I have been browsing a lot of card blogs over the last few days. Sometimes looking at other people's work makes me doubt my own creative abilities. I see all these great designers on design teams or go to challenge blogs and then compare myself to what other people create. Then I lose my mojo or start second guessing what I am making at the time. This is something that frustrates me about myself. I do not compare myself to others as a rule because I am not someone else. I try to be the best of ME that I can be. Sometimes I am good at it, sometimes I am not. Today is one of those days that I am feeling kind of not so good.
On another note, a bunch of companies are coming out with some incredible products. My Favorite Things is releasing their June collections tonight. I am loving their new "Penguins in Paradise" set. Instead of winter, it is filled with the most adorable beach themed images...with penguins!!
I am also looking forward to WPlus9's release. I so want the "Happy Mail" set that features the cutest bears and birds. However, my favorite is the "Party Animal" set that features the most adorable giraffes. I know a friend that LOVES giraffes and think it would be so fun to create a set of cards for her.
Okay, now to sharing a card that I created for a friend who wanted a wedding card. I used Paper Trey Ink's "Make it Market Mini: Garden Gild" for everything on this card. I ADORE the cover plate and the fun die cut flowers that come with it!! It just screamed wedding to me.
Since it was for a wedding, I chose to make the card mostly white with little touches of color. I embossed the "love" in gold to make it stand out and used gold enamel dots from the kit for two of the flowers to form a visual triangle.
I added the extra flower die cuts over the flowers from the cover plate. I then used colored rhinestones as middles to specific types of flower.
All in all, I was really happy with how this card came out and my friend loved it too. As long as the customer likes it, then all is well.
I think I will be making a few of these to have in my own stash. I do have some weddings coming up.
That is all for today. I thank you for stopping by. Have a great night!!
Supplies:
All supplies are from Paper Trey Ink except the blue rhinestones (Basic Grey), clear rhinestones (Michael's), gold embossing powder (Ranger Ink)
10 comments:
My dear, dear Nora.... if you ever have doubts about your talent, I would like you to close your eyes and then open them again and look at this card. It is stunningly tailored and absolutely gorgeous. Love the little bits of glimmer and the lacy feel of whiteness. You are so talented and there IS no comparison of your art to somebody else's.
Absolutely dreamy, Nora!! Love the white on white and the gold sentiment is just the perfect touch! The placement of rhinestones is spot on! FABULOUS!
This coverplate is so pretty! I love the little gem accents you added!
Nora, sweet Nora!!! Please, please, please know that you are so gifted at creating beautiful things and inspiring Awe!!! I always come away from your blog with the inspiration to try something that I haven't before - you are delightful and this card is a stunning blend of the on trend white on white with the hip and cool addition of pops of gold and aqua - I think your card is lovely and full of grace befitting a wedding card!!! Thanks for being a blogging friend and someone who lifts!! Remember YOUR greatness!! Love and hugs!!!
Nora everyone doubts themselves at some point. You're completely normal. However, you're right not to compare yourself to others. I think that is the worst way we disappoint ourselves, by using others standards. On that note Your card really is beautiful. White on white is difficult at best and you really make it shine Nora!
I know how you feel. Sometimes I look at my friends' cards and wonder what the heck I'm doing???!!! Sure seems that every card that Laura, Maile, Ardyth, Anita, Geri, Kim, Darnell, and a veritable host of other make, is perfect. Don't fret. Their recycle bins are full too. And you've got real talent. Your cards are amazing. Jaw-droppingly so. Take this one for instance. The white base and white cover panel are perfect choices. Gold accents, aqua, and rainstones aren't too much, aren't too little; they're just right. So anytime you doubt yourself and your abilities, come back to this one. It's the epitome of loveliness. I'm too old not to tell the truth about things I see and feel, btw. This card and all your creations that I've seen are wonderful. I wouldn't have you on my right sidebar if I didn't REALLY REALLY like them! True story. Call me if you want to talk; just em me for my cell number. Big hugs to you. Bev
This card is stunning! Wow! Love the white on white! You never need to doubt yourself, your work is amazing!
Oh Nora, I so hear you on this post because visiting other blogs and seeing the wonderful creativity out there sometimes leaves me paralyzed for a while and I struggle to create anything. Then I remember my art teacher from school who told me to give up art because my talents lay elsewhere and all the years I wasted believing that I couldn't be creative! I know that the important thing is that when we exercise our creative muscles we are feeding our spirit, and it doesn't really matter what we create because the process is what is important. You need have no fears about your creative abilities my friend and I love popping over to be inspired by you. As other people have said - this card is a wonderful example of your talent - it is STUNNING!
Hugs
Carol x
I can see someone needs to go on the Naughty Girl Chair! Bama don't allow no self-doubt in this sweet world of card art in Blogland, Nora! I do know what you mean and I have the same thing happen to me. However, since you do make amazingly gorgeous cards and could be on ANY of these Design Teams, I think it isn't so much a lack of confidence in your own COMPARATIVE value, but just a lack of mojo juice at that particular time/day. Right? I mean, because really you are as good as (and sometimes better!) than any of the card artists that you are talking about.
We are all just woman (for the most part) who have found this fun way to be creative and make a USEFUL product at the same time. You can't say that about all types of art. The beauty of card art is that a) it's all charming and fantastic, even the most beginningest piece, because it is made with love by hand; and b) our art is interactive in that we actually send/give our works of art to someone else! Even if you sell your art to a customer, you know it eventually is going to MAKE SOMEONE's day! How freakin' cool is that?
And that's what I tell myself during low tide when the juices aren't flowing and the hamster has trolled off somewhere naughty. Rather than imagine I am less than another person, I imagine the happy face of the person who will one day open an envelope and see my card. It snaps me out of it.
Sorry, dear friend. I mistook your post for an invitation to climb up on my soap box. I'm bad like that! And, yes, now that you mention it, I have had a cocktail. BTW, the fact that you have customers should tell you how fantastic you are!! I can easily imagine the smiles on the faces of the lucky brides and grooms who will receive one of your stunning wedding cards like this one! It's truly a breathtaking w-o-w card!! Hugs, Darnell
Nora, you are very talented, gifted and even though I don't know in person I have learned through your blog that you very caring person. I love to come to your blog and see what you've created, they are always very neatly love, with a lot of commitment and thoughts behind them and I also love to read what's up with your life. I also love that you try different mediums, techniques and styles. We have bad days and good days and I am so proud of you that you share stuff that you aren't completely satisfied with. You're amazing!
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