Back to Basics, Return to Roots, Focus on Foundations...Whatever

 After months of sporadic stamping--with uneven results--I found myself continuing to struggle with getting back into the stamping groove. I surfed Pinterest, took a stab at some inspired cards, threw the results in the trash, and walked away for a few days. I ordered a bunch of new stamps in November, but they didn't help.

I tried cleaning out my stash, only to realize that everything was already so very tidy and organized and purged that there really was no point. 

No. Point. 

*sigh*

So I decided to get back to basics. Paper and ink. Eleven years ago, I started a thread on Splitcoast Stampers. At the time, dies, Copics, and Prismacolor pencils with gamsol were everywhere. I tried to encourage people who didn't want to make cards that required lots of expensive supplies (and massive artistic talent)--cards that often ended up being thick as doorstops and impossible to mail--to follow their instincts and make simple cards...a counter-cultural impulse that received a ton of support and eventually ended up birthing this blog. 

Simplicity by LateBlossom. 

All three of today's cards embody that original impulse and get back to the root of who I am as a stamper.

Nothing but paper and ink. Not even bling. Lots of white space. 

The floral set is an ancient Papertrey set, new to me, called Flower Garden that I picked up for about $5. 

After shaking down my mojo with these three cards, I'm feeling ever so much better! 

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas despite our current very weird situation. Ours was certainly lovely, with a bit of snow even! I had no idea that our military years were training us to handle a very COVID Christmas, but we managed quite nicely. 

Singing Christmas hymns around the Advent wreath

Mercy, grace, peace, love, and kindness,

Susan