WARNING: Serious talk times ahead!
We are eighteen days into 2013. I didn't pick one little word to focus on this year, instead I came up with a mantra or motto that I wanted to keep in mind while crafting.
Too often, (especially right after one of the BEST CHA's EVAR), I get focused on the NEW! STUFF! and I feel the overwhelming need to BUY! IT! ALL! I end up focusing more time and energy on the product instead of the process, and I've found that that really sucks the life out of this hobby for me. Do I want to buy all of the new Lawn Fawn dies and stamps? Of course! Are the new Hero Arts inks desperately calling out my name? Duh! But, I've made a promise to myself to go on a bit of a spending freeze until April. I've got so many uninked sets already, why add another dozen to the mix? I do have a bit of a loophole, because I have my $50 gift card to Simon Says left over from Christmas, but this self imposed cut off is really making me think carefully about this purchase and I'm not ready to pick anything up just yet.
This is not to say that I don't love the smell of a new Copic. Or that sometimes a new stamp set can get your creativity flowing in ways that you weren't expecting. I just wanted to share how I was feeling at the start of a new year and why you may not see the brand new sets around these parts for a while. :-) Okay, back to regularly scheduled programming!
Like many of you, I am still cranking out the Valentine's Day cards. Not sure who I am going to be giving all of these love notes to!! ;-)
This card was seriously fun to make. A little Copic coloring, a little fussy cutting and some fun stitching to finish everything off. It's been one of my goals lately to bust out my sewing machine a bit more. I love the way it looks on cards and projects, and it really isn't that hard to do, I just forget about it or make it seem harder than it is.
Would any of you be interested in a sewing on paper video tutorial? It's super simple! I do just a few things differently than I would for fabric. Thanks for stopping by today. Next week is going to be pretty exciting around here — a couple of super fun announcements! ;-)
Very cute card!! I would love a little tutorial on sewing on a card! My hubby wants me to adopt your mantra for the year! Haha
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with everything you said. So glad you shared your thoughts with us!
ReplyDeleteYour card is darling, I wish I was brave enough to machine stitch on my cards too.
I am constantly trying to tell myself this - use what I have! Some of my stamps never get inked or maybe only once, and that's just not right! I'm so glad you're trying to do this too - you can help me stay on track with my budget too! I love this card - could be used for valentines day or any other day for someone special! :)
ReplyDeleteI would love to see a video tutorial for sewing on paper. I got a new machine for Christmas, but all I've figured out how to do correctly is take it apart to unjam it :-( It can't be as hard as I am making it, but maybe you have some tips that will enlighten the process. Thanks Jess!
ReplyDeleteThis is very true, and I've been thinking the same thing lately. I am usually one who is very careful with my spending anyway, but I definitely know I have a lot of product, especially stamps, that could use a little more love before swooping in with something new. That's not to say that I won't be picking up some new items from the CHA releases, but I've put myself on a spending freeze for the last two weeks until then to save up for them. And I'm going to limit myself, for sure. It will probably be 90% Lawn Fawn, there's no question about that, but as excited as I am about ALL the new dies, I plan to limit myself to the ones that will REALLY make my life easier. Quinn's ABCs, for one. It's hard to fussy cut all those letters! But the critters, I can just as easily cut them out for now. Just trying to be smart about my purchases. :o)
ReplyDeleteAnd I'd love a sewing on cards video!
Jess, I totally feel the same way. I posted something back in November about putting myself on paper diet, which means I am not buying new paper till March. And,when I'm buying new stuff I ask myself many times if I really, really love it, would I use it a lot, can I wait to buy it till later time etc. I actually have papers from 2002 and am determine to use them instead of hoarding them. :)
ReplyDeleteI agree with you all on the spending, I have to be budget minding anyways, and since I am limiting myself to a little Christmas money that I have from 2012, it will probably go to some new Lawn Fawn and Hero Arts Background stamps. On the lawn fawn dies, I am so used to fussy cutting everything by hand, that I don't really need the dies all that much, I would rather get the new stamps. Of course like I really need more background stamps...lol
ReplyDeleteI don't know about anyone else, but does anyone else wish that Tim Holtz would come out with adding the 12 Seasonal distress ink colors to the current Markers set? I mean the colors are so bright and vibrant and I would love to have them in Markers to go with the original ones he made. Shall we get a petition going...LOL
I would love a sewing video. I am new to your blog, just found you a few days ago, but I am really enjoying your video tutorials, and your ideas for cards are just amazing. I can't wait to ink up and try some of your techniques thank you.