The only time I do LTC's is when I am inspired by a theme for an exchange. It is a topic or subject that I like and I just do whatever to make it work. But the ideas do not come fully formed prior to having a subject. I join the exchange and then I am forced to make the LTC....so I obviously like the subject matter and have a stamp in mind when I join up. Creating the LTC usually involves more....colors, textures, and those decisions come later..For example. I join a Stars Wars exchange because I love Star Wars...I want to do Yoda, I have a great idea for a swampy green image, but he is already taken....so I decide to do Han Solo in CARBONATE. I have an idea to do it so it looks like metal, so I need lite grey card stock and I do my stamp in black on it...i t just all comes together during the process

-Amanda from Seattle

When I see a tracker that interests me (people on it, content) I then search for an image before signing up unless I'm seriously excited and can't wait. Once I have an image I carve, then I go to the craft area and find paper and embellishments. If I can't find anything I might go back to google for card ideas if I didn't do that already with my image search. But before that the LTCs I was getting in swaps is where my inspiration was coming from when I first started. Those cards drove me to be worthy of joining a swap (I like to make sure someone somewhere is happy with my card). Just how I felt at the time.

I go to the craft store & look through card creating magazines such as "Just Cards" or "Scrap & Stamp". I also get ideas from LTC's I received as trades.

I like to get inspiration for LTC's from images or ideas that come from a tracker theme- when I do the trickier/more detailed carves, they take the lead in the card - rather than the card leading the carve! I do love it, though, when there are fancy paper layers and folds that are interactive- but those cards take forever to make- like at least 1/2 hour per card!