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Do you sometimes struggle to find inspiration for your scrapbook layout designs?

I find it helps heaps when looking for inspiration for creating a new scrapbook layout to browse through some layouts that others have created and see what grabs my attention.

Sometimes it can be a color scheme, or maybe the arrangement of the photos, or maybe the way the title has been set out. That can often be just what I need to inspire how I want to create my own layout. Then once the inspiration strikes, away I go and the new layouts usually comes together easily. Looking at other scrapbook layouts can just give me the 'kick-start' I need.

This is called 'scraplifting'. It is perfectly acceptable to use this method to kick off your own inspiration. You might even like a layout you see so much that you want to use the entire design as the basis for your own layout. Just a note though; it is good scrapbooking etiquette to credit the original layout with your inspiration if you should publish your own in an on-line gallery. You just use a line like "inspired by XXXX layout by Jane Dough" in your list of credits. Scrapbookers are always flattered to inspire others and giving a little credit is all that's needed.

Speaking of on-line galleries, they are another great source of scrapbooking inspiration. Web sites like Flickr and Photobucket abound with great scrapbook layouts that you can browse through until you find something that pushes your buttons.

If you want to kick start your own inspiration you're more than welcome to check out my gallery on Flickr at
http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=5Evi8&m=1jEW3yyalxTAW1&b=QnfOUOO2mo1w5XNwGxs8HA

There are a variety of different digital scrapbook layouts there that might be just what you need to inspire your own creativity.

And don't forget, you can also scraplift from yourself. Just browse through some of your previous favorite scrapbook layouts and see what it was about them that appeals to you. Just by changing a few of the elements you can create a whole new looking layout. Or even try turning a layout on it's side and using the design from that perspective. It can give a completely new look to your old scrapbook layout design and spark the inspiration for a new one.

If you're anything like me, it usually just needs that initial spark to get you started and then the mojo is back and your creativity starts to flow.

I must admit, I find it so much easier to be creative with digital scrapbooking. It's so forgiving. You can try anything and if it doesn't work, you just reverse out of it and you haven't ruined any precious supplies. I find that tends to make me a little bit more adventurous than when I'm scrapbooking the traditional way.

So when your mojo has left you and you can't find inspiration anywhere, get on the scraplifting trail and just watch that scrapbooking creativity start to flow.