Sunday, November 6, 2011

A start on Christmas cards

Hello, my name is Margaret and I am a procrastinator...but I can change, if I have to, I guess...
They say that the first step to overcoming a bad habit is to admit that you have one. While I know that my procrastinating can sometimes cause added stress and the occasional 'dropping the ball', I have to be honest and say that some of my best work comes when under pressure. While working my way through college, I loved my job at Big Lots (an eclectic discount retail chain).  Each day when I came in, it was a different area of the store, a special task, or customer service that awaited me.  I loved the challenge of adjusting to my new duties and although most of my coworkers thought I was crazy, I loved difficult customers. Not nasty, hateful customers, but people that came in the door knowing that they probably weren't going to be pleased. I loved the look of pure shock and awe when I would help them with their concerns and offer suggestions they hadn't considered.  This was not a job I could plan for; it was fly by the seat of my pants and I LOVED it.

If you're still with me, you are probably wondering just what this has to do with paper crafting. My point, and I do have one, is that while I do have to keep my procrastinating in check in most areas, there are other times that the impulsive response is the best.  This is how I create my Christmas cards.  I will look through idea books, surf online, and browse the craft stores, but in the end some of my best cards come at the last minute trying to get just a few more greetings in the mail before the big day.  I like to think that at these times I'm not nitpicking my creativity and it thanks me by giving it's best efforts.

I wasn't planning on making a Christmas card this week, but then I saw the sketch at Sketches By Carly and thought about the stamp set Gift Givers, which hasn't seen much ink yet, a card began to form.  It is not at all like most Christmas cards I create, but I really love how it turned out! I even managed to use some Spice Cake DSP on this!!





I really love that SU started carrying Dazzling Details.  I love this stuff for snow! I also have recently started an addiction to Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz. Almost all of my 'girly' cards get a few shots of this awesome stuff!

Card Recipe: Cardstock- very vanilla, pool party, Spice Cake DSP, Ink-basic gray, pool party, island indigo, blush blossom, Stamp Sets-Gift Givers, Snow Swirled, Tags So Much (ret.-colored only sentiment), Accessories-vanilla shimmer smooch spritz, dazzling details, very vanilla seam binding, scallop circle punch, 2 3/8 scallop circle punch

I also wanted to share a picture from the Louisville Regional Event.  Several ladies from our team, The Crafty SisTAHs, went together.  This is such a wonderful group of ladies and we had a great day together. I'm in the back row wearing pink!


I'll share some pics of swaps in my next post!!



9 comments:

  1. Hi Margaret, from a fellow procrastinator! Lol! This card is adorable, in every way! I love the soft colors and all of that sparkle. That little stamp always makes me smile and you have given her even more character with the details. Adorable! Sounds like you had fun at Regionals, too. Have a great night! :)

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  2. Hi Margaret! Super cute wintery card *Ü* Love all the sparkle on it! Thanks so much for playing at Sketches by Carly this week!!

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  3. such a cute christmas card Margaret-love that sweet little girl in your image-you are on your way with christmas cards now

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  4. Great Christmas card! LOVE all that blue and the shimmer and shine of this. Just so pretty with the DP and little snowflakes too.
    Lynn

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  5. Margaret I am a fellow procrastinator too. I always tend to leave things to the last minute even though I have had plenty of time to organise myself!!! I love this card. So wish that we had that set down here in Aus.

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  6. I was gonna type you a message, but I'm thinking about doing it later....

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  7. LOL...I couldn't let that opportunity pass. :)
    This is a fantastically designed Christmas card. I love anything in blue, so this is perfect.
    Thank you for the great time on your blog and seeing your wonderful picture.
    Hugs to you,
    Lisa xx

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  8. Absolutely adorable card!! Love it, Margaret!! I am a huge procrastinator too! :) Great picture of your regional girlies!!

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I would love to know what you think! Thanks for commenting!