I couldn’t resist the sketch over at Retro Sketches #102. (Or really, I suppose it was the inspiration card that grabbed me. I love the perfect balance of such a simple idea.)
Here’s the sketch:
Here’s my take:
I can tell already I’m going to have to work on my photo taking skills when it comes to card creations. One thing at a time. 🙂
When I created this blog – over a year ago – I thought I would be returning to my crafting pursuits on a more regular basis. As it turns out, I fell away from crafting after a short time having been back in.
Looking back, I think I put too much pressure on myself right out of the gate. I managed to make crafting into something that wasn’t fun! The internet is a great source of inspiration, yet with so many beautiful cards out there, it’s easy to have an inferiority complex. Especially coming back to the craft after so much time away and not knowing new techniques and tools. I was also overwhelmed by all the styles. Not really having my own style yet, made it difficult and disorienting to try and create.
Which brings me to here, over a year latter. While I haven’t been creating, I have continued to follow a variety of crafting blogs. I’ve learned a few techniques so I feel a little more up to date. I’ve learned what styles I like, and what I don’t. Turns out there’s a name for the styles I like: CAS or Clean and Simple.
Fittingly, it was one of my favorite blogs, Simplicity, that provided the inspiration that actually got me sitting back down to create. I have come to love and admire Susan’s style, and the gems of layout and design wisdom she shares throughout her work.
So, inspired by Susan’s card here, here’s my first card “back” into my crafting fun.
Very simple, very clean, very easy. Everything about this makes me smile. I loved the way my “Happy Birthday” stamp tucked so perfectly into that bottom curve. Working with a limited supply stash, it’s great when something like that works out.
Having arrived home from our time in Africa, I’m finding that many things have shifted for me. The most relevant ones are being un-employed, along with having a new perspective on time and stuff and fun. Those factors have worked together to have me once again playing with all my crafty toys and LOVING it. How in the world have I not been playing with this stuff for the last several years?
I’ve also been intrigued to discover that the paper craft landscape has changed since I last played in that “world”. The internet has erupted with a whole community of scrapbookers and card makers joining together for inspiration challenges, prizes, fellowship and more. How fun! I couldn’t help but join in.
The Play Date Cafe was one of the first such communities I stumbled upon. I was immediately enthralled by the color challenges. I enjoyed being inspired by a couple of the older challenges, then I couldn’t resist jumping in to start playing with the current challenge.
So, inspired by their autumn color challenge this week, here are my creations:
The leaf graphic is from GraphicsFairy and the orange pattern paper is by Deja Views.
There’s a few other cards on my desk with the same colors – turns out I struggled with getting these to work together really well but I’m super pleased with what I ended up with.
Entered into Play Date Cafe Challenge #151
Crafty Return 