Tuesday, January 31, 2012

MFT February Creative Chat–The Creative Process

It's time for the MFT Creative Chat. The My Favorite Things Design Team Creative Chat is a monthly feature, where we are challenged to explore our creative spaces and share valuable organizational methods, tools, and shopping strategies with you. You'll be able to peek into our creative spaces, ask questions, and share your own ideas in the MFT forum.  This month, we were challenged with the following:  


  • Show us your creative mind at work.  Take us on a journey through a card-making session, start to finish.
  • How do you select colors, layout, embellishments, and overall design?
  • Share your creative process with us.
Visit Kim's Blog for a full list of designers that have taken up the challenge and get ready to delve into the minds of our creative team.

OK, so are you ready for lots of pictures? I’m going to walk you through how *I* go about designing a card from a sketch. I pretty much do the same things no matter what my starting place is. If I’m working on a color challenge, or an inspiration piece, I almost always start with my layout. Mind you, that layout may change in the process, but that’s where I start. The exception to this rule is when I have to use a particular stamp set, say, for teasers. Then, obviously, I start with the set, but my next step is to find a sketch that will work with that set. So, let’s get to it, shall we?


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I’m going to show you how I designed my card for MFT’s Wednesday Sketch Challenge #56. First, I pulled up the sketch on my computer—I keep it in front of me the entire time I’m working.

SONY DSC
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I knew I wanted to make a Valentine card so next I got out all my Valentine paper to see which one “spoke” to me the most.

SONY DSC
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I decided to go with MME ‘Love Me’ collection and then worked on choosing papers. I pulled out several designs and card stocks and switched them all around until I decided this was the arrangement I liked the best.


SONY DSC
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Then I decided on what stamp set I wanted to use. I chose to use
Inspired by Love, which hadn’t see any love lately ;-) I went with the fancy heart as my focal image. 

SONY DSC
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My next step was to see what Die-namics die I wanted to use for that circular element. So, I tried out the image I’d chosen from the set to see what die I liked best for this image. I chose the
Dizzy Doily Die-namics die for this one.

SONY DSC
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But…I think the heart looks a little lost on the large die and it was too large for the sketch, as well, so…


SONY DSC
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…I tried it out on the largest of the
Dizzy Doily Duo Die-namics dies and it was “just right” :)

SONY DSC
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Next, I roughly laid out all my elements to see if this was really the way I wanted to go. This is where I’ll adjust a sketch a bit if necessary…


SONY DSC
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This is where I decided on my sentiment. Since I was going to use the flag from
First Place Award Ribbon Die-namics die set, the sentiment had to fit on the flag. I tried several out but decided to go with this one from Clearly Sentimental About Romance

SONY DSC
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…and then I firmed up my design but don’t put it together yet.


creativechat9_2012jan31

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Now I needed to decide on some embellishments. To do this, I brought out several things I thought might work…

SONY DSC
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…and then rejected them all for this. I felt I needed a little more aqua blue on the card so first I tried some turquoise baker’s twine. But, it was too dark so I went with red and a dark aqua button. I think this balanced it out nicely.

SONY DSC
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I was happy with that so the only thing left to do was put it together and here’s the finished result. Sometimes I decide to sew on a card—actually, I have to make myself NOT sew on a card sometimes, LOL! I fear they’ll all look alike if I do that, so I mix it up. This one seemed to *need* sewing so I did it.

MFTWSC56_2012jan25

So, that’s it! That’s the way I go about creating a card. I hope I’ve given you a few tips for making the creative process easier for you!

Thanks so much for stopping by! I'll be back tomorrow with this week's
MFT Wednesday Sketch Challenge

brownwendysignature

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Happy birthday, Friend–Card Patterns #150

CPS150_2012jan29
Hi, everyone, I’m back today with a card using Card Patterns’ Sketch #150. MFT is sponsoring Card Patterns this week so I thought I’d play along. Here’s the sketch:

Sketch150
I fiddled with the sketch just a little, but I think you can see it. I’m using Vintage Cameo Die-namics & Stamp Set for my card. I stamped the silhouette image then cut the frame from patterned paper, adhered the image panel, and popped it up on foam. I’m also using the Crown Border Die-namics for the zigzag element and the sentiment was stamped on a First Place Award Ribbon Die-namics die cut and attached to a button and some twine. Three sweet roses using the Mini Rolled Rose Die-namics set and Upsy Daisy Die-namics for the leaves finish it off. I really love how this card turned out!

