MFT Creative Chat - Creative Process

Welcome! This month the My Favorite Things team is tackling the Creative Process - how we go about making our cards. I was all set to shoot a video for you today, but my camera seems to be posessed, so until I can work out how to get it to turn on and stay on (I did recharge the battery!) this will be more type than chat, sorry!

95% of the time, I follow the same formula when making a card. The other 5% I gather a whole bunch of supplies I think will go together, and just start from there, but generally, here is my process.

Start with a task, or sketch.
Most of the time when I create I either have a sketch I want to complete, or a stamp set I need to use. If I have a sketch, I'll choose a stamp set I think will fit well. If I have a stamp set I'm using, I will usually do a quick sketch of how I think my card will look.

Choose paper
My next task is to always choose the paper collection I'm going to use. I look at my image, is it vintage? playful? does it correspond to a season or occasion? and choose my paper accordingly. Once I know what collection I'm going to use, I'll go through and pull two or three sheets from the pack that will work for my card. I have a couple of rules when using patterned paper. Generally, I use only one multicolour pattern and one or two monochromatic patterns so the card doesn't look too busy. I also try to mix up the patterns, not using two different polka dot papers for instance.

Colour
I'll match my ink or copic colours to those in the patterned paper for a harmonious effect.

Use Die-namics to layout my card.
One of the things I love the most about Die-namics is that the die itself is the same shape and almost the same size as the finished die cut. This means they are perfect for pulling out and laying on your card so you can play with layout and see how the layers on your card will work. This can save a lot of time and wasted cardstock if you decide one shape works better over another.

Nothing gets stuck till the end!
Not until I have all my layers and embellishments settled do I start to glue things together and layered on pop dots. This way I can change my mind right till the end, and it also allows you to think about embellishment placement and hide things like brad butts and ribbon ends between layers.

Use leftovers to finish the inside.
I always use the scraps of paper leftover and some simple stamping to finish the inside of my cards. It makes the whole thing feel more polished and I like that I end up with less scraps laying around!

Be sure to check out Kim's Blog for all the designers participating today - I'm sure we'll all learn something wonderful!

 Thanks for stopping by!