Maybe not.
Probably not.
I don't know about you, but I tend to go on creative binges. The month of May was one solid binge. I felt energized and creative with ideas spinning through my head regularly. I hit a few frustrating walls and managed to hurdle over them and land safely on the other side.
I have to say, once it was over, I thought I would have to slow down, or pack away the adhesive for a while. I expected to be spent. Then I discovered the Creativity Boot Camp which offered another method of creativity. A way to focus again on my photography which, while creating pages, tends to be less of a priority as I'm playing with paper and writing up stories. Though the last couple of weeks of photography, and writing, I was able to maintain my creative pace and re-charge simultaneously.
I realized at the end of CBC that I had not shared all of my May goodness with you! I managed to get more out of my studio in the last eight weeks than I have in the last eight months!
Sketchapalooza was wonderful. The ladies of Feeling Scrappy are fabulous and so willing to try new things and change things up. This past month I spent much time on the forums and commenting in the gallery since most of my contribution was done in preparation for the month. For the class I created six sketches and twenty layouts. So much fun contributing to Jayne's design team! I can't wait for the next project :)
A Week in the Life was such an all-encompassing challenge. Photos and stories captured one week and magically turned into a fully-formed album sitting in our family room and enjoyed by family and friends the next week. Such a rewarding exercise. And exhausting!
With all of that going on I messed up on LOAD (Layout A Day with Lain Ehmann) and only managed a few layouts, though, I have to say, those I managed, I really liked. I mean, really liked. I shared a couple of the layouts previously, here are the (too few) rest:
SANDPAPER: Close to My Heart
INK: ColorBox Cats Eye
FONT: Helvetica, SketchyTimes
CHALLENGE: Lain asked us to get a little grungy. This is my interpretation.
PRINTED PAPER: Basic Grey
BRADS: Bo Bunny
FONT: Helvetica
PHOTO: Found here
SCRAPLIFT: Kelli Crowe's "Iconic Style" was the basis for the layout.
PRINTED PAPER: American Crafts, KI Memories
BRADS: American Crafts
THICKERS: American Crafts
STICKERS: American Crafts
FONT: BeauRivageOne
SCRAPLIFT: Jody Wenke's "Iconic Style" inspired this layout
PRINTED PAPER: Basic Grey
FELT FLOWERS: Stash (I really can't remember!)
PEARLS: Prima
FONT: Helvetica, Cocktail Script
SCRAPLIFT: Jody Wenke's "Iconic Style" inspired this layout
PRINTED PAPER: Sassafras Lass
THICKERS: American Crafts
FONT: Helvetica
EXTRAS: Dimentional Glue Dots
PRINTED PAPER: Creative Imaginations
STICKERS: Rose Moka, Creative Imaginations, Scenic Route
FONT: Helvetica, Honey Script
SCRAPLIFT: Jody Wenke which was a lift of my friend Barb Wong
CHALLENGE: Write.Click.Scrapbook
BRADS: Bazzill
THICKERS: American Crafts
FONT: American Typewriter
NOTE: Yes, I am crazy enough to remove the word " ... FREEDOM" and fix it so that the red bulls-eye is in the centre of the O. I didn't notice until after I took the photo that it was wonky. It's not now!
I have to say that I really enjoyed getting back to making some more photo-centric layouts with the big 8x12 enlargements. I've missed them, and I like a chance to showcase some fun photos that don't make it into frames! I've also gotten away from making 2-page layouts which were, a long time ago, my specialty. I'm thinking of maybe making a few - the Sketchapalooza sketches were so brilliant and versatile, I have no doubt I already have 20 places to start.
There are a few other projects still in the midst of being completed which I'll share some other time. I'm still not 100% sure I like them. They definitely need a little tweaking, and for a minimalist scrapper as myself, that's saying a lot! I'm also signed up for a few more structured projects:
- I held out and didn't sign up for any pressure-filled or paid-for courses in the last 6 months. For an on-line course junkie like myself that level of self-restraint was hard! Then I found out that Angie Warren of The Creative Mama is teaching a photography course Project Photography starting TODAY, June 20th for five weeks and I couldn't pass it up. The price was good and I really enjoy her work. If you're going to learn a craft, learn from someone you admire, right?
- THEN I got a note from Mondo Beyondo which captured my attention sometime last year. They are offering a Dream Lab for the summer. Kind of a mini, no-pressure Mondo Beyondo. Again, I pushed that PayPal button and it starts tomorrow, on June 21st and goes for eight weeks. My quiet, non-creative summer has just filled up. SNAP. Just like that. Four clicks of my mouse. But doesn't this Dream Lab description sound perfect? "This is the thought that inspires me to no end: What would happen if we set aside our lists (our goals, our drive, struggle) for eight weeks? What would shift in our lives as a result of radical acts of play? of kindness? of rest? What would this clearing create space for in our hearts and in our lives?"
- Ali Edwards Stories of Summer series is scheduled to begin on June 21st as well, continuing through July 6th. Such inspiration. Really wonderful stuff. I always find brilliant and practical stuff when Ali gets to creating and sharing.
- Because I couldn't leave well enough alone, on the advice of my brilliant cyber-friend, Jill, I joined Everyday Elements for the 2-hour class on June 24th. I know bits and pieces about PSE, I've tried a few things to some degree of success but it was a matter of just enough information to be frustrating. Plus, I really wanted to figure out "actions".
Though, I have to admit, the best part of the last month+ was the time I took to really take a look at the projects I am doing, want to do and need to let go. I spent the first week of June writing down everything I learned from that process. I'm no longer spinning-my-wheels when I sit down to create. There is always something on the list that appeals to me at the time. I do not like waste, and I really dislike wasted time! Everything is now catalogued with references, photographs and instructions. That is probably the best creation to come from the studio in months!
