So the only rules I can think of to maybe change are the rules regarding tools. I like having to stick with only the materials that come in the kit, but I was wondering how you both felt about changing the rules slightly to allow for usage of any tools? I know I wanted to reach for my border punches a zillion times. Maybe we could all consider how it would change things and whether those changes would be acceptable.
I've considered it some and here's how I feel: The intent of the club is to see what we can make with the same materials...well, tools don't really impact it that much. So we use punches, dies, or cutting machines. Big deal. My flower and title might have looked more professional and my layout may have changed slightly - I probably would have used a border punch and perhaps a die or two - that's about it. I knew the basic form my layout was going to take, regardless of tools. I knew what my cards were going to look like, too. It was neat to be reminded that, yes, you can do a lot without tools, but is that a reason to revert back to the stone age of scrapbooking? On the other hand, I liked being challenged by not being able to reach for my old stand-bys right away. It forced me to think a little. But, I'm not sure if what I gained in creativity made up for the lack of ease in using tools. What do you guys think?
Should we relax the rules on the usage of tools? Or do boundaries encourage your creativity and we should keep them?
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I am torn. I think the rules allowed us to be more creative this month, certainly. I love the borders both you and Rachel made using just circle punches and hand cuts. Having said that, I did think about this a little more last night.
ReplyDeleteI think we should add tools that we all have. This way the spirit of the challenge would remain in tact: what can we do given the the same materials and tool set?
There must be some punches or tools we all have in common (um... I've bought a couple more since you left).
I'd really like to be able to use scalloped circles too. I don't think I was really supposed to use that last time, but rationalized it by saying that if I had the time, I could make it using a trace and careful cutting (or with a semi-circle punch).
These are just my bleary eyed thoughts on my way to work. I haven't even had coffee yet.
Rachel, what do you think?
Hey, I don't have a problem with bending rules. I used an orange marker to outline my flower petals and I knew at the time that it wasn't technically a color for that month. I tried yellow, but it just didn't show. Besides, I love the scalloped circle card design. And if you had followed the rules to the letter of the law, we would have missed out on seeing a really neat new way to make a card - that's kinda what I mean. It's a trade off when it comes to tools, although I would say you gained more creativity by being able to use the scalloped circle which makes me lean even more toward changing the rules to allow use of any tool. We could always try allowing any tools for the month of February and then check in with each other and decide which we like better.
ReplyDeleteI am trying to think through how we could know what each of the others has. Would we do an inventory? Please, say no. I can't imagine inventorying all that I own. Well, I could, but it would be pages and pages long and would take hours.
ReplyDeleteWe could just ask the others if we wanted to use something. Though when I try to imagine that, I think that if I were sent an email asking me if I had X tool and I didn't, I wouldn't want you to not use it. I would want to see what you could do with it, instead. If we did the asking thing, we'd have to all agree to firmly say, "No, I don't have that. You can't use it." That might be hard for me to do.
We could always keep (and expand) a list of accepted tools. As we go along, we could always add to it. I'm not sure about how we would implement this. Any ideas?
I am not saying this isn't a workable solution. I like it. I am just trying to figure out the logistics.
And BTW, I'm not sure you were outside the rules. It did say any machine to make a circle and the scallop was in the shape of a circle. So there.
ReplyDeleteI don't know, I have to say that limiting the amount of tools we can use really does encourage creativity. I know that I never would have thought to make a border out of half-circles if I'd been allowed to use a border punch or my scalloped-edge scissors. And looking at both of your work, my favorite projects were the ones where you had to get most creative. I think I just enjoy the challenge of having to think outside the box.
ReplyDeleteOh, and by the way, I don't think the scalloped circle was breaking the rules either. I agree with Marieke. Circle punches and cutters are allowed because circles are pretty difficult to cut perfectly by hand.
OK. So, after all of the discussion - I think I am leaning towards keeping the rule set as is. I certainly don't want to incite anything so crazy as an inventory. :-)
ReplyDeleteI think that if there are tools we are *burning* to use, and all of them have them (no more than say adding one tool per month) - I'd be open to that. However, I kind of like the creativity that the limited rule set inspires right now. Since scalloped circles are allowed (thank you!) and we can use line drawings from the internet, or those created in a MS program - that gives us a lot of flexibility. I propose we try it another month, as is.
Sounds good to me. Rachel, you make some valid points. I mean, I loved the parts of our layouts and cards that were inspired because of our lack of tools - like the circles border or the blue grass card. Those are among my favorites.
ReplyDeleteI second the motion to try another month (February), as is.
Great! I can't wait to see what we come up with next month.
ReplyDelete