...It'll get easier...they said...

I'm not even going to write you a big excuse as to why the blog has been empty for two weeks, I'm just going to say one word and I know you will understand. Children. Not complaining at all, they remain the most perfect, sweet smelling, delightfully grinny little fluffy angels that the Big Man above ever created (present company excepted) but they sure know how to induce a heart attack keep me on my toes... which is grand... that's what I'm here for... breathe... "Hello is that Mrs Brennan? Can you come to school? Your son has passed out/your daughter is ill/there's something living in his schoolbag..." breathe. Also it takes a day and a half to track down a decent looking cowboy hat in Northern Ireland.... gap in the market?

Meantime, back at the ranch, this sorry excuse for a card had been hanging around the desk waiting to be put out of it's misery. It was only after I had finished (because, by Jove, I was determined to finish at least one blasted project this week) that I realised how dreadful this card actually was... poor Moose got hung by his horns without a hint of grounding, and as DH says "Warm winter wishes? You wish me a season of dead moose?..."

Yep this card is my lesson for you on how NOT to put a card together....

1) Choose a sentiment that actually matches or relates to your focal point...
2) Decide what you want the focal point to be before you assemble the card... Tip - 3 focal points on one card don't work.... unless you are a genius stylist such as Melissa Phillips and can combine different elements with aplomb....
3) While it's tempting to use card fronts/bits and bobs you already made up for another project, just because you are pushed for time... Don't. Unless it already matches. Turns out rusty orange Moose (Mooses? Moosiae?) and blue snowflakes don't really conjure up that Christmas/winter vibe....
4) In fact, if you are feeling mojoless, or really tight for time - so tight that you don't even have time to turn the handle, just once, on the die machine - Give up. Walk away. Leave it alone or risk the curse of the poor winter moose.

 If you happen to have some rusty moose hanging about (see what I did there) and are desperate to recreate this horror for your own edification, you could use these items that I also used... I can assure you that these items are all terribly well behaved of their own accord and only get into trouble, such as above, when I am 'just not feeling it'.... Chat soon. C.