My Dining Room Crafting Workspace

My humble workspace at the moment is our dining room table. Even though the table surface seems to be able to weather just about anything, I still like to use my Stampin' Up! grid paper to protect the surface - and help me keep my projects "square" or "level". I was always one of those kids who wrote up hill on the chalkboard in school - because I needed a guide.

So, I set out the items I'm going to be using - or at least think I'm going to be using - and then start thinking about who I'm going to be making my project for (or what I'm going to be making my project about).

In this picture, I have already started on a card. I selected a Stampin' Up! stamp set, but I couldn't decide if I wanted to use it or not. I hadn't even put the set together yet! I like letting an idea take shape. Sometimes I have to walk away from a project for awhile. When I come back to it, an answer to "What's next?" always seems to be waiting for me. I hope you are enjoying your crafting. Blessings!

Creative Elements Stamps

One of the Stampin' Up! Stamp sets that was used in making the previous cards is shown here:

It is called "Creative Elements". One of the reasons I bought this particular set is because of the very detailed flower. I am obsessed with flowers. Another reason is the lovely scroll work and flourishes. Interestingly, I wasn't all that attracted to the butterfly, yet when I used it to make the card shown in the previous blog post, it became one of my favorite cards. Go figure. Never limit your own imagination, I suppose. Enjoy your crafting experiences! Blessings.

A Couple of Other Cards

In line with my last post, here are a couple of other cards I made for my mom that same day. Very rarely do I ever make a card similar to one I have made before, but I always take a photograph of each card in case I ever do want to duplicate one. I love being able to make something unique each time I create a card, but I long for the time when I can satisfy my need to make something by simply duplicating (or nearly so) a design I have used in the past. I wonder if I will ever reach that point.

Do you design from scratch each time you create something?

Making Cards for My Mom

When I make a card, I don't usually have a design in mind. I look at my stash and think about the person for whom I want to make a card. I sift through a handful of papers until something grabs my attention and then an idea starts to take shape.

Sometimes, something really wonderful happens. Other times, I have to work at the idea for awhile until everything comes together. The way creativity happens for each of us is different - and it may be different for each of us at varying points of the day, week, or even periods in our lives. I think it is always valuable to inject a piece of ourselves into what we are making.

This particular card was made when I wasn't feeling especially creative - at first. I picked up a few pieces of Stampin' Up! papers and thought about my mom. I wanted to make a couple of cards for my mom - not to send to her, but to give to her for her to send to others. It is something I have been doing for her for several years.

This "Thank you card" is the first card I made from those few pieces of paper I picked up. It isn't especially difficult technically, but it does have a number of layers, which I really like. The embossing around the tag and on the lettering is also another touch that I think adds a nice "pop" to the design. It isn't easy to see in this photo. I'll try to get better with my images in future photos.

I'll start detailing exactly how I make my cards and what products I use.