Card-Making



	Email this Page to a Friend!

What Inspires Susan Cobb’s Creative Spirit?

Susan Cobb loves card-making. “For me, card-making is all about the feeling,” she says. “It’s how the creative process makes me feel—and how I can make someone else feel special with the gift of a handmade card.”

Susan is also something of an inventor. She’s the principle designer behind the Paper Flair™ line of card-making kits and supplies, the creator of the famous Diamond Fold and Nested Shapes templates—and she’s also the woman responsible for creating and pioneering the whole concept of paper engineering.

In her new book, Susan’s Paper Engineering Secrets, Susan shares her tips, techniques and ideas for card-making. But we at Your Creative Spirit wanted to know a little bit more about this talented designer, so we caught up with Susan and asked her to share some of her philosophies about card-making, paper-crafting and inspiring creativity.

Click here to read a review of Susan’s Paper Engineering Secrets.

Sara: How long have you been crafting?

Susan: From the time I was a small child, I always wanted "to make something" new from whatever materials I could find around our house. I didn't know that I was being "creative" at the time, I just knew that I enjoyed making things. When I was about 8 years old, a family friend gave me some paints, brushes, an X-acto® knife (although I didn't know what it was, or how to use it!) and lots of Pak-O-Fun magazines. I absolutely loved those magazines and would look through them for hours.

Sara:How and where do you work on your own paper-crafting projects?

Susan: I work on my own projects in a spare bedroom I’ve turned into my studio. To save on space and try to organize things better, I recently splurged on some shelving with cabinets for storage, and counter space for cutting paper. I installed pegboard for hanging tools such as scissors, templates, and rulers. Most of my work is done at my drafting table, which has a tray at the side for pens and supplies.

Sara:How do you get in the creative mood?

Susan: Music helps, and so does looking through magazines. For some reason home decorating magazines work best for me. When I'm trying to think of an idea or I'm having trouble focusing, I listen to instrumental music such as piano or nature sounds like the ocean. That way I focus on my work and not the words of the music.

Sara:What drives you creatively?

Susan: To stay creative, I have to feed my creativity. I have to feel "enticed" in order to create. I'm a very visual type of person, so what works for me is to go
to gift stores, a flower shop, a fabric store, etc. I look at anything that attracts me visually with color, shape or texture. When I leave, I’m ready to be creative. Funky, trendy, artsy shops are best, but really anything that's new and different will help get me outside of my box and let me see things in a new way.

Sara:What other creative endeavors are you drawn to?

Susan: I have always loved to draw and paint, with all media. I'm always going to garage sales and buying things "with potential" and creating something new with them I also enjoy home decorating and working with polymer clay. I could go on and on, actually. I can make any endeavor creative if I put my mind to it!

Sara:What’s your motto or personal philosophy?

Susan: I always try to do my personal best, and always try to be true to myself.

Sara:What’s your best piece of advice for those of us who want to be more creative?

Susan: Feast your eyes and spirit on new and different colors, shapes and textures by going to new places and doing new things. This will keep you fresh and excited about being creative. Don't be afraid to experiment and try something new in your projects—it just might work.

Susan’s accomplishments in design are many, but when asked to name the achievement she’s most proud of, she said: “My husband and I have raised two very beautiful and talented daughters, ages 22 and 18. They are my biggest accomplishments!”

Susan Cobb has been playing with paper for years, creating scrapbook pages and cards for publication in magazines like Creating Keepsakes and Hot Off The Press idea books. She’s also the principle designer behind the Paper Flair™ card-making line. She lives in Oregon with her husband, two daughters and two very spoiled cats.