Creative tip: Pick up a book!

I don’t know about you, but I sometimes suffer from “creative block”–you know, when you stare at the pile of photos and supplies in front of you and can’t figure out what to do with them? When that happens, I turn to idea books! There are dozens and dozens of idea books out there, filled with lots and lots of creative ideas for pages, cards, and more.

Here are just a few that have caught my eye recently:

1. If you’re into the altered art/vintage look, you have to check out these two great books from Tim Holtz–Distressables 2 and his latest book, A Compendium of Curiosities. Each one is filled with helpful step-by-step photos, tons of techniques, and cool ideas galore. These books are must-haves for those who already like the altered art look, or people, like me, who are curious and want to give it a try for the first time!

2. Remember This, a brand-new book from Kimber McGray and Summer Fullerton, features 128 pages of great layout ideas. I like that this book is divided into sections for each season of the year–spring, summer, fall, and winter. It makes it easy to find a page idea to go with my photos, no matter the subject. Plus, this book contains page sketches and a checklist of topics you’ll want to scrap throughout the year!

3. Even though I write for a living, I too struggle sometimes with finding the perfect words to include on my handmade cards. My secret weapon? Say It With Style. This book has quotes and sayings for 18 different categories, including holidays, birthdays, sympathy, and more. Just flip it open and you’ll find the right words to express what you want to say. You can even use the quotes for scrapbook pages.

Pick up a few books so you’re ready the next time “creative block” hits!