Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Goin' green with the Play Date Cafe!

I'm BEYOND thrilled to be bringing you some super fun card craft, with one EXHILARATING color palette, from my friends at the Play Date Cafe! I was invited to guest host this week, with the magnificent design team that makes a DATE at the Cafe, the hottest seat in town! Even more exciting... I've even been invited to return the week of 8/26 {!}, so I'm all giddy and feeling MORE colorful for my involvement with this terrific challenge site! I SOOOOO sincerely hope YOU will play along!



Upon contemplating the colors from the Play Date color "story", I have to admit something that I don't usually share... with "blogland" public... I was... STUMPED! Now, I've been at this blog business for well over a year, and I generally feel fairly confident with my use of color .. BUT I have to admit - I WAS STUMPED! Check THIS out!




Okay, is that picture worth a THOUSAND words {or CAMELS!}...??? I mean it's gorgeous! It's almost too gorgeous. If you get a chance, go to Sarah's personal blog - she's AMAZING! In fact, make sure you check out ALL of the DT's private blogs - you never know how deeply inspired you might become, until you read about their process!



So, when I was designing my card alone, I wondered what YOUR process is? Do you have one? How do you tackle a good color challenge? Besides drooling over a good design team offering and contemplating a brilliant color inspiration... what do YOU do?

Well, first thing I do is "shop" in my stash for card stock and goodies that fill the color requirements... And if I don't start sprouting ideas, I do a chore or two.. OUTSIDE "Scrapland"... One place were I usually find inspiration is ...




... with my horses... The good news is that one look at my dear old man, "Mr. Pee Wee" and I was ready to create!!!
Inspiration took hold and I returned to Scrapland to crank out the goods.......!



{Horse stamps! Uh huh....!}

Well, I didn't have CAMEL stamps! {Yet! tee hee} Okay, I'm not usually THAT literal... but.... What's a girl to do when there is a little creative block in the way? OH, yeah, the other thing I like to do is turn to a lil' sketch inspiration - I can't believe how medicinal some sketch therapy can be! I turned to the CARD PATTERNS folks {again!!!}...




So, PHEW! Tragedy avoided! I worked past my creative BLIND spot and cranked out a card! Funny to think that MY blind spot might be the perfect lens for YOU... We're ALL wired differently! But one thing, we all craft though it - TOGETHER! I am SO looking forward to seeing what gets made with these incredible colors and FANTASTIC inspiration... If you need some extra help, you can always come over and clean horse stalls with me! hee hee {Just sayin'!} Meanwhile, just click on over to the Play Date Cafe and get some color challenge ON! Yee Haw!

THANK you, SO MUCH, for stopping by!


Supplies -

C/S - Stampin' Up! & Bazzil
Stamps - Inkadinkadoo
Border Punch - EK Success
Circle Punch - Marvy
Metal Stars - Joanne's
Thread - Gutterman



31 comments:

Julie Ranae said...

So glad to have you guest designing with us this week, Elise. You hit the colors right on the head and we can't wait to see what you bring us in two weeks!

Rosemary said...

can i just say that whatever your process is my friend... you have the GOODS when it comes to serious creativity! now, of course, the handsome "mr. pee wee" does provide some good inspiration, though. your card is fantabulous!!! can i get a YEE HAW???!!!

Lisa Somerville said...

Wonderful take on this weeks challenge - so glad to have you as our guest this week. The horses work perfectly (I can't believe you cut those babies out). Great masculine card!

Rose said...

well girl you nailed that color challenge!!! fantastic :)
oh and what do i do for the color challenges....... RUN far far away from them!! lol

Ruby said...

LOVE your card Elise! What great inspiration from your beauty Mr. Pee Wee! I love how you've done the little stars and the miniature horses, how fab and carefree are they?! I follow a similar process to you;

1. check supplies
2. check old card designs I've done, look through magazines (not just cardmaking) and past/present sketches then my extra is..
3. panic if my mojo isn't kicking in because I've usually left it a little late! I'm a bit of a last minute girl, it works better for me!

It's great to have you on board with us this week! Look forward to you joining us again in two weeks!

Suzanne C said...

So glad you are with us this week as a guest designer! LOVED how you used the colors and your inspiration!!! I too was stumped and had a second round of inspiration after seeing what everyone else had done.

The horses are an inspired choice and so lovely on your card. Love how you have them coming across the paper to the main image. Beautiful!

Jean Franks Beck said...

Gorgeous card - love how the horses have escaped their "frame"! The texture on this is wonderful, too.

I do the same thing you do if I'm stumped, in that I go through my stash pulling out things that have the challenge colors. For my design turn at PDCC, I had taupe, burgundy, and blue. Taupe!?!?! I thought I was in serious trouble, but ya know, I went through my stash of embellishments and found Taupe (!) - mostly in some vintage style diecuts from GCD Studio's Artsy Urban line. Whew!

Thanks for sharing your creative process - love that sort of thing!!

Kathlene said...

Brand new follower here. Love your work--your horse card is gorgeous (all that stitching!) and I'm having fun scrolling thru some of your past posts.

peggy gatto said...

thanks for the lovely inspiration!!!