And here’s the inside with another sentiment from the set:

CPS150_2012jan29in
Here are the Die-namics dies I used on my card:

Mini Rolled Roses Die-namicsSM
MFT_OwnYourStory_PreviewGraphic
MFT_OwnYourStory_PreviewGraphic
MFT_CrownBorder_PreviewGraphic
MFT_OwnYourStory_PreviewGraphic
Thanks so much for stopping by!

~Supplies~
Stamps: Vintage Cameo (MFT)
Paper: Fossil, Whip Cream, Gumdrop Green; Rustic White (PTI); Splendid 6 x 6 (Authentique)
Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa
Accessories/tools: Vagabond (Tim Holtz); Mini Rolled Roses, First Place Award Ribbon, Vintage Cameo, and Upsy Daisy Die-namics dies (MFT); twine, twill, button, foam dots

brownwendysignature

Saturday, January 28, 2012

All You Need Is Love–C4C #121

Pin It C4C121_2012jan28
Happy Saturday!! Since it’s Saturday it must be Crazy 4 Challenges time! Today is Joanne’s last challenge for this month and she has picked one right up my alley! She wants us to “Layer it on. Lots and lots of layers and embellies.” Ok, I can do that ;-)
And, we’d like to announce some changes in the design team. Maria Bell has had to step down and we welcome Kelli Hull as our newest member! Welcome KJ!!!
I’m using MFT’s Clearly Sentimental About Love for my card today. Valentine’s cards are easy to layer and embellish the heck out of, KWIM? In addition to all the paper layers, I added a bling-y flourish, a layered die cut for my focal element, and twine, a dimensional flower, and die cut leaves :) The sentiment was stamped on a die cut using the Well Worn Greetings Die-namics set and that was layered on an Oval Decorative Doily Duo Die-namics die cut. My flower was made with my new favorite rolled flower, Rolled Scallop Flower Die-namics and, of course, the leaves were made with the Upsy Daisy Die-namics.

Here’s the inside with another sentiment from the set:

C4C121_2012jan28in
And here are the Die-namics dies I used on this card:
MFT_OwnYourStory_PreviewGraphic
MFT_OwnYourStory_PreviewGraphic
MFT_OwnYourStory_PreviewGraphic
MFT_OwnYourStory_PreviewGraphic

And that's all for me for now! Thanks so much for stopping by! Be sure to check out what the rest of the design team has for you!
THEN, you know what to do--we'd love to have you come along and play with us. Just do your thing with the challenge and link it to Mr. Linky on the Crazy 4 Challenges blog. Please link directly to your project. And, if you upload to a public gallery, please use the key word C4C121.
Thanks so much for stopping by today!
~Supplies~
Stamps: Clearly Sentimental About Love (MFT)
Paper: Whip Cream, Black Licorice; Head Over Heels 6 x 6 pad (Lilybee Design)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Vintage Touch Chamomile (PTI)
Accessories/tools: Vagabond (Tim Holtz); Well Worn Greetings, Oval Decorative Doily Duo, Rolled Scallop Flower, Upsy Daisy Die-namics dies (MFT); twine, bling, foam dots

brownwendysignature

Friday, January 27, 2012

Flourishes Friday–Focus On Angelic Love

focusonangeliclovewtmk_2012jan27

Welcome to Flourishes Friday!

Here at Flourishes, the design team is picking up one of our older sets to give it a little attention! With the season of love upon us, we thought Angelic Love  should be in the spotlight! So, in addition to getting some fantastic ideas today from the design team on how to use this stamp set, we're having a one day only sale! Buy today and you get 15% off! Simply use the code ANGEL in the coupon code box at the time of checkout.

I decided to make a Valentine card for a friend. I stamped the image on
Classic White card stock with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored with these Copic Collections:

poppyRobin's Egg CollectionWarm-Neutrals

Sunflower Collection

Then I cut it out with a Classic Heart Nestabilities die and my Grand Calibur machine and popped it up on foam dots. I’m using Crochet White lace and some sweet gingham ribbon, from which I hung the locket image. A button, some twine, and some stitching finish it off.

Be sure to check out what the rest of the team has to show you:

Barbara Anders  (<--you are here!)
Julie Koerber
Cindy Lawrence
Christine Okken
Danielle Kennedy
Dawn Burnworth
Stacy Morgan
Tammy Hershberger
Sharon Doolittle


Thanks so much for stopping by today!

