Creative Blog Hop

Hello My "Creative" Friends...
Today, I am participating in a "Creative Blog Hop", invited by my Canadian friend Deena Perrault from a "Creative Need".

Please sit back, relax and take a cup of coffee, this is a long post!!!

This continuous hop is all about introducing to you imaginative people in every possible field of the production of an artistic work: weather it is crafting, scrapbooking, writting, painting, drawing, illustrating, knitting etc etc etc...
It is held every Monday, and today is my turn to answer some questions about my creative process and present to you some of my crafty friends and their blogs who in turn will continue with the hop next Monday...
It is all about sharing and discovering blogs full of creative people...
So, I am inviting you to "hop" and discover inspirational people and their blogs...

But before you hop...
I want to introduce to you

Deena Perrault from "Creative Needs", who asked me to join this interesting hop.

 I met Deena, while I was creating this blog...right after a trip that I made to Québec, city ..I wanted the traditional hanging signs, that I saw all over Quebec city for one of my sections (organization) on the side bar of this blog...and  I needed somebody to draw me that and some other specific black and white art for my signatures and other drawings on my side bar...Thanks to the magic of the internet, Google and fate I found Deena. She translated into beautiful pencil drawings what I really wanted for my blog as you can see throughout my blog.

Deena is a true artist and has shifted lately to create instant download digital stamp images as well as her her own line of papers.
You can purchase her drawings at her Etsy shop "A creative Need" and at her blog she holds every month fun themed challenges and from time to time she gives away free digital stamp drawings for you to create with...
I hope you gave her a visit and discover her wonderful creative world.
Thanks Deena for inviting me to this hop!

Now let's answer some questions about me... 

1-What I am working on?
Well, I am always working on something...
I tried to set goals, for either the day, the week and the month, by making "To DO" lists.

I tried to spend every day (when not traveling, of course) some time at my craft room

Either, making the cards for my DT assignments, cards to send to family and friends, simply for the pleasure to create something, conceptualizing tutorials/videos, classes, writing at my blogs...or organizing.
Because, As much as I like creating I love to organize too ...so every day I spend 10 minutes or more organizing my craft room, always looking to improve the system that I have now and ameliorating my blog as well.

Besides these, daily activities,
I like to paint, so this is always a work in progress.
I set up a table at my garage and from time to time I pop over there and I paint...
- Right now, I am working on 3 canvases at the same time.

-I am planning this month to create "one layer cards", so here are some already done to send overseas. - Here are some of the packets going on the mail ... which I do very often...
-I am as well planning a Stampin Up' party and
-I am improving/practicing and watching YouTube videos on calligraphy, as I want to use it more for my Art Journal

2- How does my work differ from others in my genre?
This is a real difficult question for me to answer...I really can not put myself in a specific category yet because I consider myself still in a "work in progress".
I know what I like, (when drawing I gravitate more towards nature, flowers, still life, landscapes, abstract, less towards people, animals).  I search constantly to experiment with different mediums and techniques and so far I like them all, there are few mediums that I have tried That I say I do not like them.
I know that I am a detailed, somewhat organized person, I pay attention to symbolism, I have a good sense of color combination, composition and flow of things,  all this comes naturally, I do not think much about it.

But labeling what I do as vintage, trendy, busy, Gothic, CAS, shabby chic, steam-punk, abstract, elegant, sophisticated etc would be to my eyes wrong because my "modus operandi" depends on the mood and what I want to create for that particular moment, so I can not say globally my style is this or that for now...

Here are some samples of all the styles and cards That I have done...
Maybe you see a common thread....

This photo features All sorts of shaped cards...
step cards, gatefold, teepee, bendi, tent, diorama, easel, circular...

vintage and shabby chic looking

Simpler cards on the left with some Asian looking ones..
on the right more "artsy" style with whimsical ones below...

Elaborated cards with lots of dimension...

and this photo displays many techniques and mediums:
acetate cards, Inchies, Iris Folding, Spirelly, Parchment Craft, Glazed Acrylics, Watercolor, Embossing Paste, Glitter, Stencils, Inlay, Embossing, ATC's among some other techniques...

Although, People have told me that when they see a card of mine they recognize my "style"...but to me it is not that clear yet!...

I guess I would like to say if I have to describe my creations is perhaps "eclectic/aesthetically pleasant (I like to think they are)" and my style is define by the moment, so I make conscious decisions for that particular project.....
Hopefully, in a few years I will discover what my "style" really is, Art is a growing, gradual experience and an evolving one ...so I am still discovering myself...

3- Why Do I write/create what I do?
It is an innate drive in me, it is in my DNA. The impulse of imagining something and translating that need and thought into something pretty (to my eyes) is what motivates me to do it.
I feel happy when I create ...I guess it is a very selfish indulgent pleasure!
I do Cards vs Scrapbooking because I like the "instant" gratification of seeing the finished product but I would like to experiment more in mix media paintings and create more constantly in my art journal...

4- How does your writing/creative process work?
In no particular order,  I fix my thought on a stamp, die, shape, technique or color  that I want to use and from that one idea I start adding. It is a building process.

When I decide on a particular stamp, for example I focus an that stamp, then I think on the colors That I want to use, the type of shape of the project that will suit that stamp, the medium or technique that I want to explore, the papers/textures that I want to include and of course many times for what occasion the project is for...but always keeping in mind that things can change and go in a new direction with new colors or shapes...if the 1st is not working...Flexibility is the key!

So at 1st is a gathering process of ideas, around one main item, then I start playing with them and little by little the project starts to present itself...it reveals naturally...

