But that's okay. It's recorded, and I can come back to it easily. Inspiration is largely private and personal. Where one person sees a really cool card, another may only see, let's say, a set of hotel toiletries:
These were in the bathroom of our hotel room in Madison. Aren't they pretty!?!? The colors and crisp, clean design caught my eye immediately, so I snagged them to take home to my craft room. No need to write them in a notebook.
After a number of failed efforts at duplicating this super-simple design that left me banging my head on the table in despair (don't let anyone tell you CAS is easy...it's NOT), I finally hit gold by using a limited edition Thank You set from Clear and Simple Stamps. BTW, I felt entirely justified in having a bazillion stamps while trying to figure this card out.
I love words (*snort*) so making cards with just words really appealed to me. But the sentiment I chose to put under the large Thank You (because the length of the line worked best) says from the heart. So I added a heart to the envelope flap. Because I could. (Note that these little cards are 4.75" x 3", to fit into the envelopes I already had.)
The second inspiration piece today was a photo in a decorating magazine. I really loved the color combination here, a sort of orangy reddish shade plus a very clear green (left to my own devices, I would have paired that orange-red with olive green...so NOT original or fresh!).
Adding cream and two shades of brown means this card has five colors on it. FIVE. Ordinarily, using five colors on a card would make me break out in hives, but with inspiration like this bedroom decor, it really was quite easy.
The stamps here are PTI's Floral Frenzy, which has this wonderful two-part sentiment, so I also stamped the inside of my card. I really need to start paying more attention to the inside of cards.
Today's Give-Away
Today is the grand opening of Shady Tree Studio. Nancy used to work at Cornish Heritage Farms, and when it closed, she felt the push to start her own company. Happy Day for all of us!!!!
I'll be placing an order today for Naturally Imagined (how appropriate!) to get started with Nancy's line. I love the look of that set and how easy it is to color...no large empty spaces to fret about blending. Plus, the sentiments are wonderful.
I'll also give a $15 gift certificate to Shady Tree Studio to one random lucky person who comments on this post by answering this question: Where, outside of nature and the world of papercrafting, do you like to look for inspiration for your stamping?
I love your set of cards ... just words on a card, a great concept! The colors are so fresh and inviting!! And your second card is lovely, and after seeing your card inside I too need to pay more attention to that part of the card! I would say that one of my favorite places to look for inspiration is in clothing .. whether it's being worn by a friend or seen in the Sears Catalog :-)
ReplyDeleteyou're right about CAS sometimes it is work, but Oh! the joy when it comes together.
ReplyDeleteas always both of your cards did!!!
blessings
patti moffett
I usually look for an inspiration in music i love and mythology of the northern europe. The second is especially interesting, because those people perceived this world not as now we do.
ReplyDeleteI look for inspiration when shopping. Store displays group great colors together, whether it's in the kitchen or bedding or even clothing in the windows.
ReplyDeleteMore beautiful inspiration here today Susan. Your Just a little note card is so sweet.
ReplyDeleteInspiration is everywhere. Shop window displays, Billboards,on the shelves in the supermarket.
I find inspiration in magazine/newspaper ads from clothing stores. The colors are usually fresh and in new combos that I may not normally think of. Thanks for your daily inspiration and baring your thoughts with us, Susan! So sorry you returned from the Midwest with a cold. Try Reliv nutritional supplement as a preventative...
ReplyDeleteBlessings on your day ~ Carol G. in northern MN
Simply everywhere. Oddly enough, this morning as I was walking at the Rec Center, I spied this small, beautiful piece of dried wheat (must have blown in when the doors are left open) and inspired me to think about embossing this PTI image in vanilla on a dark brown layer of cardstock that is on a vanilla card base.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.papertreyink.com/stamps_firstfruits.html Will post it as soon as I make it.
I guess I get inspiration from fashion; patterns, or colour combinations or even accessories.
ReplyDeleteGreat job on your card! The neat part about making a card based on an inspiration like this bedroom decor is that everyone would come up with a totally different card.
