Sigh...MORE Computer Problems

Well, we have DEFINITELY had more than our share of computer issues lately!  After all those virus problems a couple of months ago, we finally got a new computer at home.  We've had it for close to a month now, and it had been working just great...then it suddenly started spontaneously rebooting itself.  My husband has taken it up to his cousin, the computer whiz, to have it looked at, so once again, I am without a computer at home for who knows how long. :(  Well, maybe now I'll have more time for crafting, since I won't be on the internet!  The bad part is that I won't be able to do anything with photos, either for this blog or for my Etsy shop, until we get the computer back.

And what terrible timing that is too, because all of a sudden, activity seems to be picking up on my  Etsy shop!  I'm not sure what's going on, but whatever it is, I'm grateful for it!  I got THREE orders last Friday, and have had my shop items included in two treasuries since Saturday!  I am itching to make some new stuff and get some new listings up, but alas, that will have to wait.

In the meantime, I wanted to share the card front that I made for the first swap I participated in on the PBS  Swappers Paper Crafts Yahoo group.  This swap was for congratulations card fronts.  Since I am new to card making, I was not really sure where to start for this one.  I went to Craft Warehouse to get some supplies and inspiration, and really only had one thing in mind: to make a card that could be given to either a man or a woman.  Since most of the crafting I do is pretty feminine, this was my way of challenging myself and trying to get out of my box, so to speak.  I had some red and off-white houndstooth paper at home that I thought might be nice, so with that in mind, I looked for coordinating papers.  This is the final product:

I fell in love with the tan paisley-patterned paper that serves as the background for this, and thought that the pattern is large enough that it was not necessarily feminine.  As you can see, I did find a way to use that houndstooth paper, as well as some of the red handmade paper, which I tore on the edges to distress it and make it more interesting.  The "Congratulations" text came from a stamp that I picked up from the $1 bin at Michaels.  While it might not be my favorite card that I've ever made, I do like all the different textures used on this one.

I am going to try to get back into the weekly challenges on the PBS Swappers group, starting with this week's challenge to make a card with polka dots- how fun!!  I have several papers with polka dots, plus a polka dot embossing folder that I can use with my Big Shot, so it will be neat to figure out what to do this time!  Hopefully by the time the challenge is over I will have my computer back and can post a picture!