Crafting Seasonally + Stamping Backgrounds
In my recent article about finding my crafting mojo again, I talked about cardmaking seasonally and stamping more backgrounds. Seasonal cardmaking means thinking about what fall looks and feels like to me, while stamping backgrounds means choosing cardstock and ink colors, as well as patterns.
Starting with color, I chose cream and toffee as my neutrals, then added orange and navy. Orange feels more like a focal color for pumpkins, and navy gives me a darker background option. Rather than choosing colors for each card individually, I want a palette I can return to throughout the season.
Finding the Right Cardstock and Inks
Once I had my colors, I discovered that choosing them was the easy part. Finding the right cream, toffee, orange, and navy cardstock took more time.
Then I had to find inks that worked with those papers. I pulled out supplies, compared colors, tested combinations, and rediscovered things I had forgotten I owned. The process revealed that my supplies aren’t as organized as I thought they were.
I have accumulated a lot of cardstock and ink over the years, particularly through design-team work. Having a lot of supplies doesn’t necessarily mean having the right supplies, or knowing exactly where they are. But the process had an unexpected benefit. It reinvigorated me and made me want to experiment.
From Having Supplies to Knowing What I Need
This experience also made me ask, “What do I want to have?” Going forward, I don’t need every color from every manufacturer. I’d rather identify the cardstock and inks I genuinely love using and create a core supply list that I can restock regardless of the manufacturer. That’s a shift from collecting supplies to curating supplies. I can still enjoy new products, but not every new product needs to become part of my permanent stash.
Creating a Swatch and Inventory System
Obviously, I need a better way to see and track what I own. I’m looking at different systems for cardstock and ink swatches, including inventory templates and downloads offered by manufacturers and ideas Jennifer McGuire has shared about organizing her supplies. I haven’t settled on a system yet, but it’s on my to-do list, along with more labeling.
Note: Another change I’m making is in how I photograph my projects. Instead of moving everything to my photo booth setup, I’m willing to take photos right where I’m working. I want to share more of the process and less of the perfectly staged version of crafting.