I am not one of those people.
Designer paper and I have an uneasy relationship. At one point, I had hundreds of sheets of the stuff, mainly purchased with the intent of using it on scrapbook pages. Then, about three years ago, I stopped scrapping (still not sure why, fully intend to get back to it one day). I've tried numerous times to use DP on cards, and while the efforts have been blog-worthy on occasion, most of them end up in the recycle bin.
Last year, when I was on the MFP design team, Faith sent me a 6x6 pack of Basic Gray Indian Summer paper. I love this paper. LOVE it. The colors are so rich, the patterns so pretty. So I pulled it out and gave it a go with my large maple leaf punch. The first card uses gold and orange papers on cream card stock. The central leaf is popped with dimensionals.
And in another color scheme on white paper...
I love how the different colors give such a different feel to each of the cards: one warm and autumnal, the other cool and girly.
The sentiment is from a Mark's Finest set Thankful for You. It's such a perfect sentiment for my Gratitude Campaign.
By the way, my Gratitude Campaign is much more fun and much nicer than the current political campaigns here in the United States. Why, may I ask, are we already having debates when the election isn't for 14 months? Just curious.
The Gratitude Campaign, however, will have NO DEBATES, NO LOSERS, NO MUDSLINGING, NO NASTY ADS, and best of all, NO SOLICITING OF CASH CONTRIBUTIONS! Everyone is a winner in the Gratitude Campaign.
The Gratitude Party Platform has three main principles.
1. Thanksgiving is a worthy holiday of gratitude that shouldn't be relegated to an end-cap display at Target. It's an official day to promote and celebrate feelings of gratitude not only for what we have, but for who we have in our lives.
2. Thanksgiving should also be a state of being maintained constantly throughout the year.
3. Handmade cards are an excellent way to share grateful feelings with people far away and right next door.
If these are principles you can support, then welcome to the party!
I love fall and Thanksgiving. I have so much to be thankful for. You wouldn't believe the wonderful friends and family I have. :) And of course another biggy, good health!! Your cards are very pretty!!
ReplyDeleteNow yours is a party/movement I can understand! And these cards... beautiful! What a lovely punch to use with these gorgeous papers.
ReplyDeleteThank you for more card ideas using the BG Indian Summer -- I have the first ones already bookmarked for inspiration. I, like you, also love the designer paper, but have a hard time making it look good on my cards.
ReplyDeleteWonderful principles and beautiful cards!
ReplyDeleteI'll happily join you on the Gratitude Campaign Trail! I'm sure I have a bunch of people in my life who need some happy mail! I have similar problems using patterned paper. It's all so pretty that I get seduced into buying lots, and then it sits while I fondle it but can't figure out how to use it. It looks like you've hit on one of the same things that I have with the Basic Grey collections - make use of the "plain" papers in the collection. When used with the more busy patterns, they really keep the lid on the craziness of my cards, and prevent me from hyperventilating when trying to use these gorgeous papers. I love Indian Summer, too. Another favorite that you might like is Kioshi.
ReplyDeleteHere here! And I noticed that you have asked for no campaign donations!
ReplyDeleteLove the maple leaves! It's partially a Canadian thing :) Great use of the DPs and I'm with you re: Thanksgiving. There is always something to be thankful for every day of the year :)
ReplyDeleteWow! So gorgeous! I do love the warm, pink tones on the 2nd card!
ReplyDeleteThese cards are simply amazing!
ReplyDeleteI'm hosting my first giveaway from My Memories digital scrapbooking and it'll be exciting if you'd like to join! :)
xx
en la moda
SCRAPBOOK SUITE GIVEAWAY!
kristellouisa.blogspot.com
Great cards Susan...just love the gorgeous first card with it's great dp.
ReplyDeleteLovely cards! I couldn't agree with you more about Thanksgiving and showing gratitude. The
ReplyDeleteworld would be a better place if we all took the
time to show gratitude.
LOVE these cards. I struggle with prints too. They waste my precious free time trying to make them work. But, this I could CASE.
ReplyDeleteI tell God almost every day how grateful I am for healthy kids, a warm comfortable home, good food on the table, sunshine, rain for my lawn a beautiful sunrise and all the good things that make life so wonderful.
I am going to make a healthy effort to be more grateful on paper. I love your idea of using the Thanksgiving season to tell people how much you care.
Thanks for blogging every day! You're the highlight of my morning break.
You are so right about it being a shame that Thanksgiving gets an end-cap and not a prime spot. It has been usurped by Halloween on one end and Christmas on the other. Maybe it's a blessing in disguise??...that it hasn't been commercialized for profit like most major holidays?? So long as I have the traditional Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade to look forward too I'll be o.k...I'm big on nostalgia and just hearing it in the background while I 'slave' away in the kitchen makes me happy.
ReplyDeleteYes also, the decorative papers--which I LOVE--give me a fit when it comes to card making. I've quit buying any since I don't use what I have. Just yesterday I saw two 8x8 pads by October Afternoon that I'd been wanting badly--but I managed to walk away. No easy feat.
I'm with you - no one says thank you enough, really. We have so much to be thankful for, and so many people to thank. So, Susan, thank YOU :)
ReplyDeleteLike you (and to quote Marie) I am going to be more grateful on paper. Friends and family can have a tangible memory of how I feel about them. Love your party; sign me up. We'd be a happier country if the "leaders" led and spent less time hating. Sign them up too, and tell them to behave!
ReplyDeleteI'm Canadian so love the maple leaves on your cards!!! And, even though I'm across the border, I'll happily join your Gratitude Party. Our Thanksgiving is just 3 weeks before Halloween so, given that the stores are already filling up with Halloween stuff, Thanksgiving doesn't stand a chance.
ReplyDeleteJust beautiful cards...I check your blog daily, never disappointed! I am part of your party, for sure...I especially agree with #2 -- we should be grateful DAILY!
ReplyDeleteWell, actually (while I do feel that political campaigns seem to go on forever) the reason we are having debates right now is because the party participating in those debates has to choose a candidate that will then run in the "next" campaign and will then participate in even more debates against the opposing party or parties! LOL!!
ReplyDeleteI TOTALLY agree with your Gratitude Principles!! And these two cards are lovely!!! I really love fall themed cards... love the colors and can never seem to buy enough leaf stamps and punches! LOL!!
This is gorgeous! I am also patterned paper challenged. Not becuase it conflicts with my style, but I usually stamp my backgrounds. I have never achieved a good CAS card in my life, it is such a gift to be able to stop at that moment of perfectly balanced simplicity! I, instead, like to add details to my details, lol! FANTASTIC cards, I have this paper pad, and this is so inspiring!
ReplyDeleteI love the overlapped leaves. The first is my fave Susan. I just love fall.
ReplyDeleteThis post sure resonates with me. I have the very paper you used and I have a thing for beautiful (and expensive) papers that I never can seem to do justice to. This is a really great way to use some of the humongous stash I have that just doesn't seem to work for me in other ways. Love your clues!
ReplyDeleteLura
Note to self, must buy maple leaf punch and lovely paper. These cards are so beautiful!
ReplyDeletePetra
I'm laughing because sometimes I find the same thing happens to me. I look at some cards and wonder if the creativity of DP oozes out of them or if they really have to work at it? Regardless your cards are both wonderful. Have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful use of the papers!
ReplyDelete