Be Happy

 

There are just days when my creativity is asleep. No matter how hard I try, I just can't get past the mental or creative block. If I force it, I end up creating something really simple that makes me feel "meh". On the other hand, if I stay away from creating for too long, it takes even more time to get back into the flow of things.

I haven't figured out the solution yet, but I think it's worth exploring different types of creativity at times like these. I might not be able to pull off a complete card, but I could play with die-cuts or do some coloring. One big thing I'm trying to keep in mind is that it's okay to just play. I don't have to complete a project every crafty session. Sometimes starting it and walking away when I get stuck gives me that clarity to know what I want to do when I came back to it.

Ice-Cream Dreams

 

And from winter, we jump straight into summer! It's cold, but I wanted to do something bright and summery. Thankfully, I had these elements all set and ready to go in my "to-be-used" stash, so it led to some quick card-making. It still felt a little odd to make a summer card when it's so chilly outside, but it did brighten up my day - and that's the best one could hope for.

I am currently bouncing back between wanting to do completely new and innovative things and wanting to go to what's tried-and true. There is a certain comfort you can only get when you're doing something familiar - it's like your body and mind are moving by themselves and you're free to just enjoy the uninterrupted flow of getting things done.

I'll probably be doing that a lot, moving from what I know to what I've never tried before -but I choose to see it as a dance and I intend to master every step.

Big Shark Smile

 

There's something about a big toothy smile that is perfect to include on a happy card. It's one of the reasons why I absolutely love this shark stamp set and why it's fun to pair up with any smile or birthday stamp. 

I'm still working through my colored images and organizing them to use on cards. Another thing I'm contemplating is using some card sketches to try out different layouts and to make use of my (many) pieces of patterned paper.

Sending hugs

 

 2020 has been a rough year, both personally and for the world as a whole. The majority of this past year has been focused on staying safe and healthy. And though creativity is good for reducing stress, card-making was just more than I could handle most days.

I spent most of 2020 journaling. Not in the pretty kind of art journals that are worthy being shared, but the "let me get this on a page and out of my mind" stream of consciousness writing that kept me sane on most days. The only decision I had to make was which colored pen to use that day.

Things are still not great, but they're slowly getting a little better. So, I'm easing my way back into creativity and slowly getting back into card-making. It won't be on a regular schedule most of the time, but at least I am making the effort of using my supplies again.

Here's to 2021 being a good year.

Thanks for reading!
~Elle~

Yellow Hello

I thought I'd play with layouts a little bit today. I have a few squares of 2x2 patterned paper from a project and I've been thinking up new ways to use them (aside from a basic background for a critter). I think this layout turned out pretty fun, and I'm going to try to challenge myself to try a few other ways of incorporating those paper bits.

Thanks for reading!
~Elle~

Rule with Coffee

Tuesdays are always busy and require copious amounts of delicious coffee to get through the day. I am eternally grateful for the coffee-maker on Tuesdays, and I thought it would be fun to bring this sentiment onto a card.

I kept things very simple, but the warm tones and a fun little pattern makes for a happy card.

Thanks for reading!
~Elle~

Adventure Road Trip

Thanks for checking out my card!
~Elle~

Rainbow Thanks

I decided to pull out some watercolors today and make a bright and pretty card. I didn't go for a true rainbow, but it was fun putting all the colors together. A little more practice and those stripes will get more straight...

Thanks for reading,
~Elle~

Lucky Star

With how busy life is in the summer, I am finding myself with very little time to get crafty. I still feel that creative itch to make a card or twenty, but I only have brief moments to put things together. While I've got a few work-in-progress cards on my crafty desk, I also need to make sure I've got a few ready-to-go sets just in case.

This very simple card uses a die and a gorgeous font sentiment stamp. I've been trying to mix and match my supplies lately, and I really like how much it expands the usefulness of my stash.

Thanks for reading!
~Elle~

Ice Cream Fun

On a summer kick again today, and I thought I'd share a fun little ice-cream card.

Thanks for reading!
~Elle~

Floral Thanks

Today seems like a flower kind of day. It could be that Mother's Day is just around the corner, or maybe I'm just falling in love with my stash flowers and flower stamps lately. Whatever it is, I give in and look forward to many floral cards in the future.

Thanks for reading!
~Elle~

A cup of warmth

One of my dear friends is down with the flu, so I thought I'd send a little cheer-me-up card with a cute teacup sticker and some well-wishes. I kept it really simple and flat so it's quick to mail and (hopefully) even quicker to reach her and make her smile.

Thanks for reading!
~Elle~

Dainty Congrats

I don't really make vintage cards, but there's something about that soft and dainty look that I just can't resist. So, I thought I'd try with this sweet little cup and some pretty patterned paper. I really like the sage green and the bright pop of pink with cream as a palette and plan to use it again. I'm also digging this textured cardstock from Bazzill. It's not heavy enough to use as a base, but it's really fun as a layering piece.

Thanks for reading!
~Elle~

Watercolor Cup

Since I did 3 seasons already, I wanted to round things off with a summer card - except, I wasn't really feeling the summer/beach mood. So, I did the next best thing and made a watercolor card. It is entirely too messy and my watercoloring needs heck of a lot more practice, but it's a finished card.

Thanks for reading!
~Elle~

Simply Succulent

There are a lot of techniques out there I really want to try, but I rarely seem to find the time and the patience to do so. But the only way to grow is to keep pushing boundaries and wiggling out of that familiar comfort zone.

For today's card, I tried a no-line coloring technique using my Copics and some colored pencils for fine detail. I kept the card very clean and simple otherwise and added just a few bubbles for some extra sparkle.

Thanks for reading!
~Elle~

Bring more coffee

It's Monday, and I need more coffee -- something I catch myself saying every Monday. I thought I'd whip up a quick card using a to-go cup stamp and a snarky sentiment strip from Tim Holtz. Both of them were a part of Simon Says Stamp card kits, so I'm glad to be making good use of them. And, of course, to tie everything together, I added some gold sparkle.

Thanks for reading!
~Elle~

More succulent thanks

A very girly succulent thanks today. I am still loving the pastel colors and the addition of lace from the doily, but I may try more bold and graphic colors next time. The really fun thing about succulents is that they come in many shades, so it will be very fun to experiment with different palettes.

Thanks for reading!
~Elle~

Succulent Thanks

I'm working on a set of desert-themed cards lately, and I couldn't resist a sweet succulent in a cup. I've had Simon Says Stamp's Cups and Succulents stamp set for some time now, but I certainly have not used it enough. One thing that's great about this set is that the cup and the succulent are separate - meaning you can mix and match the tops and bottoms. I'm looking forward to using it again sometime.

Thanks for reading!
~Elle~

Love Donuts and Coffee

Yesterday's cup of love made me think of coffee and donuts, so I just had to whip up another cup o' love card using some stamps from Simon Says Stamp and paper from Doodlebug. I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out

Thanks for reading!
~Elle~

Jar of Thankful

I'm not 100% sure where I was going with this card. I just wanted to combine some elements together and play with the layout. I think it turned out cute and unusual, and definitely a layout I'll have to try again.

Thanks for reading!
~Elle~