Friday, April 4, 2014

Yikes! Timed Stamping Challenge with As You See It Challenges!

Let me start by saying I hate anything to do with timed tests of any kind!  As a kid, I would always fall apart anytime we had to do a times table test that had a time limit.  It took until I was an adult and a teacher, to learn how to handle timed assignments:  put your emotions in the background; take data in, spit answers out! No feelings allowed!  But this week's challenge from As You See It Challenges brought all those anxious emotions back to remembrance again!  It is a Speed Stamping Challenge - you have to complete a card in 10 minutes!


I also wanted to enter The Paper Player's Tic Tac Toe Challenge #189 :


I did the diagonal line, Birthday, Patterned Paper and Any Shade of Blue.

And I promise I didn't cheat!  Here's what I came up with in 10 minutes:


  • Before I started the clock, I had the card planned out in my mind and I knew I wanted to do an ombre design of some sort with the "Shades of Blue" part of the As You See It Challenge.  I originally thought I would do fringes, but thought maybe it would take too long to get it looking nice.  Then I decided to stamp and immediately thought of Gorgeous Grunge.  I could picture the "splotch" stamp in my mind in a range of blues.
  • I had to use Patterned Paper for the Tic Tac Toe challenge and knew I could find some Coastal Cabana polka dots in the Afternoon Tea DSP.
  • We were allowed to gather our materials before starting, but as soon as the cutting blade hit the paper, the timer started!  I had inks, paper, stamps, stamp cleaner ready to go.

  • The inks I used were Midnight Muse, Island Indigo, Bermuda Bay, Tempting Turquoise, Coastal Cabana and Pool Party, going from darkest at the bottom to lightest at the top.  I stamped some off first to give some depth to the design.
  • The sentiment is from Bring on the Cake.  I had originally intended to use Stampin' Write Markers to fill in the letters if I had time.  I didn't and I'm glad now.  I think the outline letters create a good contrast to the solid splotches.

  • As I worked on this, everything was going fine until I was ready to glue the last two panels on to the base.  Then I realized that the patterned DSP was incredibly crooked and I couldn't move it!  Yikes! Things started to go south, until I remembered the advice I gave my students:  "No feelings!  Data in! Solutions out! "  I took a deep breath, cut another piece of DSP, ripped off the crooked one and glued the new piece down.  Phew. Crisis averted!
  • It was done but needed something.  I glanced at my watch. 59 seconds remaining.  I ran to my embellishment drawer and grabbed some Coastal Cabana In Colour Boutique Details and some Midnight Muse Dahlias.  The Boutique Details were too big and wouldn't fit anywhere.  I experimented with the dahlias, but finally used just one and glue-dotted it down with split seconds remaining!  DONE!
  • If I had had more time, I think some linen thread or Baker's twine might have added some interest to break up the vertical a bit, but I'm pretty happy to at least have a feasible card done in 10 minutes.
Try this challenge yourself!  It's a bit nerve-wracking, but lots of fun!  I wouldn't want to always have to have time limits, but it's amazing what you can do when you push yourself a bit!

Click on the links below to take you to my On-Line Store, where you can read about, look at, and purchase if you wish, the products used to make this card today!


Product List
130514s
130517s
128490s
121958s
131390s
101650s
126843s
126860s
126986s
131171s
126952s
131175s
126982s
127556s
110755s

4 comments :

  1. Oh Heather I LOVE this card!!!!
    Nicely done!!!

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  2. Thanks, Alli! It was definitely a growth experience!

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  3. A speed stamping challenge?!! It's takes me ALOT more than 10 minutes just to decide what to make! I'm very impressed. Great job mixing the blues for your grungy background. Thanks for playing Tic-Tac-Toe with us this week at The Paper Players!

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    Replies
    1. Well, we were allowed to form the concepts in our minds before we started stamping, so I pretty much knew what I was going to do. If I had to come up with the ideas during the 10 minutes, I'd be toast! Thanks, Sandy!

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