Wednesday, October 15, 2014

A Whole New Meaning to Retail Therapy

So...I donated some cards for a "Pink Tea" last March. The lady who "won them" via the auction sent my friend an email saying she wanted to buy a card assortment. I have never sold any of my cards. I give them to family and friends and to organizations for fundraising. I have, over and over, said I do NOT want to do that! I am afraid my "therapy", my happy place will become stressed! Maybe it won't. I think my compromise (with myself) is:  I will sell her an assortment bundle. As is. No custom requests. No .... "I like this part but could you change the color of the frog to pink?" I sound a little cranky don't I? I'm blaming a "crabby gene" on that! Yes...it is an inheritable trait and I know it to be TRUTH...that I inherited the little 'bugger'!

Maybe I'm being overly pre-defensive. I love that she enjoyed the cards. I love that she actually mails cards! I'm humbled that she wants to purchase more. I know many of you do custom cards. GO YOU! (My initial reaction is - "Here just take these" and if I knew her personally I would totally do that.) I'll let you know if this transaction happens. Let me know if you have any words of advice!

Enough of my retail angst.... On to the card! I bought this sweet owl from Sami Stamps quite awhile ago. Since then he has been used for several occasions! (Under the bat/pumpkin/spider are holly leaves - shhhhhh don't tell anyone!)

Little Owl has sported flowers, more flowers, tiny flowers, shamrocks, valentines...who knows what may be in this little guy's future...


SERIOUSLY!!! The inside stamped sentiment is ORANGE IRL (in real life).

Hocus Pocus
~Base card PaperTrey Ink Royal Velvet
~Layer of white glossy card stock
~Layer of purple polka dot paper
~Digital image - Sami Stamps - paper pieced with three different design papers
~Three strips of design papers framed with black card stock
~Punched tap with "spooky" hand written
~Spider, bat, pumpkin die cuts
~Inside (left) is pre-printed tag
~Inside (right) sentiment stamped using orange ink, die cut using Cuttlebug, edges dotted with fine point black Sharpie
~Pre-lined signature block area
Inspirations | Challenges
{Pin}spirational - photo inspiration
Digi Chooseday - Halloween
PDE Linky Party - Halloween
Robin's Fetish - Halloween
Sami Stamps - use Sami Stamp + orange


Thanks for clicking by!

Here's to seasonally happy owls, magical hocus pocus, craving candy corn mixed with Spanish peanuts, and retail therapy!

Nancy in Iowa

14 comments:

  1. What a cutie!!!! I love the bat, spider, and pumpkin hanging off that branch!! VERY creative! Also love that different patterns of paper too. A fun and cute, cute card totally!!!

    Um.....I made cards for a baby shop several years ago but could make what I wanted and it went fine. Several months ago my sister in law requested FIFTY bridal shower invites. Ok, no problem...........First of all I had to buy most of the material and then she changed her mind on the color.....OK, buy more stuff, changed her mind again! You really don't want to know the words that came out of my mouth. Finally got one she liked and then thought I'd die of boredom making the same thing over and over again. I know this doesn't help your situation much so no really wonderful words of advise. Maybe just tell her she'd have to take what she got and let that be it. Good luck with it!!!!

    Lynn

    Lynn

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  2. LOVE your layout. Great papers! Thank you for Linking Up at PDE Linky Party.
    ~Janis
    Pause Dream Enjoy Page on Facebook

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  3. Great Halloween card. I like the paper piecing on the owl. Thanks for joining us at Little Red Wagon.

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  4. So stinkin' cute! You have done it again! Some how you manage to use the same image over and over again and each time make it adorable! I love all the different ways you have used this image! I really like the fun odge podge of papers you used.

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  5. Adorable take on this week's sketch! Love the paper pierced owl and the tangling bat,pumpkin and spider! Great colors!! Sorry no words of advice but I can totally understand what you are feeling, I would feel the same! Thanks so much for playing along with us at Tuesday Morning Sketches!! Hope you play again soon!

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  6. What a fabulous card!!! Love the owl. And those papers are most fantastic!!! Thank you so very much for joining our 'Halloween' Linky Party at PDE!!!! DT-Sharon

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  7. Wonderful Halloween card, love the owl and the design, thanks for joining us at Robyn's Fetish Challenge this week

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  8. This is purely adorable! I love that owl!!
    I've sold cards for years, and do custom cards quite often. It stresses me out every.single.time even though I've not once had someone say "that's not what I had in mind." I try to remember that hey, if they've requested them - they like what I do. I hope that is the least bit helpful! And I also understand fully how you don't want it to become a stressful thing. Crafting=sanity for me for sure! So glad to have you come play at TMS, Nancy!

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  9. Great make. Thanks for joining us in our Halloween challenge at Digi Choosday
    Anjie (DT Team Leader)

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  10. Super cute card, I love those sweet faces and fun papers. I hear you about selling cards, I keep a box on the side of my desk at work. I do the odd custom card but nothing over top, this is my hobby and I love it, I don't want it to be a source of stress. Thank you for playing along with us for Tuesday Morning Sketches.

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  11. This is really cute!
    I agree with your philosophy! I have a freinds who buys several cards every so often. She sometimes gives me a request, but I make 'em and if she doesn't like 'em... oh well!
    Thanks so much for playing along with us this week at TMS!!

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  12. Great card! Your card fits perfectly in with the recent challenge of Halloween at Digi Choosday Challenge, thanks for joining in the fun with us! Yvonne (DT)

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  13. Oooh! Love the purple with the orange! Such vibrant colors! Thanks for joining us this month at Sami Stamps!

    Mei
    LTC DT
    Creative Fingers DT 
    Friday Sketch DT
    Sami Stamps DT

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  14. Cute card! Thanks so much for participating in our {PIN}SPIRATIONAL challenge!! Hope to see you again for our next challenge!!
    ~DEANNE~
    A Little Bit O' Paper

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