Hi everyone! Did you know today is commonly known as “Quitters Day”? It’s the second Friday of the year, a time when many New Year’s resolutions falter. While I didn’t set any specific resolutions this year, I did pick a word of the year – “Journey” (read more about it here). I’ve been using the idea of this word to help guide me back to the things I love most—like stamping, scrapbooking, and card making. I’m determined not to let it fall by the wayside, and I wanted to share just a little of what I’ve been doing to reignite that creative spark. It really is a journey!
Revisiting Colouring
One of my favourite things to do with regards to cardmaking has always been colouring. Last night, I sat down to create a card as I had just received an order from Stampin’ Up!® with a couple of new stamp sets. (No, I am not still a Demo but I do still like their products). I stamped up the images and started to colour. Wow! I am SO rusty! It was pretty bad and a little, okay, a LOT disheartening at first. I wasn’t quite sure which way to turn. I could have easily packed up everything and done something else. I was tempted but ultimately, I didn’t want to do that. Remember, I want to enjoy the journey of crafting this year! I know that with practice I can improve my skills.
CASEing an Old Card
I decided to give myself the best chance of success. I went onto my website and picked a card I had loved and which had lots of simple colouring. This felt like it would be a great low-pressure way for me to begin. I could use my original card (see here) as inspiration and I felt confident doing something I had done before. In fact, it was so fun, I ended up creating six panels (and I probably could have made more). The other thing that was fun was that I was just playing. The six panels are pretty much the same but I changed up different elements with each creation. Okay, the differences are subtle—like a “Where’s Wally?” (or “Waldo,” for my US friends) kind of challenge—but I played around with colours, ink colours and background colours.
Turning Panels into Cards
Once I finished colouring, I decided to turn the panels into cards. I could have stopped at this point. Instead, I decided to make some always-needed birthday cards. At this point I can honestly say that not only did I have so much fun, but I also feel like I’ve regained some of my confidence. I’m ready to try something new, although I had such a blast with this project that I might just make a few more backgrounds (and cards) first!
Here are the cards…
Enjoying the Journey
This experience has been a lovely reminder to enjoy the journey rather than focusing solely on the destination. It ties beautifully into my word of the year—though I promise not to harp on about it too much! Sometimes, the act of simply showing up, playing, and creating is enough to spark something magical. I didn’t make the card I had planned when I originally sat down. Instead of giving up, I pivoted. Now I have six sweet cards and a lot more confidence!
Hints and Tips
Okay, I said it had been a while since I’ve done anything like this so I also made plenty of mistakes along the way. Here are a few hints and tips that might help you when you next sit down to create:
- Don’t add your Wink of Stella or Shimmer to the card until the last step. I added mine when I finished colouring my panel. When I then turned the panels into cards, and I had to turn the over to apply adhesive, and then pressed down to make sure they stuck to my card base, I ended up smudging glitter everywhere.
- Speaking of Wink of Stella, when you are applying a lot of it I find the brush dries out. I always give the brush a little squeeze over scrap paper otherwise I find my card ends up with lots of blotches. Even then sometimes it rushes out unexpectedly.
- If orientation of your image matters, make sure you check the direction before adhering it to your card base. One of the cards above has the front panel upside down. It’s not a huge deal in this case but I am super aware of it.
- If you are colouring in the background like I have done for these cards, double check your colours before you start colouring. One of these cards was stamped in a grey ink and I was going to use a similar colour for the background. I did a quick swatch and thought it was fine. It wasn’t! It looks black and it is a little odd with the grey ink. I ended up using some of the Copic Blender ink refill on a textured rag and blotted it on the surface to add a little more interest, and soften the colour.
- It is OKAY to use old and retired products! Use what you LOVE! Let’s step away from thinking we have to use only the latest and greatest! Don’t get me wrong – I love new products. I love supporting our wonderful stamping companies. I have new products. I love buying new products. I want to get back to using ALL my products whether they are new or old. I want this for you too. We can still inspire each other even if we don’t have the same stamps!
So, if you’ve found yourself slipping away from a goal or feeling like your skills have taken a step back, please don’t be discouraged. Pick up where you left off, embrace the process, and have fun along the way. You never know what you might create!
Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you have a great day!
Supplies
(DISCLAIMER: Although I am a member of Affiliate programs, I purchased all items used to create my projects. I only link to items I have used (although I might link to different sizes), like to use and recommend. If you click on my link I may receive a small commission however this is at no cost to you when you make a purchase.)
