Gifted Hands, Ink!

Knock! Knock! Want to Come Out and Play?

Stuck in a rut?  Feeling uninspired?  Just can't find your mojo?  Someone commented yesterday that they used to try to create the perfect card, but realized that there is no perfect card.  Trying to create something perfect is paralyzing.  I know.  It used to stop me from being the best me.  I have learned that jumping in with two feet and not worrying about making a mistake is liberating.  You learn a lot from making a mistake!  Sooooo..... I challenge you to play along with me!  Step one - pick a DSP - Designer's Series Paper you like and pull the coordinating cardstock.  Here is my selection.

Pick something that floats your boat.  You do not have to copy mine!  Now leave it on the table overnight and let your mind work on the possibilities!  What does it coordinate with?  You could use a suite from the catalog that SU has put together for you or think outside the box and stretch your possibilities!  

Homework for tonight....look on Pinterest, Facebook, or blogs and find a card using your color and DSP combination and/or the stamp set you think you might use and copy them so you can use them later.

Normally I do all of my designing in one sitting, but for this design exercise, I will be giving one tip a day to let you absorb the concept.  Hopefully you will decide to join along and will take the time to pull DSP, papers and a coordinating stamp set.

I will  reward anyone who plays along with me!  I already have a Twisted Gate Fold Card in my head that I am going to create as an incentive.  (See my Tuesday Valentine post).  I will send you a copy of the card as well as the directions if you come out and play.  You can comment as we go along, or just play along in private, but to get the incentive, you will need to either post the card you have created in the comment section or send a copy to me so I can post it at the end of this design series.  

Did you pick a DSP combination?  Post your choice below!

How Do I Design?

I had a wonderful discussion with one of my downline this week.  She is very talented, but feels she can only copy, not create her own designs.  To be a demonstrator, you don't need to come up with your own original ideas.  You can CASE them (copy and share everything), but I do like to make sure that I give the designer credit when credit is due.

I have been a demonstrator for over 15 years and in that time, I have found some tricks to help me design something original instead of exactly copying something off of Pinterest, Facebook, or the Internet.  While obviously, what works for me, might not work for you.  Why not give some of these techniques a try and see if they provide inspiration for you!  If you share your experiences both positive and negative as you follow along, you too might learn from our sharing!

I know I probably learn more from a failure.  A failure lesson sticks with me longer, than a success that comes easily.  The lesson here - don't be afraid to fail!  Just throw something at the fan and see where it goes.  Some ideas will fly, but a lot will fall on the ground, get stuck in a puddle, or get stuck in the fan.  Just let the failures go, but try to take something positive away from the experience - learn! 

Tip NUMBER 1 - use our Designer's Series Paper (DSP) to help you pick your color combination.  I used to be color phobic.  It would take me forever to find a color combination I felt worthy to use.  Now I just grab a piece or two of our scrapbook paper, pull the same colors in cardstock and start!  The experts came up with those color combinations.  I wouldn't have bought that DSP if I didn't love at least part of the pack of DSP papers.  I do not need to reinvent the wheel!  That color combo has already been created for me!

Twisted Gate Fold Valentine!

I am in LOVE with this fold.  It looked intimidating the first time I saw it, but it is sooooo easy and addicting.  I made three designs in an hour and had to cut myself off from making more!

The design uses very little cardstock and paper but is so unusual when you pull it out of the envelope and open it that it packs a lot of Wow in a little space!  Here is the inside!

Want to know how to make it?  Email me for dates for my March stamp camp!  We will be using the Floral Boutique Suite to create another version of this card.  Directions will be handed out with the card!

OR... join my team this month for only $99 and get $150 in product, a bundle from me, this Valentine and directions and access to lots of resources, projects and meetings!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Paper Engineered Birthday Card!

If you know me well, you know I LOVE ice cream.  So when SU had an ice cream set in the new Occasions Mini, I just had to have it.  Unfortunately I had a blonde moment and ordered the birthday paper with the set instead of the ice cream DSP, but I had to touch the set and play with what I had, and this was the result.

I will be remaking a similar card for stamp camp in March using the ice cream paper and colors.  The inside is quite a surprise too, but only my Campers will get to see and make that card.  If you cannot come to camp, I will send you this completed card when you place a $50 order from January 15th to February 15th!

So happy to be back blogging!  December was a busy busy month!

tams# 11079

Product List

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Color Fusers Blog Hop is Back in Action!

I paired my favorite BUNDLE in the mini catalog, Dragonfly Dreams, with three of the four colors in the challenge for January.  We will be making a different version of this card at my stamp camp this week.  The little dragonflies are cut out three times and pieced onto the vanilla or curry cardstock.  The large dragonfly is cut out of gold foil with Curry and Tangerine cut and glued below.  The gold sentiments from the set finish the card off nicely!  It is a pretty easy card, but stunning.  I couldn't decide which combination I liked better!

Jump on the blog hop below to see creations with this color combo from other awesome demonstrators

Patty Bennett

Paola Phillips

JoAnn Hewins

Melissa Kerwin

Robin Messenheimer

Pat Ertman- You Are Here

Debbie Henderson