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I've been stamping 12 years. Learned almost everything I know right here on SCS. I was all over the place for a while, and I still occasionally get lured down the path of a style that is not my own. Mostly, though, I know what I like. I like vintage/shabby. I prefer to work in soft pastels or earth tones. Brights make me shudder. I use patterned paper on 99% of my cards. I like dies better than I like stamps, I think! I don't like weird, messy, kitchen supply techniques. (Furture floor wax, anyone?) I put glitter on 99% of my cards.
However, if you look at my blogs, you'll see a wide variety of styles, because I don't only stamp for myself. I have Etsy customers and A Muse Studio customers, and they don't want to live on a steady diet of pastels.
Finally, I enjoy trying new styles. I am trying to get a little more CAS, and am enjoying pushing myself to make something that I'm pleased with that doesn't have 52 products on it. I've taken two Online Card Classes, and that has been fun. I am impressed at the impact that simpler designs can have, so it's fun to try and achieve that.
As long as you are having fun, keep it up! I rarely get frustrated in the stamp room. I'm extremely forgiving of my mess-ups, I almost never throw anything out, because almost anything can be fixed. If I make something truly hideous, I send it to my sister and we get on the phone and laugh our *****es off. That's a good thing!
If a tool gets on my nerves one time too many, I throw it in the trash, Life's too short to fiddle with a poorly designed tool, or conversely, with a tool that I can't make work! I always have fun in my stamp room unless a gigantic spider joins me, then there might be some screaming and running.
My favorite cards were not inspired by others, or CASE'd. They are a tailored to the recipient, and are a little offbeat and quirky, with a sense of humor. They don't often get a lot of comments or favorites from others when I upload them to the gallery. But that's my style - odd and quirky, and specific for the recipient. I hate giving "generic" cards, no matter how beautiful.
__________________ aka Sue. Or Sue-odd.
No blog for me. My gallery chronicles my card-making successes and mishaps.
Rachelrose, I don't think I have ever found "a style"...maybe others see it, but I don't. I don't think I want "a style" either. I like being free to do whatever I want without thinking "it must be this or it must be that". I like trying new techniques and supplies and I find the daily SCS challenges give me plenty of opportunity to use both.
Rachelrose, I don't think I have ever found "a style"...maybe others see it, but I don't. I don't think I want "a style" either. I like being free to do whatever I want without thinking "it must be this or it must be that". I like trying new techniques and supplies and I find the daily SCS challenges give me plenty of opportunity to use both.
For me I think it was less looking at others' work for inspiration and more just playing at the craft table. When you aren't trying to CASE or copy I think you get a more true sense of what you personally like. Do you keep a pinterest or inspiration board? Try looking at the things you favorite the most- that will give you an idea of what you really love. For me its clean and simple.
This is probably the most spot-on comment I've read in this thread! My best friend is who got me started with the whole stamping/cardmaking thing. She did some really cool stuff and it was totally unique to her. In the past few years she has started CASEing more and more - even using the exact same stamps and embellishments - and I don't like them nearly as well as when she was staying true to herself. Likewise, I'm nearly ALWAYS more pleased with things that I come up with on my own than when I try to "force" something to fit a challenge or something - not that it's "better", just that it's more "me". Having said THAT, I'll also say that I'm not sure exactly how I'd define my style - "pared-down eclectic", maybe? Not really CAS, not overly embellished, and all over the map stamp-style-wise...
I have to say that I get a lot from both approaches - playing at my craft table and CASEing other's cards. Maybe because I have never done a CASE that turned out looking very much like the original. At some point, I always take the card off in my own direction. The reason I will CASE is because I particularly like something - a technique or a layout or something else - that I see in a card, and want to try it myself. CASEing is also deconstruction: Oh, so that's how you do that!
I've never done a card challenge yet. I am just still too slow at putting together my cards! So I don't know whether I'll find it freeing or stifling. I have always felt that there can be great freedom in having limitations. It can force you to be super creative.
Also I have not figured out a setup for photographing my cards properly. So even if I did a challenge I couldn't post it!
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
I have to say that I get a lot from both approaches - playing at my craft table and CASEing other's cards. Maybe because I have never done a CASE that turned out looking very much like I've never done a card challenge yet. I am just still too slow at putting together my cards! So I don't know whether I'll find it freeing or stifling. I have always felt that there can be great freedom in having limitations. It can force you to be super creative.
Also I have not figured out a setup for photographing my cards properly. So even if I did a challenge I couldn't post it!
I use a 17 x 17 pop up photo tent....it is easy to store as I have no space...it folds up and I paid $20. online for it.
I never did challenge either...keep working at it and you do know that you can post a card in a challenge at anytime...they are open ended and there is no deadline.....
I'm not sure I have my own style. I like to try different things and some turn out and others don't! I've been stamping for more than 25 years and still use and love some of my original stamps, and coloring the images with colored pencils is my idea of stress relief. I love patterned paper and usually use it on almost every card. I've discovered embossing folders, Nesties and other dies especially Memory Box and enjoy playing around with them and I have more border punches that anyone needs!. But this weekend I made a dozen different sympathy cards since my supply was out and made most of them with just white cardstock, a floral and a sentiment stamp. So I guess I would say I have many different styles.
It took me quite a few years to "find" my style although I am always open to trying something new and different. Sometimes I try a style of card but then find I don't enjoy the process as much as I thought I would. I have a lot of patience for colouring and absolutely adore colouring with my coloured pencils - either watercolor or the Gamsol Magic technique - but you know, it did take many hours of practice to get a point where I was happy with my finished images - and I find it very relaxing to sit and colour. I love what other people do with lots of layers and plenty of embellishments such as flowers etc. and stitching plus amazing vintage styles with torn and distressed edges - but my brain seems to freeze up when I have tried to emulate that style so I have learned to just be content with my simple styles and layouts. Plus all of my cards have to be mailable so at the end of the day, my style is heavily influenced by practicality. I still use my basic shaped Spellbinder Nesties on many of my cards and still use the same border punches that I bought a few years ago. I have learned through experience (and a lot of $$:eek that I don't have to have the latest and greatest to make a card that I am happy with.
I like your reply to the question very much. There is always a learning curve with the items companies put out...and I learn from them but as you say practicality is the last word in it all. Spending 1.97 for a vintage card with bulky flowers and stick pins etc., is not practical on an every day basis. I do find that I send these kinds to those closest to me and to a few that I want to them to know they are special. All in all, as I was talking with my hubby this morning, sometimes it is a fine line between lust and coveting and needing. Hobbies always demand more so to keep my head level and right before God I have to evaluate and keep myself accountable. DH and I do this and find rich blessings continually for doing so.
This is such a fun thread! Thanks for asking such a great question. Reading the replies I found myself nodding allot. I have been crafting for 3 1/2 years and I think I found my style or at least the style I feel the most confident doing. And I can honestly say it's all my own. I don't think my work resembles many others and it is an acquired taste. I know the feeling of being overwhelmed with it all because that was me last year. It happens when you know just enough to understand that there is so much out there. For me I think my style came as a result to what I was willing to spend and what I wasn't. So the items in my studio are limited. I didn't break out and buy it all... cause you just can't. I worked with what I had and tried techniques with the supplies on hand. I still don't emboss as I have no embossing items. And... I'm ok with that. LOL Can't wait to read more as this thread grows.
