Vivace in Canada

I've always considered my English ability to not be good enough to express myself completely. I use simple vocabularies and phrases in communications most of the time, and I'm hoping one day I can use English in writing and speaking more freely.

I enjoy writing essays in Chinese, and the passion extends to English since I use English daily. In order to improve my writing skills, my English articles are posted on this blog. This was the expository essay assignment of the Communications course I took in Spring. I learned a lot about academic writing from this course. Below is an unrevised verson of my writing.

Not everyone is born with artistic talent; often I have difficulty when I begin making a new card. I usually seek out and find new ideas through appreciating other people’s work. The internet is a very functional tool for searching for images of handmade cards that artists post online. I may attempt to imitate a card design but modify the original with the material I have on hand, or combining several ideas onto one card to suit my needs. I try to avoid replicating a card entirely, it will not be my own creation if I do so. There are many magazines and books that specialize in handmade cards. Those publications gather a large amount of projects, and greeting card ideas for special occasions and holidays. Purchasing a few issues of card and craft magazines and books will frequently become handy. Inspiration accomplishes creativity, when I slow down my pace, take time to observe the environment surrounding me, anything could trigger my inspiration! Using techniques ingeniously, helps me to more likely create a professional looking greeting card that way.

There are various techniques that could be used for card making besides assembling stickers or other pre-printed elements that are sold in craft stores. I prefer creating my own elements and components to apply onto my cards. Occasionally, I need to make a card in a very short time period, I will use premade stickers, and adorn it with the pieces I create. One of the techniques I use to make greeting cards very often is to cut out letters of the message on the surface of the card. It is a time consuming and painstaking technique, but it makes my cards look very delicate and elegant. Paper quilling is a new technique I learned about two years ago. It brings layers and dimensions to my cards. I couldn’t quite quill paper stripes into equal sizes at the beginning when I started, but, “Practice makes perfect.” The more I practiced the better results I got. I don’t necessarily recognize every technique for card making crafts that are out there, through learning and using new skills will definitely bring new features to a card, also expand my knowledge on adopting different types of crafting tools.

For a very impatient person like me, even a simple step can become unbelievably hard, such as waiting for the ink of a stamp to dry out. Unfortunately, an insignificant mistake sometimes can ruin the entire design. Sophisticated craft techniques require patience, I need to perform the same movement repeatedly when I cut out letters; I have to concentrate very carefully, when I work with sharp craft knives to shape components. The progress of making cards require patience, to construct the cards beautifully and suitably for the person I make it for; I need to be calm and collected, especially when I don’t know how to proceed. I think over my project again, I search for ideas online again, I review my books and magazines again, I go through my materials to see if there is anything else that can be used. When that happens, I would rather leave it until I am ready to continue, not rush to finish it.

Nowadays, with the assistance of computer technology and digital cameras, greeting cards can be designed and printed easily by softwar and computer accessories. Cards with photographs' or digital images are even more vivid and peculiar than hand crafted ones. So I leaned to work with computer software too. I enjoy the process of card designing, crating, combining and completing, although it may takes me a combined total of seeral hours or more to finish one, the time and effort I put into a card is unbeatable; Compliments from family members and friends, who receive my specially made cards, became my motivation and enjoyment to continue on with making handmade cards.