Falling in Flames

Card Front: Stamps - Cat's Pajamas; Inks - Memento & Colorbox Chalk; Copics; Spicas; Stickles; B&T paper I've had for years and LOVE it...wished I would have purchased a ream of it!!

Inside Card: see above for card-making ingredients

I was just flipping through some of my B&T paper one day - not planning on doing anything in particular WITH it - I just like looking at it, handling it, smelling it.....weird huh?? What I can I say - I really do love paper. Lots of times the paper sparks an idea....I don't really have an exact way of coming up with a card idea - different things just hit me. In fact, I was working on Saturday, doing my mindless "real" job and as I was working, my thoughts floating around as I glanced up at one of the three calendars I have hanging on my cubicle walls (a mini Mary Engelbreit - love her stuff.....so warm and cheery), looking at the birthdays for the month - and I realized I have 2 b-days for golfers coming up. What to do, what to do for a card..........since I'm not a golfer at all. Hmmmm- I knew I had a golf bag stamp since I purchased one this time last year to make cards for these same two people.....what can I do with that stamp? And then it hit me - a cool card idea (if it translates to my satisfaction, I'll post it at the end of the month). This all took about 15 seconds in real time - the card popped into my head and I grabbed a Post-It note, scribbled a description and a REALLY lame sketch design (hence why I stamp versus draw....) and all the while I continued on with my oh-so boring mundane work.

Is that how it works for most card-makers I wonder? Do they "see" finished cards in their head? Do stamps inspire a card, is it paper or embellishment, fabric or a first daffodil they see?? I guess it's all of those things and so much more that zap card ideas into my head - hey, maybe I'm lucky to have such a boring job........my mind is ALWAYS on the look-out for something interesting!!