Evening all! Im on a mission tonight! *Pulls up soapbox*
Im not a person who makes a card every day, I usually colour most days though even if it is just practice or trying out colour blends.
I know some of you are of a similar mind in that sometimes you just want to play or colour and not necessarily make a full blown card. I know over the years styles have changed and there is a swing towards a huge amount of embellishments on cards which I suspect makes some crafters feel a bit isolated as they can't 'compete'
Well let me say this, remember the reasons why you started crafting, was it to relax, join in with new groups and friends, to pass the time? Go back to these principals.
I saw someone say on a group the other day that they simply couldn't afford to compete or take part. You know that's fine too, you don't have to. Remember why you started...
It doesn't matter what you have or haven't got so long as it gives you pleasure. That's all that counts :)
Im quite happy colouring in and just practicing. Im not the best but im not bad but its what gives me personally a little pleasure.
Neither did I instantly go out and buy a full set of promarkers, 80% of them were gifts from OH for birthday, xmas, mothers day etc and took me 18 months. Im not fussed on getting flowers and the like, I will get way more pleasure from my pens or stamps so that's what I ask for. I don't drink and haven't had a night out in 2 years so what money i do get goes on kids, if I have any left I can get craft stuff. If I need clothes I often hit ebay, I dress unbelievably well from there lol!
So what im saying is don't feel isolated or left out if you don't have the latest and greatest. What YOU get out of it is far more important than perceived expectations. I don't have all these fancy nick nacks either. My cuttlebug (xmas gift from OH in 2008) well its C plate has snapped in half but hey I only need half a plate anyhow lol! I think that's the biggest piece of kit I've got but my love is colouring, that's what gives me pleasure the most so im actually more than happy to just colour for no reason.
So do join in groups and things even if its just chatting to like minded folk. Don't feel pressured into feeling you have to have the latest or fancy things. Take a look at the clean and simple type challenges, they look amazing and are hugely popular :)
So this is how I often spend an evening. Im just colouring and practicing pleats which sometimes I get right sometimes epic fail but seriously I practice these at least 15 times a week (they get binned!)
Thsee are actually a good ones but it has taken a while to learn and get a natural flow going.
The red one I practiced about 10 on before being happy with them and the purple one is tonights scribblings.
Well im off back to me scribbling :)
21 comments:
What a Super post Vix, I sometimes feel I am flogging a death horse! I suffer from never feeling confident in my work. I too love to colour (not very good in my opinion)but I love it. It takes me forever to put a simple card together.....lol I think its a shame if people are put off joining in though. xxxxxx
Your colouring is amazing - all that practice really does pay off!! Loved what you had to say about crafting. I for one began as a way to relax after a stressful day at work and then when I lost my job, it filled my days but like so many others, feel that I should have all the latest gadgets and embellishments and just can't afford them. It was so nice to be reminded of why I craft and that just because some fill their cards with flowers etc. does not mean that is the way it should be done. Thank you :0)
Denise xx
Do you know I've been thinking the very same thing of late. Sometimes I think you get lured down the path of others and forget where you came from. It's hard not to get seduced when others seem to get high praise, glory n' recognition for their work & you're lucky to get a 'like'. So you follow the herd, become miserable, lose your mojo & passion. In total agreement...be who you were, be inspired by other but remain YOU! Here endeth todays rant...enjoyed that xx
Well said!!! I started crafting because it relaxed me and I enjoyed it. All of my early cards were made with recycled bits and bobs and a lot of word processing. I'm fortunate now that with three grown up step children and a very supportive (and generous) hubby, I have quite a bit to spend on craft toys and I feel very blessed in that regard. I do put a lot of embellishment on my cards but that's most because I can't seem to do the CAS ones. So many of them turn out to be pants and I am envious of the great colourists out there and the clever ladies who manage to make beautiful one layer cards but what ever us crafters use - it's about the pleasure we get from giving vent to our creative side and hopefully the pleasure that is gained from receiving a card that was made with love and attention. Loving your colourwork on these cuties! Hugs, Lesley
I loved reading that post, I craft becasue i can't do much else, I have ME & Fibro & other 'stuff' and well I am housebound for most of each month just get out for hospital and dr appointments,and maybe I can manage one shopping trip to sainsburys - I like to colour, because its something i can manage even when i have been stuck in bed for a few days, (sometimes even coloring is not possible) but i am not that great and some of what i do hasn't made its way onto a card, but i enjoy it i do hope i will improve, the more i practise. i like giving cards i have made, because the people who know me, know how much effort i have put into it, i don't have much money either and have been buying 2 or 3 copics every 2 weeks for about 2 years and also get them as gifts but that means each one is treasured even more Hope you are having a good week Lou xxx
That's the most sensible thing I've heard all day!
I've been a scrapbooker for donkeys years, and started cardmaking about 2 years ago....recently went through my craft stash, and you wouldn't believe the stuff I bought....because I HAD to....when I first started!
I've kept my Big Shot and dies, my Promarkers (only got 9), my "best" papers, and a couple of small boxes of embellies....the rest has been given to various friends, and my grandkids.
Too much stuff was stifling me, and I feel so much better for the clear-out.
Back to practising my colouring (with tips from you, lol), and really enjoying my craft time without feeling guilty, or under pressure to get "the right look"!
Those pleats are amazing, btw!
I am behind EVERY word you said!!!
Wow! You are a brave waman to say that, and I am proud of you!
Thank you!