Thanks for the inspiration!
Just like you I look at packaging.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cards!
Simply elegant! Very nice! Love those soft colors! :)
ReplyDeletei get most of my inspiration from the actual products...i can see what in my head what i want to make with something
ReplyDeleteLove your cards! ( as always )!
ReplyDeleteOutside of nature and papercrafting my other inspiration would have to come from magazines like Architectural Digest or House Beautiful. One of the publications that have really beautiful photography and show lots of interior shots. Like your bedroom photo above; I can get inspired by the color combinations or even the textures; or group of decorative elements in a shot.
I find inspiration in home decor and fashion. Sometimes it is texture, sometimes color combinations. I also look at shapes and patterns...so much inspiration out there =)
ReplyDeletelove your cards and yes, CAS can be very hard to achieve! i wish i could say that i get inspiration from fashion, decor, etc., but sadly i don't, at least not yet... however since i started reading your blog, i'm starting to look at things in a different way! thanks!
ReplyDeleteHello ! Sometimes,my inspiration comes from interiors, home decor and sometimes, objects from designers those inspire me. I'm very sensitive to shapes and colors. :D
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your ideas ! Your work is a great source of inspiration !
Stamp magazines and blogs! That's how I found you. Love your simple style. I work in a stamp store and I always tell customers-simple is good.
ReplyDeleteLove the cards, they are all so simple and elegant. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteInspiration is everywhere... Magazines and shopping are big ones... anywhere what has color combinations inspires me. Sometimes a specific pattern on clothing will inspire a layout too :)
I look at packaging for products I buy or that I see in the stores. Some are quite clever.
ReplyDeleteListening to great music always inspires me!
ReplyDeleteI have found inspiration in bedding and linen catalogs, like The Company Store. Their linen patterns or stacks of colored towels or sheets always look wonderful...a great way to get color inspiration!
ReplyDeleteI get inspiration from magazines ("O", House Beautiful, Lands End, etc). I look at the fashion displays in department stores. Love your CAS cards.
ReplyDeleteWhen I see something that triggers an inner-sigh, so to speak, I'm quick to pick it apart to see what's so pleasing; the colors, textures, images, shapes, surroundings? For instance, there's a Louis Vuitton(sp?) series of ads in Vogue magazine the last few months that trigger such huge inner-sighs, I'm still trying to figure out what about those ads causes that feeling.
ReplyDeleteThe annoying part of the whole notion of inspiration is that you so often give it but that doesn't mean I GET it, even if I use the same stamps and inks you used. I do believe one has to have the artist gene in order to turn inspiration into an object that truly reflects the inspiration in magnitude.
Sounds like gobbldeegook........words are failing me this morning. You'd probably have to see those Louis Vuitton ads to know what I mean.
Urmm, at first I decided I couldn't answer this question but on reflection I think I do look for inspiration when I'm shopping, especially in those gorgeous little shops with lots of gifts or stationery shops.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous cards today Susan, thanks for reminding me about the inside of cards, I think that must be a cardmaking debate - leave blank or add a sentiment?? I tend to leave them blank but my Mum hates it when I do!
My little girl's toys. The colours are soo cheerful! :)
ReplyDeleteWhat inspiration here on your blog...lovely set of cards and your prompts with the colors..wonderful. I find inspiration where I least expect it...and also from magazine ads, catalogs, reading books...pretty much from anywhere and anything.
ReplyDeleteKudos for turning those hotel toiletries into an inspired card set!
ReplyDeleteI tend to find a lot of inspiration from the print world, especially advertising and branding work.
My major source for card inspiration place is scs... i love to see what others have done and then use the ideas with the stamps/papers i have.
ReplyDeleteCAS is NOT easy, NOT easy, NOT easy-----that's me shouting from my rooftop. I've been trying my best at CAS style and I havent made ONE card I'm happy with. I havent thrown in the towel yet.....CAS is quite the challenge for me and posting at least one card in OLW challenge is my aim for this year. Considering there are only few more months left.....I have my work cut out for me.
