Monday 16 May 2011

Counterfeiting cards - and how I do it.


A cute and quick geisha card. The soft candy colours and circles were inspired by this week's Chicken Soup recipe and the design by the Counterfeit Challenge sketch here. This month's kit is a lot of fun to use and with a great sketch and all the elements to hand, this card took me literally minutes to put together while the dinner was in the oven. I liked the result so I made a couple more!


I'm not a big fan of sketches for scrapbooking; I often find them difficult and restrictive. However, I have found recently that I am turning more and more often to sketches when I make cards. Maybe this is because scrapping is so much more personal; I am creating a memory of something or someone important so I want my pages to be entirely my own vision. On the other hand, cardmaking, for me, is a place to try out new techniques, have a play and use up my paper scraps. I see it more as an artistic exercise so a sketch is helpful and enjoyable to use. This one was particularly productive, although I broke away from the Counterfeit Kit for the purple butterfly card.
                         

Creating a couple of quicky cards also takes me much less time than creating a 12x12 layout (as you can see, I save my distressing and handcutting for LOs and prefer the clean and simple look for cards) so I can make the most of that dead time while the children are watching TV and the dinner is in the oven. Many non-crafting friends ask me how I have time to make cards and scrapbook with 2 children and a teaching job. This is the answer - I find time in between the mundane housework.
I am also rather rigid about routine during termtime, so I know that I have to be productive with my time. If I am ever lucky enough to get an open-ended crafting session, like at a crop, I can push patterned papers around for ages before I glue anything down. At home, I have it all planned in my head so I get straight on with it whenever the opportunity arises (and again, another reason for using a sketch)


How about you? To sketch, or not to sketch? How do you make / find time to do what you love?



5 comments:

Julie Ann Rachelle Interior Design said...

These are really sweet! I love the soft colors. The geisha is especially adorable!!!! xoxo

Emily said...

Your cards are all beautiful!

Jen Cro said...

Your geisha card is great. I like them all but the geisha is my favorite.

Shaz in Oz.CalligraphyCards said...

Hi there Kirsty it was Wed over here in Oz when I posted my blog Wed page.. we are way ahead of you guys.. called jet lag when you fly!!
Wow love your cards but must admit I hardly ever use a sketch unless am stuck as hardly ever do a challenge too busy with other things and make time ie prioritise and think being an ex teacher makes you like that!! lists etc!! my dad also ex teacher at 81 still has his lists..
Shaz in oz.x

Kim Strother said...

The geisha card is so cute...love it!