I was nominated by a new stampin’ friend, Jamie Westerhof from www.cardsbyjamie.com, to participate in a creative blog hop!  How fun, right! Thank you, Jamie!!!!  Well, after reading Jamie’s blog post, I decided that we are crafting soulmates!  I too, have been a long time Stampin’ Up! demonstrator, this past August marked my 11 year anniversary with this amazing company.  I, also like Jamie, consider myself a CASE-er, as in Copy and Share Everything.  When I sit down to create I often look to social media sites like Pinterest or Instagram for inspiration.  Why re-invent the wheel after all?  It was with this philosophy that I set about to create a card class for 5 lovely ladies who called me up and wanted to stamp a stack of 12 cards (each) in 1 evening.  I thought I would be doing myself a tremendous favour by purchasing the Watercolour Winter Card Kit. No designing, no cutting card stock, just follow the directions provided with the kit. Easy Peasey!

This kit contains enough lovely die cuts, envelopes, cards, card fronts, etc. to create 20 cards per kit.  Fabulous!!!!  I did run into a little hiccup when assembling my demo cards from the kits.  Watercolouring is NOT as easy  as it seems, plus you are dealing with water…. that means drying time!!  Time I did not forsee as making this class go as smoothly as I would like for a group of new customers.  So, what to do?  Change it up, of course!

After a great tip from a another friend  and my upline, Catherine Sanders, who suggested that I should try using Blendabilites instead of watercolouring!  WOW!  Brilliant!  The colours were bright and vibrant and best of all, NO drying time.  Happy, Happy, Happy Stamper!

Here is the original “CASE’D” card above and the change it up card below. In the easy peasey change it up card, I coloured the outline of the white card base with Coastal Cabana Blendabilities and stamped the sentiment, instead of watercolouring those itty bitty letters that are featured in the above card.  

Here is Set #2:

Both cards, top and bottom, use the Bermuda Bay card base.  I was unhappy with the colour intensity of the watercoloured Merry, so this card completely transformed into the bottom version.  Same cardbase but that is where the similarities end.  I used the negative image from the vellum snowflake and sponged the snowflake into existence, added a couple of gold glimmer trees and sequins and viola.  A modern, edgy Christmas card.

Set # 3:

Same card base, sled and vellum snowflake used in both cards.  I eliminated the watercolouring in the sled, simplified the sentiment for the change it up card on the right and moved the snowflake up so that it is a bigger focal point.  The “Christmas” and “Season’s Greetings” stamp are from the Watercolour Winter Too photopolymer set.

Set # 4:The trees are watercoloured using reinker and a wet paintbrush on the original card.  I wasn’t thrilled with the depth of colour I was able to achieve, but over all I liked this one best. Until I changed it up that is!  The change it up card is so vibrant and alive, all due to Cherry Cobbler  and Old Olive Blendabilities.  I coloured the top half of Merry with the dark Cherry Cobbler marker and the bottom half with all three shades of the Old Olive.  Both trees were also coloured with Old Olive…love, love,love the easy blending and vibrancy of these markers!  What do you think of these changes???  I would love to hear from you, please add comments below.

Blog Hop Questions:

1) What are you working on?

I am currently completing my Christmas cards, two 8 x 8 scrapbooks (presents for Christmas) and planning an Ornament with Matching Card Class for early in the month.  I am also making mini paper ornaments to decorate 10 dozen containers of cookies for a cookie exchange that is happening this weekend.  Oh, and I made earrings yesterday!  My first foray into jewelery making, using Stampin’ Up embellishments, of course!

2) How does your work differ from others in your genre?

A customer said to me recently, “You like pretty, so you would like…”  That struck me as being very true.  I do tend to make pretty instead of trendy or cute.  When I look at my stamp sets, there are wayyyyy more flower sets than any other theme. And if I love it, I never let it leave my ‘stash’ and still use it.  I don’t always stick to the ‘if it is retired it is done’ philosophy.

3) Why do you create what you do?

I love it, I love the process.  I love the wow factor.  When I was in university, 20 years ago, I visited a friend who worked at a stamping kiosk in the local mall.  My friend showed me how to heat emboss and I fell in love.  I was awed!  I bought my first stamps and stamp pads from her, way before I heard of Stampin’ Up and in fact, before they came to Canada!  So, when I had my daughter 12 years ago, I was looking for an opportunity that allowed me to generate income and stay at home with her.  Stampin’ Up! was the perfect solution.  Two more children later and more moves than you want to know about I am still stamping and still loving it.

4) How does your creative process work?

I usually start with a stamp set that I have.  I look for a ‘few’ minutes for cards I like on Pinterest or Facebook stamping sites.  Pull out card stock and ink and coordinating ribbon and go from there.  Whan I CASE, I usually CASE layouts and change up my card as I go, while sticking to the layout of the card that inspired me.  Why reinvent the wheel, right?

Well, I think this has been the longest post I have EVER written.  🙂  And now, I would love to nominate two more lovely ladies and stampers to participate in this creative blog hop.

First off,  Gloria Kremer. with Girlfriend Originals Facebook Page.  Gloria organized a few card swaps at the Kitchener Stampin’ Up! Fall Conference back in October.  The conference and swaps were amazing!  Check out her page.

Secondly,  Cathy Caines, with In the Cat Cave, has agreed to play along with us!  I have been following Cathy’s site for a little while now and her work is inspiring!  Thanks, Cathy!

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