Outside the Comfort Zone

I have spent much of the last three days playing with stamps I own but never use, thanks to Penelope Pitstop's challenge. This has been a most-excellent exercise for me, as it made me think outside my normal comfort zone.

Anyone who knows me knows my 'style'. I think everyone has a style of sorts, even though it may not be easily-identifiable. Some people like to do collage-y compositions and are really good at putting things together. I am not. I tend more towards the simple, linear, clean lines. I call it boring, others call it my 'style'. Whatever.

So when I am challenged to think outside my comfort zone, or beyond what comes naturally, it tends to be a struggle, and I am usually not quite happy with the outcome.

But today, well, I think I've had a breakthrough! Check out this card I just made. It is soooo not a 'me' card. First, I rarely use the bright colors. Second, putting dots and stripes together - what's up with that?!?!?! I somehow got distracted by the bright embossing stack I had sitting around, left over from my volunteer session with the City of Gaithersburg and their Valentine Family Fun Night. (I set up an embossing station and emboss hearts on the kids' cards. It's a lot of fun!)

Anyway, I got the idea to use three different colors of the bright embossing powders on this cool Gina K stamp, and it turned out okay. Then, laughing to myself, I went in search of 'matching' patterned paper. What are the chances you'd find orange, pink and red all on the same page?! Out pops this piece of Basic Gray. Hmmm....

Then, I waded through my stash o'ribbons. You know the ones I am talking about - the ones that jump into your basket at Mike's when enabled by a thread on SCS that a new shipment has come in. Yeah, that stash. So now that I have all these colors fighting with each other on my card - actually, playing nicely, don't ya think? - I saw this orange ribbon with red and yellow overlapping circles, and there you go. I did not see how I could get more non-me than to add that sucker to the card.

After all this, I am pleasantly surprised at the outcome. Maybe I should step outside my box more often. Perhaps I may sponsor a challenge of my own one day...an Outside Your Box challenge. Has possibilities.

Oh, and the Crooked part of this card - do you see how the sentiment goes uphill? See, it is a curse.