Saturday, November 20, 2010

No stamping: A Drunken Stampers Challenge

Everyone at Drunken Stampers did so well last week with their stitching!

Of course, we knew you'd love that one! This week we're giving you a challenge that might make your brow furrow at first, but we're sure you'll love it in the end.

No stamping!

Oh yes, you read that correctly. This week's Drunken Stampers challenge is to create your card or scrapbook page or altered art without a single stamp!

My first reaction to this challenge was more or less "No problem." After all, I'm far more knowledgeable in nearly every other craft technique. Stamping as a regular addition to my creations has been somewhat limited, and even then was usually as an accent or appeared as the single image used for a one-time-only project.

Unfortunately my second reaction, shortly after starting to work on this piece, was "oh fuh-dge" (but like in Christmas Story, so not fudge so much as that other one).

Which brings me to this seemingly unrelated story: I try to shut down my computer once a week and live e-free for a day. Otherwise I begin to feel as if I'm stuck here in a rolling chair with my fingertips constantly ticking at the keyboard. I being to feel that there is no way to tell my parents how great they are without e-mail. No time for new projects because blogs and e-mails and random news must be read. No way to do anything at all without the reassuring hum of a electricity bringing the world to my desk top.

This week I realized that perhaps occasionally I should also go technique-free: Shun the stamps and reach for the Cricut or close the Cricut and dig out the stencils.

Because it turned out to be quite a trial trying to get through one silly little card without the use of a stamp of any kind (and especially without the use of any inks for edge highlighting, but that aspect was self-imposed, not challenge imposed).

Obviously what happened here is that I leaned heavily on the Cricut. It's a fun little card, isn't it? Very happy and silly, which is perfect for my niece. OK, perhaps a bit juvenile for my 7-year-old niece who is probably a lot cooler than me, but I'm her aunt so she's stuck saying nice things about this dorky stuff.

Ah, and the second one, the ladybug, is for my second niece. Who also is cooler than me.

I know you'll create something much hipper than my little cards, so let's see it! Craft the day away, then meet us at Drunken Stampers before midnight Nov. 26!

And don't forget to schedule your own technique-shunning days!

5 comments:

  1. Great fun and am sure they will love them. Annette x

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  2. Love reading your posts, and your cards are great.

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  3. Hey, it's worked-- I'm smiling BIG TIME at these awesome, happy cards! Heck, who even NEEDS stamps when you can make something this cool?

    And I predict that your nieces are going to adore their cards, and not just because they're supposed to. You rocked that Cricut, girl!

    I love your e-free- and technique-free day idea. I don't know if I could do it without dying inside a little, but if I ever get really brave, I just might. ;-)

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  4. No way are they cooler than auntie T!! I would panic if I had to create without the use of stamps and or ink! It must be impossible, but then I see your most delightful creations right in front of my eyes, so it can be done! Both are quite sweet and I am sure your nieces will love them to pieces! Did you get the pieces thing - of course you did! These really are fabulous and I know I could not come up with a stamp/ink free project.

    I need to do an e-free day, so badly. This computer has turned me into a house neglecting monster! Oh the tree was clear embossed first, kind of like when we did the batik challenge with the newsprint. Then after the background was done, well you know the rest. If not, e-mail me!

    Have a great rest of your Sunday!

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  5. Thanks for dropping by my blog. Your cards are great...love the lady bug.

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