Scrapropos

I scrap for a living, which means I spend a little part of each day at my scrap desk. People often ask how it is that I never get scrapper’s block.

The fact is, I do get it! But since I have clients waiting for completed jobs, I don’t have time to wait for it to pass. Here are some of the techniques that I’ve discovered help me break through the wall.

1. Just scrap. It sounds so simple, doesn’t it? But truly, it works. One of the best pieces of advice regarding the creative process came to me via a college composition professor. “Just write,” he said. “Even if you have nothing to say, say that. Write, ‘I have nothing to say’ over and over if you have to. Just write.” He was right, of course. There have been many times throughout the years when I’ve needed to write something and it just wouldn’t come. Each time that I made myself sit down and DO it, eventually the words began to flow. It’s happened with this very blog. More times than not, I can’t think of anything worthwhile to say. But I always just start writing. Sometimes I keep what comes out, and sometimes the drivel I type serves as a springboard to something better. But the secret is to just START. It’s okay if your pages aren’t works of art. IT IS OKAY. Just scrap. Eventually, you’ll break through, but only if you start chipping away at the bricks to begin with.

2. Challenge yourself. This time last year, I was so burned out that I didn’t care if I ever scrapped again. You think I’m kidding? I could barely make myself walk into my studio. I just didn’t have the creative energy. And yet, I knew I needed to work. So I entered a contest that stretched and worked every creative muscle in me. I worked up 12 layouts for the Creating Keepsakes Hall of Fame contest. I started on January 10th; the deadline was February 6, I think. By the time I overnighted my layouts, I was on FIRE. Darren was sick to death of the contest by then, because for the last two weeks I spent working on it, it’s all I talked about. I couldn’t scrap the ideas that came to me fast enough, and I absolutely loved the pages that I produced during that time. I didn’t win by CK’s standards, but by my own, it was worth every single minute I spent on it. I got my GROOVE back, and in the process, learned more about my ability and tastes by dabbling with new techniques and products.

3. Do a photo shoot for the sole purpose of scrapping. One of my favorite layouts for the contest last year was one I did of my boys. I’d taken them down to the river for the sole purpose of taking photos to scrap for the contest. I was bored with the photos in my stash. I wanted something fresh. Give yourself permission to scrap something NEW. Who cares if it’s out of chronological order? Who cares if you’ve already planned the paper and embellishments in your head and you’re taking fake pictures just to make it work? Give yourself permission to SCRAP FOR FUN.
(click to enlarge)

4. CASE something. CASE= Copy and Scrap Exactly. Don’t be shy. Find a layout you love in a magazine or in an online gallery, and CASE away. Then contact the originator if possible and let her know you CASEd her. You’ll break out of your rut, and in the process, you’ll make her day!

5. Spend time with your scrap stuff. Go to your stash and paw the stuff you have. Pull together kits with the paper, ribbon, frames, quotes, brads, etc that you have on hand. Reorganize. Discard the stuff you don’t like. Dust and sweep your scrap space. Clean and polish your scraproom windows. If you don’t have a scrapspace, MAKE one. Whether it’s a closet or a cupboard or a blanket box that you keep under your bed, make a space for yourself.

6. Make something off-the-page. Use your supplies to create an altered canvas, or a clock, or a frame, or a wooden letter. Peruse galleries online and in magazines for inspiration. Take a stroll through your LSS or local craft store for ideas.

7. Take a class. Local Scrapbook Stores offer a myriad of classes, from page layouts to altered art pieces. Take advantage of all the expertise and enthusiasm that your LSS can offer!

8. Go shopping. Make a shopping list and head to your LSS. Sort through your photos and write down what you need: soccer, purple uniforms. Red bandana print, blue jeans. Baby girl, pink, roses. Apple Orchard, fall colors. Snowman, blue knit toboggan hat, orange mittens. Give yourself a spending limit and challenge yourself to stick to it.

9. Discipline yourself. Log off the computer and turn off the TV, and spend those hours in your scraproom instead. When you’ve completed a page, reward yourself with a long IM chat or with a pint of Ben and Jerry’s… whatever works for you!

10. Ground yourself. Seriously! Enforce a self-imposed moratorium on scrapbook spending until you’ve used some of what you have. You never intended to be a scrapbook COLLECTOR. You intended to be a scrapBOOKER. It’s not too late. Get outta here. Go CROP!