Tattered Blossom Heaven

I told you Brandy had been at it again.  Heartfelt Creations has been on her mind for the past month.  We booked our annual convention fun mid-December by registering for classes at CK's Scrapbook Convention scheduled for April 12-13 right here in Mesa, Arizona.   Each year we have a classic debate.  Do we take classes?  Since we began our creative paper journey over a decade ago at the convention, we've taken a few (read *many*) classes.  Additionally, with all our friends online who blog and inspire us providing the techniques and guides, we find there are few techniques we actually need instruction on.  So, Brandy and I have agreed that taking classes is less a learning experience and more an inspiration experience.  As such, we've come to find that class projects that *by the picture alone*  do not inspire our creativity should not be taken.  Last year's Cool Closures (We thought we might actually learn some cool closures.  We were wrong!) and Digital Photography classes were good examples.  We picked these two because we thought we might learn something innovative and new.  We just learned there is really nothing new under the sun that can't be googled and figured out rather than paying somewhere between $20-$30 for the pleasure.

This year stands to be significantly different.  We've decided *by using their product* that Heartfelt Creations products and classes provide exactly what we're looking for in a class.  Their classes have value- for the $25 class fee you receive all project materials (usually to make 3-4 cards or a 2 page layout) and a voucher for a free $15.99 stamp at their convention booth.  That works out to $3 a card, the instructions (written so you can take them home) for the project, and a stamp set that is totally worth the price.  Bonus is the time spent enjoying a 1 1/2 hours with your best friend.  So this year we only signed up for Heartfelt Creations classes.  Our "class load" is heavy this year because of the wonderful timing of sign up- post birthday for me.  We decided to enjoy the Delicate Aster class, Decorative 3D Cards, Heartfelt Techniques, and Heartfelt Layouts.  I'm not sure whether we can take such heartfelt times, but we're going to give it the 'ole college try. 

Brandy will also tell you that she scraplifted the entire design for these two cards directly from Heartfelt Creations' Related Project Samples tab for the Tattered Blossoms stamp set.  The recipe can be found here.  I'll politely disagree and point out a few improvements/advantages to Brandy's design.  First and foremost to me, the use of the clear pink pearls softens Brandy's card making her design slightly more girly to me.  Also, by not using the die to cut out and emboss the sentiment, I think she's made the swirl stamp the cornerstone and star of this show.  Not that I don't love a 3D'ed sentiment, because I do.  Just that direct stamping the sentiment for me in this case makes the card more simple in one way and more sophisticated in another.  Also, the use of the die to cut out one of those tattered blossoms and 3D it off the page again, for me, draws the eye to the star of the show which is the swirl.  I also really love the soft.as.butter yellow paper used in the background layer.  Makes those flowers pop!

Brandy used her Copic markers to color in all stamps, otherwise she pretty much followed the recipe.  Here's the products she used:

Tattered Blossoms Swirl Stamp Set

Tattered Blossoms Stamp Set

Tattered Blossoms Die

I'm pretty sure the sentiment stamps come from the stash, though I don't know the maker.

Before I go, just a quick note to give the props to Kathy Roney (whom I don't know personally) who not only made the original creation but graciously shared it with us all to be copied.  By pointing out what I like in Brandy's card I don't want to imply I don't love Kathy's creation.  It is beautiful and not lost on me that she thought of it first, something I have not done.  As I continue in this disease though, I find that sometimes it helps me to think about why I love a particular card and contrasting two similar designs can really bring that out for my broken down, not so creative self.  It helps me understand what draws me in and ultimately is the only real way to release my not so inner critical, perfectionist. it.will.never.be.right old lady so that the I LOVE TO CREATE part of me can get out.  If you're secretly like me, try it.  It might help too.  If you are like Brandy, what are you doing here?  Go make something would ya, because you make great stuff!

Andie (for Brandy)