Hello, friends,
This is going to be a long post today, because my stamper friend, Susanne, tagged me for the "getting to know you" blog tag and I can be rather longwinded sometimes. I hope you visit Susanne's blog,
Keep In Touch, and get to know her if you don't already.
Susanne likes stars, I know, and random spots of color on her cards so in tribute I am starting with this card I made today. The saying says that she is a friend that brightens any day and inspires me.
So let's get right into those pesky, thought-provoking questions.
1
. What creative projects are you currently working on? It is my favorite time of the year - Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas are in close proximity - so I am working on holiday cards. Ever since that day when my coworker, Lisa, introduced me to "the crazy ladies that spend all their money on stamps", I have focused on card-making. All the other crafts I used to do - embroidery, macramé, crochet - have been shelved.
2. What inspires your designs? At first, I gravitated to stamping for the camaraderie, thinking I had no artistic ability. There came a day when I confessed to our artist friend, Bonnie, that I didn't know what I was doing. She kindly invited me over for some one-on-one time and showed me how to add dimension to a card. I made the first card I actually liked that day, a Christmas card for my mom, and an addiction was born.
I have six Cardologist friends who challenge me with their unique styles and keep me sane. Now that I have an iPad, I also find inspiration from other talented people online.
3. What method/process do you apply to each of your creative projects and how long does each take to complete? Once, in college, my artist roommate told me to just close my eyes and "see" what I wanted to draw. I have to honestly say there are only rare occasions when an inspiration will just pop into my head like that. More often, though, I start with one thought - use this paper, or that stamp - and try to grow an idea. I like challenges that present a color scheme or a layout as a starting point. I can still struggle for days with the details unless I give myself a deadline.
4. If you had to describe your signature style, what would it be? My sister, who is not a stamper, can usually tell which of my friends has made a card. We each have our unique style, but describing it is hard. if it helps, my friends call me the Engineer. I fall somewhere between One Layer Simplicity (which is very difficult) and Lacy Victorian (too time consuming). I like clean cards with dimension or movement.
5. What are three crafting products/tools you can't live without? Eeek, only three?! I could say "my kit" that I take each week to stamp with the Cardologists but that would be cheating since it is full of essentials (not to mention it has grown to three heavy bags). Seriously, I will not give up my Big Shot since it is a rare card that does not benefit in some way from die-cutting or embossing. I also need my Scotch clear glue since it gives me a second to rethink my positioning. And I love all my paper, getting great enjoyment from matching textures and colors.
And I am at the point now where I would pass the torch on to another blogger. None of the Cardologists, with the exception of Susanne, who introduced me to blogland, have blogs. So first I give you a sampling of their styles.
Being new to blogland, I do not know other bloggers well enough to tag them. So I am going to give you links to sites that I find inspiring. Since there are quite a few, I picked sites with less than 300 followers. I am hoping you will have time to visit them and say "hello" from me.
Angela,
From the Tool Shed
Nikki,
My Sandbox
Becky,
Scrappin' and Stampin' in GJ
Janet,
Swanlady Impressions
And now I am off to my sister's house for Sunday family dinner and a movie night. If you read all this blog this end, I thank you for your kind attention. I hope to see you in blogland.
