Wednesday, August 6, 2014

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday 270

New desk and shelves

Construction is done and the process of finding a home for everything is close to being complete.   I am sticking to my rule: if I can’t find a place for something it is not allowed in. 

Allistair thinks we built him a new jungle gym:





Trying to figure out how to climb across the door frame

 Creating

 
Flower ATC Swap#3 Roses: Fragrance of a Rose

GROUP: ART: Letter F Rolo (Global) (front)

GROUP: ART: Letter F Rolo (Global) (back)



My partner for the July scavenger hunt liked peacocks so  I  incorporated a stamped feather which I hand colored using Sakura Gellyroll stardust pens and 5 other things from the required list: ric rac, charm, painted paper, rhinestone, & crochet (flower).
 
ATC of ABC's #6 "F": Feathers, Flourishes, & Flutter

For the past 3 weeks I have been experiencing a creative slump; I lack my usual creative enthusiasm and ideas. I sit looking at a blank ATC and come up with a blank.  It takes me 5X longer (or so it seems) to create something then I am not happy with it once done.  I believe the cause for this is twofold; the flow I had while creating has been disrupted by changing the placement of all my creative tools - including now working on the other side of the room- and the anxiety of returning back to school in 2 weeks.  To push through it I have been focusing on my morning reading and working in my collage journal. I also am working on getting a daily routine in place so when the stress of teaching returns I will be better prepared.  


Thank you for stopping by my new creative space!  Any suggestions or experiences you can share regarding pushing through creative slumps would be truly appreciated.

Sneaking peeks at other’s creative spaces at What’s On Your Workdesk? Wednesday  Won’t you join in on the fun!  We would love to see what’s on your work desk!

10 comments:

  1. Wow - you have been very busy. Love all the creations. :-)
    April #54

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  2. Love your new shelving and work area, so nice to be organized. I need to follow that rule if it doesn't have a spot it is gone. It would make life so much easier.

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  3. your cat will be so confused when those shelves are full and he can't roam along them! Hope your creative slump ends soon. Helen 2

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  4. Love the cards, they are all amazing. I wish I could help with the creative slump as I have been there for too long now. I just go back to doodling on ATC size cards or on watercolor paper so if my doodling turns out I could paint it with watercolor. If all else fails, I go to YouTube and watch some other artists. I love your cat checking out each shelf. You may need to build your cat one of its own set of shelves!

    I really can relate to the heading on your blog. I am on the other side of 50 and my life turned upside down in all directions. I too am looking for my purpose, passion and what I am suppose to be doing. Happy WOYWW. Big hugs to you, Rasz #72

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  5. Wished my shelves were as tidy as yours! But mine have been up for 7 years so they're very cluttered now. Interesting cards! Happy WOYWW!
    Carol N #53

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  6. Hi Diane, thanks for visiting my blog today. I, too, 'suffer' from a creative block after I moved places - and I, too, blame a lot on having my tools in other, not yet familiar, closets/spaces... I don't have tips and I guess we just have to push through... for me, at this moment, it helps to focus on one theme or prompt just to get my hands back to work... hope we (both) will find our creative flow very soon. Good luck! Happy woyww and hug from Holland, Marit #56

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  7. I don't know why you are doubting yourself your art looks great from here and if you are having a slump then it is not noticeable at all. Moving your toys around can make you feel disjointed and out of mojo. The shelves are definitely a jungle gym for Alistair that is the Siamese in him coming out.

    Hugs Eliza & Yoda

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  8. Start sorting papers out, I always find that works, Ooo, I'd forgotten that and Ah now that is interesting, seems to work for me, but your college journal looks really good, so I don't think there is much lack of creative work going on.
    How kind of you to put up a gym just for Alistair, he just had to inspect the quality of the work.
    Bless you
    Chris #6

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  9. Hi Diane, thanks for stopping by at mine. I have done a bit more on the journal page and will post it soon.
    Alistair is such a sweetie, how could you fill his gym with all that stuff Diane, Maisie (my Schnauzer) says if he has any sense he will knock it all off as soon as you put it up there LOL!
    Happy crafting, Angela x #38

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  10. Diane, your new space is positively divine!! I'm sorry to hear you've been in a slump, but I think you've diagnosed it correctly. That's a really major change you have made to your creative space and like with everything else, we do get settled and work better when we know where everything is without even thinking about it. Every time I do a reorganization, even just of a couple of cupboards, it takes me a while - and stops me in my tracks - when I go to the old spot to find something.

    My advice is to force yourself to get in there every spare chance you have and make something, even if it is just toppers or a single image to color on an ATC blank. I find that surfing my favorite sites and challenges really sparks ideas, too. The thing is, having the sanctuary of crafting will help you be less stressed about the anxiety of school. You have to get back to your happy place and then the rest of it falls into place.

    How know-it-all am I then, huh? It's okay, I've been told off before! But you did ask, haha!! I wish you all the best with every corner of your life and I love your space!! Happy Belated WOYWW! Hugs, Darnell #18

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