Tips & Tricks - inspiration

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Today I want to talk about inspiration. We all get inspired differently, weather it be from crafting with a friend, browsing Pinterest or blogs. There is inspiration all around us everyday. It can be a pattern or a pretty color palette, all we have to do is be open to it.

If you've followed me for long, you know that one of the things I'm known for is making my own patterned paper. I LOVE pretty patterned papers and even own a ton that I have stashed away, but it's sooo easy to just pull out a few stamps and make my own.

 

I was browsing through a local material store when I came upon something that stopped me in my tracks and had me thinking "I can do that on a card!!" The material was grey with a solid black leaf/vine type pattern all over it then there were pretty white flowers overlaying the leaf pattern.

 

I was quick to pull out my cell phone and take a picture ;)

The material has the flowers filling up the whole area, but I decided I didn't want my pattern that busy. Also, I decided to not only do black leaves, but a dark grey also for even more contrast. And besides, can you use the solid leaf vine without using the solid leaf sprig along with it?? ;) hehehe.

 

 

I have to admit that I didn't quite "nail it", but that's only because I totally hate heat embossing. :(  Had I stamped the flower in Versa-Mark and heat embossed with a white powder I would have gotten the effect I was originally going for, but ya know, it's still ok. When I first stamped the flowers they were a bright white and really popped, however, as they dried they lightened and now have even turned a grayish color. Ohh well, it still works and I'm still happy with the result and that's all that counts, right?

Stamps:

1. elegant square frame
2. love flourish
3. solid leaf vine
4. solid leaf sprig
5. polka dot butterfly

 

The next thing I have to show you is an odd place to get inspiration, but as I was saying before, it truly IS all around us in our everyday lives.

My hair brush...

 

 Here's the card I was inspired to make...



This little card turned out exactly as I had envisioned it. I just love all the layers of the flowers. 4 stamps to make one flower might seem a little excessive, but the end result was well worth it ;)

 

Stamps:

1. whimsical garden cling set
2. garden accents set
3. elegant floral set
4. whimsical oval frame
5. teeny swiss dot

You just never know where you might find some inspiration so look around and don't be afraid to take a picture for reference! I even have a little "notes" app on my phone where I jot down ideas while I'm on the go. My latest note is a pretty color palette I saw while shopping at Target that I want to try....you just never know!

 

 

 

Have you made a birthday card lately?? Then why not enter it in the random drawing I'm having right here on the Addict blog to celebrate both my and the blogs birthdays??

 

 

That's all for me today, Thanks for stopping by!!!