Friday, August 13, 2010

Amuzeing Yet Humbling

I know I've been away for quite a while and I apologize.  I know everyone understands when day to day family life becomes more important than creating.  Although creating is often an escape from the day to day pressures, sometimes it just has to take the back seat to getting life in order.  So enough with the excuses!

I think it is truly marvelous how those who quill seek out one another.  Like so many other groups that band together and start sharing information and techniques - it helps us grow to share .  It always makes me smile when I get a compliment about a card or picture that I have quilled.  It humbles me when someone new thinks my work is beautiful while I look at the work others have done and strive to be as good as they are.

Because I'm self taught and haven't been quilling more than 7 or 8 months, I feel like a true amateur.  I spend hours creating shapes that don't do what my mind has in store for them.  I don't like doing the same picture over and over so if an idea doesn't work out after a few tries, well, I just give up.  Of course, sometimes I begin with an idea in my head and although it doesn't work out as I imagined, I end up with something even better.  But the point is that both amuses and humbles me that I can be so new and yet appreciated at the same time.  And I think that at this point in time, that is a very inspiring thought!

I haven't created anything different, but I did create one card to meet a lesson requirement.  It is done on a background of watercolor paper that I created.  I don't have paints, so I wet the paper and let the markers bleed on the paper.  Once it dried I was able to trim it to size and add my quilled pieces.  I used the same color strips as I did markers so that it all matched up.  I made it a friendship card with the stamped sentiment.  It turned out to be a very colorful card!

If you have a chance to do so, let me know about your beginning days of quilling.  Were you self taught or did someone show you the tips and tricks?  Do you have a favorite other person that inspires you or do you look around at nature for your inspiration?  At what point did you feel you were no longer an amateur?



Old or new at quilling, I hope you enjoy being creative and that you have a fantastic week!
Best wishes,
Shelly

6 comments:

Dori said...

Great job, Shelley! So much fantasy- especially the making do with markers and matching strips... can't do that without a love for what you're doing!

Unknown said...

Hi Shelly,
First of all I would like to thank you for the most encouraging comment you made on my blog. It was so appreciated, thank you.

As for how I got started in quilling we are looking back over 20 years and I too am self taught. I am going to do a post on this so keep watching!
Ohh I put you on my blog list!
Rosie x

Bronwyn said...

Very nice effect- you have a talent

Philippa said...

I love the colours in your latest card, Shelly - well done!

As to how I began in quilling, you can read my story at http://quilliance.blogspot.com/2010/02/how-it-all-began.html where there is also a rather pathetic example of the first Christmas card I ever made! As soon as I discovered quilling, I loved the fact that you can achieve really elaborate looking patterns relatively quickly, but it took me quite a while even to master a simple coil. In fact, when I started, I mainly did board-and-pin alternate side looping work because I was ashamed of the state of my coils! Four years have passed since then, and I'm still hooked!

Shelly said...

Thanks to all of you for leaving me such nice comments!
Shelly

SUGANTHI said...

I love this card especially the way you have matched your work with this excellent background.
suganthi
papercraftss.blogspot.com/