Where Do You Get Your Inspiration

Where Do You Get Your Inspiration?

I have a lot of trouble coming up with fresh ideas for family scrapbook pages.  But, sometimes, other artists creations inspire me.  Sometimes I get really close to what they were sharing.  Obviously, when I purchase a kit from an artists, I have all the parts to create as close to possible, their creative idea.  This is demonstrated in the two scrapbook pages I did after my second grandbaby was born.

I had purchased this kit from Scrapbook Diaries a couple of years ago.  The designer is Gabrielle Palladio.  The kit came with everything I would need and access to a video tutorial plus photo directions that came in the box in case it wasn't convenient to use a computer when reproducing theses pages.

Prima Artist

With Gabrielle, I stayed pretty close to her original idea.  Her hands instantly brought to my mind the photo of family hands.  My friend Georgia Lichon has always been drawn to hands and using them in her art work.  

I actually didn't start working on theses two pages until two years after I received the kit.  The video was still available and the products that were sent in the kit were still in excellent condition.  I highly recommend the artist you can find and their kits on Scrapbook Diaries website.

The next page all happened quickly.  My dear and amazing artist friend, Margo Beatty, shared a video regarding working with Prima molds.  My weekly playday friends had been playing around with molds for a couple of weeks.

Well,  I was no longer interested in molds any more, but she sent me a link to a Prima artist - http://prima.typepad.com/prima/2017/07/all-night-all-day.html  (See Photo above).

Below is the original photo from the artist.

This is what I choose to do with her inspiration and photos of my new grand-baby and her new family.

http://www.thescrapbookdiaries.com/product-tag/gabi-active/

Getting Ready for Create 4 Anna Griffin 2018

Getting ready to go to Anna Griffin’s 4th Annual Create in Atlanta, Georgia.  There were 3 of us going but my dear friend, Dawn’s husband is very very ill and she will be staying home to be by his side.

Joining me for the first time will be Mary Mumford.  I am excited for her to have this wonderful experience.  Last year I went by myself but that was ok.  Everyone that is there is so friendly and makes you feel welcome and not alone.

My weekly “playdays” continue at my home.  Tomorrow there will be one and we will wish Mary a belated Happy Birthday and Kathie a day early Happy Birthday.  I have made two cards today to give to them tomorrow.  I have no idea which one I will give to whom.

I created them using scrap paper left over from other projects and for the center pieces I looked through my stash of Anna Griffin designs and choose.  Then there is both Anna’s flowers and then dimensional flowers  - a lot of them are Prima flowers or packages I have purchased on eBay.

Anna Griffin Creates, Atlanta Georgia

Tag I made Especially for Anna Griffin
One of 11

The Anna Griffin Creates event was at the Ritz Carlton in Buckhead, Georgia, November 13-15, 2015.  This was Anna's first foray into 3 day weekend events and it was a success.

Invitation 

Invitation came surrounded by pink paper lace
created on a Cricut

Mailed Evite for Tour of Anna's facility
also cut on a Cricut

The initial invitation was so beautiful for "Anna Griffin Create - A Weekend of Beautiful in the Making."  Of course the invitation was created on a Cricut Explorer Air.  A couple of weeks later we received another beautiful invitation in the mail informing us that we were going to visit while in Atlanta Anna Griffin Inc.  This is where all the magic is created by Anna and her worker bee's. This would be our final actiity on Sunday, November 15.

Two of  11

I decided that this was an event not to miss. I had purchased so many products including a Cricut Explorer Air of Anna's from HSN over the past year.  In fact, it is the ONLY time I tune into HSN - when Anna and her products are being promoted. It didn't seem to matter to me that I  already owned since 2008 Circut's competitor cutting machine -  the Pazzles. What finally made me jump into the Cricut world was the fact that I could design from my iPad or my Mac or my PC without being hooked up to the computer. Then I could connect via wi-fi my computer to the Cricut.  Only the Cricut has to plugged into the wall. The final jump to purchase a Cricut was because of Anna's beautiful intricate designs.  I first went looking for similar designs for my Pazzles because I felt that my Pazzles could cut theses intricate designs but found nothing close to her designs and  therefore the only way to get Anna's designs was to purchase a Cricut Explorer Air.  I bit the bullet last January and included with the purchase was two of her cartridges that are amazing.

