MARCHING TO MY OWN DRUMMER

I have a pretty terrible habit. One that I constantly hope doesn't offend my hostess. I was even chastised once in public for this bad habit.

You see, whenever I am at a stamping event, I am always changing up my own creation from the original sample the hostess provides. I don't know what my problem is. I just cannot help it. 

Case in point: Once, years ago, I was at a stamping event by myself. Minding my own business. Not paying any attention to how the other attendees were creating their own projects. 

In my head, I had decided on the little changes I wanted to make on my card. Apparently the crafter across the table from me had been keeping a close eye on what I was doing. When she saw my omissions, she said," Oh wait. You missed this . . . " I replied, "Oh, this is how I meant to do it." She looked at me incredulously, shrugged, and muttered, "Huh. To each his own." 

I inwardly chuckled at that.

I call it Marching To My Own Drummer.

At my own Stamp-In Workshops, I encourage my participants to do anything they wish to "make it their own". I tell them that just because I had designed it a certain way doesn't mean that mine is the best or only way to create it. Go for it!

Unfortunately, I haven't attended too many stamping events in the recent past. But, I was thrilled to finally be able to make it to a local one a few weeks ago. This wonderful hostess happens to be my Upline and I had been stamping with her for years. So she is accustomed to my derailments from her original designs. And accepts them graciously. (At least, I think she does.)

The card following is one of the two we created that day. When I got home, I tweaked it a bit. OK. I tweaked it quite a lot. During my creation process, I decided to make it my dad's birthday card. This is what I ended up with:

I utilized all the supplies she had given us. But, I added a few more things at home, namely the birthday banner, the mat around the bird image, the textured banner and the cute retired brad that brought it all together so well.

I liked the dimensional effect these additions provided to make the card just a bit more special.

The bird image is from the gorgeous set, Moon Lake (page 21 in the Occasions Catalog). The most delightful aspect of this set is that the images are all so perfect for a masculine card. Or for the nature lover on your card list. 

I just ordered this set for my own use. In fact, it arrived via UPS about an hour ago. But, I told myself that I could not open that exciting Stampin' Up! box (the orders from my last week's Stamp-In Workshop) until I finished writing this post.

OK. I'm finished with the post. I am dashing off to keep a date with Moon Lake!

My

Own 

Drummer

Smiles