Get Out of the Scrapbook Creativity Rut!

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Have you ever noticed how scrapbookers always think something they see on another scrapbooker's page is more creative than anything they've done? Maybe you've had thoughts of "Wow! I wish my pages were that good!" yourself, running through your head when you see another scrapper's pages. Its thoughts like these that put you in a scrapbook creativity rut! Try to keep everything in perspective- the reason you scrapbook is not to keep up with the Jones's- it's to preserve your photographs and memories for you and your family to enjoy. You need to create pages that are pleasing for you, and not necessarily things that would "wow" your scrapbooking friends.

Everyone is creative. The trick is to unleash that creativity, and to allow it to come out on your scrapbook pages in a way that is unique to your style, and a way that fulfills your need to preserve memories.

One way to get inspiration for your scrapbook pages, is to tear pages out of magazines of layouts that catch your eye, save color swatches and color combinations from magazines that you wouldn't normally think to put together but that you enjoyed the outcome of the colors side by side- and save everything these in a binder or folder that you can pull out when you need a source of inspiration.

Sometimes, you can unblock scrappers block just by going through all the albums and scrapbook layouts that you've already done. Enjoy the pages you've created and take a mental note of certain elements and techniques that you especially like, and it may trigger something you can use on upcoming pages. A little secret of artists may also work to encourage your creative soul- scrapbook at a different time of the day than usual!

Fill your scrapbook studio with items and art pieces that make you happy, and feel innovative. (What? You don't have a scrapbook studio? Anyplace that you create your scrapbook layouts should be called your scrapbook studio- it's way more creativity inducing than just saying "the dining room table"!) Create wall art from your scrapbook supplies and hang where you can see while you are making layouts.

Do you know anything about color therapy? If you are able to paint the room that you do your scrapbooking in, consider using lots of orange, since orange is said to spark creativity. Then accent the room with purple for inspiration, and yellow for promoting knowledge and learning. Even if you can't paint the walls, you can certainly incorporate the colors in other ways around the room.

Speaking of colors, if you're having a hard time deciding on what color combination to use on your layout, try visiting the websites of paint manufacturers. Behr, in particular, has a tool that lets you select a color and then it will provide a few different color combinations based on your original color choice. Take a close look at the photographs you want to incorporate on your layout, and choose a color from it that you want to stand out on the Behr site, and you'll be given great color combinations that you can use to build stunning, color coordinated pages!

Have you ever used a layout sketch? Becky Higgins', a staff member for Creating Keepsakes scrapbooking magazine, creates a new sketch each month that will definitely get your creative juices flowing. A layout sketch is a pencil drawing of a scrapbook page, and it shows a well balanced layout with shapes representing where you would place your photographs, journaling, titles, and embellishments. Often, looking at a layout sketch will give you the push you need to stop analyzing and start scrapping! Keep layout sketches in a binder, or on index cards, and whenever you're stumped for how to start your page, close your eyes and grab one!

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