Three of 11

Through the year Anna had introduced another machine in her gold colors called the Minc. I watched fascinated Anna demonstrating on HSN the ins and outs of this machine. Also available on HSN are dies Anna has designed that can both cut and emboss.  These work with a Cuddle Bug.  Of course, Anna has available on HSN a Cuddle Bug also in her gold colors.

Four of 11

When I saw she was having an event where we could get hands-on experience with great teachers like Cara Miller  I thought "this is for me!"  I had already taken some of Cara's classes online that my friends had recommended. They are great.

Five of 11

As November 13 approached, things "out of my control" started piling up. My husband was experiencing some serious medical issue.  Plus,  I had to go to my home town 125 miles away to deal with a couple of issues that only I could resolve.  This was all adding up and I was becoming very stressed.  Thankfully, none of those issues were life threatening. I also realize that this is what life is on a daily basis. Deal with it. . .

Six of 11

What really appealed to me about CREATE was three days of not having to cook, wait on anyone, worry about things that were too far away to deal with when I would be in Atlanta. And, I had never been to Atlanta!

Seven of 11

I am fortunate to have the space to have a weekly playday at my home which starts at 10 am and goes to about 4 pm.  One regular to this weekly "playday" - Dawn -  has started to share the playdays so we can alternate our homes every other week.  I managed to entice Dawn to come with me to Atlanta. I was so excited when she agreed to join me at Anna's event even though she does not "yet" have a Cricut.  She thought, "what a better way to learn all about the cricut and then if I like it I will purchase one".  Yea!

Eight of 11

I had been to several 3 day events like this in the past.  One of the most wonderful events was the one that Spellbinders and A Gilded Life had at the Langham Historical Hotel in South Pasadena a couple of years ago.  There I  realized that at the first nights dinner at these events, everyone at your dinner table - usually 10 per table - makes something to give the other nine.  I had been so embarrassed since no one had told me that before and there I sat receiving and not giving.

Nine of 11

This was not going to happen again to me.  Now, what little handmade item could I make to share with strangers?  Recently I started selling my handmade cards at https://www.etsy.com/shop/sillysalcreates. I loved making these cards so much that I ended up with an abundance of them and decided I would see if I could sell some of them to make room for new ones and continue to produce these cards. I needed a smaller version and so I reduced the size of my card from a 5" x 7" card to a 3" x 5" tag and used a single layer  of card stock and started decorating. 

Ten of 11

Since I was going to an Anna Griffin event I decided that I should incorporate Anna's flowers and tags  along with all the flowers I use from various sources, to design theses one of a kind "tags".

Eleven of 11

Interspersed in this blog are all 11 of the cards I made - 9 for the table guests and one for Anna and one for my online Cricut teacher Cara Miller.

Dawn made these creative little books for us.  Each a "one of a kind" book created out of one 12" x 12" piece of paper.

Book made for me by Dawn

As it turned out there were 180 ladies at Anna's event.  Ten to a table and we, Dawn and I, were the only ones who had made something for everyone at our table.  Our table-mates were surprised and thrilled with their gifts and Dawn and I were so happy to perhaps start a tradition with Anna's followers.

In the next blog I will show you "what all" was in our "Swag Bag" extraordinaire that we received when we signed in to Anna Griffin Create's event.  I will also tell you about our four classes we all took all day Saturday and have photos of what we made. So much fun! Lastly, I will tell you what Anna gave away at 3 pm on Sunday.   She made us promised to share and not hoard anything we took home at the close of her event.  I most certainly did and will tell you more next time.

More Specialized Greeting Cards by SillySalCreates

Card Sent to Best Friend's Daughter
after her son, Jake, was born

I have sold two of my cards with envelopes on Etsy for $20.  Plus I have sold three of my cards also for $20 to my cleaning lady.  But, I haven't sold any more.  When I go to my stats on Etsy, it looks like no one is even going to my shop.  When I try to look for my cards on Etsy I put in Greeting Cards, Blank and there are so many, I can't even find my cards to view unless I go directly to my shop at etsy.com/shop/sillysalcreates.  I have also pinned all my cards to a Board on Pinterest that identifies the board as cards I have created.

