The Creative Process - From Chaos to Card

Recently I gave away some fun blog candy and I asked you the readers for input on some things you'd like to see in the year ahead.  I really enjoyed reading your answers and it perked up something I've been thinking about for the last six months....many of you asked about my Creative Process, what it looks like for me to do certain techniques, or how I get from the idea stage to the completed card.  So, I've decided to start a series on that, and I'm calling it The Creative Process.  So, look for this special feature on Mondays.  I won't say it will be every Monday, cause life is just life and I want it to also be fun for me - and you!   So we'll just call it a regular feature, sound ok to you?  I'll look at lots of different topics related to creativity, or design principles I've learned along the way. 

And I'll add my disclaimer up front.  I'm not an expert by any means.  This is about what my creative process looks like, and that might look different from you, and I'm still a learner too....so I hope we can learn together. 

Today I thought we'd start by how I most often make a card, which is one of the most asked questions.  How do you go from Chaos to Card? 

How I most often start a card is with a stamped and colored image.  This one from Just-Rite (Autumn Blessings and Borders).  I colored it actually months ago just for fun with copic markers.  (sorry because it was several months ago I'm not even sure what markers I used!). 

I'm not *most typically* a person who starts with grand ideas in my head or a set plan, or even colors or papers I might use.  Generally I just start coloring - because that's my first love of stamping.  So, this cute image was sitting in my stamping cupboard for all these months begging me to take some time to finish the card. 

So, what do I do next?  I usually go through my papers, and find a color palette that will work with my stamped and colored image (which tells you I have tons of paper :).  For this card I wanted to pull out all my pretty Webster's Pages and some 7 Gypsies papers, all from Flourishes. 

Then I went through the paper pads and pulled out some papers that I thought might work.

What I often do from this point is *fiddle* :)  I know that's such a technical term!  But I pull out the papers in different ways and try and get a picture in my head about how they might work in a layout.  Today though, I knew I wanted to use a sketch, so this was my jumping off point.  Jen Del Munro's SFYTT.  Love my scribbling?  You can tell I've used this one as scratch paper before. 

At this point, because I already have a great sketch, I can determine which papers I might want in which sections to fit the sketch.  And I just love the patterns in these papers! 

I knew I'd be deviating from the sketch somewhat because my focal image was a horizontally oriented oval.  I could have flipped the sketch, but I thought I'd just go for it this way.

So, I knew at the point above that I'd have to add another oval layer running the vertical direction to fit the sketch, and I knew I needed a little more neutral in the card to tie it together a bit more.  I also nixxed one of my red papers because it was "too" red (too blue-red if you know what I mean), and I didn't need the distraction of another pattern with the sketch.  I also knew that I wanted to use the beautiful vellum from Websters' diecut and vellum pack as my horizontal stripe, it has the color and pattern, but with a transluscent quality.  You can also see how I added the focal basketweave as interest to match the sketch and match the apple basket.  It's made with linen thread wrapped around the vellum strip and tiny strips of chocolate cardstock woven through it. 

I knew by now I could quit and leave it without a sentiment....or work it in somehow.  I decided to keep going and thought that a neat idea would be to add a banner in a half oval on the bottom.  It would add weight to the card on the bottom.  Which if you're making a card is where your *weight* looks best.  Sort of like us girls, more pear shaped than apple!  (LOL!)

So I took two oval Nesties, the deckled and the straight small ovals and cut them into a 1/2 oval.

I took one of the sentiments from this Just-Rite Set and inked it with my Ruby Red marker and stamped on the oval I had cut.

I like how it sort of rounds-out the card.  Then to match it on the top of the card I gave the illusion of another oval with the 1/2 pearls.  I did not want the distraction of any ribbon or other embellies and kept the design more clean looking. 

Here's a close-up of the weaving and of the coloring. 

So there it is - chaos to card.  Hope you enjoyed my Creative Process today!

Recipe:  Stamps - Just Rite Autumn Blessings and Borders;  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Ruby Red;  Paper:  Chocolate Chip, Confetti Cream, Flourishes Classic Ivory, Websters' Vellum and Diecuts pack and Triple Pack Seaside, Garden Gala and Nature's Storybook;  Accessories:  Big Shot, Deckled Ovals Nestabilities, Small Oval Nestabilities, Copic Markers, BG 1/2 Pearls Dimensionals, Linen Thread.

Share:facebook - twitter - pinterest

The Creative Process - From Chaos to Card