What I learned from Virtual Stamping Night (VSN) at Splitcoast Stampers.

I have done a few VSNs at Splitcoast Stampers in the past.  One of them was the long Friday evening and Saturday afternoon and evening challenge.  I had a blast making lots of cards that I normally would not have made while trying to beat the clock.  At the time I made very simple cards and happened to have a lot of pre-stamped and colored images already cut out in case my daughters wanted to make a card.  I had pre-made card bases as well as some card tops cut.  I would have been hopelessly lost if I didn't just happen to have those supplies ready like I normally did.

Currently I prefer my cards to be clean and simple with a few embellishments as well as dry embossing and if I have time I prefer to using embossing powder for my sentiments.  There isn't enough time to accomplish most of this in the challenge, BUT I used new techniques such as making an acetate card, a stair step card, and a coffee filter background.  These were new to me and I actually had wanted to make an acetate card for quite some time.  Even though many cards were not my style, I still can use them for relatives.  The cards that were my style mostly were not up to my standards, however, it is a good start and I have ideas to change them up to my liking.  A few of my cards came out extremely well and are totally me.  I would not have made those cards had it not been for the challenge so I am grateful for what I learned as well as how much fun it was.

I did a mini challenge a few years back and was disappointed that it didn't last all weekend.  This year I discovered that the mini challenge AND the weekend challenges are all part of the same challenge.  You don't have to do both of them but they coordinate with each other.

I couldn't remember the timing of the challenges so I went into this years challenges thinking that the weekend challenge started somewhere between 4 pm and 6 pm on Friday.  Turns out is starts at 5 pm.  I couldn't remember if the Saturday challenges were from morning until dinner or from afternoon to evening or if they lasted all day.  I couldn't find the information in the forums or on the advertisement they had on their web page, but if memory serves me right this year I believe it started at noon and lasted until the 10 pm challenge.

So for me, I have figured out these things:

1. Having a ton of unused beautiful sticker sheets of realistic animals, flowers, beach themed items and etc was helpful since I didn't have as many pre-stamped, colored, and cut images to work with.
2. I could have used more black framing pieces of different sizes.  In the future I will be sure to have pre-made black rectangles in various card useful sizes to frame my focal points and etc.  White would also be nice.
3. I knew I had enough adhesive but I need to be aware of how much I have going in to each VSN.
4. I don't think they publicize the details of the VSN enough.  It didn't seem like many people were participating and it's a shame since it is a blast.  Maybe if Splitcoast stampers constantly posted the times as well as the fact that you don't have to finish all the cards during the time they are live; you just need to limit yourself to one hour per card.
5. I was ready ahead of time with snacks and beverages and a quick pre-made salad that I could eat in 15 minutes or less.  This is essential.
6. It is normal to run behind because you need to eat, use the restroom, pick up kids, etc.  That throws the timing off.  In the future I hope to stop trying to play catch-up.  This time I tried to do the challenges in order but at one point I was two hours behind and that was becoming stressful for me.  The challenge isn't meant to make you stressful so I switched to the most current challenge, then I finished all the challenges and was able to work on the ones I missed.
7. Once I fall behind (which everone will at some point) I can use any time while waiting for the next challenge to post my photos to the gallery and fill in the details.  I actually realized about halfway through the challenges this year that you aren't requried to fill in much detail.  I eventually just started posting photos and using the keyword for the challenges.  You are not allowed to upload photos on Sunday so I wanted all my photos uploaded by Saturday at midnight.  Leaving off the details sped me up and I was able to upload all my photos before midnight on Saturday.  On Sunday, even though I couldn't upload photos, I WAS able to edit my submissions and add the details.  
8. I wanted to "like" and comment on many of the submissions so I did that after midnight on Saturday as well as on Sunday.
9. I completely cleaned up and organized my craft room the day before the challenge.  I am so glad I did because I found the heat gun I had misplaced and had a fresh memory of all the sticker sheets I had which was helpful when I had to come up with a card design on the fly.

