Percolated Creativity

I know that's a weird title for this post, but it's what describes best the process I went through as I designed this set of monogrammed stationery. I've had two of these done for several weeks, using Basic Grey and Cool Caribbean (tryin' to use up some VERY old card stock from the first InColor collection in '06).

Then I lost my creativity--I think fatigue and the knowledge that I wasn't going to meet my initial deadline to give this as a gift for the holiday stole it--and it wasn't until Friday that it returned! Has this ever happened to you in the middle of a project? I'm cruising right along and then I just lose interest. I don't get it. Since the result of "letting sleeping cards lie" usually works out for the best, I'm posting this so you don't get discouraged by your process and persevere. Good things are in store, I promise!

This was the first card I created. I wanted this set to be usable by either the husband or the wife, so that set the tone for the designs. Clean, crisp, no frills. Very modern. The stamp sets I was inspired by were Fresh Alphabet and Simply Stationery by PTI. I also used Basic Backgrounds Retro, as it has a fantastic, hip look.

Since I didn't purchase the ink pads for the CC, I had to improvise. I went to the other InColor collections and on this card used Soft Sky from 2008. Then I walked away from this project for a few weeks and forgot that was the color I used! When I grabbed the ink pads again, I chose Baja Breeze, which is a bit stronger blue than SS, and it worked beautifully--and better, in my opinion.

The second card is a bit unusual, as it spells out the family's name across the front. Here's another example of where percolating works to one's advantage. When I set this card aside originally, it just had the center panel. Two days ago, when I compared it with the others, it looked a little drab, so I added the stamped images as borders across the top and bottom. It really jazzes up the card and grounds the center panel, don't you think?

The third card grew out of my love for circles and playing around with the two sizes of double-ringed circles that come in the Simply Stationery set. I had never used the little one before--I think it's 1/4" in diameter--and the design just kept growing as my creativity nudged me to "try this." Listen to those nudges! I added a strip of Basic Grey 1/4" satin ribbon to this, and I think it helps with the need for some visual relief from all the paper. See, a masculine-oriented card CAN incorporate ribbon! This is my favorite design of the set.

The last card began as a divergence from the earlier design with the bold border, and morphed into a card that was more feminine than any of the others. I decided not to fight it, did a little detective work to find out the wife's middle initial, and created this one specifically for her use. I started out working with this as a vertical orientation, but was happier with it as a horizontal card. The scalloped border punch really helped pull this design together.

I'll be giving the set to its intended recipients tonight. I hope they're as pleased with it as I am, and I know they won't mind that it's a little "after the fact" because it needed to percolate awhile.

ONE LAST THING: consider picking up this at-home kit for getting organized this month! I have plenty available, so disregard the need to wait until after Monday to let me know of your interest!