just wing it

Sometimes when I sit down to make a card, I can get wrapped up in the creative process. I might have a layout that I really want to try. I may have a stamp set that I've been meaning to work with. Or I might want to try out a new color combination. Lots of people can work like that. I usually end up spending more time frustrated and annoyed when I try to force myself into a preconceived idea of what I want to create. For me things flow best when I just wing it.

Recently, my mother-in-law passed away. I loved her dearly. She always treated me like her daughter. Not a transplant. It has been a testament to her life to see how many people have poured out love and help to my family over the past month. Prayers, and meals, and flowers, and kindness has been lavished on us all. So lately, the only creative constraint that I have put on myself is the making of "thank you" cards. It's been therapeutic thinking of the wonderful people that loved my mother-in-law as I create each card. And the only rule I have for myself when I make the cards is that I use a "thank you" stamp of some sort. Simple. Easy. I've been winging it. 

A little patterned paper, some texture from an embossing folder, a unique use of a woodgrain stamp, and voila!

Happy stamping!

Crisp and clean butterfly

Today, I had some fun with clear embossing, and sponging with Riding Hood Red, Calypso Coral, So Saffron, and a bit of Soft Suede around the edges of the butterfly. I've been playing around with negative space lately, and this card is my favorite so far!

I used Stampin' Up's Beautiful Butterflies Bigz Die and cut the large, complete butterfly from a piece of copy paper. I laid  the negative outline of the butterfly down  over a piece of Whisper White card stock that I had stamped with VersaMark ink and embossed with clear embossing powder. I sponged some color inside the negative space. And, voila! A beautiful butterfly emerged. 

I love how well the colors blend together! 

Happy stamping!

Double inspiration

You might remember this card from the post "The ocean is calling". It's a card I designed for Stamp Camp. And I adore it. 

Stamp Camp was yesterday and the ladies and I had a fabulous time being creative. Some of my girls carefully read the instruction sheet that I print out for each project and produce a perfect copy of my sample. This makes me happy because they enjoy having a cute card to send to a loved one. 

Some of my girls don't bother with the instruction sheet and quickly bust out a card that kinda looks like my sample. This makes me happy because they enjoy winging it and seeing what happens. 

And some of my girls take a look at my sample and decide to turn it on it's side! They change up the layout, switch around the colors, and end up with something totally different from my sample. This makes me do a little dance of joy! They enjoy the creative process and aren't afraid to take a chance and get their hands dirty. 

Today when I was unpacking my Stamp Camp supplies, I discovered that I had an extra card kit. So I decided to get my hands dirty and make something entirely different from the original cards! Here's what I did with the ocean inspired card. 

It's still based in nature and uses a bit of  wood grain, but other than that, this card and the original have nothing in common! This time I used VersaMark ink and embossing powders on the main image. Some tearing and the Woodgrain embossing folder lends a bit of texture. I am in serious love with this version too!

Happy stamping!