Lately I have been a bit absent here at Lovely Etc. I also haven’t done anything creative or crafty in a few weeks. That what happens sometimes when real life gets in the way.
Well, this weekend I decided that I was ready to get back in the swing of things. I have missed creating and making old junk beautiful and sharing it with all of you.
But being creative is sometimes easier said than done. So I sat down and really thought about what has helped me before when I was in a slump. This is what I found helps.
Don’t force it.
Creativity isn’t something that you can force. Sometimes you need a little break and that’s okay. Everyone needs to recharge sometimes.
Take care of the clutter.
Life not only got in the way of my creative endeavors the last few weeks, it got in the way of a lot of other things. Mail, laundry, and random stuff had piled up everywhere. Whenever I sat down to try to blog or start a project, all I could think about was all of that junk. There was no way I could focus on a project until I took care of it.
Clutter can also be mental. You may have stuff on your mind that you just can’t shake. If it is a task that needs to be done, take care of it. If it is something deeper, talk to someone or write about it in a journal.
Find a project that excites you.
Don’t try to force yourself to do the project that has been waiting or that makes sense. Find something that ignites a spark in you – something that seems intriguing or fun. After all – that is kind of the point. Yeah maybe you have been meaning to make curtains for the family room for months but if that seems like a huge yawn right now, start with something else. (Ahem, note to self).
Find a little inspiration.
Sometimes you need a little help to find that project that gets you excited. We probably all know by now that
Pinterest is a great place for inspiration. But my favorite sources of inspiration are antique stores and yard sales. I love finding unique items and trying to imagine what they could be or how they could be transformed.
Just start something already!
You could wait forever looking for the perfect project or technique. Or worrying about what the end result is going to look like. But then you would never start – and you would take all of the joy out of it. Once you find something you are excited about trying…try it!
Those are my tips. As for me, I definitely took a break. And I spent the weekend doing some cleaning and looking for inspiration. Now, to find a project that really excites me and get to it already!
Have any other great tips to add?
