Elaineabella here with another Marker Geek Monday for you! I had hoped to have a completed card to share with you today, but my desk is covered in cards for the new release previews which start this week! I do however have a coloured image to share with you, and a little reminder of some previous posts that might help you out with “No Line” colouring.

For today’s colouring I stamped Tiny Townie Bonnie loves Bows, who you can currently grab at 25% off as the August Stamp of the Month Offer! Be quick though, offer ends on 31st August.

Adorable, isn’t she? A little “no line” colouring was just the thing for my funk – it always presents a challenge and wakes the brain up a bit. For some tips and more examples featuring Stamping Bella stamps, check out these posts:

• No Line Colouring feat. Susie the Succulent
• No Line Colouring feat. Tiny Townie Sweet Pea
• No Line Colouring feat. Tiny Townie Chrysanthemum

Happy colouring! If you have given no line colouring a go with Stamping Bella stamps, pop a link in the comments section below, I would love to see!

~Elaineabella

Elaineabella here, wondering how we ended up on Monday again!

Before I get into today’s topic, I want to thank you all for your responses to last week’s topic – Marker Geek Monday Approaching Colouring. It is fascinating to hear from you, and get some differing opinions and ideas, as well as to hear some similarities. I hope you will join me again today, and let me know your thoughts on another key issue we all seem to face from time to time.

I’ve mentioned a few times recently that my mojo has gone wandering. Where exactly it has gone wandering to, I have no idea. I also have no clue as to when it plans to return. This happens sometimes, and it is often linked to my general mood and things going on in daily life. Creativity can be such a sensitive, flighty, creature. It is also the case that the creative spark can be present, but the motivation to do the work has gone on strike. It would be fair to say that I mostly tend to experience the latter. The ideas are there, the focus to settle down to work and the energy to see it through have gone AWOL. An abundance of ideas seems to exacerbate the problem and create a sense of complete overwhelm.

What often works for me is to take the pressure off. This can be tricky, with commitments that need to be met, and lots of behind the scenes work in need of completion. I find that allowing myself to let some of the less urgent, non-priority work and creative ideas slide for a while often helps. I’ve seen it referred to as “refilling the well” – taking some time to relax and do other things we enjoy, allowing the inspiration and motivation to come back naturally. I make notes of ideas that come to me during this time, and act on them when the spark returns.

Another approach is to push through, to show up and do the thing, whatever it may be. I have found less success with this approach, and it possibly depends on what the underlying reason for the lack of motivation/creative spark is.

Taking a wander through past creations can help, remembering the feeling of enjoyment experienced when working on them. Looking at other people’s work can help to inspire, although I find it can also have the opposite effect, so it is a case of knowing yourself and finding a balance.

Something that does help me significantly during these times is to reorganise my craft-room – going through, finding stamps and supplies that have been languishing under piles of other “stuff” and sitting untouched in boxes for months. The act of tidying up and removing clutter also tends to help me, as I get quite overwhelmed by mess when I’m trying to work and create. It doesn’t always work, but it is a useful approach to try!

What do you think? Do you often experience this problem? How do you deal with it? Do you find it stressful, or do you just go with the flow? Have you found that there are specific triggers for it?

I’m interested to hear your thoughts and experiences whether you craft purely for pleasure, have design team commitments and pressures, sell your cards etc.

Until next week!

Elaineabella