Feeling Inspired and Too Little Time

Have you ever felt so inspired to create, but have too little time? Then you know how I am feeling lately.

Life is busy. With two special needs children, I am running around to appointments every day. Not to mention, that I teach English as an Additional Language (ESL) at a local college. I am sure that you can relate. We all have very busy lives these days.

I caught a live on Facebook of Dawn, from Dawn G Design's.  Watching her has inspired me to use the stamps and digital images by Paper Nest Dolls, created by Christine Young. The stamps are just adorable. I believe that she has created them in the image of her children, which is very touching. Dawn is so funny on her lives. It is very refreshing to find a group that is so honest and real.

So, I have gotten out all my markers, pencils and watercolors and have created several cards this weekend. I have lots more ideas in my head and seem to have too little time to create. Working with color is my first love; markers, watercolors, inks, or pencils - I am always amazed at how color brings an image to life. 

I think that there is a life lesson in there somewhere. Maybe color brings us to life too. 

We recently went to Tybee Island, Georgia, and there is color everywhere. Beautiful turquoise, peach, pink, greens, and yellows - well you get the point. After our trip, I started back with making cards. It has just all come together with a flood of creativity, which I want to share with you.

I reset up my camera to film videos, took a chance and looked into an opportunity with a UK crafting business, and started this blog. I am just a person who loves to craft and want to share my journey with you and share yours too. I hope you decide to follow me and like my Face Book page at Creative Paper Crafting with Jacquie. 

I used Watercolors for this image.

Colored with Spectrum Noir 

Colored with Copics

Bird Song by Penny Black - a relaxing watercolor project.

I was thinking back to when I first started making cards.

I had wanted to make a card for our granddaughter. I had no idea where to start. So naive! I went and bought supplies, then more supplies, and even more supplies. About $200 later, I made my first card and so the journey began. Don’t we all start out naive about what we need, and the cost?

Making cards has helped me through many tough moments in my life and I think I will forever love working with paper and inks. I have found that my favorite items to work with are rubber stamps, digital images, markers, watercolors, pencils, and inks.

 I do have a Cricut and a Scan n Cut, but I still love just cutting out my images and working with them. This week we celebrated the Fourth of July at home with our own small stockpile of fireworks. They were small, but mighty.

To me the fourth has become such a fun family event centered on our kids. There is something special about a child’s face when they watch the fireworks. I wanted to take the sense of joy and use it on a card. I am a big believer in using what you have and not buying lots of new things.

Since I did not have any fireworks type of stamps or images I decided to use Bird Song from PennyBlack Stamps.  I used my watercolors and Prisma Color pencils to create this sweet image. I really do think the image is just so innocent. The little girl is so enthralled with the bird.

Childhood should be filled with happiness and moments of pure joy.

Please join me in my Face Book group Creative Paper Crafting with Jacquie . I want this group to be a fun and safe place to share your work and tutorials too. 

Starting Over Again

I started making cards about four years ago.

 I was creating a card just about every single day. I posted videos of my cards and of reviews of subscription boxes. I had hoped to get on a design team. Don't we all?

Life changed for me about two years ago when my second grandchild came to live with me. Since that time we now have a third, who came to live with us at just 2 days old.

As you can imagine making cards was put on the back burner. Now that the baby is a year old, I plan to start making cards on a nearly daily basis again.

I still dream of becoming a design team member. My goal is to start posting and making videos again. I created a Face Book group too.

I want a place where we can share demos, cards, and ideas in a friendly environment. I hope that you will join me at my Face Book group Creative Paper Crafting with Jacquie.