Creative Hop!

Hello!  I was tagged by my friend, Boni, to participate in the Creative Hop.  Boni is the author of the blog Stampin' Sweet, and a challenge designer for My Pumpkin Challenge and a great stamper too!  Have you heard of the Creative Hop?  Not yet?  It's a way for us to tell you a little about ourselves and make some new friends as we go.  You can see Boni's post here with her answers to the questions.

Now it's my turn!

What am I working on now?

Balance!  It's the biggest challenge I've had lately and it's meant taking a step back and looking at everything I'm involved in and analyzing it all to see where it's importance lies.  Faith, family, friends  and creativity are all important to me.

That of course, has impacted my time in my stamping studio.  On the creative front, I've been working on the next Christmas Stamp-A-Stack class scheduled for the beginning of November.  I love Christmas and Christmas projects!  So I've been creating simple cards in various styles and colors that will appeal to my customers.  Can't wait to share some with you soon. 

How does my work differ than others in my genre?

I think that I'm a fairly simple stamper.  What I mean by that, is that I want to choose designs that are easy to follow and re-create.  If the layouts are too complicated, then others will find them too difficult and won't try making them on their own.  Teaching others how easy it is to be creative brings me joy and fulfillment.

Why do I create what I do?

I've always been a crafter, so using rubber stamps to craft with was an easy transition.  I tend to make cards, because a handmade card that is received in the mail (or in person) brings a smile to the recipients face.  It's something that I create that I can give away.

I remember as a little girl visiting my Grandma's house in the summers.  She was a crafter, and she was willing to help me learn to make things.  That's where I learned to make my own paper dolls and design my own paper doll clothes.  I guess you could say that was my first experience as a paper-crafter!

How does my creative process work?

The process I use starts with finding inspiration.  That inspiration can come from a magazine (and not necessarily a stamping one), from Pinterest or from stamping blogs.  I find it easier to start with an idea and then to make it my own using supplies that I have at my fingertips.  Using card sketch challenges is another way that I find creativity.  Monthly stamp club and monthly stamping classes force me to stay creative, seeking new project ideas for each one.

Thanks, Boni, for tagging me!