Monday, October 6, 2014

Diwali Greeting Cards 1

Hello,

I have been making and sending greeting cards on various occasions to friends and relatives since I was in school. However, I was not aware of all the various, fancy, attractive crafting tools available here, in USA, till a few years ago. I just used a pair of scissors for cutting shapes, glue that came in bottle and later glue sticks to paste those, and watercolors with brush or crayons/ color-pencils/ markers to fill colors. I can't imagine, so many things- different tools and methods existed and I did not know about those till a couple of years. Now, die-cut machines cut precise, crisps shapes; range of inks provide myriad shades of one color and allow even more permutation and combinations of colors; embossing folders press an image in no time (and no pain), Copic markers help create perfect shading (almost like company made cards available in stores) without dipping a brush into water and/ colors, and stamps... I can't believe, there is no need of hand-drawing or even handwriting a greeting if you get stamps matching your ideas and needs.

Gradually, I started introducing myself with these tools with the help of trial and error, and online tutorials and videos. I perceived a whole new side of creativity. It can be called partial creativity, especially while using items that come with images- stamps, embossing folders, die-cuts. Images are already there, how you color them and arrange them is part of your creative process. No doubt, it is easy and quick, which I also like. Completing a project quickly and holding it in your hands at the end of the day gives a different kind of joy, I guess, different than imagining and visualizing design ideas and channeling that enthusiasm to apply them to create something. So, there are joys in creativity and joys in achievement, and I need both. :)

Right now, I am enjoying these quick, productive creative trips with a small amount of tools I have acquired. And, I agree with other craters, it is addictive...addictive enough to leave every other work aside.

Anyway, I created some Diwali (Festival of Light in India) cards this time and would like to share some here. Enjoy!


 







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