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I have a friend that is constantly trying to get me to try new things. I try them, and use a lot of them, but rarely do I stray from my favorite "style".
__________________ Keep what is worth keeping
and with the breath of kindness
blow the rest away.
Not nearly often enough! But I've been participating in Papertrey Ink's 7th anniversary challenges this week, and am loving them. I've used color combinations I would never have put together and have been really pleased with "some" of the results. I like to try new card folds and have done a few for the challenges here. I need to use them more often. New techniques are often done for challenges, but I seldom use them in my everyday card making. I think I need to step out of my comfort zone more often!
__________________ Linda E
Caution: You are entering an artistic zone. This is not clutter - this is creating. These are not pajamas - it's my work uniform.
I am a clean and simple stamper when I make cards. But I have started art journaling where the motto seems to be "more is better". I am using lots of various art supplies and mediums for the first time. It has taken me way out of my comfort zone, but I am enjoying it.
Not often to be honest. If the technique requires me to purchase something - then I don't at all because I'm really trying to focus on using what I have rather than investing any more $$. As for folds, I need to try more - get out of my comfort zone on that one.
I just made a couple cards with the featured batik tutorial and that was fun. Usually once a week or so I try something new, but I have to have the materials needed already. I don't buy new stuff just for a technique or fold. When I do try something new, I will make a bunch of cards using it, since I have the materials out. Then I clean up and make cards in my usual style until something else catches my eye to try. It is a nice, comfortable balance for me.
I'm probably in the minority, but I'm at the point in my life that I don't want any more challenges! I'm comfortable with my style and really enjoy making the cards that I make with the supplies that I have.
My other hobby is crocheting, and they are always talking about mastering a "difficult stitch." I don't want to do a difficult stitch! I want to do what I know how to do, and is relaxing and fun for me.
Real life has thrown some big challenges my way through the years, and I got through them pretty well. Now it's time for me to just relax and have fun, and that's what I do.
__________________ Bugga in OK
"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." Dalai Lama
I get out of my comfort zone all of the time and the swaps on SCS are the perfect vehicle to let me do this.
Sometimes it's using new tools, sometimes new techniques, sometimes new stamps, sometimes new products, sometimes styles, etc.
This is a great way to find out what you like and what you don't, that's for sure! And I've made some really horrific things in the course of going out of my comfort zone but thank goodness they usually provide me with a really good laugh.
One thing recently that I did was a 'Simon Says' ATC swap where you are sent a list of prompts and you have to meet every prompt in the list. My ATC ended up being a cross between 'Animal Kingdom' and 'Tim Burton's 'The Nightmare Before Christmas'. It was bizarre but at least it made me laugh. I don't know what my swap mates thought ::gasp::
__________________ "May your mind whirl joyful cartwheels of creativity." - Jonathan Lockwood Huie.
I'm probably in the minority, but I'm at the point in my life that I don't want any more challenges! I'm comfortable with my style and really enjoy making the cards that I make with the supplies that I have.
My other hobby is crocheting, and they are always talking about mastering a "difficult stitch." I don't want to do a difficult stitch! I want to do what I know how to do, and is relaxing and fun for me.
Real life has thrown some big challenges my way through the years, and I got through them pretty well. Now it's time for me to just relax and have fun, and that's what I do.
I couldn't have said it better myself Bugga!!! My sentiments exactly
I get out of my comfort zone all of the time and the swaps on SCS are the perfect vehicle to let me do this.
Sometimes it's using new tools, sometimes new techniques, sometimes new stamps, sometimes new products, sometimes styles, etc.
This is a great way to find out what you like and what you don't, that's for sure! And I've made some really horrific things in the course of going out of my comfort zone but thank goodness they usually provide me with a really good laugh.
One thing recently that I did was a 'Simon Says' ATC swap where you are sent a list of prompts and you have to meet every prompt in the list. My ATC ended up being a cross between 'Animal Kingdom' and 'Tim Burton's 'The Nightmare Before Christmas'. It was bizarre but at least it made me laugh. I don't know what my swap mates thought ::gasp::
This is EXACTLY what happens to me when I venture out of my comfort zone!! Therefore, I stick to what I know and love!
