Sometimes when I create, I feel GUILTY. Last night, as mentioned, I pulled out my Valentine's Day stamps but decided to go a completely different route in designing my greeting cards.
Over the past couple of weeks I have been chatting with people (at the coffee shop, car repair place, with Trevor...basically anyone who would listen) about how life is now overly complicated and that I hate it. I have been craving simplicity. I will admit that I am almost at that BIG birthday mark but I don't think this wave length has been prompted by that. And its funny because the complications that have been bothering me are the little ones. For example, so you know when you go to the grocery store and you are looking for orange juice and you come across this HUGE freezer section. There are cans with added vitamin C, no pulp, EXTRA pulp, with other fruits added, etc. Like really? And that's not even all.....I forgot all about the section in the fridge area with the cartoned OJ! People. I do not need these added choices in my life. I want to go to the freezer section, grab the proper fruit juice and celebrate the fact that I REMEMBERED! So many other areas of our day to day world are like this and the cumulative effect can be very draining. Now don't get me started on the added complication now on my debt card (like why does it now say VISA!?!?!?)....
So yes.....fewer decisions.....more time to get things done and feel good about yourself.
This is where I finish my Friday night design story I started above. I had pulled all my Valentine's stamps up into the kitchen so I could hang out with the family while designing and doing what I wanted. My small craft room is in the basement and I hate being removed from them (at times!). Then I brought over a piece of Crate Paper, a sheet of fun burlap and that's where the decision came in......complicated stamp choices to my left with added hauling of products up the stairs or simplified designing to my right with limited product options. I chose the path less travelled by me. I took a sharp RIGHT. I chose less technique. I chose using familiar design embellishments. I chose PURE, simplified FUN. Just what I needed on a Friday night.
The guilt factor came in when I realized I designed 6 cards effortlessly. And why should I feel guilty about this? When you work with quality products like the incredible art work by Crate Paper and Maggie Holmes and interesting textured burlap by Jen Hadfield, your incredible designs can be a snap because THEY did the work for you! Here are the main products I began my creative process with:
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| Jen Hadfield Printed Burlap (12x12 sheet) |
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| Crate Paper - Wonder Chipboard |
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| Maggie Holmes Confetti Stickers |
So the moral of the story? Don't feel guilty EVER when you are designing. You are spending time doing something you LOVE and whatever happens in the moment happens for a reason. You know that little blob of ink that decided to jump on your nearly complete card? Well guess what? Time to view that as an opportunity to think outside the box while figuring out ways to "hide" it. You want to pull out all one million shades of Distress Ink to create with? Go for it! If that is what you are feeling....you go girl. This hobby is about adding joy in YOUR life. Stop looking at what everyone else is creating and start doing. It's doesn't take much to get that creative release. Trust me.
Kim
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