Sunday, September 2, 2012

OWH VCMP Sketch #136

When I heard that OWH was planning a Virtual Card Making Party for Labor Day Weekend I was super excited.  It is my favorite get-your-mojo-rolling venue because it is so interactive.  Whoever came up with this idea, you deserve big KUDOS! 

One of the ideas I submitted was to "Use Your Punches" which the team thought would work very well with the sketch of the week.  I have to admit that it took awhile for my brain to warm up to it...I had to throw out some of my own "brain blocks".  Ideas like the embellishments have to line up exactly like the sketch or have to be the same size can block my creativity.

I cannot take total credit for the bow idea on the last card.  I had seen something similar with a different punch that I do not own; the snowflake seemed like the perfect substitute.

I do have some blog candy (1 Christmas clear stamp set) for 2 commenter's picked at random.   Please tell me what brain block have you had to throw out along with your email address written out using "at & dot" no later than 12:01 am EDT.  Now go and use those punches!
 

35 comments:

  1. Linda, thank you so much for hostessing a challenge for our VCMP and for being such a good sport to work within the confines of a sketch! I really like how you thought "outside the sketch" and did not make all of your punches line up. I'm such a rule follower by nature that it didn't even occur to me to do that! All of your cards are fantastic!

    Allison G in TX
    mallisonr at aol dot com

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  2. my brain block is very similar to yours - the sketch has to be the same - I don't have that in that size - etc - and sometimes it is very hard to unblock our brain - multiples like this are always a challenge for me. Off to play

    Barb Housner
    bjhouse2004 at yahoo dot com

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  3. Great cards!! My brain block is with color. As a young girl, I was taught certain colors don't go together, when in fact I've seen some beautiful cards made with colors that "don't go together".

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  4. I.'m glad I am not the only one that gets brain block, and mine was last night. The last challenge in the VCMP was tough for me. I did not have a horse or a cowboy, so I finally found a rocking horse in my Christmas supplies and tried to work with that. It is not my best work, to say the least. Your cards are great, TFS.

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  5. Great challenge, Linda! I certainly don't use my punches enough. One of my biggest brain blocks is not wanting to use things because they are "too pretty or too nice"! Hoarding is not good for me, so I continually challenge myself to USE those nice papers and expensive embellies!
    Jen
    jmueller409 at yahoo dot com

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  6. great cards...love that train. And I recognize some of my own papers! Strawserbs @ gmail dot com

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  7. Linda, Great cards for this sketch. I love all the different colors and themes you went with. You always do such a nice job on your contributions for our heroes.

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  8. definate brain block for me - the sketch did not work - but I did get an OK card out of it.

    Barb

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  9. My biggest brain block that I have been able to overcome was to use stamps from different sets together. In my brain, it didn't go if it didn't come together. akochmcelroy @ yahoo dot com.

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  11. My biggest block is the size of the card. Sometimes I just want more space. I do have some punches for this sketch to I'm looking forward to the challenge. kathystacy1@gmail.com

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  12. Great cards! Love the papers on the first one especially. My biggest problem is just like Jen. I never want to use certain papers because once I use them, they're gone. They are too pretty to use. Stuff like that. So I keep hoarding more and more. And I really need to start using my punches more too.

    momofcody1993atyahoodotcom

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  13. My biggest block is my hoarding. I have way to much paper and I just can't bring myself to cut into a fresh 12x12 paper! I know it sounds silly, but the paper is just too pretty to cut into. haha But as of today, I am going with the "Use it or lose it" motto!
    Great cards, thanks for sharing. I have found a lot of inspiration and tips from your cards. I love the masculine card!

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  14. My brain block is taking too long to make a decision! I sometimes torture myself about what paper, embellishment, etc to use and then I realize that I've spent waaay too much time deciding and I just need to get it done already! I need to set a timer for myself or something! Your cards are great - I especially like the train. Thanks for being a challenge hostess and for the blog candy. Erikantroy at yahoo dot com.

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  15. Lovely cards! My brain block is a bit of everything from the card I create doesn't have to exactly match the sketch, to taking too long to come up with something, to not wanting to use my special papers for small items...but my biggest block is combining patterned papers! I love the look, but I'm still learning how to make it flow. Thanks for the fun challenge! bluemooncreation at att dot net

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  16. Holy SNAP I love this!!! My biggest block is doing too much with the card. I need to remember sometimes....less is more! Thanks for the fun challenge!!! stripeadotcards at gmail dot com.

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  17. Awesome cards! And there on the masculine side as well. My biggest brain block is that I over think things. When I put the card together without adhesive, I keep second guessing myself as to whether it needs more or less. Thanks for the challenge.
    Scrappergirl4godsgrace at gmail dot com

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  18. Love your Cards!!

    My brain block is feeling like I have to go against my "less is more" when I see other cards that have SO much embellishment. faerie-princess at sbcglobal dot net

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  19. Your cards are great! I get a Brain Block when I am trying to design my own cards and not copy someone else's design. I think it was ingrained into me growing up that copying was cheating. I know now it's perfectly alright to case someone's card. I still try to change it up in some way when I do that. dmyoung823 at att dot net

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  20. Your cards are all fantastic! Each is so creative and different! Thanks for hosting a fun challenge! God bless!

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  21. Great challenge and cards Linda! I just love that little train card!

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  22. Linda,

    Love your cards, as always! I especially love how you took patriotic paper and made a train out of it. Very clever!

    My block is trying to follow sketches exactly. I have to remind myself that they are only guides and inspirations -- not recipes that have to be followed exactly. {cards[dot]by[dot]sybrina[at]gmail[dot]com}

    Thanks for a great challenge!

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  23. My brain block - hard for me to think outside the box. If there is a sketch, my tendency is to make a card to the exact dimensions.
    mkdrainatgmaldotcom

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  24. My brain block - getting papers that coordinate together. I think I get too picky sometimes. Thanks for hosting the challenge! My email address is karey2005(at)sbcglobal(dot)net

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  25. my brain block is doing it just like the instructions or pictures say to do it. Thanks for hosting and my email is
    avonsherry2003atyahoodotcom

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  26. Really enjoyed the challenges. I still will be playing catch up on some of them -- I enjoyed the punch theme -- thanks for hosting the challenge too. Love all of your cards -- the train is my fav. Thanks for the kind words on my blog too.

    Sharon

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  27. Thanks for the great challenge. I used a punch I hadn't used before on my card. My brain block is remembering the sketch is just a guideline and it doesn't have to be exact.

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  28. Thanks Linda for the challenge with the twist! Thanks for supporting OWH!

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  29. My brain block is, that I think I know a sketch, start running with it and realize I forgot something. Love the choo choo card.
    ma54katcomcastdotnet

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  30. TFS your wonderful cards and showing us that a sketch doesn't have to be exact. A small variation changes the look completely.

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  31. TFS your wonderful cards and showing us that a sketch doesn't have to be exact. A small variation changes the look completely.

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  32. I know what you mean about brain blocks! I often find that I am very rigid about the sizes given on the sketch even when a small tweak might make the card look better. I was brave on this sketch and used large punches that didn't line up straight! I love the snowflakes you used as bows- so clever!

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  33. Thanks for the reminder that a sketch is just a start for inspiration! I definitely undid some brain block for my card and stretched the sketch to play with some stamps and punches.

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  34. Hi Linda, Love the punch idea for this sketch. I finally got my card done. I've looked at your VCMP cards and they are really wonderful! Thanks for sponsoring challenge 6!

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