Hi Vix, I read your post with interest & agree with a lot of what you said. I craft 'cos I just like making things & get a great deal of satisfaction out of it. I don't own all the latest stuff either but I was lucky enough to get a Big Shot recently with the money my mum sent me for Christmas. I don't do much stamping so don't need Promarkers just have cheap ink pads & watercolour pencils. I also enjoy digital card designing, which some crafters frown on, lol. & I'm a great fan of CAS designs. It's a shame when someone feels left out 'cos they don't have the 'latest' toys, that's not what it's all about, is it?
Sally x
Best post I've read for an age, certainly the most sensible.
I craft to help maintain what little sanity I have and feeling pressured into expensive toys really does take away the warm fuzzies from making a cute card for your daughter. Hubby did offer to get me a cuttlebug, but, with the cost of dies it really was a waste of money and space for me.
Thanks for this wonderful post. I was wondering why there are so many cards with tons of flowers decorating them. I can't see the point if they have to be posted!
On another note - what would be a good beginners set for promarkers -blending set muted or pastels?
Well said, at the end of the day crafting for me is a hobby, so I have to enjoy it or I may as well stay at work. I love to stamp and would much rather buy a new stamp than the latest TH hardware or whatever(much as I love it on other peoples art), but how many bookplates or beads or whhatever can you stick on one tag!! It is so easy to get caught up in what people tell you you 'should' be using rather than what you like. Give me an ink pad/Homebase taster pot of paint any time! My beads come from the pound shop threaded on my own pins. No offence meant to anyone, if you like it carry on. Mmm thought this would be a quick reply - seems I too need to rant lol x
Well said! Completely agree with you. Also, people shouldn't get hung up on a style - just do whatever floats your boat and makes you happy! xxx
Fantastic post!!!! I agree with every word. We can all fall into it sometimes, I know I do. But like you said, it's for enjoyment and that is what is important at the end of the day.
Very well said Vix!!!!
Hugs
Debbi x
Well said Vix! I have to admit that sometimes I get so frustrated because I can't afford to buy tons of embelishments which really does seem to be the latest fashion on cards. It sounds silly but it gets me really down sometimes. Recently though I've tried to not worry about that so much and just make the cards that I like to create. Which is why I flit between grungy style and character stamping. I love practising my colouring and I love messing around with inks so yeah, that's what I'm going to stick to.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and reminding me why I began crafting in the first place.
Feebs
xx
Great comments Vix. And thanks for your samples (or should I say more pics for me to copy, tee hee hee) xx
Hi hun
a great post, we sometimes forget why we start things, i do it as i luv to colour, im no good at blending like some peeps your included in that, but i have always like to colour from being little, your two little ladies are gorgeous awesome colouring, sue,x
Brilliant post Vix well said and I agree I have started to make my own embellishments as like you said they are pricey at times and money is tight.
As for colouring practice that's what I have been doing all night didn't feel like making a card so printed off some digi's and have been happy as larry just colouring lol have a great sunday
Jacki xx
A lovely post. I feel a lot better now - thank you! Love 'n' hugs, Mel xx
Oh Vix. You had me hook line and sinker from Crafty Cardmakers. I was amazed I made the team, being "Not all that Crafty, but definitely a card maker". I adore you! I love your posts, coloring tuts and honesty! You are awesome! I am at this place now; comfortable with my crafty style! When I started crafting, saw my girlfriends cards and thought "I need those flowers".....found out I'm not a flower girl at all! Or Hey "i NEED that paper"...turned out to be ugly once I had it! LOL easily influenced I'd say. But I' m satisfied with where I am today. I was a card a day girl. For what?> I started cardmaking to support my friend who started a digi stamp shop.....found it relaxing. Then found it cumbersome. Lacking sleep, ignoring family....especially with all the computer time! So now I've slowed down, backed off and am starting to have fun again (or hope to once Mr. MoJO returns-lol). I am , unforunately, an embellishment girl....have been from day one! But now I realize, I don't need EVERYTHING!! NOT TODAY! I too have only a few copics......savoring them....will buy more as funds provide or as gifts present themselves! You always inspire me! Thanks for doing that! Sorry I haven't stopped by in a while, but as I said....tooo many things going on! I promise to be better! Mwah!
Great post! I craft because I'm home all the time, don't feel like doing a lot because my ole bones won't let me. I'm lucky to have a lot of things I've had for years, although it's taken me a while to get some new things, and that's because the Lord has blessed me. A card is from the heart and that's what matters most. I like a lot of foo foo on my cards, but if I didn't have it, I could make a simple card without the foo foo and it would be wonderful too! I know how sometimes you feel left out, because I do alot! It reminds me of when I was in school and the clicks, the groups of people that you had to fit in, I've never fit in a click or a group..thank the Lord! I still have in the back of my mind that I don't fit in, and probably never will and that's o.k. All of us need friends of all kinds, all backgrounds, all let's say rich, middle class and poor! I'm just thankful that I can enjoy the love of stamping and it keeps me sane :O) I too struggle and keep trying to improve my coloring and thanks to looking at blogs, tutuorial's and reading...pleats are still hard for me, but one day, maybe! I will have them down pat :O) I am having fun and that's what matters! My Dad being a minister all my life told me that if you have 1 good friend in this world then you are blessed. I count myself blessed! Thanks for this wonderful post...Big Hugs! Leah Ann
What a sensible post, at last someone who is able to call a card a card LOL.
I am a digital card maker and all my embellies are usually only printed out a few times to 3D or multilayer, but I am fed up as being seen as a not up to scratch crafter. However I make my cards the way I want to and how my customers like them and I will enter challenges where I don't come in the ratings, just 'cause I want to.
I am going to post a link to this post on my blog and perhaps others will see there are many ways we all craft, that's the way it is supposed to be. Mostly how we can afford to craft comes into it too.
Thanks again for such an interesting post. Sorry if it seems like I am ranting :)
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