How Do I Get Out of a Creative Rut? (With Photos)

There are times when it is difficult to get the creative juices flowing especially as I approach most projects with little or no ideas and work as I go. I sometimes look to the Internet but that does not always help because I may not have the materials for a particular project I found there. 

Here are some things I do to get moving so I can enjoy my time in my studio:

1. Look at paper! I have a huge stash and sometimes I forget it's there. Look to it for inspiration, color combos, etc.

2. Make embellishments. Sometimes just making embellishments can spark an idea. I have photos that follow of what I created tonight. During this process I also prepped some paper for die-cutting by using a great product by Lifestyle Crafts (Quickutz) called Double-Sided Adhesive Backed Chipboard. I went through my paper stash and got some ready for future projects.

3. Look around you! I look at patterns on people's clothes, fabric, furniture you name it.

4. Ask for project ideas. If you can't think of a project or an idea for a project, ask a friend. 

Hope these tips help. Now go out and create! :-)

                                      

These are from my new dies by Heartfelt Creations-LOVE this company. I'm in the process of creating a mixed-media project with my flowers and leaves. I also tried die-cutting with grunge paper by Ranger (top middle and  right). It worked great!

These are embellishments made using Mod Melts with the Mod Molds by Plaid. I am working with these for the first time and so far I enjoy them. They make for quick embellishments and come in a variety of molds.

Here are the papers I prepared for die-cutting using the Lifestyle Crafts Quickutz Double-Sided Adhesive Backed Chipboard. Love these!

Enjoy!