Scrapbook burnout - is it just me?

[Belle0101]

I'm just not excited about it anymore. The last time I really felt enthused about it was January and I finished at least 30 pages that month. Since then, blah, nothing.

I don't dare buy anything new for all the stuff I already have - papers, stickers, albums, die-cuts, adhesives, punches, pens, chalk, cutting systems, etc. By no means do I have it all but I have enough that I'm already not using.

I feel bad all the time about it. Yesterday was my youngest son's birthday, he turned 8, and I realized I don't have any pages even started from when he was a baby.

I'm going to a crop tonight and I have nothing ready. Last month I mostly just sat and talked, very little scrapping. Honestly, I don't think I even finished one page.

I get really down for myself when I see everybody else's pages - they are so cute and colorful (they all have girls, I have boys) and creative.

I can't be alone can I? This happens to everybody at some some time right?

And the bigger question - maybe I'm just not a scrapping kind of person. Has anybody, or anyone you know, just quit? Because I really feel like I'd be better off just buying some albums and putting our pictures in those. At least they'd be in something and not in boxes (the pre-digiital ones) or stored online somewhere and never seen.

Sorry, I'm just wondering how long the "blahs" last.

 

[pjlla]

Sorry to hear about how you are feeling!

I think you need to do some self-analysis to discover the proper way to continue. Do you really believe that you are just NOT a scrapping person? If so, then give yourself permission to just quit. Be sure to keep up with printing pictures and keeping your regular albums current, because I believe that is important. But don't feel like you need to scrap everything. My DSIL is NOT a scrapper.... and she is struggling to finish a small school book for each of her kids. Somehow I think she believes she isn't a good mother if she doesn't do this!

If you really believe in your heart that you are a scrapper, then give yourself a break. Maybe just pack away the scrapping stuff for a few months and don't even think about it. Don't open the boxes until you feel inspired and ready to scrap.

Or maybe try something new, like digital scrapping. Or just plan on scrapping a "year in review" and that would cover the major events of each year, without feeling overwhelming.

If you are finding scrapping (or thinking about scrapping, or planning to scrap) stressful or worrying, I would say that you need to take another look at whether this is the proper hobby/creative outlet for you. Hobbies are supposed to be fun, relaxing, fulfilling, enjoyable, rewarding. If you don't feel that scrapping does that for you, it's time to move on... WITHOUT GUILT! I hope this helps.........................P

 

[LindaBabe]

Belle, I think Pjlla is right - first, you have to decide if you are a scrapper or not. If you're not, it's ok! In that case, You might fill regular pocket photo albums with your photos - but once in a while, instead of a photo, stick a card full of journalling in the slot, or a post card, or some ticket stubs or whatever your album is about. That's STILL a scrapbook, but without the stress.

I represent the other hand - I'm definitely a scrapbooker - paper crafter from way back, and i've just gotten out of a terrible slump. It was a reaction, I think, to several circle journals, making 17 library card birthday books for which I got 'no' positive feedback at all from the recipients, and then my sb store closed so I was bummed about that. To climb out of it, I gave myself permission to just be creative without making pages - turned out to be a couple exploding boxes - so liberating - no photos - just creating with stuff I had. Then a paint can birthday gift. Then a trip for which I wrote a trip report - and that did it - there were the pages, all defined for me in the chapters of the report. The other thing that has helped is sketches in one of the magazines - I see a page I like and start with the sketch - I never used to do that, and it's tiring to always have to 'scrap from scratch'.

Maybe you're bored with what your scrapping?
Maybe you're just to tired to be creative?

I went through the same thing with sewing, only in that case finally decided "I don't want to do this any more." It will all work out in the end, Belle.

 

[Phedre]

I've got the scrapbooking blahs right now too. I've never run into this before. I just feel devoid of any creative thought at all. I've sat down to try to scrap a few times and I have no thoughts or ideas. I just stare at an empty desk!

I think with me, I just got frustrated that everyone else always has such beautiful pages and mine are bleahhhhhh I got really upset with it and it made me lose interest since I can't seem to make anything amazing like everyone else is doing. It sounds like maybe this is a bit of what happened to you too, which is sad because that's not really what it's supposed to be about.

I don't know how to fix it though, because I'm still suffering with it too. I guess I want to be able to make pages, but only if they are awesome ones, lol

I was thinking mabye I'd try taking a class and see if that resparks any creativity.

Good luck with deciding what you want to do about the hobby! Don't force yourself to do it if you aren't really enjoying it any more. That's definitely not what it's about!

 

[Belle0101]

Thanks for the support everyone.

I think you all pretty much understand what I'm trying to say.

*I do feel like a bad mom for not scrapping.

