How do you create your cards?
 

I have always wondered how all these beautiful cards come to be. The question about how long it takes to make a card made me think about this again. When you all create your cards, do you make it up as you go, have it all planned and visualized in your head before you start, etc????

I do a lot of copying -- take the idea and tweek it, so to speak. I don't think I've made more than three cards "on my own". Every time I try, it takes me forever and I get discouraged. If I can copy something about a card, I do much better.

I don't have the expertise or the talent that some of these SCS ladies have....but the discussion about lenght of time to make a card made me a little curious. I've noticed that time after time, it seems ot take me 3 hours to make an "original' card. So last night, I headed to my craft room....worked and worked...and 3 hours later I had a finished card that I was relatively pleased with.

When I started, I knew it had to be a thank you card...I was thinking autumn colors...maybe covered with leaves...a thankyou tag attached. But my card was continually being revamped. Issues that caused slows downs, and adjustments included:

1. I had problems picking out card and layer colors...because I had choosen to use a spectra ink pad that didn't match my SU stuff real well (though I bought the spectra pad from SU)...because I didn't want my leaves to be just one color...I liked the ideas of multicolored fall leaves.

2. After I had my colors picked, and the leaves printed on my matt...it looked really boring...not the equisite piece of art I had imagined! :) so I decided that I had a store bought lacy leaf thing that I would use as a focal point. Now I thought all my crafts were VERY organized. Yeah right. I spent 20 minutes? searching for it? gave up. Then I decided I would put some zing in my corners....but had to go through all my hardware to see what choices I had that were the right colors. Found some square eyelets. So my plans of using the new ticket punch I just purchased went out the window...and I used a square punch on the corners.

3. Time to make the tag. The tag punch I had planned..just didn't seem like the right shape....so used the SU tag punch instead. I layered my tag...but it still seemed too plain...and I had already glued it together....wish I had "antiqued" the edges...but oh well - too late for that idea! so I played with drawing an inside border. Yeah, my trial pieces weren't acceptable, so I just stamped "thankyou" in the middle and kept going.

4. Then the ribbon challenge. Since I had started working with a stamp that wasn't SU's 48 colors....grrrr...I struggled with the right ribbon. Finally changed one of my mat colors, so I could tie in a ribbon that looked nice.

5. So the card was "finished". I just wasn't pleased. I set it at the top of my workspace and started to clean up. It looked like a tornado had whipped through my workspace. I kept glancing at the card, being unsatifisfied. I got my space clean, and pulled the card back onto my work mat....and decided to add some pearl ex...ok..that was a good thing. I ended up pearlexing the entire card, and spraying it with cheap hairspray. Ok, now I think it's finished. I set it back at the top of my work space...admired it for another minute. Looked at the clock.....3 hours ! :rolleyes:

First off I usually pick out what stampset I want to work with, then my color combo. The design of my card usually comes to me once I start creating - I normally don't have an idea in my mind before that. I am also better at creating under pressure (deadlines, big card orders etc.). :D

I usually start off with the colors I want to use, or stamp set most times i have no idea what is going to come out of me......LOL! i draw lots of sketches but always seem to abandon them once I get down to it, either the image I want to use doesn't fit or I changed my mind on the style. I find that i am most creative in the morning, I have only a one hour window to get something done so I guess I work best under pressure so to speak.....LOL!

I usually pick a stamp set and my card stock, And most of the time an idea pop's into my head.

Sometimes I use the inspiration from Card Sketches here on SCS or from Page Maps.

I also look through SCS gallery for idea. and magazines.

I normally start out with a stamp/set, then pick out my colors/paper. I usually have a design in my head, but it's rare that I end up with it.

If I am making a card for a specific event...I pick the stamp set first. Then, depending on who the card is for, I tailor the colors for that person/personality. Or...I pick a main color & sort of look through my stash to see if I can create any bizarre combos that I wouldn't normally think of. I play around with my stamps a little & rearrange the blocks to look like the front of the card...and eventually come up with my idea. Sometimes it's taken 2 minutes, other times I need a little inspiration for figure out the best way to create the card. I might get online here...or just google the stamp set & see what I can come up with.

I actually work really well with my mom. Or maybe it could be anybody. I just need to bounce ideas off someone sometimes. :)

It is very interesting that you asked this question, and I am sure there will be a huge assortment of unique answers.
The way I create a card has been changing the longer I enjoy this hobby. At first I CASEd everything. Next came changing an item or two and things progressed from there to doing SCS challenges and then designing my own. I rarely start by deciding on the stamp set or the layout anymore because my system lately has been to give myself little challenges, and then create a card around that. My latest challenge was to make a card incorporating the chipboard circle piece for instance. Maybe that's not too hard :-) but it doesn't always come naturally for me.
It has become interesting to find a card taking shape in my mind before even before I get down to the stamps paper and ink. These often turn out to be my best designs.

I too, usually don't have anything specific in mind when I begin. First, I think about colors - maybe using some that I haven't recently used, or some that I've never used together before. Once I cut the paper for the card itself, things just start to come together. A particular stamp set comes to mind, and as I use it, more ideas just pop into my head. I love the way my cards evolve, and most of the time I am pleased with the outcome.

I can't really explain the process - cards just happen!

I have to agree with the other ladies and say a deadline is essential. I think it forces me to focus and not play around endlessly trying to make a "perfect" card or ATC. Along these lines, it's good to have other limits. If I am doing an ATC challenge, I might initially pick half a dozen or so stamps that work with the theme. Then I need to pick one and stash the rest rather than play with all of them. Then I go for a color scheme (consult a color wheel if I get really stumped) and do sayings/embellishments to finish it all off. I don't consciously try to copy or emulate other people's cards, but I read zines, look at other people's work online, and I'm sure it influences me on some level.

It helps to be organized too. I've gotten my craft room in much better shape. To the naked eye, it probably still looks cluttered, but I now have my ink pads together by type so I can look at all my dye inks or pigment inks or chalk inks etc. for one example. I no longer feel exhausted just gathering supplies anymore.

I usually start by choosing a stamp set I want to use, then picking colors and paper and other embellishments. A lot of times I create a card around something that I just bought and want to use;) Sometimes I look in the SU! catalog, or the gallery here to try and get an idea, but I usually change one thing, which leads to another, which leads to another.....and end up with a totally different idea than the one I started with. When I go through the catalog, I like to write down what page the layout was on that I liked, and what stamp set and colors I want to try to use. Then when I get time, I can just flip to the page and try to create a variation of that card.

It depends for me......sometimes the stamp itself is my inspiration and when I see it I have colors in mind. I pull the CS and DP and start thinking about the layout. Sometimes it just falls together so fast and other times it is like pulling teeth.

Sometimes I see a DP at the store and think.....THAT would be perfect for such and such a stamp.

Then sometimes it is an event like holiday, etc. I know the favorite color of the person and go from there.

I also love the CS challenges and when I see one I love, I usually have a stamp in mind.

I think about who the card is for and what the occasion is, and most times, first I head for my DPs. I pick out a palette that reminds me of the person I'm making the card for. From that it's usually easier for me to pick out a stamp of the theme I need, and then a font for the sentiment.

sometimes I have an idea what I want it to look like completely. Other times I'm just fishing around for ideas and I sit and play like it's Colorforms or something like that, moving around pieces of paper, and ribbon and looking at different stamps and laying them on the paper. Hopefully inspiration strikes. If it doesn't, I look at my favorites here, and then head to the day's gallery for some ideas.