Aloha, all!
OK, it’s not all stamping. But believe me it’s all of the "Wild Mind" variety. I’ll not take up much of my crafting space to explain. Here is a quote from notes about Natalie Goldberg’s book, "Wild Mind."
"Here is compassionate, practical, and often humorous advice about how to find time to write, how to discover your personal style, how to make sentences come alive, and how to overcome procrastination and writer’s block–including more than thirty provocative "Try This" exercises to get your pen moving."
At this point, I’m not so into "writing" as I am into "style." I spend a lot of time looking at how other people use the Stampin’ Up! products that I represent, and I base a lot of what I do on that. So "my" style has been more the style of others. Understand that I don’t think that’s a bad thing. I am crazy about the style that Stampin’ Up! is presenting in its latest catalogs, and the style that some of the most amazing SU demonstrators are using amazingly creatively.
After the writing class last night, though, I decided to break away from what’s "out there" in the paper crafting world, and just create–with some restraints that I placed on myself. Tonight, the restraints were:
- I have to have something easy to create for my friends who are coming to my Stampin’ Up! Open House tomorrow–and I promised them a Valentine project!
- I have to use ONLY the Sizzix and Designer Series Paper that came in the box that arrived on my doorstep today.
- Beyond that, I can use plain colored card stock and any stamps and other accessories that I already have.
OK–there were 6 packs of Designer Paper that arrived. Only one had any kind of vague resemblance to what might be considered "Valentine" value. The DSP is called, "Sweet Slumber." The colors are Rose Red, Baja Blue, So Saffron, and a background color (Sahara Sand).
Of the Sizzix materials that arrived, I had the Box #2 die as well as the Naturally Serif Sizzlits Alphabet.
So, where to start–the box of course! And, some of the Sweet Slumber dotted paper. The nice thing about the Sweet Slumber is that it’s cover weight paper. It’s of the same basic thickness as Stampin’ Up! card stock. So it can be the framework for a card as well as for anything that the Sizzix Big Shot has to offer. This is a lot different from the Designer Paper Stampin’ Up! has been making. The little box will hold some nice treasures, and is the item on the left in the photo above.
OK, now some cards. Hmmm. Well, the number of papers in the DSP pack is limited–2 of each design. So I had to be judicious in case several of those who are coming on Saturday want to make the same project. So I decided on one 4" x 4" card and one 3" x 3" card. Neither of these is mailable in the U.S. But, hey, my ladies are going to be making these ON Valentine’s Day. So they’re probably going to be handing them out. So no problem! The 4" card is in the middle and the 3" "Love Note" is on the right. OK, now who would have thought that I’d be making Valentine’s gifts and cards using Baja Blue and So Saffron?! Not I, for sure!!!
Tomorrow I’ll show a close up of that box that I made with the Sizzix Big Shot and the Box #2 die. That was amazing (not my particular design, but what the Sizzix could do!) because I made that box in less than 10 minutes!! If I hadn’t had to think about how to decorate it, it would have been even less than that! The Sizzix cuts and scores the box, and there’s only one little spot where you have to glue it!
But more of that tomorrow. I also have another hint to make this box a bit better (in my humble opinion!) And, while Valentine’s Day will be over, don’t forget that there’s Easter and Graduations and Weddings and Mother’s Day and Father’s Day and summer parties–this box die is going to be a treasure that you’ll definitely want to have all year long!
