What do you do when you lose your crafting mojo?
How do you get it back?
For so many of us, it’s common to lose your creativity from time to time. It can last weeks, months or years. With life overwhelming us we can burn out just like anyone else.
Last November I did so many Christmas projects that I then didn’t touch my craft desk for months. This isn’t the first time it has happened and probably won’t be the last. But for our own mental health, we need a creative release. So how do we go about getting the urge back, delicately enough and at the right time so we don’t end up regretting forcing ourselves back too soon.
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Through a quick online post, I asked hundreds of other crafters if they have ever found themselves in this position and surprisingly every single one of the responses were, “Yes.” I then seeked some research to find out what has worked best for people in the past that has sparked their joy of crafting again. Responses varied from things like watching tutorial videos, scrolling through hours of inspirational project photos or instructions, intrigued by challenges, a theme or attending a class. But mostly everyone agreed upon a wish to be resetting themselves with something ‘easy’.
This brings me to a style I like to call ‘Back to Basics’. It’s actually a style that even the most over the top talented or advanced designers all over the world in this industry use too. Sometimes you just need to reset and switch the brain down to minimum to put together a project without being anxious if it’s “good enough”. Back to Basics is what I find the most do-able for me too when coming off the high of a DT commitment or exhaustion from project overload. It means there aren’t so many products or supplies, so we don’t feel too overwhelmed with choices or options. The steps are limited to simply plan, cut & stick.
If you need an extra little spark to ignite your creativity, check out some online challenges, sketches, colour base schemes or one colour features.
A project for a card or scrapbook layout that can be done with a base cardstock, some pattern paper layers and limited ephemera pieces or clusters. Remembering why we capture memories in this way for ourselves and future generations, so journaling or adding notes is always a good idea too. Or if you simply want to create without the limits that a photo can sometimes add, then just flow with your products and use blank matts instead.
As you go along, you’ll probably find yourself getting ideas for more projects which is great, so make sure you have a pen and pad close by to sketch down ideas when they pop up to you. From resetting yourself, is when some of your most accomplished feelings can come. It’s for all levels and abilities. Sometimes, simple is best.
Let’s celebrate and support each other while we go Back to Basics to find the creative spark.
Toni Herron is from Queensland, Australia. She has been writing for TPC since 2023. Toni grew up crafting all through her childhood, but enjoys focusing on scrapbooking and cardmaking the most without a traditional style. Her designs vary with themes and projects to fit her mood or creative flow.