Wow, it’s been a while. Confession, walking away from this blog was probably the best decision I made this year. I honestly don’t see myself returning to regular blogging.
When I first starting card making back in 2016/2017, I had just finished my AS degree. After years of working and going to school and being mentally overstimulated, I found I needed something to catch my attention. But, then I went full type A. I started a blog, Instagram and focused on getting on a design team. Don’t get me wrong, I 100% love making cards. I still make a ton every weekend (check out IG). But I made it a business. Blog 3 times a week. Participate in challenges so I would be seen. Post on IG every day. For three years. And all of the behind the scenes that does with that. Keeping track of every product used on a card. Trying to limit mixing of manufacturers, so you can use the card for a challenge. So. Many. Rules. All self imposed.
Then 2020 happened. I was already growing disillusioned about making a design team. I was already dreading Sunday night blog writing. Add in a Pandemic, and a day job workload that exploded and I was done. I can’t imagine going back. I just want to grab a stamp, pick a ink color, throw in someone else’s stencil background, and make a pretty card.
I can’t even explain how much happier I am. I don’t look at challenges any more. I just make cards. And I love it. I’ve made some of my best designs this year. It’s so freeing.
Don’t get me wrong, I know I did all of this to myself. No one says you have to be on a design team. No one says you have to blog three times a week. Yes, you have to stick to one company for challenges, but no one said I had to enter challenges…
I wanted to follow up on my absence because some new people have joined the blog. I’m glad you are here! I do get a lot of joy out of sharing the cards I make. It’s just not really going to be here anymore. Check out IG for new cards: https://www.instagram.com/curlesue.cards/
I’m not going to delete my blog, but I’m also not paying to renew it this spring. It will revert to having adds in May, I believe. I may still post occasionally. Maybe.
And know, the main reason most of you are here, pretty cards:
I absolutely fell in love with the Lea’s Ornate Alpha from Pinkfresh Studios. I only have the lower case dies right now, but i have the Upper case dies and both stamp sets on order. The background is Concord and 9th Snowflake turnabout.
I heat embossed a holographic sparkle powder on the bottom half of the letters. It didn’t really show up, so I inked a little bit of Peacock Feathers Oxide ink over it and wiped it off.
This one is the C&9th Holly Berry turnabout, and the Lea’s ornate letters.
I heat embossed some music notes in gold on the background.
Same turnabout background stamp here, but with this one I did a watercolor ombre wash on the watercolor paper before I die cut the letters.
These are some of the last Christmas cards I made this season, and I love them so much. I just used up leftover backgrounds I made months ago, and the letters I got from a Black Friday sale.
Thanks for stopping by and sticking around.
Nicole
curlesuecards.wordpress.com 