My next goal is to reproduce one card I made that my daughter immediately took to a birthday party before the challenges had even ended.  I did take a photo first though. I loved that card.  I also want to slightly alter a few others that I made to see if they can be as awesome as I think they can be. I have truly been inspired by the challenges.

Virtual Stamping Night "From Here to There" Travel Theme Continued (even more).

And the cards continue.........  There is one card I did not include because I am not proud of it.  It was a different version of a card I previously made while experimenting with Copic colored backgrounds.  I posted several versions of the good cards previously but I was on a time limit and was unable to do an extensive or even good job coloring.  I resorted to watercolor pencils and it did not turn out well.  The theme was footwear (for walking) and that stamp set had a lady in slippers and a pair of gardening boots I could use also.

Some of the other cards are not ones I could really give away but they make little pieces of art for my craft room.

Sketch challenge.  I will use this card.

A propellor for a plane (How to make a pinwheel.)  I will use this card but I will hand it over personally.  I will not make it again.  Pinwheels this size are very fiddly to work with.

Create a galaxy background.  I will use this card.  I can always use galaxy backgrounds.

Create a card using acetate.  I will use this card but hand it over personally.  I will try to improve on it and make a few more.  I like this.

Animals we could see while traveling.  I will eventually use this or one of my daughters may need it.  I usually stay on top of sending out cards.

While waiting for an airplane I watch the time and keep my family updated.  I will keep this in my craft room as a decoration.  It's not the type of card I would send and I will not make it again, but it is nice to look at.

Make a coffee filter background.  (You need caffeine to travel!)  I will use this card but I will not make it again.

Stair Step Card.  I will use this card and know who exactly will get it.  I may make a few more. with different themes.

Romantic Cruise Wedding Theme.  One of my daughters will use this and I will improve on it before my brother's wedding using embossed vellum overlay, Swiss dot embossed  largest portion of the label and more wedding themed colors like black and white, or silver or gold.

Travel with Friends.  I have no use for this but one of my daughters might.  I like how calming it is.

Graduation Card inspired by "All the Places You Will Go" book.  I LOVE this!  I works for so many different High Schools and Colleges if you only include one of the school colors.  It still needs minimal embellishments.  I will probably make it again.

Splitcoast Stampers Virtual Stamp Night "From Here to There" CONTINUED

These cards are for the continuation of the Virtual Stamping Night with a travel theme.  Many of these are not cards I would send out because the themes and greetings are not for the types of occasions I celebrate with cards, but I did end up getting ideas for changing them up to make them more birthday and holiday oriented in the future.  There is a 1 hour restriction so some of them have wonky stamping, smears etc.  I can fix those if it is a design I would like to make again.

Destination Theme-Travel by plane

Map theme

Boat theme

Luggage theme

Vehicle theme

Splitcoast Stampers Virtual Stamp Night "From Here to There" mini Challenges #3 Marble Rolling Technique

This was the last of my challenges for the mini Virtual Stamp Night.  Unfortunately the tray I put my marbles and reinker in didn't have a flat bottom.  There was a channel all the way around the edge of the bottom, then a larger centered flat area where I put my card.  I had to make my marbles JUMP up onto the edges of the card and roll in one direction.  I still like the look of the background except the large splotch.  I will have to try this again.

Marble Rolling Background Technique

Splitcoast Stampers Virtual Stamp Night "From Here to There" #2 Snacks for a car trip

Here is my second card from the 3 mini challenges on Virtual Stamp Night "From Here to There".

Snacks for a Road Trip

Splitcoast Stampers Virtual Stamp Night"From Here to There" #1 Inspirational Card

I love the challenges in Virtual Stamp Night.  This was the first time I did the mini challenge which was only 3 cards.  The challenge was to add arrows to a card.  I chose to imply that the arrows were adding strength and power to my bicycles.

