Two new cards, and some musings...

I made a couple of birthday cards today, my first this week. They are made in the same style : both measure 6"x5" (15cm x 12.5cm) with the front folded back on itself.The green one is for my niece in America (Jamie's mother, for those who have read about my star card) who has made her own little English garden in Delaware and will, I think, appreciate the sepia stamped sundial by Joanna Sheen. The stamped greeting is hidden by the front flap and is next to the picture. The leafy paper is from my stash, origin unknown, and the words on the Nesties are from a clear um stamp, also of unknown origin.

The crane stamp on the red card is by Hobby Art and the coin by Personal Impressions (both are UK companies), embossed with gold detail EP and the crane is matted on gold. The paper on the inner panel is a beautiful oyster satin which I bought in New Zealand last year. This is the first time I have used it....although I have several sheets I'm being very frugal so I don't use it all up! I added a plain white piece with a decorative punched bottom border on the hidden inner panel.

I deliberately had a break from crafting this week, partly because I've been busy with something else but also because I felt dissatisfied with the cards I made for challenges last weekend. That was my own fault for leaving them until the last minute (I'm a champion procrastinator) and having to rush them, but I wanted to think about what I was trying to achieve by entering the challenges. We each have our own style - there's a category on Split Coast Stampers called 'Clean And Simple' which I think describes mine quite well (kind critics have used the words 'elegant' and 'stylish' about my cards which I should love to think also fits them). I'm not artistic, although I think I have a good eye for colour, and I can't handle lots of fussy embellishments or glitz: a narrow border of mirri card or a dab of silver Stickles is just about as bright as it gets! I thought that by committing myself to entering a few challenges regularly it would stretch my imagination and take me outside my comfort zone, because I do know I tend to stick with a design and risk becoming boring; however I have come to the conclusion that I don't have a flexible imagination and I'm a leopard who doesn't want to change his spots, so from now on I will enter challenges only if I can make a suitable card in my own style. If I can't, I'll either wait for another week or enter a different challenge.