The Challenge of a Card Challenge

Brenda has issued a card challenge. 

The idea is that we are to use this picture as inspiration 

and create a greeting card. 

We are to share our card in a post and link to Brenda's page,

2 Peas in a Pod.

I'm thinking I might forego the card making

and just make the M&M bark instead!

I want Brenda, and all of my readers, to get an idea of just how much of a challenge this was for me. It's not about making the card. I love making cards, and have done so for a few years. 

The challenge began with finding my card making stuff. I haven't touched it since we moved last year. It was someplace in the dungeon basement. In 2 or 3 boxes. I found the boxes and dug through them to find most everything. 

1 hour

I carried the papers, two baskets of tools and embellishments and a container of scrap papers to the kitchen. Then trucked back down to the basement to find my stamps, stamp pads and embossing powder.

15 minutes

I couldn't find my card stock. I knew I had just the right color of blue - but after searching through a few more boxes I gave up. Time to head for Hobby Lobby. Since I had some other errands to run, it was not a big deal. 

2 hours 15 minutes

Home at last! I pull out my purchase; three whole sheets of paper; a piece of blue card stock and two decorative pieces of scrapbook paper following the color theme of the picture Brenda supplied. I cut the card stock and began fiddling with the other paper. I had in mind what I wanted to do... now it's time to get down to work. I begin looking through the basket that has sticky stuff, embellishments and punches. I am looking for my star punch and I can't seem to find it. I head back downstairs and sift through two of the packing cartons - it's like trying to find a needle in the haystack. I decide that I could use a slightly larger star punch anyway, so I climb into the car to head back to Hobby Lobby.

20 minutes

I walk into the store and bump into one of my good friends. She is also a Haffie owner, so of course, you know what we were talking about! Then I head to the back of the store, find the punch, pull up the discount coupon on my phone and I'm on my way.

58 minutes

I cut out stars, cut lengths of fishing line, glue stars together - all while watching listening to America's Got Talent. 

 2 hours

It's another day and I get to work again, first clearing space on the kitchen table (which I had cluttered with my craft stuff last night, and had to clear up so we could eat dinner) and sorting out what I would need. I snip and cut, I try pieces of paper this way and that way, I cut some more. I grab a glue stick, some glue dots, some double sided tape and begin the process of sticking little bits of paper to my finger tips. 

45 minutes

I stamp a design on the card stock and sprinkle the embossing power on it. I heat the design until the powder does its magical transformation. I add some red jewels and complete the construction of the card.

15 minutes

I run upstairs to find my invitation size envelopes (yeah, you'd think they would be in the basement with the card making supplies - but at least I knew were they were - and just consider the exercise I am getting running up and down the stairs!) I cut paper to line the envelope and glue it in place.

10 minutes

I sort out, clean up and throw out. I take everything back to the boxes in the basement.

15 minutes

I decide to write a post about this challenge. I sit down at the computer. I get up to take pictures - but first have to wait for my phone to charge. I do the math. I invested approximately 7 hours, 58 minutes making the card. Rounding this up to 8 hours, and figuring that you might pay $4.98 for the average 'nice' card, my hourly rate for card making is..... a whopping $ .62 per hours. I guess I better stick to my day job. Oh, wait, I'm retired! Maybe I'll need to rely on my card-making money!

So, anyway, here is my finished card. My sister's Birthday is next week. I decided to make a card to celebrate that occasion.

Have a Star Spangled Birthday!