When Life Gets in the Way...

There are those times in your life scrapping must take a backseat. It’s not that you have a creative block or you simply can’t get motivated. Sometimes life gets in the way.  So many things are demanding your attention; creative activities may be the first thing pushed off till another day. 

For instance, during the holiday season we all get busy with preparations and the hubbub of seasonal activities. You may delay scrapping till all the  decorations are packed away for another year and then retreat to your hobbies during the long, cold days of winter.

There are other times when family commitments take the priority. This can be a move to a new home, (and we are unable to find our supplies), taking care of loved ones, or an illness. Perhaps there are job responsibilities that are preventing your creativity.

The soul may be willing but time and energy are firmly blocking the way. We may even find ourselves frustrated without the creative outlet. How do we find a balance?

Here are a few suggestions:

• Keep pen and paper handy. Find a notebook, your phone or tablet. Jot your ideas down somewhere…anywhere. It doesn’t have to be a formal journal; just some way of recording your thoughts, ideas and feelings.  Use this for inspiration later.  You can always discard it or add it to a page.

• Doodle or sketch something that inspired you.

• Make a list of what you wish you could be doing.

• Visit your supplies.  Get reacquainted. If its been a while you may have forgotten what you have on hand. Then dream up new ideas to use later.

• Spend 5 minutes cleaning your area. After a few short sessions you can have a table and work area that is ready to go when you can devote more time. When you are able to have an afternoon to yourself, you won’t have to face the remnants of the last months project before you start something new.

• Make a kit. In 5 minutes or less you can find 1 piece of paper from your stash. Next time you have 5 to spare, find a coordinating paper or two.

• Invent new color schemes or borrow some from Pinterest. You can even use your phones camera to take a photo of colors that catch your eye.

• Take some scraps and a punch. In 5 or 10 minutes you’ll have embellishments or a borders to use later on.

  Stealing a few moments here and there can keep your projects in mind until you have more time.