Retail Work vs Artwork

I feel that I need to clarify a bit about projects I create for scrapbook classes and those that I am creating in more of an artistic vein. There is a certain simplistic nature about the classes designed for store use. I in no way intend to demean these projects by calling them simple. Choosing the right photo, the right color, the right placement for these items on a page is an art. I find great joy in teaching those that feel they are not creative or those that are just starting out. I think being able to express yourself creatively is truly wonderful and if I can help someone else to be creative, I am filled with satisfaction. It is being able to be creative and view things creatively that has carried me through some difficult times. Sharing this is what I live for.

This being said, it is a very different process to create scrapbook pages or cards or what-have-you in an easy, 1,2,3 with an eye to teaching it for retail purposes.

Using the term artwork for my intents and purposes, refers to pieces that I am working on just for the sake of creating. These pieces are created without thought to how many steps there are involved in the process or the saleability of the products and materials I am working with. These pieces are created solely for the purpose of expression and exploring techniques. I've said this many times before, "Sometimes I make art, sometimes I have a happy accident (through experimenting), and sometimes, I just make a mess!!"

Curiously Thankful

I've been creating things... but for the past year or so, I have stayed away from many artful endeavors and concentrated on classes and projects for the general scrap booking and card making public. And while I strongly want to underscore that there is nothing wrong with the simplicity of easy to assemble scrapbook pages or greeting cards, I am now feeling the pull back to my paints and stains, many layered papers, old books and rusted pieces of what-not. I am feeling my creative self start to stir again.

I stayed away from making art, I think because I was feeling used. A bit beaten up. We all get that way, don't we? On top of everything, my physical self was uncooperative, at best. That coupled with my disappointment in people---well it drove out any urge to be truly creative.

Now with that little creative muse of mine tickling my hands and my heart, I choose not to dwell on those that seek to benefit from others' efforts, or those sad individuals who exclaim their jubilant righteousness in order to hide their own shortcomings, and my personal favorite--those that offer exclamations of purported kindness and praise thoroughly laced with only slightly subliminal criticism. I am instead curiously thankful for the wisdom gained by these experiences.

Thinking Ahead

Yeah, yeah, so I just get done yapping about how I am clinging to summer and now I am starting to design this year's Christmas card. Can you say a little Dr. Jekyl, Mr. Hyde?

This is where I am at with my card design... not finished yet. I may have to adapt it according to how many white flourish rub-ons I have at hand and IF I receive the Joy of Christmas cricut cartridge. The mock-up card shown here is done with some glittery stickers that I peeled the silver bottom layer off of. First of all I do not want to purchase 8 set of these stickers and then have to peel them apart to use. So the plan is to cut the snowflakes out with the cricut and layer them, then add stickles glitter glue (boy I love that stuff). I need to find a small greeting for the outside of the card I think, but I have the verse for the inside.

So that's it. I just thought it was kind of funny how much I was prattling on about summer days and then tonight I am totally focused on designing my Christmas card (she says, still giggling to self).

Nightie-night.

Holding on to Summer

Holding on j-u-s-t a little longer to thoughts of warm sunny days, soft breezes and visiting on the patio. Where in the world was that? Certainly not in Wisconsin!!! No, this photo (again it's an old one!) was taken on my parents patio in sunny (ok maybe it's smoky right now) southern California. I set these photos aside over and over again because no paper seemed right until I pulled out Zinnia from LYB. This has been hanging in the store as a sample and now we hardly have any left... but it worked so nicely with the colors in these photos. Hopefully I can just scarf up a few scraps to complete my second page.

I snapped a few photos of some new products coming into the store; Smooch, pretty new ribbons, Kaiser papers. I'll post these soon. But what I am really waiting for is Basic Grey Indian Summer. Can't wait to get that. I am such a Basic Grey nut.