When I Am in A Creative Slump ... I Do Something Else Creative

I have been in a creative slump for a couple of months now ... not even wanting to sketch. It happens - and people always ask me what do I do when I hit a wall ... and for me - I do something else creative. Crocheting, Knitting...and these days - just simple scrapping. Nothing fancy - no mixed media masterpieces ... just simple scrapping.

To boost myself along, I decided not to scrap alone either! LOL

Tiare Smith, the creator of Scraps of Color was introducing a club - the Creative Circle - ..and the most attractive part to me since funds are so tight - was the payment plan option - so I hopped on it.

Here is what I have done so far this week...and I feel the creative juices beginning to flow again.

Quick and Easy ...and Cheap - Recycled Packing Boxes

Hello Everyone! School is finally out here in Northern Virginia, the weather is breaking .... and I am in a cleaning mood. For me, it's not just the clutter I see ...it's the fact I have nothing to put things in - and my space and funds are limited.

Previously, I'd begun to purchase the Rubbermaid tubs and plastic drawers when they were on sale ... but even a good sturdy set of plastic drawers - is still between 15-25.00 ... and I don't know about you - but that van still put a dent in my pocket, considering I need a lot of storage options!

Soooo ... the other week I was inspired to try something with some Amazon boxes I was getting ready to cut down and put away (I can't seem to throw away a good cardboard box!). I'd been in Target, and saw some funky shelf liners ... and I figured - why not? The worst that could happen was I make a mess of it ... and I'd throw it in the bottom of a closet somewhere. Though what I REALLY wanted, was some inexpensive - but nice looking storage boxes that I could keep out, hide my clutter in plain sight, so to speak.

Gather Your Supplies:

Grip Prints by Contact - 5.24 per roll

Scotch White Glue - 4.79

Scissors

Get a Sturdy Box:

It only took 20 minutes, and not a lot of cutting to glue the shelf liner to the box...and VOILA!!

Now, I'm keeping my boxes simple ... . because I am going to stack them on bookshelves, on top of each other in corners, etc ... so I want them to all look uniform - and remain stackable....but you see where I'm going? I'm not spending a lot of money ... I'm using what I already have - and the shelf liner is a lot sturdier - at least to me - than the regular contact paper. Also - it's not so fancy that I am afraid to "mess it up" ... but in the end... it is for storage.

Hope this helps someone out there ... because if you have ever looked at the nice storage options - they still are a little pricey ... and life is too short to spend all your money ...for anything!!!...Enjoy the rest of your week.

Twenty Minute Scrappy Box

Seems as if I am always running late ... and this weekend was no exception. I had a baby shower to attend - and realized that I'd forgotten to buy a gift bag.

Soooo...down to my creative space I went, to pull something together - Quick, Fast and In-A-Hurry.

Good thing? I always have basecoated paper mache boxes on hand. I started with a base coated paper mache box:

Looked through my scraps to see what I had ... and pulled out an old pack from the defunct ScrapGoods Kit club:

Using my Fiskar cutter, I cut plain 12x12 pieces cardstock to size and glued them to the sides of the box, using Scotch glue:

After all 4 sides of the box were covered, I took smaller squares of patterned paper and glued right on top of the larger squares.

Once the sides were done, I took washi tape and adhered to the cover:

Then, using the same technique as the box - I completed the top of the box:

I put the goodies inside, closed with ribbon - and I was done!

No More Swaps For Me

I recently participated in a swap, creating something a little more labor intensive than I normally do .. a fabric journal. It was fun, intimidating...but in the end - I was so proud of myself for having created something so totally different.

Well .. I filmed it for posterity ... put some nice little goodies in there...and mailed it off.

I waited in anticipation for what my partner would come up with.

Now, I knew she would be a little late, as we had exchanged some very pleasant emails ... both of us were running a bit behind - busy schedules ... but all was well...we'd be mailing our packages out a week after the posted due date.

Nothing. I sent an "Hey Hiya Doin'" email...nothing. Finally, I had to let the swap coordinator know .. I mean, maybe something happened to her? Nothing. I looked on the site to see if she was posting somewhere...Nothing.

Surprisingly .. I wasn't even angry. But what surprised me...I was incredibly sad...and disappointed....and done. I think I have just reached the point of no return with these swaps. I KNOW people have things come up in their lives.. goodness knows, I do. But it's just the inconsiderate aspect of it all.

This isn't the first time I have been burned .. but it is the last time I will be burned. My advice to those who do this ... if you have no intention on following through - don't swap. If life is a little too hectic and you are not sure that you will be able to fulfill your end of the swap - don't swap.

So ... this is it for me. I will continue to craft, scrap, sew, paint ... and as much as I love receiving goodies and such from my fellow creative sisters ... I don't enjoy putting my heart and soul into projects...swaps ... to be left wondering...What Happened?

From Broken Lamp ... to Camera Stand_Crafting On A Budget

Happy May Everyone!!

Just a quick hello - wanted to share something that I made over the weekend.  I have wanted something to hold my camera, other than my traditional tripod - on my painting table ... and I stumbled on something this weekend.  I made a camera stand, with a movable arm,  out of a broken lamp that I was going to throw in the garbage.

It Is National Scrapbooking Day!!

It's the weekend - and National Scrapbooking Day!!! I hope everyone is having a creative day!!

My First Fabric Journal

I joined a swap at Your Paper Pantry ... they were doing a fabric journal swap. I've never done one - but decided to give it a shot. Here is my version of a Fabric Junk Journal: