The Creative Blog Hop

Happy Monday morning to you!  I am usually not a morning person…or a Monday person…lol…but today is an exception.  🙂   I received a lovely e-mail from my friend, Cathy McCauley, a few weeks ago, asking me to participate in the Creative Blog Hop that is circulating around the net.  I am so very honored that Cathy nominated me as someone that she is inspired by!  Here is my dear friend Cathy…

Cathy is such a sweet lady whom I’ve had the pleasure of meeting a few times in real life.  I love the fact that she is very open with her faith and encouraging to others.  We work together on the Sweet ‘n Sassy design team and Cathy is a big help to Korin with her business.  Cathy also designs for Our Daily Bread.  Cathy loves Golden Retrievers, hence her blog name Golden Inkspirations.  She is known as cathymac on Splitcoaststampers where she is a Dirty Dozen Alumni and very active in the gallery and forums.  Cathy’s projects are very inspiring!  She tries new techniques and adds various details and stitching to her cards to create the most perfectly finished look.  You can read more about Cathy here in her blog post for the Creative Blog Hop.

Now it is my turn to answer the following four questions:

Question 1: What am I working on right now?

The past several months I have been working on projects for my daughter’s wedding (loving every minute of it!) and trying to keep up with design team work.  Now that the wedding is over, I will be focusing more time back on my design team work and some stamping “just for fun”.  With Halloween around the corner, I am participating in an ATC swap with some local friends in which I just finished 2 different Halloween ATCs with special cuts and folds.  I’ll share those in the upcoming weeks but here’s a sneak peek.

I am also looking forward to designing some new stamp sets.  You can find my Sweet ‘n Sassy stamps here.

Question 2:  How does my work differ from others in it’s genre?

I really don’t think my work is “different” since I love to create in all types of styles…multi layers, CAS, trying various techniques…whatever I am in the mood for. When life gets busy (like the past year) I tend to go CAS (clean & simple).  I am looking forward to adding the layers back in now.  I am easily bored so I always love to change things up and learn something new.  I signed up for the Watercolor class online but haven’t had time to start yet so I am looking forward to dabbling in that!  I also love to push my brain a bit and create my own tutorials and templates.  I love creating 3-D projects as well as cards.

Question 3:  Why do I create what I do?

One reason why I create is to escape the everyday stress that life throws your way.  But I guess my creative mind goes way back.  I have been a “crafty” person for as long as I can remember.  I enjoyed various crafts as a child and young teen…including painting ceramics and making macramé plant holders.  Remember those?  🙂

I’ve always wished that I paid more attention to my grandmother when she tried to teach me to knit and crochet.  As a young mother I started sewing and even made tiny Barbie clothes.  Later on in life, as a wife, mother, and part-time worker outside of the home, stamping became the perfect fit for me and my busier life.  It allows me to create and see a finished product in a short amount of time.  It also allows me to share what I create with others.  I love knowing that my cards or small gifts have brightened someone’s day.  We can all use a little extra sunshine, don’t you think?

Question 4:  How does your creative process work?

Most times I am creating for my design team work so my projects start with those products…using stamps or dies by Sweet ‘n Sassy (love, love, love these) or using the Scor-Pal and Scor-Tape (awesome stuff!) to create 3-D or creatively scored projects.  I find inspiration everywhere and anywhere.  This card I recently shared was inspired by a blouse in a clothing store.  Occasionally I play along with some SCS challenges which are great for jump-starting your creativity.  I doodled this card for a challenge one time and later the drawing was turned into a stamp.  You can find that stamp set here. I also love trying new techniques or card shapes and folds.  I like using different styles of stamps but I tend to lean toward the cute/whimsical images that make me smile.  Lately I’ve had a little fun with the Art Impressions people.  You can see those cards here.  And when I am feeling tired or stressed…I just need to walk away because I know the creative process won’t work at all.  lol.

I have put off typing all that until the last minute…LOL.  I guess I was afraid I wouldn’t have anything to say!  Now for the easy part.  I have SO MANY friends that I have met or worked with in real life or on the internet that are SO very inspiring…I am blessed!  I could be here for days!

First, I want to give a shout out to someone who was nominated before but I want to mention anyway because she is so inspiring to me…Michele Boyer.

If you haven’t read her Creative Blog Hop post, please RUN and read it here.  Michele and I were on the SCS Dirty Dozen together way back in 2005.  We don’t have weekly or even monthly contact but the friendship remains.  I want to be Michele when I grow up.  She is funny, witty, and someone I hope to meet in real life someday.  Her cards are Eye Candy.  period.  I love her perfect choices of paper and fun layouts.  And I am envious of how she takes the extra step to finish off the insides of her card to match the outside.  I love doing this but rarely take the time.  Michele is also awesome with coloring…earning her a spot on the Copic team.  Michele. is. fabulous.

Now I want to nominate Cheryl Rowley.

Cheryl is just the sweetest, kindest person and I’m lucky to call her my friend.  Even though we live a few hours from each other, I have been fortunate to stamp with Cheryl a few times.  I wish/hope that I get to spend more time with her.  Cheryl has designed gorgeous cards for Magnolia-licious, Whipper Snapper, and Mo’s Digital Pencil to name a few.  She is currently designing for the “Just Us Girls” challenge blog.  Cheryl’s coloring is fabulous and her cards are very cheery and eye-catching!  (I am very lucky to have a few!)  Please visit her blog, Cottage Creations, to see her wonderful work!

Thanks so much to Cathy for nominating me as one who inspires her and be sure to check out Cheryl’s blog next Monday as she shares a little about herself!

Have a blessed day!

♥ Diane