The "Eyes" Have It!

Let me introduce you to Gracie, the family dog. I have to admit, I've grumbled about that dog more times than I care to confess--which is probably why she's posturing, so sweet and bulgy-eyed in this photo. Let's just say that Gracie and I have a "unique" relationship. But my daughters adore her, and David treats Gracie like one of the family, so I've learned to adapt.

As we were designing our stamp sets for the new Summer catalog, the "You're a Hoot" set (C1362) really caught my eye--or should I say Gracie's eye? When I reviewed the initial drawings for this set, I just about hooted out loud myself. Even though the theme of the set is adorable owls, all I could see was Gracie and her huge, pleading eyes. I created these cards using the set plus the super-versatile papers from the "Back Country" paper pack... and yes, I was laughing the entire time. You KNOW the resemblance between Gracie and the owls is pretty darn amazing, right?

This just reminds me that sometimes two completely different things can tie perfectly together--like Gracie and the stamp art, or like "It's a Hoot" coupled with the "Back Country" papers. When you're looking for inspiration for that next great layout or a fun card, don't be afraid to step outside your comfort zone, mixing and matching elements that initially seem different. You might stumble on a magical complement... which is better than stumbling over Gracie, I'll tell you!