Working Through Mistakes

I love to make things, as you know, and I'm always pleased when I can make things for others.  I was asked by a fellow Etsy seller to create a card for a friend that celebrated the end of her chemo treatments.

My brief was basically to create something with a particular woman's image that she'd seen in a previous piece - this one

It's based on a larger collage I had done.  I had titled it "Taking on the World" and Patricia, I think, loved the look of the young woman.  I do too, and have used her in other pieces.

The other brief I had was to use a certain saying, "Confident that chemo gave her superpowers," and to make it cheerful.




I already had a card with colors that I wanted to use - a pretty pink and red.  And started playing around with it and embellishments.  I actually had a hard time figuring out what embellishments to use.

First this version

 

Then this version... 

Yet another version (bored yet?).  I show these photos to illustrate the process that any artist probably goes through to figure out how to accomplish a work of art.

Another version....

 










And then I finally came up with this - after about 8 hours over three days of thinking about it.

Fabulous, I was happy.  I thought it looked great.  I glued down the flowers and the young lady's image.  Then I picked up the card to add the goldtone corners and .....

I had done this card foundation as a horizontal card (accidentally), so of course this card is just not useable.  Though I may be able to resurrect it again as a printed version.









Obviously I needed to do something, and I sifted through the card foundations I already had and found a great solution, which you can see in the finished product below.  

 I actually like this version much better.  And I am hoping that Patricia does also.  I'm thinking of possibly making similar cards for other people celebrating the end of chemo OR radiation OR even recovery from other illnesses.  

I hope you don't mind yet another process post.  I plan to do more so be warned.

I'd love to see your comments, and I am always eager to get suggestions for future posts.

Later, 
Lin