Simplify!

Inspiration for projects seems to come from SO many places. I'm inspired by nature for colors and images, by the stamps themselves, and I am also very inspired when I see the work of other stampers.

Everyone has their own style, we have colors and images we love, or favorite accessories. One thing I love is that those differences are not only wonderful to look at when I see someone else's work, but they get me wanting to try those elements in my own stamping.

I get so excited over all the stamps, colors, and accessories, it's hard for me to scale down and simplify. Many stampers who have an ornate style seem to achieve that "Wow!" factor without going overboard, and the result is amazing. But many stampers are also able to achieve a beautiful, clean-lined look with simplicity which also creates a "Wow!" factor of its own.

That simplicity is one of the hardest things for me to get right. Believe it or not, for me at least, there's a delicate balance between getting a crisp, simple project that still packs a punch without being "boring" or not having "enough".

So I tried for crisp, clean lines, and a couple of eye-catching factors that allowed the images to "pop" and stand on their own. Plus I got to use my little Tart-N-Tangy fruit set (I know...AGAIN!), which always makes me happy!

Just 3 colors, and I tried to keep the layers and shapes bold and simple, but I threw in a little piece of Designer Paper (again, with simple design) for interest. I also added Crystal Effects to the cherries and embossed the simple, graphic "thank you" for dimension.

Oh, and that "circle" or red behind the Scallop with the cherries on it? That's actually the Round Tab Punch. I punched it twice out of Red, then stuck them together so they create a circle the perfect size for layering.