Last Minute Creating!!

I've always had an issue with time pressure.  I don't do well with it, but at least I do something!  I hated timed math drills as a kid, but I did learn my times tables.  I wonder if I would have been able to do it without them.  I do tend to procrastinate, but I've been working my whole life to correct that tendency.  Is it getting better?...Hmmm!  The jury's out! 

But where am I going with this?  Well, late last night, I found out that we were doing a card swap (like a cookie exchange, but with cards) at our Technique Night tonight.  I knew I was going to be busy most of the day today, so I had to make them last night. Fortunately, I am a night owl,  but a 10 pm start is pushing it a little! 

How do you design a card you need to make 4 copies of?  Well, you look to see what colours you have in abundance, especially when you can't order anything in on time.  For me, the colours were oranges - Pumpkin Pie, Tangerine Tango and Cajun Craze cardstock and some Well Worn DSP.  I had seen, earlier in the day, a card made by Ann Schach of The The Stampin' Schach, using the Elementary Elegance set that I had just ordered and Tangerine Tango.  I came up with these cards, inspired by hers.

I had wanted to use white for the stamp, but it turned out that I didn't have any white embossing powder, and StazOn Cotton White ink was not strong enough, even with clear embossing powder, so I went with StazOn Jet Black.  The sentiment is from the same stamp set and I stamped it in Versamark ink and embossed it with Tangerine Tango embossing powder, and punched out a Curly Label shape, which fits perfectly in the middle space of the frame. 

The lovely Well Worn paper softened the Halloween-like effect of the black and orange and provided some contrast.  I had enough Antique brads for two on each of only 4 cards, so the last card  I added three little flower buttons and put a medium basic pearl on each for a flower center.  It is amazing what a difference the different embellishment makes. Much more soft and feminine..

Well, I got them done and I was in bed just after midnight, which is a not-so-unusual bedtime for me, and woke up to a surprise this morning!  My Stampin' Up new distributor Starter Kit was delivered!  I think I actually squealed when I opened the door and saw it.  The delivery man turned and grinned as he walked down my driveway.  Just like Christmas!!