ReplyDeleteAs for looking for inspiration elsewhere...... when in a tight spot, when mojos taken a vacation, I turn to my kids clothing. Boy do they make them in lovely colours these days. Unusual colour combos and design......always kick starts my imagination.
I look at traffic signs along the highwways to see the patterns of the words & symbols used. They are very geometric and definitely CAS!
ReplyDeleteI find inspiration in magazines and fashion. Sometimes I am also inspired by my husband who makes great photos and often he suggests an idea for a card, example: once he said make a card inspired by a print napkin and I did.
ReplyDeleteLove your cards! So pretty. My inspiration comes from magazines. But also from my 2 little girl's toys & clothing - the colors are always so bright & pretty. TFS.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy your blog so much. My inspiration often comes from home decorating magazines or catalogs . . . . . Country Living or Pottery Barn.
ReplyDeleteI'm creative challenged. You've changed my life. I'm finding inspiration and ideas everywhere. Who would have thought bottles lined up in the hotel bathroom. Thank you Thank you
ReplyDeleteI love seeing for designs or patterns in people's clothing! There have been times I have been tempted to snip off a piece of someone's dress so that I could use that as a swatch on my card...that's why I don't carry my scissors with me!!!
ReplyDeleteI also love the home department of any big store..bed sheets, curtains, kids clothing...what can be more colorful than that..
But if I'm stuck home and can't hit the stores, then I love SCS galleries and flickr..there is such a riot of inspiration, each demanding my attention.
To be totally honest, I love looking at my kids clothes! Specially my baby girl, Gymboree has some really cute combos!!
ReplyDeleteI love your CAS style and agree that it's really hard!
ReplyDeleteI find inspiration everywhere but I'm a big CASEr so I mainly find it from fellow cardmakers, blogs, magazines, etc.
How clever and creative to get your inspiration from the hotel toiletries. That is awesome! CAS is NOT easy! You are right! One layer cards are NOT easy!!! I love that you get your inspiration from your surroundings... That is awesome. Most of mine comes from blogs I follow in my Google Reader and challenges....
ReplyDeleteHoly cow. That first card set is a dead ringer for the potions. Shape, colors, style everything. But I also love the warmth in the second card.
ReplyDeleteI'm often inspired by my kids' clothes, especially my DD's. Toddler girls clothes have fun color combinations, cute images and interesting details. Some of my favorite cards have been based off her wardrobe.
You might laugh but I get inspired by Christmas ornaments. They come in so many great colour combos now and in so many different styles.
ReplyDeleteRight now I'm inspired by Halloween/Autumn decor. This is great since I only need to walk down my street to look at changing leaves, wreaths and garden fixtures.
I also get inspired by people's homes. My friends have such eclectic tastes that you can play with so many different styles. I'm not so inspired as much with displays but spaces where people actually live and work. I get turned off by the perfection of displays.
I think commercial products (such as the hotel toiletries you mentioned today) are an excellent source of inspiration for card design. Thank you for the opportunity to win the gift certification to Shady Tree Studio!
ReplyDeleteRita
Beautiful cards, of course I'm partial to the one using Clear & Simple Stamps ;-)
ReplyDeleteOutside of nature and papercrafting I'm mostly drawn to clothes as inspiration. More inspired by the colors than the patterns.
Great ideas! I love finding inspiration anywhere and everywhere too... Especially with outfits!
ReplyDeleteSo fun! :)
I get inspired by home decorating magazines like House Beautiful. I also have made cards several times based on cakes posted on Sundays at CakeWrecks.com. Five days a week this site posts hilarious mess-ups, but on Sundays they post stunningly beautiful cakes that are very inspiring and easy to translate into cards.
ReplyDeleteYour set of cards is lovely! I try to decorate the inside of my cards too--really raises them a notch above store-bought cards.
All gorgeous cards, the second may have 5 colours in it but you can't really tell - clever girl, you!!
