Soft or Dramatic...What's Your Opinion?

Good morning!

I have a question for you for which there is no right answer...it's just a matter of taste and opinion, without moral or ethical significance.

Do you prefer soft cards or dramatic cards?

My butt is on the fence, but today, I'm definitely leaning toward soft, serene, peaceful cards. Perhaps my life is a little wacky and chaotic right now (in a good way, I keep telling myself), and I crave calm. Perhaps I've always found peace in soft colors and subtle images. Perhaps by February, after months of gray and white landscapes, I will once again gravitate toward bright, fun colors. But for now, this soft chandelier is making me very happy.

I used Memento London Fog and Angel Pink for the stamps, and a sheer ribbon with shimmer to hang the chandelier and anchor it in all that restful white space. I do wish I'd cut the ribbon more simply at an angle rather than notching it, but that's a quibble. The card makes me happy.

Today's more dramatic card changes the orientation from portrait to landscape and the white ribbon and gray sentiment for black. I remember watching a home decor show on HGTV years ago in which the designer explained adding a touch of black to light pastels helps keep them from being too blah. This is, I think, a universal design idea that works extraordinarily well on cards and scrapbook pages, too.

I cut the ribbon too short on this one (what was it with me and ribbon that day?), but otherwise, I like this. The sheer/satin ribbon isn't too heavy for the chandelier (as a solid satin or grosgrain might have been), and the black certainly kicks up the baby blue.

So, what is your preference: soft or dramatic? Why do you think you're drawn to one over the other? Or are you, like me, affected in your preference by whatever is going on in your life...your mood, level of caffeine, etc.?