CQ#130 & RS#4 & phone calls

Hello folks; Mary here. Back for another installment of, "Mary's Love Affair with Card Challenges". It's another 2-fer this time.

I'm in LOVE with this color combo! So perfectly Easter. The sketch this week was fun to work with too. {i'm pretty sure i'll be making another card with these same colors}

I just finished talking on the phone with Jessie for about an hour; as she drove to BC to teach. I know she calls mostly cuz she's bored, but I hope she knows how much I enjoy the convo's. Same when Kristen calls and we talk as she drives home from work. Let that be a subliminal message to you, Jake. :)  

spring is trying to spring

Yello everybody!

Another card; based on the color challenge from the CR84FN blog. After Wes being sick most of last week, and me pretty much checking out on Saturday, I didn't think I'd feel like 'carding'. AND when I browsed through all the samples and cards made by other more experienced and qualified 'carders' I was PSYCHED!! And not the good kind; no, I'm talking the kind that screams in my head DON'T do it! {Yeah. I've got to get over myself.}

There is something about sitting in my craft room with pandora blasting and being surrounded by card making paraphernalia that is so therapeutic and so I went for it anyway. Away we go.

This challenge uses such bright and happy colors! Something I really needed this horribly windy, cloudy dark day. How apropos that as I type this the sun is really trying to peek through those clouds. I NEED Spring and SUNSHINE! Don't we all?

Wes made it to school today, the sun is trying to shine, and I don't have to make dinner tonight! Life is good. Real good.

one card-two challenges

As promised, I've made another card for not one, but two, challenges. (As you were probably able to deduce from the title of this post.) I struggled some with this one; not because the challenges were difficult, but for some reason things would not come together as I wanted them to. For example, my razzleberry, {the color challenge}, just isn't razzleberry enough. Oh, I could go on and point out various faults, {this card is not my fave}, but that just draws attention to them, right? I continue to feel so out of my league! BUT, these lil problems won't stop me from continuing on with my mad card crafting obsession. mwa-ha-ha-ha-ha

The newest phase of my obsession is shopping for supplies; be it online, archiver's, and for the basics, hobby lobby. (I miss Robert's so much!) (Heaven help me if I lived any closer to archiver's.) Also I think I need to experiment with copic markers and stamps. Perhaps my tole-painting skills from YEARS ago will turn out to be useful, although it still seems pretty intimating. But in the words of Pablo Picasso, (which I'm truly trying to embrace):

"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."

ps. Thanks to all who leave such lovely comments. I really, really appreciate it! 

freshly made sketches #26

This is my first official time linking a card challenge on this blog. {there is a long story as to why I'm switching back to blogger from WP that you do not want to hear.} I'm still not over being nervous about joining in on the different card challenges I find. {as I feel I don't belong with the truly talented!} But I have too much fun creating a card from their ideas!

This week I chose a challenge from Freshly Made Sketches:

Thanks for stopping by! 

"Bloggering"

I'm double posting these pics, but I'm pretty sure I'm switching back to blogger, (I know, I'm a blogging schizoid), and I want to have them posted here too. I've decided that since I'm not so much interested in following, (never look at my reader anyways, I prefer to bookmark), as I am linking.

Besides, Jessie is going to make my blog look beautiful.

{If the case of anyone actually being interested, (and seriously, I don't know why you'd be), blogger messed up my following link thingamajig something mind boggling. Or mind 'bloggering' perhaps.}

BUT STILL, I'm a blogger girl, and will always be. I think.

PICTURES of previous cards. These 2 I entered into challenges:

I made this card with a color challenge in mind, although I did not submit a link: (I'm a scaredy cat),

And this is a shot of my craft table. No reason. Ugh. A total reflection of my brain.

challenges

No the problem with blogger is not solved. I give up. At least until I get some solid, workable advice.

What I've done is this. Added another email and replaced the old one that linked to this blog's profile. Now when I follow another blog it should link to here. I've no idea nor do I care why that other blog is still showing up. It was just driving me plain crazy trying to figure out what was/is going on. Google really does need to come up with a better system to let us, the personal blog blogger with limited knowledge on how blogs work, to get answers to our questions. Or maybe actually answer the one I left on the help forum. 

Oh bother. 

Of course I don't mean to blog about that mess. 

I mean to blog about other types of challenges.

Card making challenges.

You see, there are eleventy billion scrapbook, card making, and/or paper crafting blogs. I find several new ones a day. And here I thought I was so unique. 

Well, what I have learned about are blogs specifically dedicated to card making 'challenges', i.e., different types of ideas to act as a springboard to base your card upon. 

I must admit that I do a lot of copying when making my cards. It truly is the sincerest form of flattery I can think of and I hope that's okay. There are just SO many talented card makers! I'm just learning and there is SO much information, and seriously, there are times I go to bed thinking about CARDS! 

So. Okay.

This first card is another 'differently folded' one I tried. 

And that would be why there are so many photos.  

Speaking of, I may need to start using the real camera. But my phone is just so handy and I am so lazy.

And here is yet another Valentine card! This style as I mentioned last time is one I'm really working on. I love the distressed look from the ink to the stamps. I have a long ways to go to get any good at this technique. I used Glossy Accents on the hearts as you can see in the 2nd picture. Yeah, it is sloppy. So much to learn and practice.

I love this wedding card, (or it could be any type I suppose), and I almost totally copied this from a photo I pinned. I'm actually going to use this card, (gasp!), so that's good.

As I mentioned, there are several different types of challenges to pick from, (if you so choose), out there in card making blog land. What you are supposed to do is link back to them, but I'm still not sure I'm ready for that! As usual, I am completely intimidated by all the talent out there. 

That being said, on this next card I used two different card challenges:

January 16, 2012 http://mojomonday.blogspot.com/

and

ColourQ challenge #119 http://colourq.blogspot.com/

Thanks for indulging me in my creative attempts. 

<3