Saturday, February 6, 2010
Stampers Block
For those of you who are on the LNS Demo yahoo group, you already know that recently I have been suffering from Stamper's Block. For a while there, I wanted to clean my house more than I wanted to stamp. I know.....It was pretty serious. Luckily, I managed to overcome my block. All it took was one little thing.....but unfortunately I can't share what got me over the hump quite yet. So......I was thinking that I NEVER EVER want to go through this again. So, until I can share what unblocked me, I thought maybe you all would want to share what has unblocked you. I promise I'll make it worth your while with some awesome blog candy. In order to give everyone a chance to participate in the conversation, I'll announce the winner on Feb. 15. I'm looking for the most creative way to stamp out that stampers block! So come on....share what worked for you!
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I CASE! As long as my fingers are inky, my block doesn't feel so bad. By the time, my block wears off and I'm ready to create again I may have made 20 CASEd cards! It's a win-win situation. :) So when a block hits--CASE! LOL
ReplyDelete~Wendy
www.gotrubberwillstamp.blogspot.com
When I get stampers block I take time to look at as many blogs as I can. There are so many of them and you never know what you will find. Sometimes I like a part of a card and sometimes I like the whole idea. When I get doing everything but stamping; I tell myself I need me time and go back to old sets and try to come up with new ideas. If I still own them, I must love them :) Happy Stamping!!
ReplyDeleteI search blogs, etc. or I go through the photos of my kids that I have not yet scrapped always come up with something because I know I want to have their memories saved in a fun way for them. (So that is for stamping and scrapping block, LOL!)
ReplyDeleteksobolik@hotmail.com
I hit Target or a Pier One and that will usually help. They have a lot of great colors and designs for things in those stores that will kind of get me out of my stamnpin' funk.
ReplyDeleteKathy
When I have this I just go see my Great Niece and Nephew and something they say or do usually inspires me--sometimes its a color book or a new toy--or the Holidays usually get me going!!
ReplyDeleteI go and treat myself to a few new papercrafting magazines and take a day or two to read and mark the pages that inspire me. If that doesn't work I have plenty of saved files from fellow stampers and I case away!
ReplyDeleteI blog hop splitcoast or the new stampin connection. It ALWAYS clears the block. Or sometimes ordering a new toy from stampin up!
ReplyDeleteThat ALWAYS helps.lol
I actually just walk away from all things stamping (I know, GASP!). But sometimes I'm just burned out and my brain can't think "stamping". Usually once I've been away for a few days (if I get that far) I ready to get back at it and I start by looking through scrappy magazines or online galleries and off I go! I'm glad your mojo is back!!!
ReplyDeleteHi there
ReplyDeleteI go to my local card store and look at all the cards and then I know I can do better! I then go home and make a card like what I seen and make the changes I wanted on the card.
Thanks
Lynn SB
When I have Stamper's Block I look through stamps that I own for a set a would really like to use. Then I Google search for blogs using that specific set and blog hop until something catches my eye. Then I case and usually the little changes I make get me thinking on my own again.
ReplyDeleteI do the same as "jpitta" -- stop all crafting for a couple of weeks. If I still have a "block," then I too open up some of my old craft magazines (I found that they don't have to be new, as I like to adopt everything to my taste anyway, and it starts my mojo going that way). I also switch up my "style" of stamping: from vintage, to modern, to simple, from hard, or by using lots of different mediums. I have found that "I like" a lot more styles than I ever thought I would by doing this. Thanks for the opportunity to comment, and I am so glad you have gotten over your "block" and can't wait to read what you did to overcome!!
ReplyDeleteThere are so many different things to do and a lot of them have been mention on here. One of my favorite is to look at different magazines like real simple. They have lots of differnt colors and layouts of different things. Another is to take a drivce to the mountains.
ReplyDeleteI cant wait to find out what you did.
I honestly thought you meant like "wood" block or "clear" block:) I have mostly CASED all of you genius creative folks so I've never had a block like you speak of. You guys keep me constantly wanting to do more:)I'm so glad you are over your block so I can CASE you some more:)
ReplyDeleteI usually browse around home decor stores and gift shops to seek inspiration! I find it relaxing and stress free... there's something about the colors, patterns, shapes and different textures that always puts me back on track! laura j
ReplyDeleteI just blog hop or look at cards I have made at stamp camp or go on split coast and pick out a set I would like to use and see what has been made with it. Then I go to copy a card and it turns out totally different. Sometimes when I am shopping I see a blouse or bedspread that looks like a set that I have.
ReplyDeleteLjbarr1953@yahoo.com
I stop creating and thinking of what I could do. It might help to do some hopping around in blogland - if not I go and clean my house, do as much ironing as possible, sometimes even clean my windows - you can believe, I will soon be fed up with things like these and love to get back to my craft desk. And then usually I am full of great ideas. Creativity is a gift but you can´t force it, that´s what I think.
ReplyDeleteHugs to you - and I curious to read about your way of blocking that creative black out!
Kathrin aka Kruemel
I do things that are not related to stamping. It could be reading a book, trying out a new recipe, catching up with friends, taking walks, or just finding something fun and silly to do that makes me laugh. The goal and purpose to give my brain a vacation and try some new and different experiences in life.
ReplyDeleteAmazingly, instead of cleaning the house (are you crazy??) I attack my stamp room. My stamp room is always in a state of chaos so I either work on cleaning off my desk or cleaning off my cutting table, depending on which is worse. I usually find a magazine that I haven't read or a bag from a craft store that I haven't unpacked (am I the only person that does that?) and I get inspired to create. In fact, I've spent the day cleaning house (shiver!) so I'm heading for my stamp room as a reward. I got an SU! shipment the other day that I got unpacked and stamps labeled but I haven't played with anything. So I'm off! In His Grace, Karen in SC
ReplyDeleteI usually surf blogs too. I also TRY to organize and reorganize my craft room and discover something I haven't used in a while, like a lonely stamp set or embellishments.
