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

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