Month: February 2016

Say no to obligation crafting!

Whether it is creating a baby album because you ‘should’, making your own Christmas cards because it is ‘expected’ or creating the best dessert party table ever because everyone on Pinterest does… today I encourage you to say no to obligation crafting.

Creating should always, in my opinion, come from a place of joy, love, or at the very least genuine interest. I’ve been in the creative craft industry for a long time (13+ years) and in that time I’ve seen a lot of people quit due to burn-out, doing things they didn’t love, and because they let the feelings of obligations guide what they created.

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If you scrapbook – creating a single layout per year, skipping huge chunks of time or events, and only creating what you enjoy? Totally fine. Give yourself permission to just have fun with it. If you love making cards guess what? It’s ok to buy premade cards sometimes! You don’t have to always make things from scratch.

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Don’t worry about what you’re doing vs anyone else. I don’t know about you – but my creating time is my own, and I treat it as such. What some could label as ‘selfish’, I look at as time invested in my own happiness. I see it as keeping my mental health positive, and keeping myself happy and charged up so that as I face the challenges of the world I am in a better place to assist others. It’s like the airplane safety warning – apply your own mask first. Then you’re taken care of and able to help others.

No matter what kind of creative play you enjoy – use colors and styles you love. Trends and styles are going to come and go- except one. The best trend I know, and the one I’ve been seeing gain momentum is to simply be YOU. To embrace your own unique style and combination. You don’t have to label yourself and you don’t have to play inside just one creative box.

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Mix and match. Test and try stuff. Play and enjoy. For me any time spent with my hands on embellishments, paste, or paint is time that I’m grateful to have. It’s creative play time. So I try to, as you may know, keep the rules and what should be done out of my head and to a minimum.

I turn up the volume on enjoying the act of simply creating.

Am I a “scrapbooker” “card maker” “mixed media artist” “paper crafter” “art journal enthusiast”??? I am all of these things, and none of these things. I am, like all of you, a creative person who enjoys the process.

28 Lilac Lane: Love Story Kit

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What could be more fun than playing with a lot of buttons? Creating a texture filled button-tastic card, of course! Hey guys I’m here today with a super quick share – a card I created for the CHA debut of my new line 28 Lilac Lane (kits now shipping!)

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This card was created with the “Love Story” kit that is full of gold, white, and shades of red goodness, texture, and detail. Love this one so much – and while I am kicking it off with a Valentine it could be used for much more. I hope you enjoy this quick share – and have a great day!

 

Creative play without judgment

The #1 best thing I can do for myself? Just creative play. Don’t think end game. Don’t ponder ‘good enough’ or ‘worthy’. Just play because I can and because it is fun.

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Whether this means a coloring book or inking a stamp in a new way, playing with some gold leaf just because or making notes in my art journal – it’s all good. I think it’s important to share with you that I do this 5 days a week at least.

Sometimes for hours. Sometimes mere moments. Sometimes when I have deadlines and really shouldn’t.

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It’s worthwhile though, you see… because in that creative freedom place where there are no rules or judgment is where all of my finest ideas come from! I share this with you because in one such session I dreamed up a place of creative play. Exercises. techniques. No “projects finished” or “goal” other than having fun.

and I turned it into a class.

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Info can be found here, and registration is now open for the discounted pre-registration price. The classroom is open with some getting started videos too!

Whether you join in class or just create for fun – I hope you give yourself some time to be a creative explorer today…

 

Custom dashboard/pages using ScanNCut

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Today I’ve got a tutorial to share with you – and one that I see using a BUNCH! It’s really quite simple, however it took me a long time to get the logistics down so I’m happy to share it with you here today!

the usual disclaimer here, that I am a paid consultant for Brother, but all ideas and opinions are my own.

To explain best, here’s my YouTube video.


I mentioned in my video two different ways to handle this:

  • Use grouping to layer/select and then weld the tab and big/main rectangle, then unify with the holes for binding
  • Don’t try to line up holes, cut those later

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I prefer letting the ScanNCut take care of the holes for me – but either way works! This isn’t a “planner thing” either – you could use this to make pages for any application from mini books to pocket pages! I really liked covering my “bits and pieces” page shown below with the laminate covering so that nothing can flick/flap/be ruined. Totally fabulous! And yes, the ScanNCut cut right through it all.

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Now that I have the formula down and am better at welding just parts of a pattern (vs everything) I see doing more pages like this in the future for my camping album, special mini or brag books, and yes of course my planner! Keeping it simple and easy, yet decorative and fun. I sure did love creating these for you and hope you enjoyed the tutorial as well.