Making the most of your Creative Time!

I love having time to spend with my family, I don't always have the time to spend a long time on a card. I have found that stamping and water coloring can really help you get a beautiful card done in no time. so here is what I do to free up some Christmas time with My family:

I have learned how to easily paint a Pine tree, it could look like a Christmas tree, or it could look masculine. It's easy for me to paint, and I am done in a minute, pair that tree with a sentiment and you are done. No extra time needed. Is there a watercolor technique that you love and get beautiful results?

paper and ink!

Layered Coordinating paper
 I use paper packs of cards. I can really get a lot of layered cards done fairly quickly when you are using coordinating paper. I love the packs that have a sentiment already printed on the paper, that means with just a bit of pop dots, and cutting I can come up with some cards on the fly, they look pretty, and doesn't take to much time to devote to making a couple cards. If you plan it right, you can get a lot done in a short time.
Ideas to cut time:
Cut panels ahead of time
use the card sketches to help you with a composition and layouts
use ink blending to get that designer quality in your cards.


My favorite way to come up with a quick card is more in the process or my workflow. If I have 20 minutes but am not feeling super creative I do the mundane tasks, like cutting paper to make 4.25x5.5 panels for cards, or I make my own card bases, so I cut and fold the bases. If I am feeling a little more creative I will emboss some cardstock to use for cards, that way when I want something embossed it's already done for you when you need it.

 Or.... Becuase my creative mood changes daily:

sometimes all I want to do is to just create, so I will spend an hour with a color scheme in mind and just play with colors, and two or three stencils and stamps to see what comes about. usually, after an hour, I have at least 10-20 panels that all it needs is an embellishment, and a sentiment to make it look polished and ready for a card. I also use this same process with Washi Tape, because it's fun!
Which reminds me, I may need some more ink (which is French for, I don't have all the colors from the Tim Holtz distress ink yet.)


The creative process is real! When I have the paper pre-cut, and all I have to do is reach for the paper, and start creating, it doesn't kill my muse when I am ready to create. having little things done before you start on a card really does help.

watercolor with a stencil!
Such an easy panel to use!

What did I miss? What do you do to make a quick card? I just scratched the surface!
 If you want to learn more about watercolor cards, my friend Angela has an amazing class!









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I am entering the Merry Christmas Card into the Penny Black Saturday Challenge