I'm probably in the minority, but I'm at the point in my life that I don't want any more challenges! I'm comfortable with my style and really enjoy making the cards that I make with the supplies that I have.
My other hobby is crocheting, and they are always talking about mastering a "difficult stitch." I don't want to do a difficult stitch! I want to do what I know how to do, and is relaxing and fun for me.
Real life has thrown some big challenges my way through the years, and I got through them pretty well. Now it's time for me to just relax and have fun, and that's what I do.
This is how I feel too; I'm retired and now get to play with all my stuff: card making, beaded jewelry, counted cross stitch and charted needlework and all my hundreds and hundreds of books that I can read. I've tried some folds and really am not interested in doing them. I do try some techniques that sound interesting but I always fall back to my comfort zone.
I always try the tutorial for the week from the weekly inkling newsletter. If I like the new tutorial, I end up making lots (like the card in a box!) But if I don't like it, I usually just try it once. I'm not really into the mixed media trend, but I gave it a try once. I just really enjoy learning new things.
On a whole, I'm pretty good at pushing myself beyond it. I'm constantly challenging myself to do new things - like when I did a triathlon, then just bicycle racing, snowboarding, got back into tennis after 15 years off, etc.
But I'm also really good at getting into a rut and staying there. I've been at the same job for 14 years. I've been in the same house for 16 years.
As for cards, it took me a while to find my style and it's still evolving. When I see a new technique that interests me and fits within my style, I'll give it a shot. I learned to use a brayer and sponges fairly recently. I tried the chalkboard technique. I've got some other things I want to try. But, at the same time, I'm perfectly happy using my prismacolor pencils and gamsol, and have no real desire to try copics.
So I guess, once I find something I really like, I stick with it. However, I am open to trying new things.
__________________ aka Sue. Or Sue-odd.
No blog for me. My gallery chronicles my card-making successes and mishaps.
oohhhhh..... I thought you meant in general! Well, it is called comfort zone for a reason. It is comfy and I like it there! I find the older I get (not that I am old, just older...) the more I want to not venture beyond my happy place. Is that wrong? I don't know. It is what it is.
As for cards, I don't try many new techniques but I do try new colour combos, new layouts and generally always improving on appearance. But I don't think that is a comfort zone thing, more of a perfectionism thing.
And perfectionism may be another topic. Along with OCD. I may have a wee bit of that in me. Just maybe a little ;)
Great topic!! There's comfort in the tried and true, but I love getting messy and learning new things. 3D projects and funky folds kind of make me cringe, though... I don't often make projects that have lots of steps, aren't mailable or don't have a practical use.
Actually, for a long, long time now - maybe several months?? (not good at estimating time) I have been out of my comfort zone - I've been forcing myself to use patterned papers. I didn't have to buy these papers either - my real-life card-making friend had two friends - one who was purging and one who was moving, and from them she got tons and tons of patterned papers, and gave me nearly half! Very frequently I look through the papers and think "I'm gonna give them back to her 'cause it's too difficult for me to use ANY of these!" and then I think "just make one more card with them" - and I do. I get a break once a week when I go to her house and I don't take any patterned papers with me and use only solid-coloured cardstock and slide back into my comfort zone - the cards are soooooooooooooooooo easy and fun and fast for me to make!! ("fast" being two hours instead of five hours)
I occasionally get out of my comfort zone but I think I am more like Annette (buggainok) in that I am really just comfortable with what I do now and with the difficult challenges of being a Carer for a family member, I don't really have enough head-space to try a whole lot of new things. Every so often, I will try a different card fold which I find is one of the most challenging things for me to do but I am pretty much a one-trick-pony - just your standard fold-in-the-middle card
When I first started stamping I always used solid paper even though I sometimes stamped all over it to make my own patterned paper. Somehow I just couldn't visualize how to use pp. I realized that I was getting quite a collection of pp so I challenged myself to learn to use it. Ten years later I use at least 1 piece of pp on nearly every card. Patterned paper became my comfort zone.