ReplyDeleteI love looking at nature, like the current cherry blossoms blooming on my street, such vibrant colors. I also find inspiration from other card blogs.
ReplyDeleteMy kids and what they are into, I like to make cards for and with them. The best way to keep them interested is to use what they love eg Trains, Fish, Scarry things.
ReplyDeleteI find inspiration from paper crafting/card making blogs and magazines.
ReplyDeleteI work in an elementary school with 5th graders. I often get ideasd from their clothes. Funky patterns and unexpected color combinations are all around me there!!
ReplyDeleteWow!
ReplyDeleteyour trio of cards is amazing. They look fine on their own, but paired with the items that inspired them....WOW!
I look to etsy for a lot of my inspiration {outside of the crafting world} There are images and colors that just blow a persons mind. So many creative people out there doing something they love and I am here and ready to borrow their creative juices.
As I mentioned in a previous day's post, I'm inspired by the art hanging in the banks I work in. Not just the artwork alone, but eh matting and framing. I read constantly, and the advertisements in magazines and book covers also have inspired me.
ReplyDeleteI like home decorating magazines and ads for inspiration. Sometimes I have trouble with putting color combinations together, so they help me a lot. Watching home dec tv shows taught me a lot about how colors go together without having to match - what a concept :)
ReplyDeleteGreat cards! Love the CAS style, and it is very effective when it comes together. Not always easy to accomplish though!
ReplyDeleteI sometimes get ideas and inspiration from the newspaper or magazines. Sometimes a color combo I like, or design that I find attractive, sparks an idea.
DeniseB
I get most of my ideas from blogs, especially yours as I love the clean lines. Thanks for the chance to win.
ReplyDeleteInspiration is everywhere, and when the ol' mojo needs a nudge I first reach for fashion catalogs.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous cards today.
Hugs,
Colleen
Beautiful cards. Though at first just looking at the toiletries I couldn't see where you were going, but then a big aha!
ReplyDeleteCatalogues are beautiful to look at but sometimes seeing it in real life, like at a friends or in a shop help to make it real and see how I could apply it in my own way.
Enjoyed your post today...lovely cards. I notice everything around me so much more than I did a few years ago, from the architecutre of buildings, shapes of things and colors and patterns in magazines and stores. Love your CAS style and am learning a lot from your blog. TFS
ReplyDeleteLovely cards, again! LOL
ReplyDeleteOutside of nature, I guess my inspiration comes from color combos in fabric prints.
Thanks for the chance to win!
Cool cards! Love the placement of the interior bit on the second one. I find I get a surprising amount of inspiration from places (online or in person) that have really, really good merchandising. A good store display or product photo can set me off into all kinds of ideas!
ReplyDeleteI love the two-colour thank you on your first set of cards, your second card is so warm and cheerful, and the inside is great!
ReplyDeleteI SO could have used my own little notebook today! (I carry a small purse...) I was in a scrapbooking store, and saw the best card for inspiration. I asked if I could take a pic with my phone, but they've been burned a few times with people taking pics then posting them to contests as their own. :(
Non-crafting magazines can be a great source of inspiration, often the ads. I also find I sometimes pick tshirts with designs that are, um, card-like, that can then influence a card design.
I love to look at home decor magazines for inspiration. I often find inspiration for different colour combinations and how to put different patterns together from these magazines.
ReplyDeleteCatalogs and magazines -- and photography sites. Thanks for this chance!
ReplyDeleteColdwater Creek catalogs and calendar pictures are items I keep around for color inspiration. I have absolutely no color sense of my own...so must have a 'cheat sheet' of sorts.
ReplyDeleteLu C
I get inspired by advertising - catalogs like Crate and Barrel, and store displays, like the neatly arranged towel displays.
ReplyDeleteYour cards are beautiful and your generosity is exciting!! I am hoping to win...thank you for everything you do.
ReplyDeleteI get inspired by beautiful patterns on fabric and placing of geometric shapes !