I take inspiration from all  around me, nature, my garden, objects that I like and surround me in my house,  in my travels, I always take photos of things that I like and use them later as inspiration, Pinterest boards, other creative people, among many other sources...

This is an example of how I got inspired for this card...I love this small jewelry box, so much that it inspired me to make that card...

What happens when things do not flow, and inspiration is not there?
I immediately, leave and change of activity...the muse will come back later...I do not force myself...and most of the time when I imagine an "exact" result, the result is most likely to be something totally different from my original "forced" idea...that's why I let it flow, If I force it, it will not result in a pleasant project.

And a last thing, for me, I need to start with an organized space...when my room is clean from clutter my mind is also clean and ready to create..so I that is why I organize every day...
but this does not mean that I will end up working without clutter, as I mentioned before I add, and add, and add...so from a clean desk, at the end I end up working in a tiny space...with a desk full of stuff and piles of inks, dies, papers etc. I have seeing this with many other bloggers...
In conclusion, we are very similar and have so much in common! So my process of creating perhaps is not so much different that yours.

This is it for the questions about me...

And Now I would like to introduce you to 3 blogger friends...

who will continue with the hop next Monday...
They are so special and have very distinctive blogs which is why I choose them!...discover their differences and the things that each one of them has to offer...
here is a little about them...


1- Beth Norman from "Sunflowers and Dragonflies"

Beth works full time as a medical secretary in Canada.
Her rubber stamping Blog Started in 2007, when she started working on altered books. So you can imagine the ton of stamps that she has!!! and the best of all is that her Blog has over 150 tutorials...!!! yes that's right you will find over there tons and tons of excellent tutorials...She is a Designer tutorial in the "Technique Junkie Newsletter".
Here it is a little bit more of what she has to say about her DT:

"I have been on several design teams, but my favorite one has been the Technique Junkie Newsletter where I have been working as a writer of tutorials and have been making cards since 2008.  Pat, the owner of the Technique Junkie Newsletter just purchased Stamp Camp and now I'm designing cards for her trade shows.  The company is now called Technique Junkies Stamps.

I'm now in the midst of learning to use stencils and mixed media as that is the trend now-a-days.  I love to learn new things which is why I follow Bibiana's blog; she is so full of inspiration."

Well, The admiration is mutual, as I started following Beth when I started my blog and discovered her and her amazing tutorials and genuine generosity for willing to transmit to us what she knows...thanks Beth!


2- Vicky Robertson from "He"Artful" Validation of Vicki"

At Vicky's blog you will find a variety of craft projects that goes from cards, scrapbook layouts to mix media altered projects...which they are my favorites! Since she is in 3 Different DT, her projects are really diverse. She designs for "Craft-Dee BowZ", "Dies R Us", and "Rogue Redhead Designs". And her work has being published in Scrapbook Trends Wedding Magazine, Creating Keepsakes Magazine and several online craft magazines.

Here it is a little bit more of what she has to say about her:


"I love art in all forms and have been crafting since I could hold a pair of scissors.  My style is eclectic and changes on a daily basis.  Scrapbooking was the start of it all, but cards and mixed media projects monopolize a major part of what I create also. Bibiana's detailed projects have inspired me on many occasions.  Thank you Bibi for the honor of your nomination!"
  
Actually the honor is for me to have Vicky in my blog...We Both are avid crafters and our Hubbies are Golfers too,  a couple of times we had the intention to meet in person at CHA (Craft and Hobby Association), but for one reason or another we keep missing each other...one day! 
Thanks Vicky for accepting the Invitation to this creative blog hop!

3- Darnell Knauss (pronounced Kan-ouse) from "DJ Kard Kreations"

Darnell not only does great cards but her craft room is the most darling one, She calls it her Playhouse, and with just cause because it is a real house aside on her garden. A crafter's Heaven! But What I admire the most is her writing. To me she has a real gift with words, and she plays with them as we do with craft tools! and masters the English language in a very relax way!
She post from time to time the most unusual little stories at her blog along with her cards that captivated me from day one, when I discovered her through the internet. She has being for 45 years a legal secretary/assistant/paralegal admin.And the best of all...I discovered that we live one hour from each other!!!

Here it is a little bit more of what she has to say about her:

"I started this hobby in 2002 after attending my first Stampin' Up! party and I have never looked back. After ten years making cards for family and friends inside the disgusting garage, we had the backyard re-landscaped and I became the envied occupant of my sweet crafty Playhouse. I am having the time of my life sharing my cards, playing with words, and connecting with delightful people from all over the world who provide me with endless inspiration!"

Well, you are an inspiration Darnell, for all of us, I have already several tips from you and I wanted to give YOU, your own little "spot" on my blog as you always and so candidly do in every post of yours recommending and talking about everybody else's blogs in your section "New Friends Corner".
So now You are in the spotlight in my blog!

Ok, are you...still here?
I warned you... this was a long one 
but I think so much worth it!!!

Please visit my friends' blogs, give them a little bit of love and remember, They will be continuing with this fun hope next Monday, August 4th...
so mark your calendars and hop over there, pay them a visit and find out how they will answer these same questions and who they will invite for the hop...

This hop is certainly full of inspiration, you got to know a little bit about me and this is a great way of meeting new people and discovering new blogs and admiring  diverse ways to express our creativity..

Thanks for staying until here with me and now go and pay a visit to my 4 blogger friends... to discover by yourself what they do!!!

Until next Time 
lots of hugs from sunny California