Since one of the reasons for learning to use pp was to start using up some of my collection, you would think that I would have no pp left. Wrong. Now that I was using pp regularly, that just gave me justification to buy more. So, if I go back to using only solid papers, will I stop buying pp? Probably not.
Dea
I try all sorts of things all the time. I'm not afraid to try any technique once - after all I have hundreds of pieces of paper, it's no big deal to end up throwing some away if I don't like it or mess it up.
Regularly! I'll try almost anything at least once, and maybe it then becomes a new part in my comfort zone ;-), or maybe it didn't suit me and I never try it again.
Not quite true - I think it takes trying things twice to know whether you like it or not, and I find that to be especially so with folds even more than techniques. The first time I'm really learning about how the fold works and not so much thinking about how the matting and layering will go. Second time round I can focus more on that - and if I'm still having trouble after that, they don't enter my regular repertoire.
Great topic!! There's comfort in the tried and true, but I love getting messy and learning new things. 3D projects and funky folds kind of make me cringe, though... I don't often make projects that have lots of steps, aren't mailable or don't have a practical use.
Completely agree with you, Dina - although it might be nifty in a hypothetical way to fold a fancy card, I don't really see the point if it's really just a gimmick (and there's no practical or convincing aesthetic purpose in doing it that way).
I also don't want to spend time and supplies on things that people will go "that's cute" but never be able to use IRL (those mini handbags with post-it notes inside spring to mind...).
Re comfort zone, my worst lately has been forcing myself to use doilies! They're just not me Although by the time I got to the third card using them I'd found a way to use them that looked good, and also fitted with my CAS style. Phew!
All the time. I have some techniques that are on most of my cards like edging but I like to try difficult projects, new techniques, interesting folds, etc. I get bored if I do the same thing all the time.
I love to experiment to see how I can use things differently. If it fails, oh well, it was fun to try but when it works, it's woo-hoo, something new.
Sometimes I'll read a question where someone will ask a question about can they use a product to do a particular thing and I wonder why doesn't the person just try it and find out. Basically, there is no such thing a dumb question so it doesn't bother me that they asked the question and I get asking the question when they don't have the product, but when you own something, why not just try it. For me, that 's a whole bunch of fun trying to figure out some new way to use a product.
The best thing about venturing out of comfort zones is finding new ones! It is kind of like trying new foods....you never know what will be the taste that really wows you and becomes a new favorite (I can't believe how much kale my family eats now just for example). I am with most of you in not being willing to spend a lot of money to try a new thing, but if I can do it with what I have on hand, or it is an inexpensive trial, I'll give it a shot! Stencils are one of the things I've ventured into using lately and because they are an old trend revisited, I was even able to pick up a bunch at a yard sale. As far as mixed media goes-I would guess that a lot of you are actually doing mixed media without realizing it. This thread might interest you. The Mixability challenges have really been fun for me, and honestly sometimes the color challenges here are much harder for me than the mixed media ones!
All the time. I have some techniques that are on most of my cards like edging but I like to try difficult projects, new techniques, interesting folds, etc. I get bored if I do the same thing all the time.
I love to experiment to see how I can use things differently. If it fails, oh well, it was fun to try but when it works, it's woo-hoo, something new.
Sometimes I'll read a question where someone will ask a question about can they use a product to do a particular thing and I wonder why doesn't the person just try it and find out. Basically, there is no such thing a dumb question so it doesn't bother me that they asked the question and I get asking the question when they don't have the product, but when you own something, why not just try it. For me, that 's a whole bunch of fun trying to figure out some new way to use a product.
Well, when I ask such questions, it's just out of laziness. Laziness is the predominant force in my life.
I'm probably in the minority, but I'm at the point in my life that I don't want any more challenges! I'm comfortable with my style and really enjoy making the cards that I make with the supplies that I have.