Add arrows to your card "From Here to There" challenge

My Favorite Card Makers

     Over the years my favorite card makers have changed.  I still like all of them, but like all of us their tastes change and so do their blogs and their YouTube video content.  As some of them spend more time on hand lettering than on card making (and their hand lettering is very inspiring), or teaching water coloring or hand drawing more than card making (and they are extremely talented in what they do), I end up skipping many of their videos because it doesn't apply to what I am doing currently or what I feel I should be focusing on.
     It's not that I don't want to do hand lettering or water coloring.  It's just that I still need to perfect my ink blending and try all the techniques in die cutting, fancy folds, making my own background papers, copic coloring and etc.  Once I have perfected all that I will likely delve into water coloring and hand lettering.
    So that leaves me with my CURRENT favorite card makers.  They are in no particular order other than the first one.

1. Gina K has always been near the top.  She is an awesome human being.  During the past year or two I have shared thoughts with her in an online forum, spoken to her in person, and talked to her on the phone when I had a problem with one of my orders-which really wasn't a problem on her end or my end-just a computer glitch.  She just couldn't be any nicer.  Her YouTube videos (StampTV with Gina K.) are so well planned and executed and her voice is soooo soothing.  Her cards are very elegant which I love and her products are to die for.  I buy almost exclusively from her now due to the high quality of her products.  I always wondered why the card making world hadn't discovered her yet.  Yes, many people knew her from her YouTube channel, but when discussing her channel or her products in the online card making forum I was in, the majority of users were not familiar with her.  I am so happy to see that she has final made it big.  Her products are being sold not just at her store, but at SimonSaysStamp.  She now is friends with the other card makers that have made it big.  She is traveling and giving demonstrations at Scrapbooking shows.  Her daughter Rina K has her own YouTube Channel (Rina K Designs) and she is so refreshing and funny.  I just can't say enough good things about Gina and her family.  I think the awesome products she is producing is what has recently put her at the top of my list.
2. Jennifer McGuire has also always been near the top.  Her YouTube Channel (Jennifer McGuire Ink) is so innovative.  She continually amazes me with new techniques that I would love to try.  She also is just an amazing person.  She joined the same card making forum that I am in and she is just such a sweet, helpful person.  By watching her videos you get a glimpse of her life and see what a generous person she is with her time.  So again, another sweet person with an awesome YouTube channel.  Jennifer has a very big following.  I don't think I have run into a card maker yet that doesn't know who she is.
3. Here is a hidden gem that doesn't seem to have hit it big yet.  She is another sweet lady and deserves a bigger following.  She seems dedicated to helping people learn techniques and improve their card making which I appreciate.  Justine Hovey (Justine's Cards) is the one I am hoping will be the next one to become a household name among card makers.
4. Yana Smakula makes the most beautiful elegant cards. Her cards are very much in the style I would like mine to be.  Some of them actually are like the ones I do but most of them are so much better.  It is really helpful for me to try to keep up with her.  I honestly believe I learn at least one new thing while watching a new video of hers.  I think what I like most about her cards is that they look like they belong in the Hallmark store.  Only there is only one of her cards and it is handmade instead of being thousands of the same card and being produced by machine.  Her YouTube channel is definitely on my list of channels I keep up with.  

There are a few other card makers whom I watch on YouTube but they don't produce as much content as these 4 ladies do.  There are also a few other ladies producing a lot of content.  I believe I have surpassed one of them in my ability to produce cards which I am proud of so I no longer watch her, but she is good and has a good following.  I am still subscribed to one of the ladies that I mentioned has changed the content of her channel-she still produces some content that I like so I just pick and choose which videos to watch, and there is also another lady producing a lot of content that I stopped watching due to her changing the focus of her content.  I adored the cards she was making but there were very few videos that I felt I wanted to watch.  If you feel there is someone I should be watching, chances are it is one of these last three ladies.