Snap Conference 2019 Recap

(Photo by Catcher in the Rye)

A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to attend Snap Conference. This was my 5th time attending, which seems crazy. Snap is a conference for creative bloggers; craft bloggers, DIY bloggers, party bloggers, etc. It is a weekend full of classes, both about blogging, tech, and social media stuff, and hands on classes where you can make fun projects and learn new skills. It is great for networking and getting together with people who do the same kind of thing you do, and connecting with companies that sponsor the conference. Over the years I have met lots of great friends and had amazing opportunities to work with brands as a result of going to Snap.

Each time I have attended I feel like I have gone wanting/needing something different from my time there. My first year I had only been blogging for a few months and felt like I had so much to learn. Some years my focus has been on learning things to make my blog better, things like SEO and social media stuff. Other years my focus has really been on connecting with brands that I want to work with or networking with other bloggers.

(Photo by Catcher in the Rye)

This year I wasn't sure I was going to go and it was kind of last minute that I decided that I would. This year has been off to kind of a rough start for my family. I ended last year super motivated and excited about where things were going with this site. I had lots of goals and ideas for the new year. Then a couple weeks in my kids got sick, and then I got sick, then kids got sick again, and again, and again. Influenza, colds, pink eye, stomach bugs, we had it all. It felt like one thing after another, I think we spent 4-6 weeks straight with someone in the family sick and I felt like so much of my time and attention had to be focused on taking care of my family that I wasn't able to put as much effort as  I wanted on my blog and it was a pretty discouraging.

By the time March came it seemed like we were doing better. Then my 7 year old got sick. This time it was different, she wasn't getting better. She had several very concerning symptoms and I finally took her in to the doctor, already kind of knowing what the diagnosis would be. He immediately sent us to the ER at the children's hospital where we were admitted and she was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. She was in pretty bad shape when we got there and we spent the next 3 days in the hospital getting her feeling better and learning how to take care of things when we went home. Once we came home I felt like I just had to take a break from everything else to focus on taking care of my daughter and adjusting to our new normal. I pretty much took the whole month of March off of blogging.

By the time Snap came around at the beginning of April I was kind of wishing I hadn't bought a ticket. I was feeling overwhelmed with everything at home and had no motivation to craft, or make, or post anything. Normally crafting is sort of my sanity saver and I felt like I had lost all desire to do it. I would pick up a crochet hook and stare at it, like my mind was just blank and I couldn't even think of what to make or where to begin. I was just in a really weird funk. Finally I decided that the time away might be a good time to sort of reset.

(Photo by Catcher in the Rye)

I felt like I went this year not really caring so much about what I learned from classes, or what brands I connected with. I just needed to be in a creative environment, surrounded by creative people, feeling that creative energy. It was so good. I really felt like it helped. It gave me the motivation I needed to want to get back on track with projects and blogging. And to realize how much I really enjoy it.

I saw someone post on Instagram after the conference, I can't remember who or I would share the post, something about finding your tribe and taking time to be with them. I am a huge introvert. Like pretty much as introverted as you can be, so being around big groups of people can seem super overwhelming to me. Because of that I don't think I realized for a long time how great it is, and how beneficial, to spend time with people you can relate to and who understand what you are trying to do (in this case in our businesses). I had a great time meeting people and seeing people again that I had met at other events. Sitting and painting with the people from Plaid, sewing in the sewing room, sitting in classes and learning, or even just visiting around the table at meal times. It was really great.

Hopefully this is what I needed to help me get back on track with sharing posts and projects. I am feeling motivated and excited to get back to work. Yesterday I shared a new crochet pattern and I think it might be one of my favorite things I have made in a long time. It feels so nice to get back to creating. Here's to lots more projects to come!

What do you do when you feel like you get in a creative rut, where you want to make things but lose your crafting motivation?

How do you pull yourself out of that?

My go to is usually small, quick, easy projects. The satisfaction that comes from finishing usually pulls me out of that rut. I think I got some of that in the projects I worked on at Snap, along with just being in that creative environment.