Creative Blog Hop

Hello friends!  I received a pleasantly surprising e-mail several weeks ago from my friend, whom I've had the pleasure of meeting in real life, and fellow Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Design Team Member, Monika Davis, asking if I've heard of the Creative Blog Hop.  Well…up until then I had not!  She explained what it was…

The Creative Blog Hop is an ongoing blog hop design that works on a nominating system, where I nominate 2-3 other designers whom I admire and who inspire me.  The idea is to learn more about creative bloggers by answering four questions.

If you don't know Monika, she is as sweet as can be and is incredibly talented and creative!  One could pick her project out of hundreds because of the fun little extras she includes on her cards…vellum, butterflies, cheesecloth, flowers, and those little bundles of threads peeking out from the other elements on her creations.  Just take a look at this fabulous project designed by Monika:

And this lady is nominating me?  I feel so honored!
Here are the questions we are asked to answer...  

Question 1:  What am I working on right now?
Being on two design teams, Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps and Our Daily Bread Designs, keeps me quite busy.  I have the pleasure of creating samples using fabulous products released each month by these two wonderful companies.  In addition, I help to host two challenges on Splitcoaststampers…the Sketch Challenge and the Ways to Use It Challenge.  Participating in the many challenges out there in Blogland stretches me and helps me to grow as a crafter.  I also love trying new techniques and right now am dabbling a little in watercolor and mixed media.

Being on my church's Encouragement Ministry Team gives me lots of opportunities to use the cards I create!

Question 2:  How does my work differ from others in my genre?
I really don't feel that my work is very different from others…I must admit…I'm a big copycat, so I don't really have a style of my own.  If I see something I like, I'll give it a try.  Others often comment about the stitching on my card creations.  I just feel that a stitched edge gives a finished look to a project.

  
Question 3:  Why do I create what I do?
This is an easy one!  Our Creator, maker of heaven and earth, has blessed me with a desire to create.  I want to honor the Lord with any talent that He has given to me. If someone can be encouraged or cheered up by a hand made card sent to them, then the time spent on that card will have been well worth the effort.  

Question 4:  How does my creative process work?
Sometimes I begin with the stamp set I'm going to use.  If I'm using designer paper, that determines the colors…if not, I might browse several inspiration sites to find the right color combination.  Once the stamp set and colors are decided, I might look for a design from a sketch challenge or on Pinterest.  However, once I get started, the card might take off in an entirely different direction…I never quite know what the end result will be.  Sometimes I just wake up with an idea in my head and go from there.  Sometimes I'm inspired by a challenge or by something I see on an inspiration site. If I'm going to color an image like a flower or a bird, I will often do a Google search for that image to get the colors right.  I guess you could say that my creative process works differently for each project!

That's me in a nutshell…and now I get to nominate three other talented ladies to join the hop!

Chris Olsen - Twinkles Glow With Stamps

Chris (A.K.A. Glowbug on Splitcoaststampers) and I have the pleasure of working together on the Our Daily Bread Designs Design Team.  Our term as "Dirty Girls" on Splitcoast also overlapped by several months.  I hope at some point to be able to meet this talented lady in real life!  She puts her heart and soul into every gorgeous creation she makes. She is a master at layering elements on a card that include dies, flowers, flourishes, and fabulous bows!  She is so encouraging to me and I am always inspired by her creativity!


Diane Zechman - Paper Cookies

I have had the pleasure of personally meeting this incredibly talented lady and she is as thoughtful, hospitable and sweet as she is creative!  Not only does she create cards, but she is currently illustrating and designing stamp sets for Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps, one of which was used to create the sunflower card above.  I am in awe of her 3-D projects and shaped cards.  She is known on Splitcoaststampers as Cookiestamper and is a Dirty Dozen Alumni!  Quite a few companies have been fortunate enough to have Diane design for them!

Lee Ann Barrett - Greyt Paper Crafts

I got to know Lee Ann when she joined the Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Design Team and what a great source of inspiration she has been for me! Her cards have that WOW factor that make you just want to CASE every one!  She has begun using craft metal on some of her creations that adds that extra bit of dazzle.  Lee Ann would say that she has a classy and elegant style, but she does CAS just as well!  She is known as Whippetgirl on Splitcoaststampers and is also a Dirty Dozen Alumni. 

I love and admire each of these wonderful ladies!  Please be sure to check in with them next Monday, September 29th, when they will be sharing a little bit about themselves.  I know I will be looking forward to what they have to share!

I hope you've enjoyed this post and have been inspired in some small way!
Have a blessed day!

Hugs,
Cathymac