Guest post from scrapbooker and funny girl Lain Ehmann. You’re sure to be inspired!
Tasra invited me to share a bit about how to get the scrapping juice flowing again after you’ve been in a dry patch. And I know about dry patches! Sometimes my scrapbooking mojo hits the high road, and I’m left with a pile of photos and a well as dry as the Sahara in August. The good news is, my pain is your gain. Over the years, I’ve adopted some strategies to get the ideas flowing despite the drought. Here are a few tips I’ve used when I’m up against the wall:
1. Get a Helping Hand.
If you’re trying to find inspiration, why reinvent the wheel? Leaf through a magazine or an online gallery until a page catches your eye. Grab (or “scraplift”) one element of the page that you like, or copy the whole thing piece by piece (with your own pictures, of course!). Think of it as cooking from a recipe. Sometimes you feel like improvising, and sometimes you just feel like being led through the whole thing from beaten egg to sprinkle of sugar. Think of it as Hamburger Helper for scrapbookers — without the MSG.
For this page, I found inspiration in the Write.Click.Scrapbook. gallery from a layout by Melissa Kaiserman. I loved the orientation of the photo, the line of buttons, and the scalloped journaling block – all elements I adopted for my own page. But you can see how I made my page my own with the product selection, the 12×12 size, and the patterned paper.

2. Use Products You Love.
Why force yourself to clean out the corners of your scrapbook supplies, finding a place for that vintage brad or Mrs. Grossman’s sticker from 1992? Grab paper that makes your mouth water and embellishments you can’t wait to run through your fingers. Save the recycling/old product challenge for another day. I absolutely adore arrows, and using one on this layout made me happy.
3. Use Coordinated Products.
If you’re stumped for ideas, let the manufacturers do the work for you. I chose several patterned papers from Scenic Route, all of which were already pre-coordinated. It’s one less thing I have to worry about!
4. Pick a Story You Can’t Wait to Tell.
If you’re inspired by your story, the rest of the page will often just fall in place! Flip through a stack of photos until one grabs you, and start there. Let the story guide the page. This picture was one I’d been waiting to scrapbook — my son actually ASKED me to take it. I can’t help but giggle when I see that serious, proud look on his face.
5. Remember That Scrapbooking Should Be Fun.
If you don’t feel like scrapbooking, then don’t! Unlike paying taxes or watching American Idol, it’s not an obligatory activity. Let yourself take a break and come back at it when you’re feeling motivated and refreshed. Fill the well first with juicy experiences (remember to take your camera!) and enjoy LIFE. Then when you sit down to scrapbook, you’ll be motivated by the freshness of your experiences.
Lain blogs at www.getscraphappy.com. If you’re looking for more inspiration and guidance, think about joining her monthlong Layout a Day (LOAD) scrapbooking challenge. Stop by her blog for more information and scrapbooking fun.