how do you keep your interest up?

[Looser]

I'm mostly talking about stamping with this topic, but feel free to chime in as you feel lead...
 Knowing myself somewhat, I know how easily I get bored with doing the same thing--craft, materials, techniques, etc. Even when i have access to groups like ours, i often struggle to remain engaged. 
One way I sometimes go is to choose a material--say pattern paper--&  see how far i can push with stamping in every way i can come up with.
So how bout you?

[howdyheidi]

Sometimes I have tons of ideas all at once.  Then later, not any!
I keep an idea, or to-try, list for crafting.  If I can’t think of what to do, I consult the list. 

Another way to start is to try to make something ugly first, then move on to doing what you like. It can be freeing and fun to start that way. 

For stamping, I try to change up coloring mediums a lot.  So I might do markers for a while and then switch to pencils, then chalks, crayon, etc.  It keeps them new.

[Looser]

TY for your input Heidi.
LOL on the list. I used to make lists of lists & promptly lose all of them 
Intriguing idea to trying to deliberately make an ugly & then use what's learned to de-uglify it. It's similar to how i learned how to use a word-processor when i worked for the newspaper back in the 80s. I would deliberately make errors & see how few keystrokes it took to correct them. No point &  click back then. As my trainer said, the worst that could happen was I'd have to consign the work to the circular file & start from scratch.

[stampwilly]

I love techniques and try as many as I can. I pin them to my piterest board and then go back and work on them. So I have tons of backgrounds etc. to pull out and use. I also do a lot of challenges on stamping sites to keep me interested. I also like different folds so I pin those too. Just found a neat one and worked on it this weekend. New products help too. I love working with the oxide inks and I keep seeing new ways to use them. Also going back and doing old techniques is fun too - they seem like new if you have not done them in a long time.

April

[howdyheidi]

Daniel, I keep my list electronically, so I can’t lose it!

[howdyheidi]

CASEing cards is a good way to keep your interest up.  As well as going back and looking at your old cards in the gallery.  It reminds me of cards, stamps or techniques I really liked.

[Looser]

Daniel, I keep my list electronically, so I can’t lose it!

LOL Heidi! Batteries die & power failures happen...

[Looser]

Good suggestions all.
Old techniques feeling new?
Sometimes they are. There may be new things (products & tools) that make it easier or even enhances the results.

[Iring]

Sometimes I have tons of ideas all at once.  Then later, not any!

Yep!  That's me!

Somewhere, I started a list of crafty things I can do when the mojo isn't flowing ...
I remember one of them was to cut and score card bases.  So even if I'm not churning out finished masterpieces, I can be a little crafty and watch tv or be mindless.  Where did I put that list?

I do use Pinterest and Splitcoaststampers for inspiration.  I should organize my Pinterest boards better according to "folds", "techniques", etc to be more useful. 

CASEing is always good.  If you start out copying, eventually you can make it your own.  Never, ever would have thought of the "make it ugly first" method, but I'm sure I've done it unintentionally!  Ha!

Sometimes, I'm just in the mood for something different and I pick up a different hobby, like crochet.  When I finish my "scarf" and go back to stamping, I think hey, this is fun again!

Clean your craft space!  Haha!  That always makes me want to stop and make something with my new found treasures 

[Far North]

Over the years I have develop a method I enjoy to keep engaged with stamping...but it is not a fast process.  I try to keep a few weeks ahead of my list of cards that I want to send. Then I try to think of products or materials that the recipient might enjoy seeing.

New techniques for products and materials are a regular for me. I find that limiting my thoughts to a specific person and products/materials focuses my mind to move through a broad range of ideas. I then play with a few of the concepts before getting to my plan for the actual card/project.  I find the "play time" where I have no intention of making a usable finished product gets me to my "fun creative space".

[Utah Ann]

I have the occasional interest, but then my work space (which is a total mess) says "ain't going to happen til you clean  this room up"  It has gotten out of control, so even to get in to make one special card is a battle. 

Currently, I am trying to recover from flu like symptoms and total fatigue.  If I can just put a few things away each day it might help but where do I put things; so I can put other things away."  I need to make my bedroom a staging area so i can clean out the craft room and then decide what needs to go and what can stay.

To much stuff and too little energy at this time.

We have all said this before or felt like this before - Must start with just piece at a time.  Which piece first?.

Glad to see you back. Daniel.

[howdyheidi]

Ann, long time — no see.  Glad you posted. I hope you feel better soon.  I say, start with whatever you touch first.  Why not?

[Yankee]

Ann, put away the larges items first.  It looks like you are getting more done!
At least it works for me.  Then sometimes I pull all the small stuff in a bag or box and put in a cupboard.
Now you know why I lose things.  I am not good at cleaning.

[Looser]

Hi Ann! Nice to be back.
I've thought of you & wondered if u were still with us.
Bummer bout the flu. And I'm sure it makes things like organizing tougher.
That said? What's your goal?
If it's to get back to stamping i may have suggestions...
1. Within 48 hrs. find a couple of stamps some ink & paper. Sit down for 30 minutes & just stamp don't worry bout. Making a project.
(Did u enjoy it? Good! Now you know why ur cleaning. So. .
2.  Start clearing & organizing the stuff that's in stamping's way.
3. Any stamp stuff u find lay aside & focus on t-other junk.
The sooner u deal with non-stamp ; the sooner youll be stamping

[howdyheidi]

I like Sheila and Daniel’s ideas.  Why not take a couple things to another room and stamp something.  Who said you have to have the room cleaned up to begin?