Wildflower Cuttings in Three Cards

A few months ago, I splurged at Simon Says because my husband had splurged on something or other, and I told him we needed to keep things fair. He agreed. 

He knows what’s good for him. 

Included in that order was Simon Says Wildflower Cuttings, which I liked because of their loose, sketchy style. My first two cards have a very similar vibe, very LateBlossomy. 

The third card takes a different approach, which I adore for its monochromatic harmony.

I have a bit of a problem. Perhaps one of you might help?

Several ladies at church are downsizing their craft supplies and have given me boxes and boxes of stamps. Most are wood-mounted rubber, rather old and not at all my style (think early 2000s cutesy). I won’t be able to mail them anywhere (so many heavy boxes!) and need to know what to do with them. I live in the Dayton, OH, area, and do not have time or energy to sort these stamps. 

I am considering taking them to Salvation Army and being done with them, but what do you think? Any other suggestions for my area? 

Thanks in advance!

Mercy, grace, peace, and love,

Susan

Flower Dies from Simon Says and Update

 Simon Says Stamp released a bunch of really pretty flower dies this year, and I confess to splurging on them. Let’s take a look at a few of them!

First up, the buttercups colored with Copic markers and placed on an embossed circle.

Second, a background made with Distress ink and water spatters highlights the Cosmos Duo dies. A bit of Stickles on the sentiment strip and flower centers adds a bit of sparkle.

The Delicate Wildflowers dies were colored with my new set of blending brushes (also from SSS). The background is embossed with a script folder.

Finally, we have the Sunrise Stem die, similarly colored with SSS inks and blending brushes, embellished with some bling and a textured embossed background. 

So much fun and all going to Karen’s Card Shop!

News Since my Last Post, If You’re Interested

Well, I did not get the full time teaching job but do have three classes this term. I’m fine with that.

My mother-in-law passed away suddenly. She was battling pancreatic cancer. I’m not fine with that. Not at all. 

I preached my sermon on care, and if you’d like to see it, check out THIS LINK. The experience was both meaningful and fun, but Pastor Joe watched and noted my southern accent came out. I’m fine with that. 

Mercy, grace, peace, and love,

Susan

Purple and Some Chit-Chat

Purple appeals to me on many levels, so it’s a mystery why I use it so rarely. This monochromatic birthday card is just darling! 

The Stickles on the bowl gives a hint of frosty shine to the card, and coloring was done with Copics.

George swam the Mackinac Bridge faster than anticipated, and he gave me a thumb’s up sign afterwards. The finisher medal is super cool: a piece of the actual bridge, acquired when bits of the bridge were replaced. 

Being his support for this event was a piece of cake after being his Iron Sherpa through a bunch of Ironman races. First off, there was no bike tire pump to carry around during the swim and no sticky, sweaty bike to retrieve from T2 (the second transition area) and roll back to the hotel. Second, while our day did start early, George finished the swim around 9:45 a.m. His last Ironman in 2016 started even earlier and ended around 9:45 p.m. 

THAT was a long day.

And here’s a random Lily picture. How this dog sleeps in these weird positions is beyond me. If I sleep even a little awkwardly, I struggle for the whole day. Dogs are much bendier than humans…especially middle-age humans. 

Mercy, grace, peace, and love,

Susan

Merry and Bright…With Some Crazy Thrown In

Our card for today is a Christmas card I made last December and never posted, which is weird because I love its aggressive minimalism. 

This cool color scheme and the expanse of white feel very authentic for me and makes me so very happy. Hopefully, its recipient will feel the same!

George and I are currently in Mackinaw City, Michigan. He’s going to swim the Mackinac Bridge tomorrow (Saturday), along with several hundred other crazy people. 

He’s crazy. But not as crazy as when he did the Ironman races. 

We’ve had a lot going on in the past two weeks. We got new carpet, which was LONG overdue, and the new lighter color has transformed our finished basement. 

Yay! The dirt-colored carpet is history, and now we need to paint the house interior so the walls and trim look as fresh as our new carpet!

