Creative Blog Hop

Creative Blog Hop

I was nominated to take part in the Creative Blog Hop by the Fabulous Fiona Henderson. Fiona is a wonderful, warm person whom I met through facebook and a mutual friend. Her work is both beautiful and inspiring and she is willing to take on many challenges; both in and out of the world of crafting.

She, like so many talented crafters, have health issues past and present. This is not something she dwells on nor makes a big song and dance about. In fact, unless you know her, you would not guess as she keeps all this very close and still manages to give of herself and her art to others.

(http://ahighlanderflingofcards.blogspot.co.uk/)

The questions I have to answer?

1. What am I working on?

I have my fingers in a few pies, so to speak. I am, currently, on the design teams for Rick St Dennis, Teri Sherman's Delicious Doodles and lately the new Delicious Darkness and Haunted Design House.

Most of my artwork tends to be on the darker, alternative side. The fact that cute and I don't walk a path easily is plain to see from looking through my blog. Saying that, there have been a few occasions that I have been called upon to make a cute card. They always take so much longer for me though. Always with much “ummmming and arghing” and checking pinterest and the like for inspiration and to see if I'm getting it right.

2. How does my work differ from others of my genre?

What is my genre? I'm not sure even now.

I love the dark side of crafting. Steampunk, Gothic, alternative without being gory.

I don't do zombies easily nor blood and gore. That may or may not surprise a few.

3. Why do I write/create what I do?

I started card making because a saw a lady on a TV craft Show making cards on New years day 2010. A friend had already tried to teach me a month or two before this. My crafting love at the time was cross stitch, knitting and sewing. These hobbies were becoming increasingly difficult because I was having trouble holding the needles. Card making seemed to be a way for me to still be creative and not get too frustrated at having to put the work away after 20mins.

BUT

I was still having a problem in my head with the cute stuff that seemed to be required. I needed to find something else.

Then, whilst blog hopping one day, I came across a crafter called Black Dragon. I was drooling at the dark beauty of her work. By clicking on various links on her blog I was pleasantly surprised to find a whole community of crafters that embraced “an alternative artform”. Enter Smearedand Smudged into my crafting life. I was home. Where I needed to be. Where no-one frowned at you for not loving Tilda or rolled their eyes at your work when you wanted to colour skin and hair in different hues. Creating with stamps wasn't just about making cards, they could be incorporated into many other forms.

It was here that the colouring skills of Aletha Williams and Lady Brayton inspired me to get better in that aspect. I also got to know Monique Van Dijk and Shelley Knight, more about these lovely ladies in a bit.

Then that awesome team at Haunted Design House accepted me into the Dungeon. My crafting life is almost complete.

Enter Rick StDennis and his fabulous art.

Along the way, these last 4 years, I have met with, online and off, some awesome crafters, many of whom I am proud to say “They're my friend”.

Crafting takes me into a world where my pains can be forgotten for a short while.......... as long as I have coffee.

4. How does my creation process work?

I've no set formula for making what I do. Sometimes an image will talk to me, sometimes it's because I'm working to a tight brief.

Now its time to nominate people for the Blog Hop.

I am supposed to nominate 3 people with blogs. Unfortunately as so many have already done this journey I have only 2 that are able to carry on this hop.

Firstly

Monique Van Dijk

Mo's work is unique. Her skill with her pencils - well you just have to see it to believe. Mo and I seem to follow each other into design teams. Currently we are both on the EDT for Rick St Dennis and are Minions in the Dungeon of Haunted Design House. 

Second

Shelley Knight or Shell

Shell and I "met" on the design team for Smeared Ink and currently are both on the design team for Delicious Doodles. Shell is one of a fairly small band of crafters that can alter any old "junk" and make it beautiful. Amazing work