Eight tips for finding your papercrafting and cardmaking mojo

We’ve all experienced this at some point: the utter inertia that comes from losing your crafting mojo. Yes, even Stampin’ Up!® demonstrators experience this from time to time.

It can be so dispiriting. You want to craft – you may even have new Stampin’ Up!® supplies – but nothing happens. You find yourself browsing Pinterest for ideas but never make any of them. You may even get as far as starting stamping but nothing you make looks right to you.

Help is at hand! Here are my tried and tested methods for finding that elusive mojo – and no, “buy new stuff” is NOT one of them!

1. Declutter and tidy

Boring! Yes I know. This is why I don’t practise what I preach. But seriously, sometimes it’s the clutter that’s stopping the ideas from flowing. And you never know, you may unearth something which will help with the next tip...

2. Start small

I bet you have some pre-stamped images or other half-made projects –the declutter will surely have come up with something! Dig these out and turn them into a card, scrapbook page or even just a tag. Finishing something off will give you a boost and help to spark other ideas.

For the project above, I found a pre-stamped image in the stamp case of my Thankful Garden stamp set (165526) from Stampin’ Up!®, which made putting a card together really quick and easy.  

3. Craft from a kit

This is one of my favourite tips because it works so well. You get everything you need in Stampin’ Up@® craft kits and they are really easy to make. This means guaranteed success without having to think. I often find that by the time I’m a few cards into the kit, I am starting to go my own way a little – a sure sign that the mojo is reawakening. 

For the projects above, I used the By Your Side kit (163876) from Stampin’ Up!® and changed the greetings to make birthday cards. 

Tip: This kit is currently half price in the Stampin’ Up!® Last Chance sale! I know I said “buy new stuff” is not one of my tips and if you have lots of unfinished kits then please use those, but if you want a bargain, there are loads in the sale so take a look!

4. Go back to basics

Top Stampin’ Up!® demonstrator trick here. Stuck for an idea? Remake an old design using new products. 

I made the card on the left, above, ages ago using Sale-a-Bration papers. When my new Stampin’ Up!® Painterly Pears Suite (166159) arrived, I was stuck for ideas so remade the card using my new supplies. 

 

5. CASE (Copy and Share Everything)

This is a fun way to challenge yourself when you’re stuck; pick up any Stampin’ Up!® catalogue, old or new, and let it fall open on a page. Pick a design from that page and copy it. You don’t need the same stamps, colours or papers – just work with what you have. 

In the case above, I did use the same stamp set – Peaceful View (165310) to recreate (more or less) the sample from page 97 of the Stampin’ Up!® 2025-26 Annual Catalogue. After all, that’s what the ideas are there fore!

6. Limit your supplies

Sometimes it‘s the overwhelming choice that can make creating so difficult so why not make your own limited supply challenge? Grab a sentiment stamp set, some Designer Series Paper, some coordinating cardstock and an ink pad. That’s it. Now see what you can make. 

For the above card, I used Fruit Salad 6"x6" Designer Series Paper (164943), which is currently available in the Last Chance collection at just £8.22. I added the Simply Said stamp set (163756 – I use this ALL the time) and a Garden Green ink pad. The pineapple is fussy-cut from the paper. 

7. Craft with friends

Two heads are better than one, and you can help each other come up with ideas. Even if you don’t make anything, you’ll have fun. No crafting friends locally? If there’s one thing we learned from lockdown is that distance is no barrier. Simply fire up the laptop and craft over Zoom, Skype, Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger. There are SO many options, so no excuses!

8. Be kind to yourself

Perhaps the most important tip of all: cut yourself some slack. 

Not everything you make needs to be a masterpiece. Just do something you enjoy. This could be stamping a sheet for a future one-sheet wonder, colouring in some images or fussy-cutting some images from Designer Series Paper. 

Even if you don’t complete any projects, this can calm the mind. What’s more, you’ll have some unfinished objects for another day.