ReplyDeleteWeirdly enough, I find inspiration sometimes in catalogues and newsletters, especially fun ones with lots of pictures :)
ReplyDeleteI would say fabric!! The clothes we wear often have some amazing motifs and color combinations.
ReplyDeleteHome furnishings at Target or in home decorating magazines! What inspiration!
ReplyDeleteMore wonderful projects. I look at the pattern and designs of people's clothes.....
ReplyDeleteOutside of blogs and SCS, my main source of inspiration is either magazines or my SU catalog.
ReplyDeleteMy absolute FAVE inspiration for cards comes from the clothing I see on other people, or sometimes in our own closets. At the store where I work, I have seen so many gorgeous sweaters, jackets and tops that I go home and scribble down the patterns and colors.
ReplyDeleteCatalogs I get in the mail for sure! Magazine articles, too.
ReplyDeleteI look for color inspirations from magazines. Mostly home and garden types. bright cheerful colors, fun colors, and subdued colors--all in one place!
ReplyDeleteLOVE those cards inspired by the toiletries!
ReplyDeleteyou amaze me!!
my most interesting inspiration happened one evening when i was making a moroccan chicken dinner. i put the spices in the pot, cinnamon, paprika, cumin, ginger, allspice. they were such a beautiful mix of browns, reds, gold. i went upstairs and made a card with circles of those colors. fun!!
thanks for the giveaway. you are such as awesome soul!!
hugs,
marty
I love to look at colors and textures at fabric stores. When I'm at home I like to look through magazines.
ReplyDeleteLove these colors!
ReplyDeleteI find newspaper ads, colorful fabric, and even junk mail can get my creative juices flowing!
Actually, I get some of my best inspiration from my local scrapbooking store. I love just wandering through the patterned paper aisles. A single spectacular piece can trigger idea after idea for me.
ReplyDeleteI recently found great inspiration while walking around a furniture store. The room vignettes that had been decorated by professionals used some very interesting colour combos. I made notes of several because they were very pleasing to the eye and something I would never have thought to put together.
ReplyDeleteBooks and more books inspire me. I use the public library weekly and, as well as novels, I bring home books on art, interior decorating, and gardening - a photo or illustration will catch my eye as having possibilities for a card layout or colour combination.
ReplyDeleteThis is such an interesting week on your blog - love all the pieces you're writing on inspiration.
Oh my gosh, I save tons of things, tags off of clothes, pieces of the JoAnn's fabric flier, gift bags, napkins, etc. I have a little box that I put them all into. LOL
ReplyDeletePaulette S. in MO
I need to up my colour use. I used to be so 'pale' and hesitant to use bright colours. I get inspiration for this use from the paint chips and the brochures that are in home/paint stores.
ReplyDeleteThese questions really make you think about your 'craft'.
Patterns on women's tops or mens shirts or ties have been of inspirations of design. Also interesting and unusual color combinations that might catch my eye. I do love your clean and simple look and gravitate back to that so often.
ReplyDeleteDonna
2realtors@cox.net
Inspiration is definitely all around once you start looking. Home magazines or flyers with display rooms are a good place. Bags, fabrics and packaging another place I've seen great designs and colour schemes.
ReplyDeleteFor some reason I find inspiration in shopping bag designs and in bedding (especially Macy's) - and I have no clue why - but it works for me every time! Thanks so much for all that you share and for the chances to win!
ReplyDeleteOutside of papercrafting sources, I look at magazines, catalogs, and ads for inspiration. I have been inspired by commercials on TV, and also by my kids' clothes. There is inspiration all around us, we just have to open our eyes and minds to see it!
ReplyDeleteA lot of inspiration comes from the people I'm making the cards for. What would they like, does it fit their personality and life style. It's fun to be thinking of the person I'm making the card for and what their reaction might be when they open it.
ReplyDeleteMy inspiration comes from the world that is my beautiful farm-nature in all its glory and all the seasons surround me and I am never with something to be grateful for and to inspire me!
ReplyDelete