Friday, September 25, 2009

One Set, Two Looks



Hello! It's me, Leslie, here today to share a little something for our Friday Focus. I thought it would be fun to choose a stamp set and take a look at it from two different creative points of view. I know that more than once I've looked at those black and white images and thought, "It's gorgeous, but it's just not me". Or perhaps whenever I use a particular stamp set I assign it the character it first imprints on my mind. Maybe my style or preference changes somewhere along the line and I think of purging a set from my collection. Over the years I've gotten a little better about visualizing how I might use a new stamp set, as well as tweaking the old sets to suit the new me. That I'm the world's worst at relinquishing old sets bears witness...


Today, however, I'm using a relatively new set, Gerbera Daisies, which I saw at first in one light -- a bright, summery, cheerful, fresh, I love it to pieces kind of light -- but just that one light. So, testing out its possibilities, I made two very different cards.

On the one hand, I have a cracked Victorian cameo, dressed in lace and pearls and pretty papers, tied with taffeta and expressing a heartfelt sentiment. This is not how I first imagined using this set but, gosh, it works! I started out with the image stamped on Classic White cardstock and colored with Copics from the Hollyhock collection. It was bright and pretty and good to go in any direction. Once I added a little caramel sponging around the edges and created the cracked glass finish with ultra-thick embossing powder, it began to move toward the romantic, vintage style of the finished card.




On the other hand I have pure clean and simple, with nothing but a splash of color in the center of all that white. This is how I orginally saw the set and, in fact, this style is working its way toward becoming my preference in stamping. The white may change with the season, as will the images, but so will my mood from time to time, and then I'll be right back around to layer upon layer of designer papers, trims, and color mixes. More than likely these same stamps will be there with me traveling the circuit of my mind's eye and my heart's desire.



These days if I gasp and sputter when I see a stamp set (as I do with most of Flourishes' stamps) I can rest assured I'll find a use for it and it will endure. A daisy is a daisy, a rose is a rose, a beautiful image is just that -- a beautiful image, however I'm inclined to portray it at the moment.

So... why not try a new look with an old set, or an old look with a new set? Clear your mind, experiment and, most of all, enjoy! I know you'll enjoy the samples the team has to offer today:

Christine
Cindy
Faith
Julie
Latisha
Laura
Stacy

Happy stamping!
-- Leslie

19 comments:

Gabriela said...

Leslie - thank you for the healthy dose of inspiration. Clearly you are a master artist with unbridled talent. Your two cards are equally lovely and well, so inspiring. Thank you for sharing and thank you to Flourishes for having the insight of inviting Leslie to shine on its already gleaming team.

Carol L said...

Your cards are just magnificent!! I'm amazed with the talent you have for creating 2 different looks with 1 stamp!! Each is perfectly detailed and lovely! TFS!

Heather T said...

Both cards are gorgeous, Leslie, but when I saw the white one with your comment about always making them like that I totally agreed with you. It is so fresh and so striking.
But your vintage card is also beautiful, the cracked cameo image especially. Thanks for the inspiration once again.

Velta said...

Oh my Leslie ~ You are not only an ispiration in your artwork, but now in your words too!!! I love both cards, for reasons you have mentioned...This Gerber Daisy stamp is just stunning! Thank you for sharing all of your artwork with us!!!

"Luv 2 Glitter" by Brenda M. said...

OMG......these cards are masterpieces..... love the look of each one... Fabulous work!!!

janice said...

wow, these stamps tend to intimidate me, but you presented both sides of the creative picture, and i thank you for that!

jan

The Rubber Maid said...

I love what you did with the Gerbera set...stunning and certainly gives the inspiration for all of us to create. Beautiful. Pat

Stacy Morgan said...

Leslie I love both of them. You used the daisies which you know I can't resist, each one has its own beauty! Fantastic cards girlie!

Latisha said...

Both cards are so gorgeous, but the clean white one has stolen my heart...so beautiful!!
hugs
Latisha

"Kirby" (KrB) said...

Thanks so much for the challenge and the insight into looking at different images....differently. Both cards are gorgeous and yet very different concepts. Your coloring is amazing and I've been aching to ink up this set, so I'm more inspired than ever. Thanks for the Friday-morning smiles.

Cherie said...

Oh My! Your cards are each a masterpiece! Thanks so much for sharing your wonderful talent with us!

ChristineCreations said...

Your coloring on these daisies is gorgeous Leslie! You've created such beautiful contrasts. Great Flourishes Friday Leslie!

Laura (scrapnextras) said...

These are both amazing Leslie! Love all the colour and detail on the first, and love the simplicity on the second...your colouring ability shines through so well! Great job!

Linda Carson said...

Fabulous style! Love your artwork!

Alice said...

WOW! Simply stunnin! But then, isn't your work ALWAYS stunning? I think so, and I think there are lots here who would agree! Thanks for sharing your amazing coloring talents with us.

Anonymous said...

Lesley these are both so beautiful!! Thanks for sharing your talent and insight!
smiles,Deena

Lesley said...

Your DT cards were so inspirational!! I had to ink up my "I Love Roses" set.

I made 2 cards...please have a look!

http://alwaysplayingwithpaper.blogspot.com/2009/09/flourishes-one-set-two-looks-occ.html

Smiles,
Lesley

Carol Southern said...

Both of these are beautiful, beautiful cards. Your work is fantastic.

nancy littrell said...

The same same stamp set, but 2 very different and gorgeous cards. TFS