Natalie said...

Your processing sounds like my processing!! Especially when I get "stuck" like last night!! Sometimes the dp just isn't right or the cardstock just the wrong shade but when you get all the right pieces together, VOILA! Hey I'll be going right past your lovely towns turnoff as I head to S.F. to watch the Giants on Saturday...I'll wave as I go by :-) Go Giants!!(my dd used to live in Sebastapol not too far from you) Btw, your card is fantastic!!

Michele Gross said...

I love that your inspiration came from such a wonderful guy! I rodeo'd forever and my best boy EVER passed away in '07 :( I miss having horses so much! I would gladly clean stalls with you ANYTIME!! ;) Congrats on being the Guest Designer!! Your card is fab and I can't wait to come back and play again for your second guest spot!! :D Thank you for the super wonderful comment you left for me-TOTALLY made my night!! :D

Viv said...

Thanks for stopping by and leaving such terrific comments on my blog - really appreciate it - especially as I've now seen YOUR talent!! Great card too.

Jan Hennings said...

congrats on being Guest designer and I love your card!

Unknown said...

Fabulous creation, Elise! Love your take on the inspiration colors and from your sweet horse! So wonderful to have you as our Guest Designer in the Cafe this week!!

Kate said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog and your lovely comment, im smiling ear to ear :0)
Love your card too. I was sooo stumped as to what i was gonna do but while i was looking for the colours i found my stamps hiding away then it actually came quite easy.
Kate x

Gerrie Johnnic said...

Luv your card to pieces GF, just beautiful. Thanks for leaving me such a sweet comment on my blog, very appreciated for taking the time. Inspiration, you may think this is funny, but I wait to the technique, the stamps or the paper to "talk" to me, that's how I do it! really! Luved reading your yahoo bio! hugz

Rose said...

Oh my ever lovin' goodness, your card is just stunning. So many fabulous details added to that beautiful image. I love your stampede of little horses and all the stitching, beautiful work.

Karen said...

Block, Schmock. Tragedy, Scmadedy. HA! You have turned out a piece of gorgeousness with all those horses!!!! LOVE them!! Congrats on your Guest DT spots and way to inspire oh so many! :>:>

Basement Stamper said...

Your card turned out beautiful and congrats on returning!

Sweetieshop said...

Love your card, and love Mr PeeWee too :)

Savannah O'Gwynn said...

OH MY! This is soooooooooo super fab! I love that you are our guest DT this week--you are AMAZING! Love that you went for horses instead of camels:) {Not sure I've ever seen a camel stamp....I'll be on the look out!}. This card is SO AMAZING--great detail and I love those buttons! Great take on both challenges:) YOU ROCK!

ps..thanks for leaving such a wonderful comment on my blog! It made me blush:) THANKS!

Savannah O'Gwynn said...

Oops---just went back to look at the card again (that is how much I LOVE IT!!) and you didn't use buttons...it looks like brads and circles...either way--I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE IT! This card is AMAZING and SPOT ON for the color challenge;)

Dana Gustafson said...

Wild horses couldn't keep me away from THIS card! I completely love the way the small running herd enters from the edge of your card. And STITCHING! Yay for yummy stiching! Just watched The Man From Snowy River yesterday with the fam (for my millionth viewing or so) and this card captures the majestic "brumbies" perfectly...and now I am humming the theme song!

LeAnne said...

Yahoo for you! Love this card and congrats on the DT thing!!! I have been out of the loop...baby is on her way, so I have been focusing on THAT!!!

Erin (Homemade Cards by Erin) said...

Thanks for your lovely comment on my PDC card, your post is funny, glad to see you worked past your creative blind spot.

~Tammy~ said...

I am so glad you are the Guest Designer this week! Your card is Beautiful! I have been meaning to get around to my usual stops this week, but it's been Krzazee! Not the fun kind! You never let down and this is a stunner. I rode for years and now we have my son in a Therapeutic Riding...it's a powerful thing. Back to the card! I stared at it for a long time figuring it out and decided you must have cut those horses out and I can't believe you did that. Wow! You get two gold stars for that~

Melissa said...

Wow, Elise! First off, if this is the type of card that you make when you're challenged, I'm very impressed! The little horses are my most favorite, but you rocked both challenges! Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving such generous comments - you're so enthusiastic and encouraging! As a first grade teacher, I appreciate that! Those will get me through those mojo moments quickly! It'd be so fun to stamp with you! Happy Stamping!

Sandy said...

oh my word!! did you cut out all those little horses?!?!? Gorgeous!!!

Jenny said...

Gorgeous! Love it!! Such a pretty card and a Pretty horse! I miss having my horses. Hope you can play in my challenges soon :) :) :)

Benzi said...

Ooh, glad I found my inspiration without having to help clean out those horse stalls. LOL But your 'Mr. Pee Wee' was awesome inspiration for you and you did a bang-up gorgeous card. Love it bunches!!!!

Dawn said...

Ohhh, stunning Elise! Can't believe I missed this one. It just looks so proud.