This is a great blog hop as you only post one time, answer a few questions to let others know about your work, and then nominate two others to carry on next week. Karen is part of our "Canada Inks Up" team and I met her last summer at convention - she has such a lovely style - did you see her blog hop cards and designs last week? They were gorgeous!
I decided to show you an "easy" card to create that will bring smiles to anyone who is lucky enough to receive your artwork . . . . and that's one of the best benefits of a handmade card - it always comes "packed with love". And being "easy" means you can make it over and over - no stress, it's done!
I love the Celebrate Today Stamp Set in the 2015 Occasions catalogue and best of all it came with matching Balloon Framelits Dies, making it a snap to "cut out" the balloons, banners and bows! The Birthday Bash Designer Series Paper is perfect to make a bright, happy card to give someone on their special day - and check out the splashes of gold on this paper I used. Here's my fun easel card to showcase the papers, colours, stamps and dies. I do like creating a card that has a different fold - so much fun for the person opening it - and adding a matching touch to the envelope starts the "happy" before the card is even seen!
Recipe for this card:
Supplies:
Stamps - Celebrate Today
Inks - Crushed Curry, Memento Tuxedo Black
Papers - Crushed Curry and Bermuda Bay Cardstock, Birthday Bash DSP, Gold Foil Paper
Accessories - Balloon Framelits Dies, Button (from SAB Best Year Ever Pack), snail adhesive, glue dots, dimensionals
Cut your cardstock 4 1/4" x 8 1/2", then score at 2" and 4 1/4" on the long side. Cut another piece of cardstock to 4 1/4" square for the card "front". Fold base on score lines using bone folder. Place snail adhesive on the bottom 2" of scored base, and adhere the bottom of the 4 1/4" square (the top of this square is not attached to anything).
Decorate as shown or using your choice of papers/embellishments. I stamped the "Happy" Balloon in Crushed Curry, die cut the Bermuda Bay one from cardstock, then added the stamped "birthday", and die cut the background balloon from the Birthday Bash DSP. I also die cut a banner from the same DSP. Add the foil bow die cut, and pop the "Happy" Balloon with dimensionals. Add your button on some more DSP, decorate the envelope and you have a bright HAPPY card to give to a special someone!
The next card was CASE-d from our latest demonstrator magazine and uses the quick and easy Whisper White Note Cards - a best buy from Stampin' Up! that is often overlooked. I LOVE them!!
I used Smoky Slate, Soft Sky, Wild Wasabi, Coastal Cabana and Pistachio Pudding inks, as well as a scrap of So Saffron cardstock and ink to stamp/die cut one balloon. These quick cards would make a great gift for a co-worker, or a thank you hostess gift when visiting - tie them with coordinating ribbon and you are ready to go.
As part of the Creative Blog Hop, I was asked to answer four questions, so you would learn a little more about me -
1. What are you working on right now?
I'm currently working with some customers to create the Perpetual Calendar Kits - that is a really fun project. I'm also making samples for my monthly Stamp Club classes and Make-it-Mondays drop in sessions the last Monday of the month. I am also involved in a monthly card swap - a perfect way to get lots of ideas from other demonstrators. Lots of projects on the go - but surprisingly organized for a change!! (Confession time - I still have some Christmas to put away) I am truly lucky to have a studio area that is mainly used for my crafting and can become a guest room with very little notice!
2. How does your work differ from others in your genre?
There are so many wonderful styles in the crafting world, that I am sure I am not unique in my approach. I do try to keep things fairly "clean and simple" so people know they can re-create the card ideas at home without having the exact same supplies. My greatest "happy dance" moment is when I get a text from someone saying "I made those place cards/treat holders you showed us and everyone loved them!" I want to show what you can do at home, with your supplies and tweak it to make it your own. I do like to come up with a 3D project for holidays to share with my crafters.
3. Why do you create like you do?
I have always liked to colour and make things out of paper - and over the years have created with ceramics, oil paints and other mediums but always went back to paper. Somehow the layers and colours have always appealed and I have tried to turn paper into so many things - from gift cards and very basic scrapbook pages to more adventurous projects and albums. I will always remember my first scrapbooking classes where I learned that what you write, and the pictures you put into your scrapbook are WAY more important than obsessing over what colour paper to use, or what will match with what . . . . so I try to create without stressing over details and enjoy what I am doing. I have three word plaques over my work tables that say "Relax - Imagine - Create" so there is no place for stress!
4. How does your creativity work?
I quite often get ideas from seeing a stamp set and know I can turn it into so many card ideas. Other times I see a design in the Stampin' Up! catalogue, on Pinterest (love that place!) or at team meetings and know that I am going to take that idea and make it my own. I do love trying a sketch and turning it into a new card - sometimes by turning the sketch which gives me a whole new perspective (kind of like standing on your head to view the world!)
Now it's my turn to nominate two very talented ladies whose work I know you will appreciate - Colleen Vassos at Stamping with Colleen and Melva Peters at Stampin With Melva - I am so happy to have met them through our "Canada Inks Up" community of demonstrators and stampers - they have truly become friends who inspire me with their creativity and shared ideas.
Check out their blogs now and let them know you have visited! And check back next Monday (February 23rd) to see what they have come up with . . . . happy stampin' and keep creating - your cards do make a difference in someone's day!
Thanks so much for stopping by today - and thanks again Karen for asking me to be part of the Creative Blog Hop. I had fun creating!
Products used today:
Your cards are beautiful Ginny. I love this set as well. It was great to read the answers to the questions and find out more about your creative process and why you do what you love. Thanks too for the accolades. (blush, blush). Have a great day.
ReplyDeleteHi Karen - no blush required - your cards were lovely! Maybe finding out some new things about each of us is the reason for the blog hop? Anyway it was fun and thanks for thinking of me :-)
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