ReplyDeleteI just had some block recently. I was so overwhelmed with work and life that I had lost the joy of stamping. I dreaded preparing for classes and just didn't enjoy it. I stopped and thought about when I first started stamping and how amazed I was when I made some of my first simple cards. I was so excited. I just picked up a Stampin' Success magazine and browsed through it finding a simple card and recreated one of my own. I was so excited to make a card just to make a card, not for a class or for my blog or for a challenge. It was just fun to stamp and I am still enjoying it! I love the challenges and the inspiration I get on the group and other's wonderful blogs.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that helps me is to take a break from crafting and do something else. Another idea is to try a new technique this seems to help with my mojo.
ReplyDeleteSketches, blogs, new techniques. Sometimes I just lay a magazine or book out with a picture open on my dresser and look at it each day until I see how it inspires me!
ReplyDeleteI seldom get a block unless I'm feeling like I HAVE to create something. Mostly it hits when at a weekend crop where I PAID to sit in that chair and create or when I have to make the layout for my scrapbook club or haven't posted anything on my blog for several days. When I'm at a crop I look at scrapbook magazines until I find a couple of things I can combine that inspire me. It nearly always works within 1/2 hour! When I'm at home I look at the documents I've created as I blog hop of cards or layouts I love. With so many ideas that I loved in one place it doesn't take long to inspire myself.
ReplyDeleteI also like to go to MDS and before I know it, I've come up with something. That is such a great program! Looking for the latest fashion fads could also help. I noticed that ruffles are all over everything lately and at the CHA previews they are also all over cards and scrapbook pages now too! Fun, I like ruffles. I actually used them on a layout and a card the past couple of weeks before I knew they were going to be the latest. What a diva I must be!
I think it is the whole right brain/left brain thing. Mostly we stay on one side but we must switch sometimes when the creative side shuts down. Of course, I'm seldom in my right brain!
Glad your block is gone and can't wait to find out what happened to get you out of it. I love a good mystery! (sorry this reply is soooooo long)
I think we get stampers block when we have to do other things. Life is busy and we all have to think about other stuff, occassionally! lol! When we have done things for the family, cleaned and tidied our homes and sorted out all that awful other type of paper stuff (you know the kind of paper, usually comes through the post - bills!) we can actually get back to stamping and blog hopping with a guilt free mind!
ReplyDeleteThe other thing we do is leave all of our stuff out and all over the place, we hate putting our "toys" away. If we did put them away more often, we'd have space to get more out and off we go happily creating again!
I did see a Twitter group on someones blog recently where ladies all cleaned frantically for say 10 or 15 mins, so they could go back and enjoy the things they want to do, just wish I could remember where I saw that!
hee hee, I'm guessing I might know what could get your stampers block rolling... I won't tell... for me, generally, if I need a stamping boost I just call in reforcement -- that's right, call your girls, tell them to bring stamps & chocolate... generally it works for me.. R ;)
ReplyDeleteHere's a fun challenge: go look at all your stamp sets and figure out, if you could only keep one stamp set, which one would it be? If that's too hard, pick one stamp set that's mostly images, one stamp set that is sayings, one that is a background stamp, and one wheel. Start making as many cards as you can think of with just those stamps. It's like dieting, if you restrict yourself, you'll end up focusing on what you CAN'T have...until you can't stand it any more! LOL!
ReplyDeleteI find the best way to unblock a block is to pick a favorite set of stamps and go looking on line for some samples...I usually end up using things I like from several cards and create one of my own.
ReplyDeleteI usually blog hop or browse magazines and if that doesn't help, it usually means that I have to stop stamping for awhile.
ReplyDeleteWhen I have a block I usually hit Splitcoast - and I recently treated myself to a subscription so I'm really loving the Dirty Dozen and Fan Club Interactive - for something to case.
ReplyDeleteMy next stop is usually the Late Night Stampers Blog Finds!
Thanks for sharing all your great finds!
I surf the web for good ideas (or search through the tons of ideas I've saved on my computer). The other thing I do is go to my stamping area and start pulling things out until something strikes me. It makes a big mess and involves a lot of staring, but usually something comes to me.
ReplyDeleteGlad you got over your stamper's block!
I go do housework and the next morning go back to scraproom and usually everything is back to normal. If not - check out blogs for some inspiration or go shopping for supplies and that also usually does it.
ReplyDeleteThe best thing that I have found to "unblock" me is to just LEAVE. I leave my studio, forget about stamping, and do something else. Watch tv, read, cook, go shopping, whatever. Usually when I least expect it, inspiration will hit. That usually happens around 3am when I am sound asleep - ugh. I just try to focus on what the idea was and then go back to sleep. If I am lucky, I will remember it! LOL
ReplyDeleteJust thinking about the option of cleaning instead of stamping makes me more creative (anything to avoid cleaning, ha, ha...just kidding)!
ReplyDeleteI love blog hopping for ideas. But I realize I'm much more likely to use these ideas for inspiration if I print off some of them. Having some of these ideas laying around my craft room helps.
I also try to keep my craft room cleaned up with inspirational colors and decorations or quotes. That helps my inspiration...my space needs to be stress-free...a place to go and forget about the normal stresses of life...my own oasis (well, at least I try to make it that way)!
Can't wait to hear your idea!
Usually when I have a creative block, it means something else is weighing heavily on my mind. Until I rectify it, I am in a slump. But if the block continues once I clear my mind, then I go for a walk along the ocean or in the woods. Nature brings back the beauty of the world.
ReplyDeleteI blog surf and clean my stamping space.. If that doesn't work I read a good book!
ReplyDelete