My other hobby is crocheting, and they are always talking about mastering a "difficult stitch." I don't want to do a difficult stitch! I want to do what I know how to do, and is relaxing and fun for me.
Real life has thrown some big challenges my way through the years, and I got through them pretty well. Now it's time for me to just relax and have fun, and that's what I do.
I agree with Bugga! I believe I've found my "STYLE" & I'm just enjoying it! I don't mind a challenge every-so-often, but I WON'T run out & buy a bunch of supplies to do it either! Just enjoying this craft!!!!!
I too used to fall into the same patterns over and over again. But, this year, I have started art journaling. I have challenged myself to try new techniques on each page. It doesn't matter if they work or if they fail. The idea is to try something different and to not be concerned with failure or making mistakes. After doing this...the idea is to transfer the new successful skills into scrapbooking/cardmaking/papercrafting. I find myself digging out more glitters, sprays, and thick embossing enamels than I ever did before. So, for me...the journal itself has been successful in unleashing new ideas over what had started becoming humdrum and mundane.
I make and mail about 60 Valentines to friends and family each year, instead of doing Christmas cards. This year I didn't want to get bored with the usual red and pink hearts so I decided to challenge myself to use up some supplies that I thought I wanted to get rid of. I had a full pack of folded cards that weren't quite red but were labeled as such. The "red" had a lot of brown tones in it and didn't give that usual Valentine feel. So I dug out some of my printed paper and stickers that complimented that red shade. After using strips from those papers and punching hearts out of them I came up with some lovely Victorian-styled cards that I embellished with lace. I had a single large sheet of fancy wrapping paper collaged with images of French perfumes. It was rolled up for years and started to get a wrinkled edge and dents. I had to use it before it was ruined. I covered my blank card fronts with the wrapping paper and glued on hearts I stamped and embossed in colors to match the paper. Some of the hearts covered up the dents and wrinkles in the paper. On the other spots I highlighted with clear Stickles. I sprayed a little perfume on that batch before I mailed them. I also had a lot of very big, blank wedding invitation cards from unused kits I bought at garage sales. (A lot of brides buy them to save money, then give up on using them when the directions are too complicated.) I wondered how the heck I could fill up all that blank space. These cards had an embossed frame around where the invitation printing would have been. I decided to work inside of that frame and brought out my largest heart and flower stamps that sometimes overwhelm cards of a smaller size. Adding embellishments filled more space and made the big cards seem more special than big. I've found out that taking on even small challenges can payoff in a big way.
Boy, this is a question close to my heart this week! I've been trying to master layering stencils and stamps, and doing those fast and furious collage art journal pages that are all the rage. Well, I'm a miserable failure, I've wasted so much ink and paint and supplies it's a shame. And last night, laying in bed, I thought to myself, "Self, you have an Intermediate Copic Certification, you really enjoy sitting quietly and coloring and doing zentangle. WHAT is your PROBLEM?" I just finally realized that I was totally okay with myself just the way I was, and I did not need to expand my stupid horizons thank you very much. I'm at the age where I know what I like, what makes me happy, and I'm going to settle in and enjoy myself without all the angst!~
Boy, this is a question close to my heart this week! I've been trying to master layering stencils and stamps, and doing those fast and furious collage art journal pages that are all the rage. Well, I'm a miserable failure, I've wasted so much ink and paint and supplies it's a shame. And last night, laying in bed, I thought to myself, "Self, you have an Intermediate Copic Certification, you really enjoy sitting quietly and coloring and doing zentangle. WHAT is your PROBLEM?" I just finally realized that I was totally okay with myself just the way I was, and I did not need to expand my stupid horizons thank you very much. I'm at the age where I know what I like, what makes me happy, and I'm going to settle in and enjoy myself without all the angst!~
I think that's what it's all about cakhuxel! Finding what makes you happy!!! There MIGHT be times when you want to try something new, but I'm with you! I don't want to waste ink & paper! Those supplies are EXPENSIVE!!! LUCKY YOU to have your Intermediate Copic Certification too!!! THAT is what I "need!" That's the kind of "expanding" I like!!!!!!;)
I used to do a lot of altered art but now not so much. It has to be something I really want to do and I must have everything needed or forget it.
