Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator - Coldwater, Michigan - KatheD@gmail.com

Thursday, April 21, 2016

ThinkBack Thursday adventure

I was thinking back (I like ThinkBack Thursday better than Throwback Thursday, just sayin') about when I first started blogging.  I had been posting Jingle Belles challenge cards on Flickr and I wanted to play along at the new Less is More challenge.  They didn’t have a Flickr option, so I decided to be brave (it will be an adventure, I told myself) and start a blog.  For many months I followed several other bloggers but only those two challenges, and I played along most weeks.  I learned so much!  Of course, being new, I had a lot to learn, but there’s always a lot to learn.  One of the things I learned was that I’m not particularly good at Clean and Simple. I was feeling a bit discouraged about my submissions at Less is More, so I checked out some other challenges, and joined in, and learned a lot more! 

Fast forward to now – if you peeked at my feed reader you’d see 66 card-making bloggers and 98 challenge sites.  Well, no wonder I don’t play along more regularly at any one site – whew!  But what I was thinking about all this was, if I only play along with challenges that “inspire” me, am I learning as much as if I play along with possibly less “inspiring”, probably more “challenging” prompts?  So, maybe I’ll try playing along more often at a limited number of challenges (I won’t say every week, because I have this “day job” thing, and grandchildren, and kite festivals, and <bleh> housekeeping), and at other challenges just when I can fit them in.  For now, I’ve decided on Jingle Belles and the Watercooler, because I have sentimental ties to both.  Wouldn’t you know, after all that thinking (and remember, it included thinking that I’m not particularly good at Clean and Simple), the challenge for Watercooler Wednesday is Clean and Simple to celebrate spring!  

I needed some colors - Color Throwdown has a bright spring selection - and a sketch that will work for CAS, like Amy's at Freshly Made Sketches:
stamp set - Kinda Eclectic; ink - Tangelo Twist; Cucumber Crush, Watermelon Wonder; card stock - Watermelon Wonder, Whisper White, Cucumber Crush, Tangelo Twist; punch - Bitty Butterfly

OK, maybe I'm challenge-addicted - this "fits in" at Stampin' Royalty, and The Paper Players, too (except they only allow entries linked to 4 challenges or fewer).  My name is Kathe...

11 comments:

Heidi Weaver said...

Your name is Kathe and you're an addict. But you're so good at the challenges, too, so it's hard to let go, isn't it? Love your card and the way you've turned it around and used a colour as your base. And it's definitely a spring-like CAS. I totally agree with the comment about housekeeping. It interferes way too much with those creative juices, doesn't it? Love this post a lot, Kathe. It made me smile. Thanks so much for joining our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge this week.

Linda Callahan said...

Hmmm I like saying ThinkBack Thursday. Love this card done in Orange and green! Glad you shared it at FMS!

Gail said...

Kathe, this is an awesome card! Love the Tangelo Twist as the star of the show. I'd say you've mastered the CAS thing. Thanks for joining in at the Watercooler.

Wanda Cullen said...

One of my fave SU sets and perfect to showcase the throwdown colors! Thanks for joining in our challenge this week!

Jen Brum said...

What a lovely card! I do love that stamp set! The colours are so bright and cheery! I think I love ThinkBack Thursday as well! Makes way more sense! Thanks for joining us this week at Freshly Made Sketches!

Vickie Z said...

Fun card!! Forget the cleaning... Stamp :) jk! So glad you joined us at CTD!!

Marsha Reed said...

Great card, Kathe! Being a person who loves challenges, I do love to combine them. You did a nice job combining those challenges. Thanks for joining us this week at Watercooler Wednesday Challenges. Marsha

Vickie Z said...

Fun use of the sketch and colors!! So glad you joined us at CTD!!

libbystamps said...

This is a super card Kathe! I follow most of those challenges and anyone one of them you've knocked it out of the park- but to combine them all? This is super! I love everything about your card - color, simplicity, layout - it'd just fabulously CAS!

Deborah Smart said...

Such a lovely cheerful card, Kathe! You did a great job combining the challenges. Thanks for joining us for this week's Watercooler Wednesday challenge. ~Deborah

Unknown said...

Kathe you are certainly not alone. I also love a good challenge and if I can combine them to make a great looking card I will within reason. I love how you combined all of these challenges. Thank you for joining us this week at Watercooler Wednesday Challenges. ~Leanne DT