I'm a great believer that there are two things that make me more creative: less choice and making mistakes.
Sounds a bit counterintuitive, but it works. For me.
This is one (of many) examples where making a mistake forced me to think and perhaps come up with something a bit more creative than originally planned. In this case it was my plan to showcase some of my many photos and create a calendar to give, to my sisters and maybe to a few friends over the holiday, in anticipation of 2011.
What a process!
I managed to narrow down the 25,000+ photos taken this year to 12; one to represent the month it was captured. The images are those that resonate the most with me, and perhaps to my family who are of very few who would recognize where some of those photos were taken.
I then went into my collection of freebie digi downloads to find a layered calendar template. I found one only to realize now, when I decided to post, that I have no idea where it is from. The original download files have no reference to it's origin. If you see it and recognize it: 1. Thank you and 2. LABEL your work so you can receive credit! (Then I realized, when searching for the reference to the freebie download, that I had PURCHASED a download which I didn't use! Gah.)
The plan was to print the finished files off:
to fit in:
Wrong. They DID NOT FIT!!
So out came the key tools to creativity: Centering ruler, jump rings, crop-o-dile, black cardstock, bone folder:
With those tools, my tape runner and my trimmer, I managed to put a few of these together:
The best part? Once I finished, I realized that using this structure, through 2011, I can print off a 5x7 print that best represents each month as it happens, write up a 5x7 piece of cardstock to record the small everyday happenings of the month and by the end of next year, voila, a mini book of memories!
My sisters do not scrapbook, but who knows, this is easy enough. I think I'll have to suggest it :)
Let me know if you want to win one of my mistakes :) I have one left to give away! I'll draw for names on Sunday, December 19th at 7PM Eastern.