I love fancy fold cards but they must be "displayable" and I will not make "interactive" cards. Who wants to receive a card that they have to figure out how to make it work or how to make it stand up.
If I don't own a product that means I have not had a use for it and I will not buy it just to try something new. What if I don't like the new, then I am stuck with a product that will just sit around until I get the urge to purge.
I find I can do what I like to do and still challenge myself in small ways. I believe one should learn a little new everyday just to keep the old mind working. I count thinking of ways to use what I have instead of collecting more stuff to be part of that learning curve.
We all stepped out of our comfort zone when we started with this craft. Now that we have mastered it to some extent we should be happy with what we choose to do. Some like the adventure and some like the tried and true.
For me stepping out of my comfort zone would be to try CAS. What would it be for you.
I love trying new things, new techniques, products and even new crafts! If I stop learning new things I get bored. Sure it ends up costing a lot but it's worth it!
It actually helps your brain age slower to learn new things. It stimulates the neurons to make new connections which is especially important when you get to the point where you start losing them! I'm all for anything that keeps my brain working! I buy new ebooks, downloadable videos and even paper books to learn new things. I watched a video just last night to teach me some new jewelry techniques.
And I personally get different things out of each craft and technique. For instance, I am usually super precise with my cards but much freer with my mixed media-art journal or canvases. Card making gives immediate satisfaction which many of us card makers crave, and mixed media gives me something more to work on and really sink my teeth into. Jewelry gives me the pride of showing off what I've made and it's nice to make thing for myself where my card making ends up making others happy. And it's great for gifts too.
Scrapbooking is a whole different ball game. I get very caught up in making it look perfect but I'm so proud to have my memories saved in this way. I tend to not use new techniques here much because I don't want to screw up. I often use papers I only have one of and use my most precious embellies. Whereas my cards are a place I can sometimes try new things and my mixed media the most.
Any time I've made and given interactive cards, the recipient has LOVED them so even though I don't often dedicate my time and effort to them, I do like to try the ones I like at least once! They really give my brain a workout and I need it. I don't get much stimulation in my day spending it all with kids so I really enjoy it.
Several other posters made the point that if you don't try it, you can't know if it will fit into your style and if it might become a fav. So try it especially if it doesn't require buying new supplies. You don't have to do it often or try the hardest ones to benefit from it. I agree, jump in, the water is fine in Technique Land!
__________________ RebeccaEdnie Mixed Media Artist, Paper Crafter, Jewelry Designer SCSDirtyDozenAlumni Www.Boxofchocolatescrafts.Com YouNeverKnowWhatI’mGoingtoMake
I don't know if this is a comfort zone issue or if I'm just nuts, but I have 69 unopened packages of card stock and designer papers. This is JUST the unopened ones. I find that if I don't have LOTS of a particular paper or color, I won't use it. Calling me a card stock collector is perfectly appropriate. So for me, using a paper that is discontinued, and there are only a couple of sheets left, is very challenging for me, regardless of the technique. I'm so weird!
I try to step in and out of my comfort zone. If I don't then how will I know if I will like or want to do the technique again? Plus, it all comes down to wanting to learn more.
I try to step in and out of my comfort zone. If I don't then how will I know if I will like or want to do the technique again? Plus, it all comes down to wanting to learn more.
Not as much as I should. I make around 150 cards to give away each year, not counting Christmas cards. I usually don't have the time to explore as much as I want. I do have several DVD's from Paper Wishes and Crafter's Companion that have tons of great card folds and techniques and need to get them out more. Each time I use one of the new technique's it creates a WOW card that the recipient just oohs and ahs over.
How often do you get out of your comfort zone
I SO AGREE!!!
A challenge to use up unappealing supplies