~Supplies~
Stamps: Angelic Love (Flourishes)
Paper: Classic White (Flourishes); Riding Hood Red (SU!); Paper Hearts 6 x 6 pad (Crate Paper)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Antique Linen Distress Ink (Ranger)
Accessories/tools: Grand Calibur, Classic Heart Nestabilities die (Spellbinders); lace, ribbon, button, twine, Copic markers, sewing machine

brownwendysignature

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Always Kiss Me Goodnight–MFTWSC #56

MFTWSC56_2012jan25

Are you ready for another MFT Wednesday Sketch Challenge? Here’s this week’s sketch. You can find the sketch on the MFT blog and also in the MFT forum on SCS, as well as in the weekly newsletter. The Design Team will be on hand to provide plenty of inspiration to get you started.

MFTWSC56


I KNOW I’m going to be going back to this sketch over and over and OVER!! I love it! It’s just classic! After I chose my papers and got them on the base, I added a Dizzy Doily Duo Die-namics die cut. Then I stamped the heart from Inspired by Love, cut it out by hand, and popped it up on foam. I tied some baker’s twine around with a button and then added the sentiment from Clearly Sentimental About Romance, which is this month’s Triply Scoop set, using a flag from the First Place Award Ribbon Di-namics set. I also added some stitching. It’s a very simple card but that heart is so elegant it totally dresses it up.

Here’s the inside with a sentiment from
Clearly Sentimental About Love.

MFTWSC56_2012jan25in

Here are the Die-namics dies I used on this card:

MFT_OwnYourStory_PreviewGraphic

MFT_OwnYourStory_PreviewGraphic


Thanks SO much for stopping by today!

~Supplies~
Stamps: Inspired by Love, Clearly Sentimental About Romance, Clearly Sentimental About Love (
MFT)
Paper: Whip Cream, Wild Cherry; Love me 6 x 6 pad (MME)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Basic Grey (SU!); Antique Linen Distress Ink (Ranger)
Accessories/tools: Vagabond (Tim Holtz); Dizzy Doily Duo, First Place Award Ribbon Die-namics dies (MFT); baker’s twin, button, foam dots, sewing machine

brownwendysignature

Love–CTD #176

CTD176_2012jan25

Welcome to this week’s Color Throwdown challenge! Today’s colors were chosen by Joan and here is her inspiration piece:

swatch 176

Don’t you just love that image!! And what a gorgeous color palette!

I decided to make another Valentine card with it using MFT’s Clearly Sentimental About Love. I stamped the sentiment on a Layered Labels Die-namics die cut and popped it up on several layers. I have an Open Scallop Doily Duo Die-namics die cut and a Simply Scallops, Medium Die-namics border going on :) And, of course, a Pretty Posies flower with Upsy Daisy Die-namics leaves on to of a double twine bow.

CTD176_2012jan25in

Here are the Die-namics dies I used on this card:

layered label Die-namics

MFT_SimplyScallopsMedium_PreviewGraphic

MFT_OwnYourStory_PreviewGraphic

MFT_PrettyPosiesFinal

MFT_OwnYourStory_PreviewGraphic

Remember, you do not have to have the exact colors to play the Color Throwdown challenge. If you don't, just use the closest you have. So, c'mon over to the Color Throwdown blog and play along with us this week. Please use the link service to post your card and please link directly to your card so we can find it easily. And please include a link in your post to the Color Throwdown. If you upload your card to a public forum, please use the keyword CTD176 so we can see your beauty all in one place. Hope to see you there! Be sure to check out what the other team members have come up with this week.

Barbara Anders (<--- You are here!) 
Broni Holcombe
Danielle Kennedy
Joan Ervin
Kerri Michaud
Lori Tecler
Lynn Put
Tammy Hershberger
Wanda Cullen
Stacy Morgan (January Guest Designer)

Thanks so much for stopping by! I'll be back a little later with this week's MFT Wednesday Sketch Challenge!


~Supplies~
Stamps: Clearly Sentimental About Love (MFT)
Paper: Fossil, Hot Fudge, Whip Cream; Head Over Heels 6 x 6 (Lilybee Design)
Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa; Antique Linen Distress Ink (Ranger)
Accessories/tools: Vagabond (Tim Holtz); Layered Labels, Simply Scallops, Medium, Open Scallop Doily Duo, Pretty Posies, Upsy Daisy Die-namics dies (MFT); button, twine, sewing machine, foam dots

brownwendysignature

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