*I see how gorgeous other people's pages are and mine are just ... dreary

*And maybe it's just not "my thing"

I got into it because 3 of my cousins were really into it and it was something for us all to hang out together and do. We don't get together anymore - jobs, family, moved. I got back into because my neighbor scraps. But there again, she has a girl, and uses all the pretty pastel colors that I can't / won't use with boys.

Some of it may be too that I'm just stuck with where I'm at. It's an early summer vacation so you'd think there'd be great pictures but I can't find any great embellishments. I skipped over it, knowing I have to get back to it, and then I got to our fall vacation - stuck again.

Thanks again - I actually feel a little better about not enjoying it right now. It's okay if I don't have the passion for it, the world won't end.

 

[disneyfan2]

i am with you, i was avid scrapper before. I don't find i have the motivation. When i do sit down, i can look at my photos for hours but no idea what i want to do with them....I have been working on my Disney album from last year and it is almost done. i figure i have about 10-15pgs left but i hit a wall.... I will feel very happy when i can get those pages done but i am at a loss what to do with them. My Disney album style was completely different then my regular albums(they were all CM album styles) I really wanted to get free of that and my Disney album is the complete opposite but now i am stuck again...

 

[Lisa]

I have ebbs and flows of my scrapping too. There are times I just don't want to do anything, other times, it just comes. I don't even try to keep up with creativity of my crop attendees. Their work just blows me away.

Take a break, maybe you are trying to do real decorative pages at a time when just adhering the the photos and a little journaling will do. Maybe a quick album kit would get you going during those times. Or perhaps a digital album. I did one this week of a niece's wedding, took no time at all.

I find doing a little scrapping at a time works best for me, I don't get into a rut with my pages.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

I just got out of a rut that lasted all summer. I felt like my creativity was just gone. I spent most of the summer making elements and swapping, so when I do get ready to scrap I'm all set with items to use.
I also cheat by using sketches on line and Becky Higgins sketches from Creating Keepsakes. I have also newly discovered finding layout in magazines other than scrap mags. DH bought a fishing magazine that had a beautiful layout in it.

I think my rut came from being so far behind, I started 3 years ago and my oldest is 11. But I have just decided I will never be caught up because DH and I like to take pics so much, so I am rethinking how I will do my books. I was really into specific themed books but now I'm leaning towards annual books starting when DH and I got married.

And getting out helps too. I go to Lisa's (the previous poster)crop once a month, no distractions! No kids, dishes, laundry, and husbands calling my name.

 

[KimAshton]

I just get spirts of creativeness and I do pages. Sometimes I am just not motivated.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

I just get spirts of creativeness and I do pages. Sometimes I am just not motivated.

I call those fleeting moments of clarity! LOL

 

[TinkerKat]

As a former art major, I have to jump into this conversation. All the above posts... true true & true again.

I found myself falling into a rut. My solution was to simply "create" No going to crops with a "theme" in mind. No 30 pages of the same event.

I pile up a photo sort box with various pictures different time frames, different people etc. I found that I got sick of looking at the same pictures over and over. It gets boring.
I just play with layouts and titles first then fish around for the pictures. At the rate DH & I have taken pictures after 22 years of marriage and 4 kids...
There's always a new "Canvas" to play with. Don't worry sometimes we just need a break. And 20 years down the line, your boys won't care about everyone else's "Beautiful" creative pages. They will only see the gift their mother has made of capturing moments in time. That is the FINAL payoff!

My 21 year old son thinks it's funny that I "pay people" so I can sit and
"cut paper" He loves my layouts though
May the creative pixiedust visit you again when you're ready
Kat

 

[MazdaUK]

My sister just doesn't get scrapping at all, and of the mums at the school gate most of them look at the 3 or 4 of us who scrap like we are deranged But don't worry about not having baby pics done - I've spejnd most of the 2 years I've been scrapping catching up from all those years when it wasn't invented in the UK . If I tell you elder DS just turned 14 last month you'll appreciate what a task that was, and doing it on the strength of one CM class (when I signed up as a CMC - gotta have a discount ) and basically doing it on my own since then. I've found these boards helpful, and Simple Scrapbooks mag, and Becky Higgens sketches - all good for scraplift! But my BIGGEST boost has been swapping. Yes, it takes away scrap time, but when you're making lots of one thing you get on and do it - I'd never bother for one page and then you have a whole bunch of stuff waiting to be used. OK, some of it is waiting a LOOOOONG time as we don't have a WDW trip planned for at least 5 years if then , but hings like colour kits and month kits have been fantastic. Why not sign up for a swap or two, then at least you'll be using your stash and won't feel guitly about it sitting there. And maybe you'll use enough to send you back to the shop or something someone sends (and some of the swappers do amazing things!) will make you think "Oooh, I know how I could use that!"

not scrapping doesn't make you a bad mother - that is the thing to remember!