there are MANY MANY ways to skin a…

card!  I really don’t understand the meaning of skinning a cat and the context and I RE-HEALLY don’t wanna know.. LOL

But in terms of cards… there are many different styles of cardmaking.. many different “layouts”.. sketches etc.. but to me, I can get lost and very anxious when thinking about where to put the half circle.. where to tuck the ribbon under.. where to put the strip of paper.. where to scallop, snip, stamp, put your embellishments!  YIKES I am so tired just thinking about it!  So really I DON’T worry about it.  I worry about my focal image.. I worry about whether I am conveying the message I want to convey to the receiver.  The basic message I want my receiver to feel is that I appreciate and care about them.  That I took the time to put this together for them.  Do you think my mother cares if I put a strip of ribbon vertically or horizontally?  Nope.. do you think my BFF will notice if I ghost stamped, or followed a sketch or did a SPOTLIGHT TECHNIQUE?  NOOOOPE… what she cares about is the beautiful image or design and the effort I put into it.. YUUUUPPPP that’s what she cares about..  don’t get me wrong.. I love different techniques.. LOVE.. so if I am in the mood to do it, I don’t put pressure on myself.. I just play play play!  I do it for ME.  not for anybody else. (selfish ain’t I?)

There is a reason for my little rant.  I think my job in life is to inspire and to take the stress off the crafter.  So you coloured out of the lines.. oh well.. either you make another one and enjoy the process or you embrace the “out of the line experience”.  When I see sistahs get all twisted over layouts, and papers and inks and colours and and and.. I feel that the enjoyment is taken out of the craft and one can put so much pressure on themselves that they DREAD stamping and crafting rather than LOOK FORWARD to the quality  time spent with their  stampies (LOL.. or whatever other craft you love)….

I have also learned through many artists that one has to push him or herself  to the next level.  I never understood that until yesterday…  you know when you have a card ready…. and you love it… but then you get a little “what if you…” whispering in your ear..  like.. what if you spray a little glitz.. or what if you put a bit of gesso here… or what if you used another color ink pad.. and you swat the little voice away and say “GET THE HECK OUTTA HERE, VOICE… I am perfectly happy with what I have created”… but what if??

What if that spray, or ink color could enhance your artwork… what if it made it get to the next level of STUPENDOUSNESS?  What if it would be better than a PICASSO?  hmmmmm?  Well you would never know, would you ?  You would never know, because you were happy with what was… but what if???  really what if????

What would happen if you didn’t like the outcome of your new creation?  SO WHAT?  you start again… but what if you LOOOOVE the NEW creation you made.. wouldn’t you be happy that you pushed yourself?  that you listened to your “what if?”  EMBRACE your “what if” and let it lead you to wherever you may go.. you will definitely be surprised with your results.

So here’s a card I made using another one of my FAVORITE new stampies called EM’S mixed media flower..  I had SO MANY WHAT IF’s last night making this card… I’m telling you.. I “what iff’ed” (new bella ism..) about colouring under the flower with a PITT MARKER… so I did it.. I was SO ANGRY at my WHAT IF because it looked HOOOOORRIBLE.  and I was about to rip it into shreds.. and I said to myself  “SELF?”.. let’s push ourselves here.. let’s make this work…  So I added gesso to the part I LOATHED… then I added more and more gesso featuring the stamp more and my background (which is my new BFF Tim’s  (holtz)  technique).. I am not sure he knows I am his BFF yet but he will sistahs… OH HE WILL..LOL.  So after I put a little gesso I put more and more.. I was getting happier… then the What IFFER came back and said.. what if you sewed around it?? collaged??  I said “listen what if.. I am happy the way it looks”… but I ended up listening to my what if.. and you know what?  I must admit I am really happy with the way it turned out!  I challenged myself..  and whether or not the results are good, I am happy I went that extra step and wasn’t “scared” to try.

Now I am NOT gonna lie… I did send a picture of this card to Linda, Paula and Denabella just to make sure it was ok to put on my blog..LOL.. and they approved :).  Now this may not be your cuppa tea classic elegant style but I have to tell you how much FUN I had making this.. layering and playing.. and I want to use this as an example for listening to your “what ifs”.  Ok enough blabla

here is my mixed media card using my MIXED MEDIA FLOWER.  The picture is a little crooked but I shoved it in front of my computer and was scrambling to pick up the kids so was in a BIG RUSH

Again I decided to challenge myself.  I wanted to use the same stamp and make a simple beeyootiful card and if you like the way it is coloured, you have to come see us at SCRAPFEST in Kitchener where we will be featuring the medium and doing make and takes.. its a surprise! but look how vibrant it is!  Now I started sticking washi tape and ribbon and embellishments on it and my what if came in my ear and whispered… “what if you take everything off”?  And I was horrified!! to have SUCH a simple “empty” card?  no half circles? no strips of cardstock?  No embellishments?????   So I did.  I took everything off.    It’s funny, as “messy ” as I can be.. is as “clean and graphic” I can be as well.  I was so happy my “what if” convinced me to take everything off.  I LOVE how it came out 🙂

Look how DIFFERENT the same stamp can look!

I am so sorry for this tirade sistahs.. But I feel sooo much bettah now..LOL

promise me One thing.  PLEASE embrace your “what if”.. listen to that voice.. try, play, do!  Push yourselves to the next level..and see what happens.. k? promise?

don’t forget Bellarific Friday tomorrow 🙂

Mwah mwah mwah to my what if’s

oh and to my sistahs 😉

Em