Saturday, January 26, 2008

How Many Rejects? - a little challenge for you

2 blog entries in as many days - now that hasn't happened very often lately!

The other day, in order to make enough space on my desk to get the alcohol inks & associated paraphenalia out, I had to have a bit of a tidy up. It was getting to that point where I have only enough room for my A4 sized mat - I'm sure you'll know what I mean.....
When I have a clear up I tend to put things like punches, ink pads, pens etc stright into their "homes" but a lot of stuff gets sorted into piles - scraps of coloured card, white card, cereal box, plastic bags, paper collections etc so that I can tidy all those things into their rightful place at once rather than keep getting that box or folder out.
Anyway, one of these piles turned out to be an "unfinished cards" pile.
By the time I'd cleared the top of my desk I'd found all of these:

Yep, that's SEVEN partly made cards where I started off and ran out of steam/mojo before they were finished. As you can see, in some cases all I managed was to stick one piece of paper on, with others I got as far as adding ribbon or die cuts before, for one reason or another they were rejected. Now bearing in mind that these were the ones I found actually ON the desk - which I do tidy up from time to time, it sort of begs the question "How many more have been shoved into the various hidey-holes in my craft space?" hmmmm

I'm scared to check the rest of the boxes tbh as I know there are many more stashed away - after tidying my desk I did go through the box that lives on the top of my ribbon drawers where bits and bobs get put when they're in the way and I found another THREE in there. That's it, I daren't look any further.

So, here's my question to anyone who reads this blog. Do you ALWAYS finish a card you start, even if the mojo fails halfway through? Or do you end up with a stack of unfinished cards like me? And if the latter, how many cards are there lurking in your reject pile? Go on, have a look - I dare you!

So now I need to make myself feel better by showing some things that I've actually managed to complete!
First up is a last-minute card for a customer to give to her daughter. It's a while since I made a bear card in the style of the wonderful Jo, and they are perfect for jobs like this. This paper has been lurking in the box for years I think, it's really pretty but I think that having only two co-ordinating designs makes it tricky to work with sometimes - I must try and remember to buy three ddesigns wherever possible as 3 is more adaptable than 2....
IWhat with being poorly and everything else, I only managed 1 card for Leo over at Crafty Templates for the January design set, a shame as the templates were fabby. I'm hoping I can get at least another one done from that set eventually. Though as my new DT set of stash and templates are already here, I won't be holding my breath on that score.
The current template set has a Springtime/Valentines theme and is stuffed with fantastic ideas for cards and other crafty makes - this is the card I made with the "love letter" template
There are various layers to this card, I used a mini DL card cut in red for the actual card blank, then there's a piece of lace card under the arrow, and the envelope on top of the arrow is made so that the heart section comes out to allow an extra message to be written on the reverse.
Lastly I thought I'd show a couple of sneak peeks of Sue's Christmas present - which for one reason or another is still sitting in my craft room. Hopefully we'll get together soon and I can give her this rather late Christmas gift.....

20 comments:

Unknown said...

Those cards are gorgeous Kathy. Won't Roan love her new card? The love card is very grown up and classic too.

Yep! I also run out of steam partway through making cards sometimes. I found one recently from about a year or so ago, so I binned it because I still didn't like the start of it!

I try as much as possible to finish what I start (sometimes you just have to leave it though, don't you?)

Paula J Atkinson said...

Gorgeous cards Kathy. Cute school one & i love the valentines ones.

I have a few unfinished cards they usuall stat of great but then the papers don't match right or I put them aside before adding yet another flower to the front. Im trying to stop that this year & find new ways to embellish the fronts other than hearts & flowers..... it is a hard task!!

Gillian said...

Hello my friend :)
If I leave a card, I never ever come back to it.... so I either push myself to finish it, or bin it now, otherwise I'd have a box full I'm sure..lol!
What Gorgeous cards Kathy, I really, really love the valentine one it's amazing!

Janice said...

mmm Kathy, my craft room is in such a mess just now, I couldn't even find the unfinished cards if I looked. I'm sure there are a few, but I sometimes tear them up if I don't like them or cut off the back to use again. What a fab love letter card, that is really unusual. The pressie looks fab too.

Janice

Beth said...

These cards are all blooming gorgeous Kathy. I know I've said it before, but I'm going to say it again....."You are sooooo fab at making cards". XX

ScrapMomOf2 said...

That layered Valentine card is amazing! WOW! Absolutely gorgeous!

Dawn Wheeler said...

OOh Kathy these are so gorgeous and beautiful xxx
i has so missed coming to see your cards ,but with not doing the challenges i thought you might ban me LOL,xxxx lovely to see your work ,Dawnxxx

Lythan said...

The cards are wonderful Kathy. I don't think I ever abandon a card half way through - although I sometimes throw them away finished. Sue's present looks luscious too!

Birdbrain said...

Yup - I totally run out of steam sometimes. Sometimes my muse takes a hike in the middle of a card. Imagine! Your work is terrific.

Creative Treasures said...

Kathy i absolutely love that valentine card its stunning as are all of your cards.

My desk is also such a mess at the moment i can't find anything!!, im sure i spend more time tidying my desk than actually making anything :).

Andrea, said...

great cards

Sadie said...

These cards are wonderful, you attention to detail is first class

Kristen said...

LOL - I don't think I have any half made cards lurking about but who really knows with the mess my craft table is in at the moment!

Love the school card and the valentine - they are fab!

Angelnorth said...

Love the multi-elements of the Valentine one - great stuff!

Anonymous said...

Fantastic cards !!! great job as usual.

Unknown said...

WOW What a lucky little girl to get that card - it's so cute. I just love the "love" one too - wow what a lot of work has gone into that. Superb! I'm a bit of a tidy person I'm afraid and always finish my cards and tidy up. I know - I'm boring! Lol x

Gina said...

Wow, I wish I found some cards like that under my mess!!
Love the teddy bear one ~ it's so adorable. Gx

Enfys said...

I totally love your valentine card - and your blog! The little girl card is so cute too. I tend not to have any unfinished stuff around, I tend to say 'stuff it' and tear them in half when it isn't working. I am so wasteful, half a Brazilian rainforest a week............

Pearl said...

wow very very scrummy cards to say the least Kathy ! Such splashes of colours in your card creations !

As for unfinished cards I can safely say I probably only have one - it would be an altered CD too that just doesnt meet my design standard. But then again perhaps it's because I do not do cards for customers orders ! Otherwise I'm sure I would have much more in the reject pile. LOL

on an impulse I created a one off card challenge !

http://maisymary.blogspot.com/2008/01/surprising-weds-card-challenge-by-me.html

Do come by when you can ! runs for a week !

xo, Pearl

Sheila said...

Just wanted to let you know Kathy that you are not all on your lonesome with your unfinished cards......I have hundreds in a box under my work area. They are mostly ones that I have just stuck paper onto to use up the last of a piece or maybe some that I have tried a new layout and not been too sure of it and thought I would go back to it later......and never did.
Must have a bit of a sort out now you've mentioned this....lol!!!

Your work as always is simply gorgeous.

Sheila-x-