Tea Thanks

 

I've been drinking lots of tea lately - it's been both energizing and soothing, not to mention delicious. It's not completely out of character for me, as I've enjoyed tea throughout the years. But I'd always stuck to my familiar herbal teas. Lately, I've been trying other flavors and discovering what I love and what I don't. Since I was feeling inspired, I thought I'd make a simple little card with a teacup and I like how it turned out.

I've been going through phases lately of wanting to do things in a very minimal (clean and simple) kind of way, and then bouncing to more complex/layered as a way to make good use of many supplies. It's very rewarding to explore different styles, even if I'm not always comfortable with them.

I think growth comes from pushing past our comfort walls and into places where we can explore intuitively. We get better with practice - lots and lots of practice.

Grazie

 

Re-discovering ephemera in my crafty stash is always a joyous moment - even more so when it's something that still inspires me to create. I remember buying several set of resin flowers on Etsy because I fell in love with resin flowers that came in a card kit years ago. I bought several options and colors, but (surprisingly!) didn't go overboard.

I'd forgotten about these resin flowers for a while, as they add significant bulk and most of my cards were made for easy mailing. But they are absolutely lovely and make a card look really special. So, I've pulled a few to use on a card or two. I think they will be an interesting element to use on a few hand-given cards.

Thank You Cookies

 

I have been into cooking and baking lately. I love baking- it's something I've enjoyed for years. But I always find myself with too little time or too little energy to bake regularly. A few years ago, I bought a cookbook with recipes I really wanted to try, but it's been sitting on a shelf since then. My plan when I bought it was to make every single recipe in the book (just like Julie and Julia!), and then life got in the way.

As I'm - in general - trying to make more time for things that I want to do, I am thinking of pulling out that cookbook and making some recipes. Not all of them and no more than a new recipe per month, but a small goal sounds like fun. And who knows, maybe I'll discover a few new recipes to add to my Christmas cookie list.

Pink Winter Thanks

 

With this card, I'm wrapping up the month of January. It's been an interesting month in terms of creativity. I seem to have made things in bursts - producing a bunch at once, then taking a step back and making nothing for a while. It feels random and chaotic, but it still yielded results. I've got enough cards to take me well into February.

I think I would prefer something a little more constant. A couple of cards per week instead of 15 on the weekend... I'm still figuring out my schedule and working out how to get it all done. It's not easy most days, but I'm a big believer in making time to do things instead of waiting for inspiration to strike and hoping I won't be doing anything else when it does. Because, let's face it... I'm always doing something else when the inspiration strikes...

Thank you Mush!

 

I found a little stamp set in my stash that had adorable flowers and mushrooms and I really wanted to use it. Although small, the pictures still worked great on a standard A2 card when colored in bright colors. Set against more neutral tones of patterned paper and cardstock, they pop and draw the eye in.

I also used some bits of paper and die-cuts that I pre-cut for a different project. It's always nice to use scraps of patterned paper for elements that would have otherwise gone to waste. I've been going through my dies recently and looking for smaller pieces I could use as patterned paper accents. There's a lot to work with! Especially with things like labels and border dies.

Thank you

 

Lately, I've been going through some of my supplies and reorganizing them for easier use. I like to periodically reorganize some of my supplies because it reminds me of all that I already have. As an added bonus, I often find bits and pieces that inspire me to create a new card (or two).

I'm not up to tackling any challenges and large goals quite yet, but I can focus on using my supplies more. I've found that brings me a lot of joy, lately, and is less overwhelming than trying to shop and use only the new goodies.

Thanks Bear

 

There's always a need for thank you cards, and they're probably my favorite kind of card to make (and the kind of card I make the most often). Any kind of scene can fit a thank you card, be it playful/cute or subdued and solemn.

For this card, I went with something simple - maybe even fitting a melancholy mood of a winter scene. I have a little box full of images I colored in the past that have yet to find a home on a card. I'm going to try and use them on the next few cards I make, as they make for some quicker cards.

Thanks for being there

And in contrast with the last card, here is a happy spring encouragement card.

Thanks for reading!
~Elle~

Foxy Grey Thanks

Wouldn't be fall without more cute 'n cozy woodland critters.

Thanks for reading!
~Elle~

More Floral Thanks

Another floral creation, simple and sweet.

Thanks for reading!
~Elle~

Thank you Raccoon

Some patterned papers intimidate me a little, but I'm always glad when I can make them work. Especially when I can pair them with a cute woodland creature...

Thanks for reading!
~Elle~

Botanical Thanks

An elegant thanks today. I'm trying to use up some bits and pieces on my desk - like a sparkly diecut thanks and a botanical sticker from a card kit.


Thanks for reading!
~Elle~

Lotus Thanks

It's been a busy time around here, and with the holidays just around the corner, it might stay busy for a few weeks. I've been working on a few cards in my spare time, but it's just about time to get started on Christmas projects.

I've scheduled a few blog posts in advance with cards I've made but did not have a chance to share. There might not be much of a description under each card, but I'm hoping the activity will motivate me to keep sharing as we get through the winter season.

Thank you for reading!
~Elle~

Thank You Deer

Couldn't resist a cute deer!

Thanks for checking out my card!
~Elle~

Happy Starry Thanks

Happy 4th of July to those celebrating today, and happy summer to everyone else in my corner of the hemisphere. I wanted to make a card that combined some elements of 4th of July (stars) with summer (lemonade, fresh green color) and this was my quick creation.

It's another busy weekend for us, so things may be a little quiet on the blog and social media until 'm back in the craft room and creating again. In the meantime, I hope you are all having a wonderful week.

Thanks for reading.
~Elle~

Deepest Thanks

I don't know that I'd be brave enough to go deep-sea diving myself, but I certainly enjoy watching under-the-sea videos and movies. A bit of ink-blending and an unusual background shape really helped achieve that dream underwater feel.

Thanks for reading!
~Elle~

Unicorn Thank You

A little unicorn thank you today - I've been working on cards all weekend and can't wait to share my creations!

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~

Autumn Thanks

I think we're catching another theme here, as we had spring, winter and now we're onto an autumn card. I have no particular reason for making an autumn card, aside from spying a cure paper and some leaf puffy stickers I really wanted to use. Making use of my stash does keep me happy!

Thanks for reading!
~Elle~

Beachy Thank You

Sometimes, I just want to make a really simple practice card - no more than 10 minutes and using an idea that has been brewing in my brain for some time. I don't always share these quick cards, as they sometimes feel kind of amateurish and way too simple.

But I don't like the idea of curating my cards to the point of only sharing the most amazing. Sometimes less-than-amazing will inspire someone far more and maybe even make them feel more confident in their own abilities and progress.

So, I'm sharing this simple card today, and hopefully sharing a few more practice cards down the road.

Thanks for reading!
~Elle~