Designers Blog Hop

I am so thrilled today to be sharing this honor with you all!  First I have to talk about the one who nominated me for this honor, Chris Olsen of Our Daily Bread Designs.  She is the team leader for the challenge design team and is an awesome inspiration to me!!  The two of us were also on the Dirty Dozen at the same time for a couple months.   It blew me away when she asked me!!  She is probably the number one reason I have improved my card making 100%.  She is a person of detail.  I thought I was, but not like Chris.

I am happy to say that because of her inspiration and influence, I am more detailed with each layer and each card.  Here are two of the many BEAUTIFUL cards that Chris has created.

This is such a beautiful card, one of my favorites because I love the sea stamps. Her colors are just wonderful and I love the dies and the card style too!

Chris is so sweet, she always encourages us in everything we do at ODBD.  She makes me feel valued.  She is also one of the best card artist around. Each layer is stitched or embossed or matted and embellished in a number of ways.  I've never seen one yet that looked like something was missing!! For Chris to nominate me was amazing!

The other part of this Designer Blog Hop is to answer a few questions, so here we go.

1. What am I working on right now?

I am always creating new cards for Our Daily Bread Designs and also for DRS Designs, two of the companies that I design for but right now, at the same time...I am designing cards for the Hope You Can Cling To challenges at Splitcoaststampers.  This all keeps me VERY busy.  My family probably wonders if I even live here anymore...I'm always in my craft room!

This is a card I did for the first day of challenges, paper tole.

2. How does my work differ from others in my genre?

I don't feel like my work is much different from other people's.  I am always striving to improve what I do but I like to do so many different styles.  I like trying new things and then teaching others to do it too.  One difference might be layers, I love layers, love dies, love ribbon...I just can't seem to do "plain" cards.  Even when I try, they always end up with stuff!

3. Why do I create what I do?

I have to create! That is what I was born doing...thanks in a big way to my mother, who was always doing the newest craft and was a fabulous artist in watercolor and oils.  I feel frustrated and (probably a mad mood) when I can not create.  I think that is when the not nice side of me comes out!! LOL!  I love creating for my blog post because I feel like it is a way to share God's creation and love,  I can share my faith through my blog.  Since I design for Our Daily Bread Designs I get to use godly images and scripture or uplifting sentiments on my cards.  

DRS also has many wonderful stamps that I love using for my blog post and sharing my faith.

4. How does my creative process work?

I usually start with an image.  I die cut it to the desired shape and color it, then decide whether I want to use decorative paper with it or fancy die cut frames.  Occasionally I will pick out some decorative paper first and then find an image to go or that I can color to go with it.  I don't usually do that but once in a while if I have paper that I REALLY want to use I will.  

I lot of times I start with the challenge given.  This takes thought which is usually the longest part of my creating.  I LOVE to do sketch challenges, I feel like a lot of the thinking is already done for me.  I have books in my craft room for birds, butterflies, trees, flowers and animals.  I refer to them often when I want to color a bird or animal realistically.  I take a few more liberties with butterflies and flowers but I do refer to them occasionally for those too.

Now on to the fun part, nominating another one of my favorite artist and she just happens to design for Our Daily Bread Designs as well.

Introducing...

Sandee Shanabrough of Simply Southern Sandee

Sandee is the newest member of the Dirty Dozen but she has been designing for Our Daily Bread Designs since 2009.  She also designs for North Coast Creations, since it's beginning. She is a southern girl from Georgia and her southern ways shine as Sandee is one of the sweetest gals I know.  We have lately become great Facebook friends.  Sandee also love photography which must be another reason why I love this lady!  Those of you who know me, know that was and is a great passion of mine as well.  Here is a sample of Sandee's beautiful creations, pure elegance!

I hope someday I will be able to meet Sandee in person!!

A link to her gallery at Splitcoaststampers is HERE.

This next person doesn't have a blog so she can't participate in that part but she is a great inspiration to me and I wanted you all to know her work.  She is known as Susie Australia at Splitcoaststampers.  Susie is so full of life that I get as much pleasure from reading her descriptions as I do looking at her mixed media masterpieces.  This is Susie's link to her gallery, click HERE.

Susie is from Australia, of course...another person I want to meet in person! She is one of the funniest people I know! She has such a way of explaining her "mishaps" in the craft room that I tend to frequently laugh out loud!!

Here is a sample of her work.

I love Chris, Sandee and Susie, they are such an inspiration to me.  I hope you will stop by their galleries at SCS and Sandee's blog post on Oct. 13th to read more about her and see who she nominates.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great week!! 

Blessings,

Robin