Here’s to a NEW and FRESH week! Last week was a tough one with the Blog situation and also with being under the weather!
Here’s the scoop on both of these things!
- I will be making a change with my blog moving from Feedburner to Feedblitz – (It all sounds “Dutch” to me) but as I am sure you are aware of…many SUD are doing this! Patsy will get to my blog as soon as she has time….so for now – if you are not getting your daily subscriptions automatically to your computer every morning…you might just need to type in my blog address….and you’ll be good to go! I’m still here…and I’m not going anywhere! I appreciate you patience and understanding through this!
- I am feeling LOTS better – still have a bad cough but I could hardly wait to go to bed last night as I felt like a kid on Christmas Eve….WHY???? Today is the day that Stampin’ Up! Demonstrators get to “preview” the NEW catalog in a movie theatre! Doesn’t that sound like FUN…I am oober excited to make the trek to Alexandria, Virginia with 3 of my downline to see!
Now to the Post for today….you saw that the title was “Making it Mine Monday’s”….well let me explain!
I often get asked where do I come up with my ideas and how have I learned to develop a style with my cards? Well…from LOTS of places…from YOU…from PINTEREST…from the WEB…I take On-Line Classes but I will say that once I started to really reach out of my comfort zone and try to work from sketches…I learned 2 things!
- It saved me a BUNCH of TIME…and TIME is soooo darn tootin’ precious to all of us….why? I was not “surfing around"…pinning here and there….taking bits from this and bits from that etc…
- I am on the Design Team for the PALS challenge every Thursday and one week is a color challenge and the other is a sketch challenge! You have heard me blog before that I prefer the color ones….but I have come to realize that the reason I say that is because I am not "stretching myself out of my comfort zone”
SOOOOOO…..I have decided to dedicate Monday’s to “Making it Mine Monday’s” where I will share with you a sketch and then show an interpretation from it….
I highly recommend YOU to challenge yourself with these Monday sketches I will share with you…look at them….see what stamps you have…and just try it!
Below you will see a past sketch from the PPA and I have BLOCKED OUT the date not to confuse…this is a PERSONAL challenge for YOU….and if you want…please send me a picture of your work…you can do it…I know you can! Take a picture and email me…I love to see your work!
This is a very clean and simple sketch from PAL Nicole Watt – she is OOBER talented and a MDS gu-ru…I am always in awe of her work!
Here is my interpretation of this…and the funny and honest thing is…I NEVER went back to the post that had this challenge (it was in January) – I encourage you to LOOK at the SKETCH….see what "speaks" to YOU…and then GO FOR IT!!!
When I see a sketch…I step back and look at it…I look at the area that I feel I want my "focal stamping and/or sentiment" to go…This space dictates to me what stamp set I am going to use! For this card…I saw that rectangle (#4) to me my "focal" point and when I looked at my stamps – I thought – "I have not used Timeless Talk in a long time" and the shape is perfect and I let my card start from here!
Also, you know I adore paper…if I have an "itching" to use a certain Designer Series Paper, that I will also let that play a huge role as to what stamps/theme I am going to go for…
To me – working from a sketch is the BEST way to help develop YOUR style…we all have our own "feel" – when we go out of the box on our comfort zone…it is when WE get frustrated and doubt ourselves!
O.k. – we have got to get to this cause' I am Cinderella and need to go to bed to go see a movie today!
- This is an A-2 card in Very Vanilla as I am using the BEAUTIFUL Modern Melody Designer Series Paper… the DSP is cut at 3" X 4" and then the Black piece is 2 1/4" X 5 1/2".
- The"stamped piece" is 3" X 2 3/4" and then the Stamp Set is Timeless Talk – very classic!
- Naturally I used my Stamp-a-ma-jig for PERFECT placement of the "bike" and the same for the sentiment! I actually "stamped" this bike twice as I cut out the "simple circles" to add a bit of POP!
- I am on a roll with these Candy Dots and Brad Bases….(thanks to KATE)…I used a glue dot to hold them in place! A simple dash with the basic black marker is all that is needed! I popped it up with Stampin' Dimensionals!
- Envelope time…time to make the mail man smile! I stamped the front of the envelope as well as lining the envelope with the help of the Envelope liner frameit!!!
Well….I know that this has been a L O N G post but…how do you like the card? I hope that you enjoyed and embraced this concept that I am trying to convey to you…
YOU can do it…..I KNOW YOU CAN….I would love to help you discover the "Inner Picasso" that it within you!
Please make sure that you POP back tomorrow…as I will share with you the FUN card I made for my downline for the movie!!!
I am SOOO excited! Stampin' Up! never lets up down…and I am sure that the new catalog will not disappoint you…and if you are a customer of mine, you will automatically receive a NEW catalog from me!
Have a great day…a great week and until tomorrow!
What a surprise. I love the card and your whole blog story. Love the colors and the layout and the idea of trying new sketches. Then I read the description of the card and saw the double wheel, and WOW that was super. I saw the candy dot and though nice, but stamping it twice, etc., was just SUPER. Enjoy tonight, post pics for us. 🙂
Like Nancy, I had not noticed the double wheel until your close up, and yes it was a suprise. What a fun way to “fuss it up” a little! Looking forward to that new catalog. Keep us posted as to your thoughts about it.
Great card…very classy and elegant…thanks Susan!
great card! I like thst set and don’t use it enough – I find it hard to embellish it, but now I have an idea or two. ENJOY the catalog preview – wish I could be in Alexandria, too. Do tell …
Love it!! Love the Black/White, DSP, and stamp for this layout design! I finally bought the Candy Dot brads several weeks ago but have yet to use them. Love how you “popped” the wheels!! Great card!! 🙂
Ok. You have convinced me to finally start giving the color and sketch challenges a try. I think I can…I think I can….. I love the way you added the wheels. I love layering! You did a beautiful job. Very classic. Thanks for sharing your thought process.
One of my favorites from you! I am a huge fan of black & white, or black, white, and red. I am drawn to these colors when I shop, too, so my closet is a bit lop-sided, color-wise. I am sorry that many people consider black to be a “sad” color because it looks great on almost all skin tones…and cards!! Enjoy the special movie of the catalog reveal. Wish I was able to go to the one nearest me…100 miles away.
I like your take on the sketch. I accept your challenge! I will work on that sketch this week. I need to make some Mother’s Day cards and a really, really late birthday card. Plus an anniversary card, and oh, yeah, another birthday card. I think I can use the sketch for at least one of those, I expect! 😉
Have a great time at the catalog premier! I can’t wait to hear all about it!!!
Cyberhugs to you! I’m glad you are feeling a bit better!
You expect us to challenge ourselves with these challenges – well, don’t you realize just getting up everyday is becoming a challenge! I suppose you will say doing these sketches will be as easy as riding a bike. Well, there is another problem – I never really learned to ride a bike! It is pouring out and I think I am just not a happy camper.
Glad you are feeling better. Oh, I do love this card and that paper is one of my favorites. Have a great time at the premiere.
Susan, This card is so beautiful. You are amazing. Black and white is so striking. You did an amazing job. You go Girl, Hugs, Ellen Hinds