how to stay motivated

Hi lovely crafty friends, I think we can agree we are facing the weirdest time ever, it affects all of us and how do we deal with that. It can be quite a challenge to stay motivated in everyday life as well as in crafting. Let me share a few things I have found helpful in this strange time.

(All supplies are linked to different stores at the end of this post in the thumbnails. The different stores are also linked behind the product name. Among them are affiliate links that may be used at no cost to you.)

In the video I share the things I have found helpful in this strange time with so much restrictions, that affect all of us.

Maybe you are struggling a bit with what to do or you may have lost your crafty mojo. If you haven’t seen 5 fresh TECHNIQUES for BORED crafters yet, make sure to check it out.

community post

One of the things that I truly enjoyed was interacting with the community over the summer on my YouTube channel.

Sharing my garden adventures and other stories. And seeing other people’s stories in the comments and how you all cope was something I really enjoyed.

That’s why I thought sharing my story could maybe help someone, because you never know who may need it right now.

I usually don’t talk about my health, having had cancer and being tired all the time, as it’s not helpful to you or me and I don’t want to bore you with that.

This is a craft site after all, but it was ok I could do the thing I love most, which is crafting and sharing my crafty adventures with you lovelies.

But this year I have been held back by a nerve that is bugging me in my shoulder due to a hernia in my neck. Which made crafting and making video’s quite hard at times.

And we just had the summer season which is always very busy, with all the flowers and veggies that we have to take care off and also get to enjoy.

But I had to try not to overdo the garden work, which was a bit of a challenge as I am not good at sitting still:-)

learning more about video editing

As I always like the positive approach and focus on what I can do I tried some new things. This past summer I have been learning about YouTube, started working with a new editing program and how I can make my videos better, so they are more fun for you to watch. And it was really cool diving into the backside of video making

And I can highly recommend learning something new as it is very rewarding and will make you feel good about yourself.

Of course there are lots of fun craft techniques and ideas to find right here on my blog, so feel free to browse.

If you want to dive in a bit deeper you also can check out my Stamping without Stamps class. Which is a tool discovery class with lots of cool techniques. And the best thing is you can start right away with what you have and it’s lots of fun.

Dyan and Me

I also have been trying audio books and podcasts. One podcast where Dyan Reaveley was interviewed I really enjoyed.

(In the picture are Dyan and me on a craft show I went to last year. And I got the opportunity to chat a bit with her, she’s such a lovely lady.)

Podcast Dyan

Dyan struggles with mental illness and she explains how crafting and listening to audiobooks and podcasts while crafting helps her calm her mind. I tried it and it’s like having a friend in your craft space, while you are creating something pretty.

So that’s definitely something I can recommend. Here is the link to the podcast with Dyan.

There are lots more podcasts to check out and new ones are added regularly, so make sure to browse and see if your favorite celebrity crafter is among them.

audible audiobooks

Another thing I have tried was audiobooks thinking it wasn’t for me, but I really enjoy them.

If you like to give it a try, I also have a link for you to try audio books for free. You can pick any book you like which is yours to keep, even if you decide it’s not your thing.

By the way this book recommended by my friend Ingrid Blackburn, another very talented paper crafter, is a great book especially if you are a scrapbooker and want to tell stories on your pages. It has lots of doable tips to make your stories more entertaining as well as how to remember the small things that really matter.

wishing well cards & tickets

Of course, you can treat yourself to the free cards and tickets that I showed in a previous post. You can add them to your projects or send to anyone who needs some extra support. You can get yours right here. 

art journal pages

Something we often forget about is to create something for yourself. Start an art journal a technique journal, a quote book or anything else that sounds fun for you to do.

You can buy a pretty journal if you like or just use an old book that you have lying around collecting dust or get one at a thrift store, just to see if it’s something for you.

And make it all about and for yourself to express ideas and thoughts, collect fun facts or quotes that speak to you. Make it something that makes you happy.

If you are a card maker than this is something you may like. At scrapbook.com they have a great program called “cards for kindness” that you can join if you have cards to donate. Here’s a link if you like to check it out.

If you are not in the US you can find a charity closer to home to donate cards. To support anyone who may need a kind word or message.

I hope this was helpful and you have found something that speaks to you and can help in this strange time. Thanks for stopping by and make sure to keep on crafting!

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(In this post I have shared the things that I have found helpful in this time of uncertainty while we all are trying to stay safe and encourage other to do the same. Below is a list of my favorite products that I love using in crafting and I can highly recommend if you like to check it out)