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Has anyone else experienced this? You've got time to stamp, you've got stamps and supplies a-plenty. You've got this great website and books and magazines galore, so inspiration or stamper's block isn't really a problem.
But for whatever reason, you feel STUCK. Some weird almost scared feeling to pick up a stamp takes over and has you reorganizing your sock drawer and attending to that dusting that really doesn't need to be done, or penning a tongue-in-cheek post like this one to SCS (:-) rather than sit down and actually put rubber and ink to paper.
I can't be the only one. What do you do to break out of it and create?
Unless I have to (pressing deadline), I don't push it. I allow myself to not stamp when I feel that way. Otherwise, I end up very unhappy with what I produce.
And, when the groove hits, I ride the wave all the way til my head bonks down on the work counter. ;)
__________________ Julie Ebersole (JulieHRR once upon a time . . . )julieebersole.com"So shines a good deed in a weary world." -Willy Wonka
And I thought I was the only one!! I have found myself there so many times lately. Of course, the flip side is that I find myself inspired and motivated but without time!
Any way, the other day I broke out of it by pulling out an old favorite card and making a few more just like it-- as I was doing so, the ideas just started flowing and I ended up with something totally different. YEA me! I need to do this more because I'm suffering from a serious case of "supply guilt"-- all that stuff sitting there unused! I'm pretty confident I'm not alone in that!
Supply guilt? Girlfriend, you need to get over the guilt!! I have supplies that I purchased when I first started stamping....16 years ago...cuz I jus 'had' to have them for that 'special' card!! Still sitting in the drawer and can't for the life of me remember why I even bought it now. Guilt? Me? Naw, I know I'll use it 'sometime'.....or not.....but, I have it!!!
I had one of those nights when VSN was happening . . . hope that doesn't happen tonight! Come join us!
I don't know what is up with me at the moment. I haven't made a card since Christmas day and the cards I have made over the last 2 or 3 months I don't like. I seem to be suffering a crisis of confidence.
I know it would be like riding a bike, the more I make the happier I would become, but I just don't seem to be able to get started, so I am going to do the challenge because I think I am over-analysing my cards.
I should be making the cards because I like making cards and I should stop comparing myself to the wonderful cards displayed on here.
I suffer from this a lot, too. I browsed the galleries for hours, looked through my supplies, read the forums--then just gave up. What finally worked for me was sitting down and CASEing a card I had admired. For whatever reason, that got the "creative juices" flowing again and I was able to start working on cards of my own design again.
I don't know what is up with me at the moment. I haven't made a card since Christmas day
You made a card on Christmas Day!!!!???? How???
I've not made anything since before Christmas... oh I tell a lie; I made some little thank you cards with scraps. That was quite fun until I discovered I didn't have enough small envelopes for them. I REALLY want to make something but somehow can't be bothered. :(
I go through phases like this too. I was in a funk last summer, I hated every card I made and I didn't feel like scrapbooking either. Unfortunately ;) what got me out of it was ordering $400 from the new catalog. Ever since then I've been having myself a great time. In fact, I did three scrapbook pages yesterday, which is a record for me because my pages are very detailed and usually take two days for me to figure out what I want to do, then two hours for me to actually make them. But I'm sure I'll hit another snag again, probably when the weather gets nice again and I'd rather be outside. Though here in western Washington it doesn't sound like that's going to happen anytime soon.
__________________ Julie my gallery
I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Phillippians 4:13
I feel that way a lot of times, also. As a result, I have hardly touched a stamp in ages. I have been wanting to make some journals and a recipe book, but i just have not been motivated. Today i am totally re arranging my office/stamp room. I have no idea when i will finish, but hopefully that will get the juices flowing again. Take care, Karen
But I'm sure I'll hit another snag again, probably when the weather gets nice again and I'd rather be outside. Though here in western Washington it doesn't sound like that's going to happen anytime soon.
ROTFL!!!! But, honey, that's just what I love about Western Washington! ;) It gives me the perfect excuse to stay indoors . . . and play with rubbah . . . :mrgreen:
__________________ Julie Ebersole (JulieHRR once upon a time . . . )julieebersole.com"So shines a good deed in a weary world." -Willy Wonka
i have that phobia too. i got my first SU sets a couple months ago and just made a card this week using one of the stamps.
