Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Inspired Whimsy


I was just lovin' the inspiration piece from the Pottery Barn. Here's my take on it; reds, yellows with a sectional and linear design...I love the way it translated to paper!
Now, this month, Carole, fellow Verve designer, challenged the Verve Design Team to answer the same questions put to the Verve Guest Designers. Ok...so you really want to know?
1. When/how did you get hooked on stamping? I scrapbooked for many years and I don't suppose I really got "hooked" on stamping until last spring when I started trying the Splitcoast weekly challenges, and last summer when I started posting them. Until then, stamping took a backburner to scrapbooking, and now I can definitely say the trend has reversed.
2. How often do you stamp? I would love to stamp every day, and occasionally I do. But for sure 4-5 times a week.
3. Tell me about your funniest or most embarrassing stamping related injury. I was exchanging the blade of my Fiskars trimmer for the scoring blade and poked my finger. Honestly it hardly hurt, but it wouldn't stop bleeding, and of course it happened right in the middle of a class I was teaching. Definitely a "what not to do" lesson!
4. How long does it take you to create a project that you're happy with? I'm a slow stamper, so it usually takes 1 or 2 hours. I have to try every possible embellishment and then some. Although some days I can bang out about 4 cards if everything is working...you just never know.
5. I am usually a little messy in my creating. Tell me about your creative space. I am very messy too! At least while in the midst of a project. However, I am fanatical about putting everything away after every stamping session, so I start fresh the next day.
6. If you were stranded on a deserted island, which craft tool could you not live without? Why? I would definitely want my punches. I use at least one on every card; they are so versatile and easy to use! Can I count them collectively as one item? Next, I would have to say my paper piercer...I use that one a lot.
7. What is your biggest source of inspiration? Blogs. I love peeking in at my favorite artist's works. There are so many amazing stampers, and every blog I visit makes me think why didn't I think of that, or I want that!
8. Who in the stamping world do you want to be when you grow up and why? Hmm....there are so many fabulous stampers; Lauren Meader amazes me with her ability to do WOW so creatively; Beate Johns puts paper and ink together so fabulously, and Debbie Olsen just has a way with WOW! I guess when I grow up I will have a severe split personality disorder!
9. What is your favorite part of the creative process? Embellishing. I love simple, but I love embellishments more! Gems, stickles, hardware, ribbon....really, it would simply be no fun without them!
Well now you know more about me than you probably ever wanted to! Did it get you thinking about how you would answer the questions? Well, I hope right now your favorite source of inspiration the fabulous Pottery Barn ensemble in the post below! It could just win you $15 Verve bucks! All you have to do is play in this Vervalicious challenge with us! Leave a comment with a link to your project on this post by 12:00 pm (noon) Eastern Time on June 21st, and you will be entered for a chance to win! Using Verve stamps is not a requirement, although it doubles your chance of winning.
We will have two winners, one randomly drawn from a pool of all entries, the other will be selected as our favorite from all the projects using Verve stamps. Both winners will receive $15 in Verve Bucks. We will announce the winners later that day.
So, it's time to get inspired! Use the photo to let your creativity soar. There are no guidelines - take your inspiration from the images, designs, patterns, colors - whatever strikes your fancy! If you upload to Splitcoast, please use the keyword VVPP03 so we can all see your creations!
Recipe: Stamps: Floral Whimsy
Paper: Whisper White, Real Red, Basic Black
Ink: Real Red, So Saffron, Regal Rose, Versafine Onyx Black
Accessories: 1 1/4" & 1 3/8" square punches, striped grosgrain ribbon, dimensionals, Stardust stickles