10 Minute Craft Dash Birthday Bash

I toyed with the idea of calling this post "If at First You Don't Succeed Try Try Again" because that is kind of how I felt making these cards.  Notice the plural?  There is a reason for that. :) It's been a while since I've played with one of the Craft Dash challenges, and I'm a bit lot rusty.  This is one of my very favorite challenges, but lately my approach to cards has been less planned.  Making cards is a way for me to unwind and often when I begin my mind is cluttered with other thoughts.  This is not a good thing if you want to play along with a Craft Dash Challenge and make a card in 10 minutes.  You have to have a plan (well, at least I do).  I was determined I would not only play along Craft Dash's Birthday Bash but be successful---meaning make a card in under 10 minutes.  My first card was a fail.  Rats.  So last night I thought I'd try again.  Card number 2 is the one you see above with the cute little dog.  Loved it, but I went over.  When I glanced at the stopwatch it said 10:02 and I still hadn't adhered the trio of buttons, which by the way are completely inspired by Leigh.

Loved the card, but it was a bit too ambitious with all the fussy cutting (speech bubble, dog, dog's spots, banner).  So, determined to succeed, I thought I'd simplify things a ton and make the one layer card below.  I finished it in 6 minutes 49 seconds, but really it was done a lot quicker.  I hadn't quite balanced things the way I'd wanted and didn't know how to fix it, so I stared at the card for a while then decided to just leave it alone.  Successful time, but I wasn't thrilled with how it turned out.

On to card four.  I kept working with the same colors/supplies and made another one layer card, but went with a little more complex stamping.  I used a single diamond to create the background and the card ended up taking over 15 minutes.  Boo!  (Side note: I am loving my new set "On Trend 2013" from Fresh Squeezed Stamps.)

On to card five.  This time I decided to use the other stamp set I had pulled out, Fresh Cut Florals.  I used the rounded leaf image to create a wreath like I had done on this card and double stamped some die cut flowers to put on top.  I trimmed the focal panel with pinking shears and quickly stamped the sentiment, AND I finished in 9 minutes 51 seconds.  Yay!  I finished in time!  It's not perfect and it's not my favorite of the bunch, but I am okay with it and I like enough to give it away.  And actually I really would put a wreath like this on my door.