Just getting started

So, prior to dulcimer I made a bunch of diatonic canjos and was able to pick up some basics on them which are generally transferred to dulcimer. Stuff like You Are My Sunshine and so forth. I planed to learn Groundhog by groundhog's day and I was satisfied in doing so. 

However, I am more of a one stroke of the strings per note, and would like to get better at strumming. But I feel I tend to vaporlock when trying to strum and fret simultaneously. 

Tricks, Exercises, Ideas?