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This post is a little wordy, so if you want to skip down to the card, I don't mind at all!
In the Winter 2012 issue of a magazine called
'Artful Blogging' a blogger named Lynda Naranjo (
lynda-naranjo.blogspot.com) said some things that rang true for me. I'm sharing an excerpt here.
"Keeping a blog takes planning, work, and commitment. There are weeks when my life gets busier than I had planned and sometimes my blog gets pushed to the back burner. When that happens, I feel disconnected, as if a part of myself has gone missing.
"Planning my posts in advance is much easier than just flying by the seat of my pants. Using the scheduling tools that Blogger provides has been very helpful to me in planning my future posts. ...But it doesn't end with uploading a post to my blog. Visiting other bloggers who take the time to read and comment on my blog is just as important as updating regularly, if not more so. Every week I try to set aside time to visit other blogs. This is where friendships develop and connections are made.
"During a particularly busy period in my life...I realized how much I needed to blog. Blogging is my social network -- the place where I connect with other creative souls to inspire and be inspired. Bloggers are like my co-workers; reading someone else's blog is similar to having a chat in the coffee room or dashing out for a quick lunch."
It's as if Ms. Naranjo was reading my mind. I have had SUCH a busy month or so in my personal life, and my blog has taken kind of a back seat (even though it may not seem that way to some). I'm thankful for the Advanced Scheduling that Blogger allows me to do. :-) Even though I am able to get some posts of my own up, I haven't had as much time to visit other blogs, and I miss it. This busy period is temporary; soon, I'll be back to visiting you all, as I so enjoy.
Annnnd on to my card now!
This is for a friend who is going through a rough time, and I'm hoping it will cheer her up.
This is a 'custom' bloom, assembled from little petals I picked up from the floor of a craft store (I was only helping them clean up, you know). I used a pearl brad, and some shimmer paint from
Creative Inspirations Paints: 'Fairy Dust' doesn't give color, just glorious iridescence. You can use it on almost anything! LOVE the stuff.
This little tag is from a $1.50 bag of chipboard from Michael's, and I wiped Whisper White craft ink over it. My friend
Tammy inspired me to do this. (thank you, Tammy!) A Verve sentiment on a white oval punch and some pearls finish it off.
I'm entering this card at:
An exciting piece of news to share: last week, I delivered over 160 of my handmade cards to a local shop called
Arts Plus Gallery, where they are on consignment. I know for sure that one sold the day they debuted (my stepmom had visited the shop, and told them that she's related to me, and they shared that bit of news with her). Yesterday was a special event on the avenue where they are located, and often get lots of foot traffic. I'm hoping some more cards were sold! Keepin' my fingers crossed....
I'll see you tomorrow with my last card as May's Featured Artist at the Merry Monday challenge.
Thank you ever so much for hanging with me for this long post!
Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Notes of Prayer - Verve
Paper: white - PTI; gingham/plaid, dots - Nana's Nursery Boy - DCWV
Ink: Whisper White craft ink - SU; Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko
Fibers: Venise lace; leaf ribbon - Really Reasonable Ribbon; twine - Creative Impressions
Other: Fairy Dust paint - Creative Inspiration Paints; oval punch - SU; floral border punch - Martha Stewart; petals (floor at JoAnn's craft store); chipboard tag - Michael's; pearl brad - Bride's (bridal section at Michael's); pearls - Queen & Co.; corner rounder punch - EK Success
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