Today I am posting in a Virtual Blog Hop. Miss Georgina, from the blog "It's Just too Random" and the creator of "Scrap Whispers" asked me to be involved. If you haven't ever browsed either of those blogs, run now and do so. This lady is SO CREATIVE!! She scrapbooks, makes the most FABULOUS cakes, makes cards, dances, and has many more talents then I can list here. Georgina is from the UK and I "met" her virtually on a scrapbook web board years ago. However, this summer I will be meeting her in real life, along with Rosey, from the blog "Squirrel's Nuts." I could not be more excited to meet up with the two of them after knowing them all these years.
For this Virtual Blog Hop, I am to answer some questions about my creative process. I usually am creating later at night or on the weekends so it doesn't tend to be a ton of stuff. The darn house work gets in the way!
1. What am I working on?
Right now I am working on my layout for "Scrap Whispers" but I cannot show you that!! It is top secret until the big reveal in July.
I also am making cards, which I tend to make in between any type of scrapbooking I do. I can try new techniques or use different materials that I don't want to do on my pages. Right now I am experimenting with different watercoloring techniques. I need a lot of practice because it hasn't been great!
Copic coloring is another technique I am working on. I have been doing it for a while but it isn't until my last two cards that I actually think I am getting the hang of it.
This is a stamp by CC Designs. I created this card for my niece. Isn't she cute?
I really worked on getting her hair perfect and the blue on her pants and over shirt. I do not know how to do shadows correctly yet but I am OK with that. Baby steps!!
The second card has a Christmas theme to it.
This is another CC Designs stamp. I am happy with the way he came out too. So much better then my last attempts at Copic coloring. I LOVE this reindeer and will be making a few more of these cards to go out to some "special" people in my life...
I used a Wink of Stella clad glitter pen to color over all the lights to make them sparkle. I tried to capture it in the photo but it is hard to see. I used Glossy Accents on his nose to make it shine.
My photos do not do this card justice at all!!
As a crafter, I am always trying new things. I bought a skirt pattern, some muslin and a zipper and am determined that by the end of the summer, I am going to know how to sew a skirt out of REAL fabric. I took sewing in 7th and 8th grade and have only sewed things for crafting. Sewing clothes is a whole different ball game. It is something I would really like to get back into so eventually I can make custom clothes for myself.
I also bought a silk scarf and some dyes. I have always wanted to try to dye my own fabric so will be a fun experiment. I am hoping I at least will have a nice scarf at the end of it all.
2. How does my work differ from others of this genre?
I have to admit that I don't really know how to answer this. Any craft I do is done primarily as a hobby. I scrapbook to document the life of my daughter, Charlotte in photos and journaling. I want her to look at the pages I create and read the journaling to help her remember her childhood. My mother died when I was 23 and with her, all the stories with her. I was determined that this would not happen with my daughter.
I tend to scrapbook in a more simple way, with the focus on the photos. Occasionally I try a new technique and go full throttle but since my scrapbooks are so important to me, I play it safe.
My card making is a result of my curiosity and enjoyment of paper crafting in general. I love to try different techniques and use this as a form of stress relief.
This card, for example, was all about using a piece of the phone book as patterned paper. I had seen others do this but I wanted to try it. I chose to use neutral colors with the POP of red.
3. Why do I write/create what I do?
Other then documenting my daughter's childhood, I primarily create for myself. It is essentially a form of relaxation and a way for me to use my brain in a different way then I do at my job. I love to try new techniques and get my hands dirty. I often laugh because my hands always seem to be covered in ink and some kind of sparkle. I have gone to work more then once with glitter on my face...even though I had taken a shower after crafting.
4. How does your creating/writing process work?
I use a few different processes when I work. Sometimes the products inspire me to want to create a card or a layout. I am a huge fan of Paper Trey Ink, WPlus9, Simon Says Stamp and My Favorite Things and I browse their blogs regularly. For scrapbooking, I primarily browse and buy from Scrapbook.com. Their huge amount of paper crafting supplies cannot be beat.
Other times I have seen a fantastic photo with fabulous colors that I want to use. I am a huge fan of Pinterest and am often on it while watching TV or waiting for Charlotte at one of her activities. I am always surprised at the unusual things I find on this site. Anthropologie.com is another one of my favorite places to go for inspiration. I can get an idea or color scheme from a piece of clothing, a dish or even a pillow. I constantly browse their collections to jump start my creativity.
I also am presently also following blogs that host challenges for card making. When my creativity is slow, these type of sites help get my mojo started. I am of the belief that inspiration is all around us, you just have to see it!!
I thank you for joining me today and hope that you enjoyed my post.
Have a great day!!
Nora
To see supplies for each of my projects, click on the links below.
Celebrate Card
Merry and Bright Card
Adventures with the Aunts
Telephone Card