I think my cards are too expensive no matter how much work I have put into them.  It was suggested that I should have a sale. That everyone likes a sale. Not sure how to do that either.  I am looking for any advice or help that you can offer me.  I am also looking for criticism.  How much would you pay for one of my cards?

As you can see from the first two "Baby Announcement" Cards, it does make a difference on how you photograph your card.  Neither photograph looks like the card I am holding in my hand.  Plus, truly, all the cards look spectacular in person.  This "Baby Announcement" is one of my best, but it isn't photographed right to show anyone how beautiful and how much depth the card has.  To be fair, non of the photos in this blog did I use my light box.  All the photos on my Etsy Shop, I did use my light box.  Big difference!

"It's a Boy" is just at it's very beginning.  I will make one for "It's a Girl" also.

"Baby Announcement" Card in Progress

"Baby Announcement" Card Finished

"It's A Boy" Announcement Card in Progress

My DH, Ernie, built me a light box.  That is where I have taken all the card photos that appear in my Etsy Shop.  The Cards that are displayed in this blog, I took with my Note4 and then uploaded them to PhotoShop 6S and played with the different corrections you can make in this program.

The two photos of the card below were made and sent to one of my best friend, Julie, when her mother died at age of 95.  I used some of my Anna Griffin backgrounds papers and floral enhancements that I purchased on HSN.  I am so looking forward to going to Anna's first weekend event in November at Buckshead, Georgia.  Should be so much fun!

Sympathy/Thinking of You Card
I made for one of my Best Friend's
Mother's Death

"Ready to Mail" in special envelope
I make to fit each card

I also think I am going to be more specific when I design my cards.  Hopefully, that will narrow the selection on Etsy.  For example, I am in the process of making Baby Announcement Cards.  Also, one specifically for a little boy baby and am starting to work on one for a little girl announcement.  I think I can do Thinking of You, Thank You or Sympathy Cards.  I have made two Happy Birthday Cards. Also for sale on Etsy is a specific card that I think came out great for someone's 70th Birthday.

70th Birthday Card
Dark Brown Bottle Cap
says "Boston Old."

As you can see,  some of my cards were made for specific friends and their circumstances.  

I sure hope you will take the time to visit my Etsy Shop and pin one/some of my cards on Pinterest.  If someone sees it on Pinterest, there is then a link to my Etsy Shop.  Thank you so much.

Birthday Card with Cupcake

Shabby Chic Inspired Cards

ANNA GRIFFIN

It all started with Anna Griffin on HSN and me on "newborn baby watch" trying to kill time until baby would wake up again to be changed, handed to mama to nurse and then back to me - Gramma. My job at the time was to get the princess back to sleep. This is only the second time in my life I have watched HSN!

I started purchasing item after item of Anna Griffin products on HSN and they started to arrive at my home where my husband wanted to know where all these boxes were coming from and what was in them.

When I got home and opened all the boxes, I was overwhelmed.  Too many choices!  Where to begin?  Me? Making cards? On to YouTube!

The card above and the sympathy card I mention below were my humble attempts to combine Anna Griffin's products with flowers I had made or purchased.

I forgot to take a photo of the sympathy card I made for one of my dear friend's who father just passed away.

Angela Holt

While searching YouTube for Anna Griffin cards for ideas, I came across Angela Holt of Angela Holt Designs.  The first YouTube video I watched was called "Anna Griffin/Xron Blog Hop Project". I loved it and was off to the races.  In this video, she combines Anna Griffin's wonderful dimensional flowers with all sorts of dimensional items and ended with a beautiful shabby chic card.  I set out to duplicate her card as much as possible with the items I had on hand.

Card copied as close as I could to Angela Holts 1st video I watched
called Anna Griffin/Xron Blog Hop Project

I made this card for my step-daughter's birthday which she told me she loved and was going to frame!  This means a lot to me because she has an artist's eye and is a detailed person.  I also made this card again for my dear Aunt Chris who has been like a mother to me.  Her birthday is right after Mother's Day.

Below is the 3rd card I made which I sent to my daughter.  I had just watched Angela Holts YouTube video call Prima Princes Card.

Card I made for my daughter

Weeks later I see what glaringly is wrong with the card - not enough stuff/flowers!  I feel it could use a few more layers.  Since my daughter likes the clean, simple look of things, she was happy and probably unimpressed with my effort but did call and thank me immediately upon finally going to get her mail.

