Let me share this with you... A friend asked me for a card to give to her boyfriend.... The ocassion? Their 2-year anniversary... She didn't ask for any colors, shapes or details... just that she wanted to tie the anniversary to the "reload" action in computers...
So, first of all... I needed some inspiration, and searched in internet the word re-load... and also emphasized on the "images" related to the word... this usually inspires me more than reading definitions.
Suddenly, I understood the power of the message... re-load. And thought... "who doesn't need a re-load?"... And I started to write words that somehow related to the "reload" meaning, and started with "re"...
We all are in a "reload" stage at some point in our lives. Maybe we need to reassure our faith, or re-invent our passions, get a re-fill of love and self esteem, or readjust some of our decisions made or to be made... Sometimes, we need to recapitulate on the blessings we have received and on the dreams we wish to accomplish... the we realize how loved and fortunate we are... or maybe it's just a matter of re-doing or re-trying something we have given up before...
For the card, the first idea was to use all these words as background for the card, and create 3D shapes to stand out the work Re-load... but then after a while I desisted and planed for another idea. And this is the card I came up with:
The arrow is very important to tie the reload message to computers, as well as the "2.0" number (not just 2). I didn't want a fully romantic card, nor too girly, since a 30 year-old man would receive this... so I added the little hearts as the "love" touches without losing the cool theme mood.
I have to admit, that when I finished the card I thought it might be too childish... and I panicked. I felt my friend was not going to like the card... so I made another one as plan B, so if she didn't like this one, at least I had another option... I am not showing it here... It is not necessary.
When she saw the card, she loved it... she said the colors were very appropriate, the arrow, the presentation... she loved it... And I was so happy... I needed to reload my faith in my creativity... I had just underestimated the power of scrapbooking and the subjectivity of it! I had dedicated so much time and effort in the card, that I just couldn't look at it from outside and appreciate it as it was... and I wasn't sure, so I had to make another card to feel good. So, her reaction reloaded my self esteem... and I am renewed.
So, as I always say, I love scrapbooking for so many reasons... but one of them is the subjectivity. What can be too simple for you, means the world for others... The symbols you don't understand, are the more significant for me... Maybe the colors you don't like to use, look beautiful when you put them together on a project... and never, never, never underestimate the power of your creativity... and when you look at a project several times and it feels you are not getting what you had in mind, stand up, take a cup of coffee (or a margarita if you want!), and return to the project to be amazed to find new things and ideas on it... you'll see it from a different perspective.
I hope you can take advantage of the excuse of a new year, to reload all the areas you need to reload now... Re-think the possibilities!
