Top Ten Tips for Beating Scrapper’s Block!
By Sara Naumann

It happens to all of us. No matter how many pages you’ve completed or the number of tools in your Cropper Hopper, it happens.

It’s Scrapper’s Block. Feared by page-a-day scrappers and professional designers alike, it can strike when you least expect it. Listen to one scrapper’s situation:

“I’m in a huge scrapper’s rut at the moment. I have NO desire to scrap. I can’t come up with a single layout idea. What is wrong with me?”—Angela

Angela, help is on the way—we’ve polled dedicated scrappers for advice and we’re delighted (and a little relieved) to bring you the Top Ten Tips for Beating Scrapper’s Block:

1) Let Books & Magazines Inspire You
Jenn tells us she gets her best ideas from books and magazines. “I like to look through them and put a sticky note on the front cover that lists all the layouts I might want to try.”

Try looking at pages that celebrate the same type of photos you’re working with—or not. Instead of looking at wedding layouts as inspiration for your wedding pages, why not try a different approach. If you’re stuck on a wedding layout, take a closer look at a variety of birthday layouts—then imagine what that layout would like with a different color and paper combination.

2) Log On!
An internet community is like a store that never closes, or a magazine with constantly updated articles. Log on to scrapbooking web sites or check out the shared files of your online e-group.

Chat lines and bulletin boards are another great way to get layout and journaling ideas. Simply post your problem and watch as scrappers around the world offer advice.

3) Use Your Community
Take a class at your local scrapbook store. Sign up for an all-day crop. Go on an all-day tour of area stores. Visit a scrapbook convention in your area. Look at a friend’s album.

“Having real people to bounce things off of and learn from was always the best for me. Still is!” says Deanna, who recommends sharing albums with friends. “You’ll get inspiration from someone else’s book, and you’ll look at your own pages a little differently when you show them to someone else.”

Terri agrees, adding, “I was in a scrapping rut for a long time, but then I got involved with other scrappers at conventions, crops and classes, and it got my love for my hobby back.”

4) Walk Away From the Page
“Sometimes I get stuck just because I’m trying to do a page I don’t really like,” says Debra. Amy has experienced the same thing: “I finally realized my problem was that I was disgusted with the layout I’d been working on and I was totally out of ideas of how to make it better or different. I left it alone that night and the next day I went through some books and magazines for inspiration—and it worked!” If your current project is frustrating you, put it away for the night (or the week) and start something new.

5) Try a Totally New Technique
Select a new technique from a book, magazine or another scrapbooker. Maybe it’s not something you would normally try—but try it anyway. Maybe it’s a tag spattered with Walnut Ink, a retro look if you usually go for shabby chic (and vice versa) or a color you don’t normally gravitate toward. Just try it out! Laura, an avid scrapper, says: “I went through the Scrapper’s Block phase too…I tried to find things in the magazines that were techniques I hadn’t done before and that got the creativity flowing again.”

6) Pick Up Another Craft
“I didn’t do a lot of scrapping for about 6 months,” says Terri. “Then I started to rubber stamp again, and that took some of the pressure off scrapbooking and the creative juices started to flow!”

7) Put Down the Scissors, Put Away the Glue
“Sometimes you need to take a break and get away from it all,” advises Mary. Just because you’ve set aside Sunday night for scrapping time doesn’t mean you have to be creative on demand! Use the time to do whatever you want to do—whether it’s scrapbooking related (cleaning out your paper organizer, reading a scrapbooking magazine, surfing scrapping site, sorting embellishments) or not!

8) Try a New Theme
Who says you have to get all the Christmas photos scrapped at the same time? Marlo tells us, “I get bored working on the same category of photos all the time, so I like to change back and forth for a little variety.” If you’re not inspired by those Halloween pictures, then put them away and take out your Easter photos.

9) Take Out Your Toys & Check Your Packaging
Amy advises the organizer’s approach. “When I’m in a rut I go through all my stuff. I organize it. Clean out my sticker binder and paper, go through my photos, try to match things up…see where my holes are—and GO SHOPPING!”

While your writing up your shopping list, take a few minutes to look at the packaging on your tools and papers. Most manufacturers include sample page ideas on their packaging. For example, Paper Pizazz® books show sample page ideas. Your source for inspiration might be closer than you think!

10) Go Shopping
Shannon, a veteran scrapbooker, adds, “The cure? One word: SHOPPING!” Sure, you’re shopping for fun new scrapbooking toys to play with—but scrapbook stores also have free demonstrations, layout contests and page samples on display. Take a sketch book to scraplift cute ideas you see on display!

So, Angela, does this help? We know Scrapper’s Block can be particularly frustrating, but it does help to have a team of experienced scrappers to help inspire!