Happy Accidents!

Not too many years ago, a contemporary American artist said something about "happy accidents" in a work of art sometimes leading to good things. It has happened to me- I have happened upon happy accidents in art work many times through my career, and most recently, in making a card. It took me in a completely different direction than I intended, and with good results. For a little bit, I was really excited about the possibilities, then I realized it wasn't the first time it had occured in the stamping world- only to me. But I thought I would take an opportunity to share my experience through the card I ended up creating, and perhaps opening your mind up to similar possibilities.

Die cutting is usually a pretty basic paper crafting process. Paper, layered with a die, plexiglass sheet layers between a roller press, revealing a die-cut piece of paper in a particular shape. The shape that is cut out, is usually the positive shape, or the desired product of the process. It may be stamped on, glued down to another piece of paper or used as a part of a total image. The remaining piece, that surrounds the positive shape, is looked at as scrap, garbage or just added to a pile to be used later. It was in the latter, that I was inspired to create the Adorable Owls Birthday Card pictured . You see, my intention was to cut two rectangles from the Stitched Rectangles Die set to use as sentiment bases for another card project. When I did, I discovered that the remaining scrap of paper left behind created two perfectly spaced and shaped retangle openings in a greeting card size piece of card stock. My wheels began to turn. I scrounged around my art table for scraps, Designer Series Paper and new stamps from the Mini Catalog Jan-April 2023. Before I knew it, I was headed in another direction from the one I had planned. It was an exciting creative frenzy for a few minutes before the new card design was revealed. The negative spaces I had created became brand new places that would display the DSP with a sentiment popped up on dimensionals. It was different, creative and a fun way to feature the Adorable Owls Stamp Set from the Sale-a-braton!

For instructions for the Adorable Owls project, please email me at Happyhandscreate@gmail.com. For any Stampin' Up! product orders, please visit my onlline store at Blaircollins.stampinup.net. For a 50.00 order I will send you a pack of embellishments. Plus, through Feb 28, 2023, you will qualify for free product in the Sale-a-bration! Catalog. Please contact me if you have any questions. Get those Happy Hands Creating!