While watching HSN (I think this is the 2nd time in my life I have ever tuned into HSN for anything) I saw the demo for Crafter's Companion.  Just in time.  I sure needed this.  I needed to create envelopes that were thick and odd shaped that could hold my card(s).  This did the trick.  I think you can find demos of this product on YouTube.  Everything is on YouTube I have been learning. . .

Card sitting in one of my handmade envelopes

JELISSA MEI

Next artist I discovered was Jelissa Mei.  I believe she lives in Singapore, China.  She is also on FB.  What a talented artist! I love altered art and using paper, fabric and anything dimensional.  But, how many book covers and canvas can one make and find a place for in your home? I watched on her blogspot a video posted on January 31, 2015 called "Card Tutorial for Wild Orchid Crafts".

Plus Jelissa had tutorials for canvases and scrapbook pages on her blog using a multitude of products like paint, sparkling H2O's, etc. I was in LOVE!

Card I made after watching Jelissa's Video

Now, I already have a store room (affectionately called my Art/Computer room) in my home.  I have gone to Prima's two day workshops and have tons of flowers.  And of course, there is always Michael's and two local scrapbook stores - Paper Tales in Point Loma/San Diego area and The Making Place just up the 15 to the first off ramp in Escondido.  Off I went to Escondido which was only about 10 minutes from my son's home where I was staying while the baby was sleeping to purchase more flowers and ribbons.  Like I needed more of either. . .

My desire for more flowers in the colors I wanted was satisfied once again by YouTube.  I first watched "How to Make Paper Roses for Your Scrapbooks and Cards Tutorial" Shabby Chic by Shabby Beautiful.

Then onto YouTube "Pettite (sic) Roses Using EK success mini 5 petal flower punch by Scrapinmaniac Corner.

Luckily back in 1998 I purchased this wonderful tool "Power Punch" by Tapestry in Time model PP-200.  I have to idea if it is available anymore but it is hand saver.  With no effort at all you can punch out tons of flower in no time at all.  Perhaps there is something more current that works, but this came with all the plates you see to fit whatever shape your punch might have.  A life saver for sure.

Power Punch

Various punches and die cuts I have purchases

With sticky fingers from either my hot glue gun or glue I preceded to make a bunch of flowers.  They are kind of time consuming but I found the time.  I also ordered a bunch more flowers (which I truly didn't need from High on Scrapbooking shop on Etsy.

I am using five of the cards I made for this coming Mother's Day for some of my friends that I don't see often enough and do not do anything like this themselves.  They are easily impressed :).

How much does it cost to mail theses cards in the 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick envelopes that are either 4"x8" or 6"x6"?  Less than it cost to purchase a card ready made now a day!  I took one of my cards to the post office and for more than 1 oz and less than 2 oz it took 5 stamps.  I purchases a bunch of pretty stamps that were normal size.  I put some tissue paper over that top of the flowers and into my custom made envelope it goes.  The two I have already sent have arrived with no damage.

Another thing that is wonderful for me about making these shabby chic cards is that nothing is precise.  Those who know me well, like Magda Cortez, know I struggle with this skill.  I go way to fast. Other than the base of the card and the envelopes everything else is free style.  Plus, you get to use all your scraps.  So much fun.

I am looking forward to viewing more of Jelissa Mei's project on her website.  She has young children and does many scrapbook pages.  I have been a "scrapbooker" since 1990.  There are only so many occasions to send cards out.  At this point I am looking for any excuse. The scrapbook pages just can't be as dimensional but can have texture and layers and used all my Golden Products I have stored in that Art Room of mine.

Angela Holt has a couple of other YouTube videos that I found inspirational - "Shabby Chic Botanical Tea Card Tutorial" and "Prima Princess Card Tutorial".

There are probably more artists out there and,  of course, there always is Pinterest.  Hope you click on the links I have tried to provide or else google the artists yourself.  The instructions/tutorial are all free because you need and want product!  Support your local stores and the plethora of websites out there to purchase your products.

Other websites I frequented while making these cards:

Crafty City
Blue Moon
Frantic Stamper
Flowers purchased on Etsy from HighOnScrapbooking.

Various cards and their respective custom envelopes