Are you back? Good.
First of all, let me say thank you for reassuring me I'm not alone in my "over-stimulation" (Mynn's phrase). Also, yes, I "can change the rule" (senga44's words), and I should have at least temporarily suspended it for this particular buying binge. But the rule has served my purposes very well for a long time.
It's just the, ahem, abundance of my recent ordering that it became a problem.
Angie brought up a good point. Some rules do box us in and stifle creativity. BUT I would argue that other rules really do help us out by encouraging creativity. Under my ordinary buying patterns, my rule about not putting sets away until I use them is a very good rule. Knowing I'm going to have to use a set immediately means I buy stuff that I want to use immediately. Generally, this is exciting and makes me overflow with creative ideas. Placing so many orders in such a small span of time, however, changed the situation...but I didn't let the rule change, too. My bad.
Missoula Gal Pals wrote this wise comment:
"I too make 'rules' to craft by and sometimes it helps me focus in on all the fun and sometimes it feels too confining. Since the 1st of the year I've been trying eliminate the 'should's' and 'have to's' in the crafting part of my life and gently telling myself over and over - 'this is about having fun and expanding my creative energy.'"
In other words, rules can enhance our creativity and energy, and we need to pay attention to the ones that don't and change them. Princess Judy Palmer says the same thing: "This year I've decided any 'rule' or 'obligation' that stifles my creativity or stresses me out over what is to be a fun hobby is to be ditched immediately."
Y'all have no idea how comforting your comments have been!
And now for a card that duplicates the layout of THIS CARD, but looks significantly different because of colors and stamps. I just love how the same basic idea could be tweaked to result in so different a card.
The border was made using the row of dots from Hero Arts Borders and Arrows set. I alternated shades of red ink (Hero Arts) to add interest and used two shades of red bling (although the dark red looks blackish in the photo...in real life, it's dark red!). The sentiment is stamped in Hero Arts' dark gray ink.
The first version of the card is light, bright, airy. This one is grounded, colorful, strong. I like them both. How about you?
Supplies
stamps: Hero Arts Borders and Arrows, Papertrey Signature Greeting
ink: Hero Arts
paper: Papertrey
accessories: rhinestones, dimensionals
Love this! The layout is fantastic and those ink colors are gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteI definitely like them both, Susan. The two different looks rather serve different purposes. Each is striking in its own particular way. I went back and read all the comments on yesterday's post. Folks had some really good ideas. I enjoyed all the comments, too :)
ReplyDeleteI like both cards! There is something really appealing to me about a few gems in random round red circles! Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you on this, "I would argue that other rules really do help us out by encouraging creativity."
For instance cleaning my work table after each project, which I don't always do but need to do. I am more likely to WANT to sit down and craft if the table is clean and beckoning me "COME SIT, CREATE".
I tend toward "timid and perfection" and I want to really break out this year into more freedom so I am "listening" to the way I respond (knee jerk reactions) inside when I read certain posts. Your post was thought provoking!!!
LOVE This card! The 2 shades of red looks quite fabulous~
ReplyDeleteraising my hand in "aye" to all of the above. --can you tell i'm in a hurry this a.m. ???
ReplyDeleteI like both cards - they feel so different because of the strength of the colors.
ReplyDeleteI read the comments from the last post and enjoyed them. I am guilty of ordering enough to get free shipping and then putting everything away. I'd like to find more time to actually create but think I am a bit obsessed with acquisition right now.
Well, I spent big money this year - someone was travelling to England and could bring stamps - so I ordered enough for Free Shipping on Clearly Besotted - everything else is expensive in UK..
ReplyDeleteI asked my Uncle who lives in US to send the stamps I bought on PTI and used stamps on PTI again (i love them) through anyone who's travelling to India.
Now, my purchases for the next 12 months stop there. I have enough paper and ink - except the Pear Tart :o) I love that color.
Now the new bunch of stamps sit on my not-so-tidy table (I totally agree with Angie's comment on "COME SIT, CREATE") - haven't started stamping them yet.
But past experience tells me I will.
Susan, just wondering - is ur compulsion of a clean table stressing you out - coz you wanted to stamp a new stamp at least once before you put it away?!?
Maybe you can put this tidily away in a corner of your desk?
Just wondering!!
I love this card, and loved the hexagon honeycomb in the other card too.
The color in this sentiment is gorgeous.
Well, you still there?? :)
Oh my! At first glance I thought this whole bottom half of this card was bling!!! I was going to ask that the aliens who beamed up the Susan I know please bring her back. Okay, whew. Fun card! It still doesn't "feel" like you though.
ReplyDelete