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I was wondering if anyone else had this issue, or if it's just me.
I usually approach card making with at least most of what I want it to look like in my head, and I'll start out following the plan.
Then something in my scrap box will twinkle at me **shinies!** and I'll start holding it up to the card...
Or my dies will start grumbling... "you never use us!"
So I try to somehow include new things in my original card design thought, and it just ends up looking awful, or too busy, and when I'm done, I kick myself for not creating the card I sat down to create.
Does anyone else do this? Any suggestions as to how I might avoid it?
I think the solution is to quit my day job and just make cards all the time so none of my toys complain about not being used, but somehow I feel that plan is flawed...
__________________
Leslie
�The best kind of happiness is a habit you're passionate about.� ~Shannon L. Alder
I was wondering if anyone else had this issue, or if it's just me.
I usually approach card making with at least most of what I want it to look like in my head, and I'll start out following the plan.
Then something in my scrap box will twinkle at me **shinies!** and I'll start holding it up to the card...
Or my dies will start grumbling... "you never use us!"
So I try to somehow include new things in my original card design thought, and it just ends up looking awful, or too busy, and when I'm done, I kick myself for not creating the card I sat down to create.
Does anyone else do this? Any suggestions as to how I might avoid it?
I think the solution is to quit my day job and just make cards all the time so none of my toys complain about not being used, but somehow I feel that plan is flawed...
I don't have any suggestions but love your solution and also wish I could join you!
__________________ I'm a ChemoAngel & SeniorAngel! Click HERE to learn more.
Embellishments seem to throw me lately. I'll like my card, know it needs more, then pfft! All ideas out of my head. This also happens with all of the cool tutorials I see; I forget about them between the time I see them and the time I sit down to create.:rolleyes:
I usually start with a sample card and then using what I have make it more my own design. But I know what you mean about veering too far off course by adding too much. I have to learn to stop as soon as I like it.
Stamples I don't have any advice but I loved your post. I can just picture your dies grumbling about their lot in life. I kind of liked the day job quitting thought too. If only.
I can't believe you start out with an entire idea! I envy you that! My cards are pretty much the result of a series of experiments, some of which work out and some of which go awry.
I find, though, that it is really helpful for me to walk away from my work. Even when I think I am done, I like to walk away and then come back sometime later and take another look. Often what seems done will suddenly be in obvious need of something, and a project that felt like it was going nowhere will suddenly cohere and I'll know what I want to do to finish it.
I definitely don't let my supplies tell me what to do. Especially not in the middle of a project. If I really feel I have been neglecting something and should try to use it, I'll make a start with it another day, let it be the genesis of a project.
I suggest you learn how to tell your supplies to shut up. You bought them, so you are the boss of them. ;)!
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
I understand what you're saying, and I do something similar. While I don't ruin my cards, I do spend a lot more time on them than I had planned. I keep thinking, "Oh, that would look good on this," or "I think I'll add this, because I haven't used it in a while." Then I end up spending over an hour on a card that I had intended to spend only 20 minutes on. I've learned to embrace it.
Stamples, maybe you could win 649 one day so you could quit! I am retired but it doesn't mean any more play time in my stamp room for some reason (less in summer more in snowy season though!) I start out with an idea in my head then get totally sidetracked, sometimes for the better. My embellishments are put away, so it is usually my dies and embossing folders yelling "I cost money so use me, or we'll tell your hubby what we really cost!" lol
I like your solution too! Wish we could all do that!My only suggestion would be to go ahead with your original card idea to completion. Then, if all those other supplies are still hollering to be used; begin another card and make the changes that occurred to you while making the first one. That way you have your original idea done and can "riff" off it to your hearts content.
I sometimes feel like I get stuck in a rut. It's so funny because people tell me they wish they could find their "groove" or their "style" like I do. Ha! I tell them that I envy their freedom! All my cards look like.. me! Uugh!I think one solution is to play along with the SCS challenges. That has definitely taken me out of my comfort zone. Focus on the challenge as your main objective, and ride it out from there. The most important things are having fun and creating something to make someone somewhere smile! Maybe when you feel a certain embelly pulling at your heartstrings, come back to it later.
As for the videos, I set myself a timer. After "x" amount of minutes, I make myself leave it and just go CREATE!
Thank you all for your great advice and your feedback!
Cardmaker2 and Angie1974, I'm in a wee little town in east central Alberta.
Rachelrose, lol "I am the boss of them" That's what I try to pretend about my dogs, too :P
Lynkim - Ah, so it's not just my DH who seems to be blissfully unaware?
What I am trying, and I think it's helping, is doing a challenge every day. My challenge within the challenge is that I need to try to get it uploaded before 9 pm my time, and by the time supper is finished, and I've figured out how to do the challenge (the simplest looking ones are the hardest to do!!) and made the card, I barely make that deadline.
I think the challenges help me set rules on the number and type of elements I use in a card, and that's exactly what I need.
I'm so happy that I've returned to cardmaking after a long absence where life took over, but now I think I've got my priorities straight again, and I am loving being part of such a creative and supportive community.
Thank you all for your replies!
__________________
Leslie
�The best kind of happiness is a habit you're passionate about.� ~Shannon L. Alder
Thank you all for your great advice and your feedback!
Cardmaker2 and Angie1974, I'm in a wee little town in east central Alberta.
Rachelrose, lol "I am the boss of them" That's what I try to pretend about my dogs, too :P
Lynkim - Ah, so it's not just my DH who seems to be blissfully unaware?
What I am trying, and I think it's helping, is doing a challenge every day. My challenge within the challenge is that I need to try to get it uploaded before 9 pm my time, and by the time supper is finished, and I've figured out how to do the challenge (the simplest looking ones are the hardest to do!!) and made the card, I barely make that deadline.
I think the challenges help me set rules on the number and type of elements I use in a card, and that's exactly what I need.
I'm so happy that I've returned to cardmaking after a long absence where life took over, but now I think I've got my priorities straight again, and I am loving being part of such a creative and supportive community.
Thank you all for your replies!
I find the challenges super helpful too, to focus and streamline my scattered creativity! I have kind of gotten out of the habit of late though, not sure why. I usually end up casing something from Pinterest now when I feel like making a card.
I'm in east central Alberta too, probably a bit more north. But still, it's nice to find a 'neighbour'
Don't feel too badly about this. Legendary American Impressionist William Merritt Chase once said, “It takes two to paint. One to paint, the other to stand by with an axe to kill him before he spoils it.”
Eventually, you'll learn to be ruthless (and stop listening to those dies when they talk...). ;)
__________________ Diana B
-We're all pretty bizarre. Some of us are just better at hiding it, that's all. ~John Hughes
Yes, yes. I've done the same thing. And it was really cutting into the amount of time I had to create! So, I started sketching my ideas on paper. Then, I would pull out only the supplies I need to accomplish the task. When I do have a day all to myself, then I pull out EVERYTHING and play with all the toys! So satisfying are those days!
I agree with Rachelrose, I walk away from a card that I am not sure I am finished with, or even if I don't like it a lot. A day or 2 later, wow, a bow or few candy dots, etc. and it's great.
__________________ Ginny , A friend is one of the nicest things you can have, and one of the best things you can be. -Douglas Pagels
Argh! Why do I sabotage my cards?
I create what I'm inspired to create. That does mean some things go unloved, but I'll use them someday 
