A New "Colorful" Challenge

Okay...I decided I needed to expand my challenge "horizon". Layouts are truly difficult for me to create, so I lean toward the sketch challenges on the weekend. Anytime I feel like I have an original idea, I recall someone else's card that probably put the idea in my head in the first place. I've been following Lauren Meader and Sketch Saturday's challenges almost faithfully over the past couple of months. I think I'm accepting the fact that my "layouts" will always be semi-plagiarized - sooooo, I thought about the other element of a card that always challenges me. Color combinations!


I'm a huge admirer of Dawn Easton's work. If you aren't familiar with her, she creates some of the most amazing cards in the industry. To me, her talent is not only in the layouts she develops, but her color combinations. She varies her colors with every project it seems, and she's not afraid to use the uncommon hues. I feel like I limit myself in my color choices, so I look to her for inspiration. I know SCS has a color challenge, but I prefer blog challenges :O) So, I asked her if she ever thought about starting her own color challenge on her blog, but she isn't at a point where she has the time to dedicate to creating a challenge, so she referred me to a couple:


http://colorthrowdown.blogspot.com/
http://www.kwernerdesign.com/blog/

I checked out The Color Throwdown first, and never even looked at the other link (I know, shame on me). I'll check it out, just not today :O) The color choices for this week were super!

The gears started turning right away. My layout is blah...because it's "my design" (please, how many people have created a card with the exact same, simple layout??) LOL. I'll still claim it though :] The stamp set "Remember" is by Lisa Johnson, for Papertrey Ink. I came across a piece of DP that shows a field of poppies and the buds growing in a periwinkle color (buds in a sage or olive tone). It makes me think of this set every time I look at it. Unfortunately, the colors are not the same so I couldn't think of a way to incorporate it into this card. BUT, it was my inspiration so not all is lost on the DP :O)


I like the end result well enough to send it off to my mother. She is one of the strongest women I know. You wouldn't believe everything she has overcome... I'm going to send it for no reason whatsoever other than the fact that it makes me think of her. Her favorite color being purple is just a bonus :O)


Oh, lest I forget. I'm so excited!!! I found a site that creates custom stamps (http://www.designyourowncard.com/rubber-stamps). I've looked at several sites before but my image never uploaded clearly so I gave up. This time it worked like a charm so I ordered the stamp of my logo that David Lettier made for me (I sign each post with it). This is the stamped image on the back of the card above:


Cool, huh? I'm so happy!! It arrived in just a few days and the stamp only cost around $5 or $6 without shipping. It's 7/8"...just about the size of the SU! stamp I normally use (the circular, "hm" handmade stamp). Love it, love it, love it!


Have a great weekend! I'm off to finish up my card party preparations for tomorrow.