My very first Spellbinders Monthly Small Die!
Hi all!
What do you do when you're having a hard time while creating? Do you keep going through it, no matter what? Do you set it aside and save for another day? Do you toss it and start over? If I set it aside, I'll think about it constantly. Throwing away something that isn't working feels like throwing away a piece of time...and my time in my studio is valuable, so I can't to that! I generally power through...not with great results most times, like today....
I'm trying to again make challenges a priority in my creating, and with February being the month of love there are MANY heart challenges happening right now! With the inspiration from Inkspirational, Hand Stamped Sentiments, Just add Ink and the Flower Challenge; I decided to use my very first Spellbinders Monthly Small Die, a Lotta Heart. It's no longer available, but it's new to me and is totally cute.
I was riding the struggle bus with this one...front row...seat belt fastened. I am not a fancy fold kind of card maker, but this die is perfect for creating a gate folded card so I had to try it. I may have been a little distracted while making this so I overlooked the fact the paper moved on the die cut until after I started glueing down the pieces...and you can't really see the ink blending done on the pink paper behind the die cut ones it was assembled. ***sigh***
Coloring the center floral die was also a struggle...What is your favorite coloring medium for little intricut die pieces? Watercolors and beautiful and soft, but they're hard to control on small spaces. Alcohol markers are wonderful with saturated colors, but can seep outside of where I want them to go since I tend to be a bit heavy handed. Altenew's new Acrylic Markers are FANTASTIC, but the tips were too large for my little spaces. So, colored pencils were the choice for this project...still up in the air about the results.
The sentiment was from my sentiment scrap bin and is from Altenew's Essential Sentiments foil set. I cranked a bunch out and just have them in my bin for cards like this one. It was finished off with my favorite satin gold sequins.
So.....struggles are real...keep working through them. It gives you a sense of accomplishment if you push through them...even if you don't like the results all that much.
Have a colorful day!
6 comments:
Kristin, your card is beautiful and your perseverance is showing through on this intricately detailed card! I can see your ink blending of the hearts in the background going from light to dark and the flowers and leaves in the big center heart are SO pretty! And to top it all off it's a gate fold card and someone is going to smile ear to ear when they receive this! Thanks so much for sharing this heart filled beauty with us at The Flower Challenge!! Marcia (DT)
It may have given you grief but the end result is utterly charming, Kristin. Thanks so much for sharing it with us at Just Add Ink.
Oh I think you are being far too hard on yourself - creativity is supposed to bring us joy not headaches. Your card is beautiful and I love that detail behind the heart. For the small intricate colouring I would always head to Tim Holtz inks or his new watercolour pencils - with a very fine brush it would be ideal for colouring those small pieces but you did a great job. Clever to include all those challenges too including ours at Hand Stamped Sentiments. Hope to see you again next time.
Great card - I like how the layout draws your eyes into the centre heart. Very sweet.
I can relate to days when we struggle to create - I find exactly the same. Some days, it feels like everything I touch is just rubbish.....but I agree, we must push through. Chantell Just Add Ink
Your final card result is so worth the effort that this was for you. It is absolutely gorgeous! I love how all your little hearts bring you into the centre and your colouring is beautiful. Yes, I can definitely relate to similar days. Having a chronic illness means card making takes a lot more energy and can be a physically difficult. But when you push through the creative block and the card is complete it is worth it. Thanks for sharing with us at Just Add Ink this week.
The card you created is beautiful! Creating sometimes is a struggle but you powered through it. Great job on the final outcome. Love the gate fold and the main heart is gorgeous. Thanks for joining us at Hand Stamped Sentiments.
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