Sources of Inspiration

After reading one of the sweet comments on my last card, (Thanks, Tracy!) I got to thinking and started to worry... what if I had unconsciously CASE-d the card from another designer, and just wasn't realizing it! (No surprise... almost 40 years and four kids later, my memoriy is not much to speak of! LOL) I wanted to make sure that if I had been inspired by someone else's work, that the person who's card had done so received the proper credit. And after scouring the endless pages of my favorites at a few different websites, I finally came across one over at SplitcoastStampers that was probably my source of inspiration: A card by "look-inkgood". I'm not exactly sure if this was the card floating through my subconscious when I made my version, but it is indeed very similar. I'm not sure when I added it to my favorites either, but it's been a while ago, since it was on the second to last page! Anyway, I wanted to post her card and say thank you to "look-inkgood" for her awesome card and the idea it gave me for mine! :)

Here's one I made, which I'm also fairly certain I've seen an idea for somewhere: (I'm truly paranoid now! LOL)

All images are copyright 1990-2007 Stampin' Up! - the flowers from their "Simply Sweet" set and the sentiment from the "Small Script" set, now retired.

I randomly stamped the flowers on the left with Memories black ink. I colored them in using the mighty Uniball Signo white gel pen, thanks to so many wonderful artists out there who are also currently using this technique - such as Godelieve and Sylvie. Thank you! :) (By the way... I LOVE THAT PEN. If you don't already own one, what are you waiting for?! LOL) And since I missed the boat on the Dots & Daisies background stamp from the SU spring mini catty (still kicking myself for that one) which coordinates with this set beautifully, I figured I could try to improvise. So I used a paper piercer and randomly pierced holes in a curvy pattern, vertically connecting the flowers. (I'm sure that this is a technique that someone out there has previously shared, so by all means, stand up and receive your credit as well as my thanks!) I colored the main image with my Stampin' Up! Watercolor Wonder Crayons and an Aquapainter. Then I sponged the edges of the main image, double-matted it, wrapped it with ribbon (unknown source), and mounted it with dimensionals. If I had been smart about it, I think I would've wrapped the ribbon around the entire card, underneath the focal image and knotting it just above the sentiment.Oh well, it's on there now! LOL I stamped the sentiment and last little flower, also coloring it in, to complete the look, but just might go back and sponge the edges of the red card base, just to give it that last bit of oomph. It seems a little flat.

As always, thanks for looking! :) In the next day or so, I will be posting a personal challenge I've created for myself as a way to hold Lisa accountable for something. ;) Hope your week is off to a great start!