Just For Fun

I don't often have the time to play along with any challenges anymore just for FUN, so I'm taking a break and making something just for me, 'cuz I want to.  I checked a few blogs for challenges and these are the ones I've decided would work for me:

Crafty Cardmakers-Flowers
Daring Cardmakers-It's All About Me
Freshed Brewed Challenges-Photo Inspiration
Mojo Monday-Sketch
Penny's Challenges-Anything
Stamping Vacation-Pick 3-Buttons, Chipboard, Floss

I have to say my real inspiration came from my blogging buddy Stef (aka Glitterbabe).  Yesterday she posted a card using chipboard and said that she never used it.  Well, neither do I.  So I challenged myself, on the spot, that today I was going to make something with chipboard.  Stamping Vacation has a Pick 3 challenge going where you have to pick three items to use on your card from a list.  Chipboard is one of the items (I also used buttons and floss).  I have this big box of chipboard that's been sitting in my studio for about five years.  Every once in awhile I get the box out and look through it, then put the lid back on and put it away.  I guess I'm put off by the fact that I have to do something with it.  Can't just use it looking like plain old cardboard.  So this morning I got it out, having decided to go with a flower theme for Crafty Cardmakers, grabbed some petals and went to work.  I covered the petals with a bright pink paper from Me & My Big Ideas, trimmed and chalked the edges.  I went with pink after seeing the photo inspiration at Freshly Brewed with pink flowered bedding.  I knew I needed to use bright, vibrant colors because after all this card is all about me, just like Daring Cardmakers wants.  Not to say I'm a bright color person.  I used them to cheer myself up because it's another dull, dreary winter day in Michigan.  I hate, hate, hate winter.  I'm looking forward to Spring, which is still quite a way off.  So now I had all my elements and decided to use the fabulous sketch from Mojo Monday. 

I placed my petals into a flower shape and mounted them onto a doily.  I added a little bow to one petal and a button with floss to the center.  I know a  lot of people just put the buttons on without adding floss and leave the holes showing.  It's the type A personality thing that just doesn't allow me to do that.  I can't stand to see those holes sitting there with no thread in them (or maybe it's my sewing background).  Then I stamped my Happy Spring from Stampendous onto the same pink petal paper, trimmed it and added a pop dot under it.  Now doesn't this card just shout Spring.  Now I just have to put my blinders on and not glance out the window to see the bare maple tree and snow and I'll be all set.