My urge to finally actually play comes when i am about to fall asleep. I'm weird.
- CASE something that I've been meaning to copy
- do just part of a card . . . stamp a few images to colour, or stamp things that need cutting . . . or the opposite: prepare the card base with background stamps or patterned paper
Perhaps you are afraid to ruin your good cardstock? Is it a fear of wasting something? If so, figure out what you're really losing if you waste great piece of paper. This can be difficult ... I used to design all my own clothes, and hence, I used to collect fabric. I've stopped sewing, but I have pieces of expensive fabric that I can't part with, but I'm too scared to cut. I've been packing them around since back to 1979.
__________________ ~ Children nowadays are tyrants. They contradict their parents, gobble their food and tyrannize their teachers ~ (attributed to Socrates 470-399 BC)
ROTFL!!!! But, honey, that's just what I love about Western Washington! ;) It gives me the perfect excuse to stay indoors . . . and play with rubbah . . . :mrgreen:
Snort! How many days did the weatherman say it's been raining now? 20? And no end in site? No wonder I'm getting so much done! Hope we don't have to build arks. Sorry for the hijack everyone, those who live here in Washington understand what great stamping weather is!
__________________ Julie my gallery
I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Phillippians 4:13
Snort! How many days did the weatherman say it's been raining now? 20? And no end in site? No wonder I'm getting so much done! Hope we don't have to build arks. Sorry for the hijack everyone, those who live here in Washington understand what great stamping weather is!
LOL! True, so true. Folks always think Seattle area is so bad--dreary, etc. But, it is even worse up in Southeast AK. :shock: I bet the gals up there are extremely prolific stampers! ;)
__________________ Julie Ebersole (JulieHRR once upon a time . . . )julieebersole.com"So shines a good deed in a weary world." -Willy Wonka
This happens to me ALL the time. I just freeze and end up not doing anything. I have to make myself stamp something, anything on the paper. I'm working on allowing myself to just play, but it's so hard!
Wow. I had no idea that other stampers have dry spells! That is where I am at right now--just too many fun things to play with, and don't know where to start. Maybe tidy up my work space, and case a simple card? Thanks for all of the suggestions! A dreary day in S.E. WA state, but NO rain. Yet. A good day to stamp...!
ok--on the op--you have dusting that doesn't really need to be done??? Are you serious??? Wow. That's all I can think about. Wow.
Too funny!
Sometimes, I can't seem to stamp unless I'm doing one of the challenges! I find that if I have 'restrictions' then it narrows down that overwhelming feeling of too many choices. Sometimes I'll combine the color challenge with the sketch challenge...then I only have to pick a stamp set that 'works' with the specified colors and layout.
Oh, me too. This weekend, my LSS was selling all their demo stamps for $1 each,and I bought 17! How awesome is that?! But when I got home, all I did was clean them up a little, and put them back on the table, where they're still sitting. What's wrong with me???
ok--on the op--you have dusting that doesn't really need to be done??? Are you serious??? Wow. That's all I can think about. Wow.
Allow me to clarify... that the dusting doesn't need to be done because I've done it already as an excuse to stay away from my stamps. Believe it or not, my phobia is sometimes really just that bad :-)
I suffer from this disease constantly! For me it's two issues. One is too many choices in supplies. I stare at my stamping wall and don't know where to begin! The second is my perfectionism. "It may not come out perfect, so I'm gonna wait to do that project until I have better paper/better stamp images/more experience with that technique, etc." I have a few strategies to get past it. I just wish they worked more consistently!
For "too many choices," I start with one item (an embellishment, a color, a stamp set, whatever) that I want to use. Then I set a timer for 10 minutes to find coordinating items to go with it. Whatever I've found when the time goes off is what I'm limited to using.
For perfectionism, well, that's even tougher. I've hung the phrase "The opposite of perfect is DONE!" over my stamping/scrapping workspace. I just wish I knew where it came from, and I wish even more that I always heeded it!
__________________ Stamping with a cat - Fur is a fiber | Ribbon is a cat toy |Eyelets are for batting | Glitter is a fashion statement My Photography
Stampaphobia
