Card made with Basic Grey Konnichiwa Paper Hero Arts Konnichiwa stamp set

One of my main projects for 2012 was to work more with color. Color in my artwork is something that I have always ignored. My designs with jewelry and sculpture have usually been in metal or monochromatic so there was never any real need for color. But, I realized this might be hurting my design process. And in an effort to keep growing I wanted to push myself in the area that I'm least comfortable with. So last year in my spare time color was my new project. But how to go about that. If I was actually going to be serious about it I would have to make the pursuit fun. But, again, how to do that. And then while browsing around one of my favorite stores The Paper Source thumbing through their amazing papers it hit me... cardand package design.

I have been fascinated with package design since I started studying Japanese culture ages ago. They have this unique affinity for wrapping packages, and gifts that is unparalleled in the rest of the world. I have been making cards and boxes for presents for years, but always making them out of scraps of materials laying around the house. For some reason I just never made it over to the scrapbooking section of the craft store. But after buying my first 6x6 paper pad I was hooked. Scrapbook papers are so amazing these days that you simply can't walk by a pad and not thumb through them. Then and there I decided to start out by making the cards and little items around the house I use to make out of scraps, out of these beautiful papers. A funny thing happened though. I would buy the paper and not use it. Just look at it from time to time still making things out of scraps. You know what my problem was? The paper was just too pretty! I couldn't make myself cut it up. Also there was an element of, "if the thing that I was making good enough for the paper to be used for it". This mindset had to go! So that is why posted this on my blog to showcase the items I have made, forcing me to use those pretty, pretty papers. As well as focusing on color, and pushing my designs sense. So here is my first foray into this new medium. It's a sweet little card made with Basic Grey Konnichiwa Paper and Hero Arts Konnichiwa stamp set.