing the scrapping. So right now after I moved my bookcase with all my albums on it, I decided to get all of them labeled as I put them back on the bookcase. Right now I have an idea what is in each book but with the same color for multiple things, I sometimes have to pull out several albums before finding the one I want! So labels on the spine are needed!
It's really hard to lose your mojo, especially when you are on a creative team, and your designers are counting on you. Most have been very understanding, but I've also had to quit some teams because it became too much. Sometimes I just don't feel it or I have no pictures to scrap and I'm tired of scrapping the same old pictures. Sometimes a break is good, I think. Take a break, relax, read a book or two, then maybe the feeling will come back. That usually works for me.
I find it helpful if I do the "boring" parts of scrapping when I'm uninspired. This past month, I have found several multi-photo templates and plopped Christmas and birthday photos in them + tweaked/deleted the parts I knew I wouldn't use. I also added journaling (which is not boring to me but easier to do when you just spent time looking at the photos). Once the perfect kit comes along, my page is already halfway done so it only takes half as much mojo and time.
Aw you guys! Great ideas and it feels so good to be part of a community that can relate, understand, and send support... being creative is a lifestyle that is important to us, and I appreciate the feedback and will definitely try some of these awesome ideas. <3 xxx
this is exactly what I was gonna say. I get in the no inspiration funk when I am really busy and life gets in the the way. I check out all the challenges and see if something inspires me and I go spend 15 minutes or half an hour on Pinterest. Create a new board just for short term inspiration with a few key pages that you are inspired by. This way when you do sit to scrap you have them ready and are not overwhelmed by huge boards and too much inspiration. KWIM? I'm always super inspired by the paper layouts I see ... next thing I know I have a whole list of things I want to try digitally on my own pages. Problem is - I still don't always have the time, but at least the ideas are there when I do get some free time. Maybe iNSD will inspire you to create again?
I totally get you. There are times (especially this time of year when I am totally swamped with other life things) that I really struggle to feel creative. I'll sit down to do pages and hate everything. I usually just have to step away for a bit and it comes back to me eventually. Challenges help me a lot when I'm struggling with ideas or inspirations.
Yup ... hand raised over here. I lean on Pinterest heavily . . . although I don't go to scrapbooking, but instead identify textile art or minimalist clothing or garden design (whateva catches my eye that day) . . . the point for me is to appreciate and explore visually. It usually triggers something in the creative mojo secret closet that pushes the door back open for me.
I usually take a break and just enjoy it, Netflix and chill, listen to music and focus on life or other creative outlets.
This is hard, but just going through the gallery is a great way to find inspiration. Using Pinterest to look at paper pages helps, too, because you can see how to do them digi. I totally understand where you're coming from. I've been in a scrapping funk for a couple of months now. I'll just blame it on stress!! lol!
I've been in a scrapping funk, too. I scrapped a ton in January and February for MOC and non-TLP challenges. Then since mid-March it has been one thing or another getting in my way--I did a huge kit purge before getting a new computer, then I spent a lot of time organizing photos for the Disney album I'm starting, then I had an exceptionally busy work week. So here I am 6 weeks later, and after all that prep work I can't seem to get back in the groove to scrap. It's frustrating!
I've been struggling with lack of mojo for a while now. I'm struggling with mid-life feelings, the girls are older and photo opportunities have really dried up. I, also just don't feel the same way about the style I used to scrap, I guess it suited having smaller kids? Anyway I have found AJ scrapping style works better for me now and I am pushing myself to participate with the monthly muse challenges to keep my hand in.
Usually, if I've tried all of my normal things...like browsing galleries or pinterest and that doesn't work I'll just shut down the computer and do something else I enjoy...like read a book, cook a nice meal, organize something.
I peruse Pinterest, Instagram, blogs, etc., but usually going through my photos and remembering is what finally triggers the best mojo release. I think that's because I'm thinking more about the photo and the memory, and it gives me freedom from my internal pressure to get everything perfect creatively . . . in a backwards way I end up being MORE creative. LOL Hope that makes sense!