Creative Blog Hop

Today I’m doing something a little different. I’m postponing my Minute Monday blog post until Tuesday (I might need to call it Tardy Tuesday, LOL), so that I can participate in the Creative Blog Hop. My stampy friend Heather Heroldt nominated me to take part in this blog hop (Thanks Heather!), which allows us stampers to share our creative process through a series of questions. Please check out Heather’s fabulous blog, Handmade By Heather, where she strives to post a new card on her blog EVERY DAY. Now that’s impressive!!

What am I working on right now?
Shhhhh!!!!!! It’s a BIG secret. All I can say: it involves CHOCOLATE. The mystery shall be revealed soon.

These days, what I’m working on most, is making better video tutorials. I’m amazed at all those designers who seem to do them so effortlessly OR at least seem to do them better than I do. It’s really hard to put all the details into a video without being too talkative. I’m a firm believer in practice makes perfect, so you’ll be seeing a lot more video tutorials from me in the future. With all the variables of video tutorials, I’m sure it will be hard to obtain perfection. Maybe I should just hope for less of a “cringe” factor when I’m replaying them for myself. LOL!

How does my work differ from others in my genre?
I’m an outside the box type of creator, but I also want my end product to be practical and useful. That’s why you’ll see me design things that can be used as favors and gifts. They look pretty on the shelf, but they generally also serve another purpose. I also insist upon having my designs be reproducible. There have been plenty of occasions where I’ve spent time simplifying a design, because it was too difficult for others to recreate or for me to explain.

Why do I create what I do?
I find great joy in creating things that will touch someone’s heart. That’s the beauty about hand-making something, I can really tailor it to the person I’m giving it to. In this day and age where everything is mass-produced, it’s really special to give something that was made from the heart.

I also enjoy a good design challenge. Whether the challenge comes from me or someone else, it still amazes me when I can pull a design off. Some of my more complicated designs are created in spurts over several days. It often takes a leap of faith on my part to believe that I will create something worthy and not crumple it up into a ball and give up.

Finally, I create because it’s FUN. I grew up in a household where we didn’t do a lot of crafts. I did crafts in elementary school and girl guides, but my projects always seemed to be inferior to those of my peers. I didn’t take any art classes in high school. I actually thought I was bad at art. That was until I discovered stamping and I’ve been reliving my childhood through art ever since.

How does my creative process work?
My creative process usually comes from a spark. That spark could be images from a stamp set, a pretty flower in the garden, a piece of junk mail, or even CHOCOLATE. Sometimes, I will just take a new paper-crafting tool and play with it. I create a lot of rejects in my design process, but that’s what it is, A PROCESS. If the Wright Brothers had stopped designing the airplane after their first attempt, they would not have invented the airplane. If I had stopped after my first attempt at the Hershey’s Christmas Tree, well you get the picture.

Oh and did I mention the MESS!!!! When I’m done creating a design, my craft studio is usually a ROYAL MESS!!!! I’m a neat person by nature, but if I start cleaning up during the PROCESS, it destroys my creative vibe. So if you’re ever in the neighborhood, please call first before you stop by. Papercrafting cyclones frequently hit my craft studio.

Tag - you're it!
Now it’s my turn to tag someone for the Creative Hop! I didn’t have to think hard to think of someone either. I’ve been following Pam Strobel’s blog for over a year now. She is so very creative. I had the fortune of meeting her at the 2013 Stampin’ Up convention and she’s just as nice as she is creative. Please hop on over to Pam’s blog Stamp and Stretch anytime. Her official Creative Blog Hop post will be up next Monday, October 27th. I can’t wait to learn about her design process.

Have a great day and
Bee Stamping!