Card Evolution

This card is a perfect example of how I usually stamp. Unless I've been consciously inspired by something I've seen somewhere, many of my card designs simply evolve. For this card, I began by random stamping my flower image on Baby Pink cardstock with Chocolate ink. I colored my images with markers and a white gel pen. I knew that I wanted to add the sentiment and found it a perfect fit for the small oval Nestabilities dies. Together, however, the sentiment and background piece I'd put together looked pretty bleak . . . ugly, actually. Thinking that it was going to be a candidate for the wastebasket, I gave it one more chance and random stamped the flower image over the top of my design with same-color ink. Things were looking up. I rounded the corners of the pink piece to soften it and tie it to the oval. Finally, I distressed my sentiment and the edges of the background piece with Chocolate ink and a sponge dauber. Although my initial random stamping could have been a little more uniform, playing around and letting my card evolve saved it from the dumpster.

Materials & Tools: White Daisy, Baby Pink, and Chocolate cardstock; Chocolate ink pad; Baby Pink, Blush, and Garden Green markers; White gel pen; Simple Beauty stamp set; Corner rounder; Cuttlebug w/small oval and small scallop oval Nestibilities dies.

I hope you noted that I used the term "consciously inspired" in the second sentence of this post. I don't know that there are many cards I make for which I would take sole credit. Between bulletin boards and blogs, I see so much, and I believe the majority of my ideas start somewhere else,whether they're stored in my conscious or subconscious memory. This card was no exception. As it evolved, it took on some elements that were again inspired by Lisa's awesome cards.