Creative Blog Hop!

Thanks for stopping by today! I'm thrilled to be part of this Creative Blog Hop! This hop was started to inspire those that take part to meet new people and experience different styles of art along the way. I must say that I think this blog hop is refreshing and I hope that the links to the artists that I'm sharing today will inspire you as much as they have inspired me.

I was invited to participate in this hop by two friends. Please take the time to visit their blogs and enjoy their work.

Honor Rob Ringwald: I met Honor while designing for Molossi. I've been fortunate to design on several Australian-based teams and always enjoy meeting people from across the world. Honor is an absolute joy to work with! Her fun, upbeat personality directly translates to her craft projects, which range from layouts and cards to off-the-page projects and cross-stitching.

Vicki Robertson: I met Vicki while working as a staff member for an online magazine where we were able to chat daily and collaborate on projects. I have been fortunate to design with Vicki on several teams since then. Vicki has a talent for building layers of intricate die-cuts and embellishments on her projects, which include cards, layouts and off-the-page projects. The time and thought Vicki puts into each piece is apparent and is a trait that I admire greatly.

I don't often share details about myself, so those of you who have been longtime followers of my blog, now is your chance to get to know a little more about me.

What am I working on right now?
I'm currently designing (or guest designing) on 9 teams! This may seem like a lot, but is does suit me perfectly. I love to try new things and stretch myself as an artist. I am fortunate to be able to work with new stamps, chipboard, washi tape, vintage embellishments kits, traditional paper crafting kits, whimsical paper crafting supplies, ribbon and metal, wood and acrylic templates on a monthly basis. This fantastic variety of materials helps ensure that no matter what mood I'm in I'll have something that catches my eye, and oftentimes short, attention span. This month I'm planning to create resin paper, artist trading cards, altered dominoes, canvases, layouts, cards, embellishments and tags, and that is just what I have officially planned. There are still several empty dates on my calendar that need to be filled so I'd love to have you stop back to see what I come up with!

How does my work differ from others in my genre?
This is a difficult question for me because I'm not sure what genre best describes my style. I think that I have an eccentric style in terms of what and how I design. Once day I could be working with crushed egg shells and bold colors of mist and the next I could be creating a shabby layout with pretty patterned papers, lace and flowers. Maybe this is how I differ. If you are looking for a consistent body of work in a signature style you won't find that here! I have only been crafting for about 8 years and I have not had any formal training. Maybe in another 8 years I'll have figured out what works for me and develop a style that is more recognizable. In truth, I've never been concerned with labels or tried too hard to fit in to a certain group. I'm happy to just do my own thing.

Why do I create?
I started my journey into the craft world after the birth of my first daughter as a way to preserve memories. I had an almost obsessive need to document every moment and milestone. Having a second daughter a little more than a year later forced me to reevaluate the high and unrealistic expectations I set for myself. There are only so many hours in the day! Over time I started to create less traditional scrapbook layouts and began to explore other forms of art. What started out as a memory keeping expedition has transformed into artistic expression that I need to do, mostly for my own enjoyment.

How does my creative process work?
I'm greatly inspired by song lyrics, quotes from my favorite authors and pop culture references. Often times I'll hear a verse that I relate to and immediately want to run to my studio to create. I'm a huge introvert, so my artwork is a way to connect with my favorite artists while remaining in the comfort of my own home.

I'm nominating two artists that I think are absolutely fantastic. Look for their Creative Blog Hop posts on August 11th.

Norma Gomez: Norma's mixed media pieces are always a treat! She creates a little bit of everything from scrapbook pages and cards to art journals, shrines, bangles and sugar skulls. Norma sells her artwork in her Etsy Shop LittleHoneyBeeStudios. Norma has a talent for creating pieces that I can't live without and I have her pieces hanging in my studio and decorating my wrist.

Katie Smith: Katie's fresh and funky style is a big inspiration to me! She creates a fun variety of colorful projects including scrapbook pages, art journals, DIYs and custom painted shoes. Katie more often than not includes tutorials with her work. She also offers online classes and ebooks! When Katie returns from vacation you can check out her Etsy Shop, until then, stop by her blog Punk Projects.

Thanks for stopping by today!