Performance Anxiety

Birthdays and other occasions scare me. I don't feel the need to justify the time I spend experimenting or the money I spend on my stash until someone has a birthday and I have to come up with the goods. Then all inspiration leaves me and I am overcome by 'performance anxiety'. I've been stamping for almost two years and always protest that I am a beginner. I have many cards in my cupboard, but seldom send one that I'm happy with. I've even strained for days then - horror of horrors - gone out and bought a card. I'm sure this is a common phenomenon. But tomorrow Rose will open this. I hope she likes it.

It's another Elusive Images stamp (from the original Damask set). It has been inked with pens, spritzed and stamped onto watercolour paper. I added matching papers from the CD, this time printed onto parchment. The butterfly is by Mic.

Shame on me

Ok, no excuses...

A candid picure of my work area. I know I'm messy. I've always been messy. But when I pack away I'm quite picky about putting everything in its place. While I'm working though...it's just a disaster area. This is the best lighting in the house so I work on the kitchen worktop, sharing space with the kettle.

I know it's an accident waiting to happen. But once I'm on a roll I can't imagine being able to keep everything neat.

It'll be a long time before I get a dedicated crafting area, although my hubby uses that carrot to motivate me into thinking about moving house. It's actually quite nice having the kettle so close. When I come to a natural pause (quite often!) I just click the kettle on.

At the end of this particular session I came up with this, which I'm quite pleased with.

I chose a pink card because I don't use much pink so was prepared to sacrifice it in an experiment. But so far this one has escaped the bin.

The stamps are from Elusive Images Wild Meadow themeplate. The flowers in the 'window' are on watercolour paper set on foam pads behind the aperture.

One small step

Just one small step into the world of blogging. I suppose this means I will have to go out and get a life!