Also, I will not be considered for the full-time teaching job at my college, but I WILL teach three classes this fall. I’m happy. 😃 

Mercy, grace, peace, and love,

Susan

Thanks and Two Blue Cards, with a Side of Discernment by Nausea

First up, THANKS to Charlotte, who sent lovely cards for Karen’s Card Shop. They are beautiful and so very appreciated! 

Next up, the blue…because you’re here for cards, not nausea.

Today’s two cards use the darker shades of blue. Blue is my favorite color, and my favorite color combination is blue and green, but I’m much more likely to use medium to pale shades instead  The sympathy card uses a delightfully elderly Papertrey sentiment (heat embossed in white) and some watercolor brushstroke stamps (also elderly Papertrey). I used a very dark blue ink and spritzed the inked stamp with water. Simple, as most sympathy cards are, but impactful. 

Next up, an equally high-contrast card. To make the blue circles, I have no idea what I did. This card was made months ago when I was experimenting with different ways to create graduated colors. I’m not sure why the bling looks so dark except to say my photo editing skills are not the bomb. Anyway, I have several friends who really love the beach and for whom this card will be perfect!

And now for the nausea. 

Not sure who coined the term “discernment by nausea,” but whoever it was knew a thing or two about the Holy Spirit. The following text exchange happened today:

What doesn’t come across in the text is how my stomach lurched with the request. God doesn’t want us to sit still in our faith but to grow it, and often, His call is to something that’s really quite scary. I like to think this old dog has learned a few tricks, and one is to trust the Holy Spirit when it taps me on the shoulder, especially if it scares me. Because it’s not about me. It’s about worshipping a God who loves us, cherishes us, and wants us to speak that truth with love. 

And Lord knows I can speak. Often, it’s the shutting up that’s the challenge. 

Have you ever experienced discernment by nausea? It doesn’t have to be within a faith context for those of you who aren’t religious. Opportunities to do stuff that scares us 

Mercy, grace, peace, and love,

Susan 

A Copic Christmas and Today I Learned

As much as I love subtle cards, sometimes bold stamps call for bold colors. Such was the case with this Hero Arts Christmas flower.

White on white on white on white, yes. But with some texture (Gina K Swiss Dots embossing folder), a shaped panel die (unknown), bright colors, and a nice big sentiment, I think we’ve done the focal point image justice. 

Coloring with Copics is challenging for me, but it’s also so much fun. Doing hard things often connects me with my inner student who thrives on challenges. What crafting taught my inner student, however, is that mistakes are part of the learning process. My dad saw my academic mistakes as weaknesses, moral failings, proof that he should be in control. “What do you mean you got a 99 on the chemistry test. Careless error to lose a point. Don’t let it happen again!” 

Shedding that baggage has been extraordinarily challenging. But I like hard things, and that makes all the difference. 

Go make some mistakes in your crafty space. And let the lessons you learn inspire you to let go of beating yourself up for mistakes in the rest of your life. Whenever my husband is corrected or has his perspective expanded, he will say, “Today, I learned.” I love this. 

Today, I learned. 

What will you learn today?

Mercy, grace, peace, and love,

Susan

The Problems of Size

If you clicked on this title expecting something naughty, you’re my people. We English majors see Christ figures and phallic symbols in everything. 

But alas, the problems of size for today’s post both relate to craft supplies. Sorry to disappoint. 

I cannot be the only stamper who has bought supplies (especially online) thinking they were one size and been surprised when opening them. For instance, I bought the Spellbinders Splatter White opaque watercolor. The jar looked quite large in the photo at Simon Says, but it turned out to be a tiny little jar and only about a third full. Not sure if that’s normal, but it is what it is.

Such was also the case with this Sizzix vase and branch set of dies, only in reverse. The package made the dies look smaller, but my, was I deceived!

I really like the stone wall embossed backdrop but do wish I’d put a shelf or something to support the vase. Nevertheless, it’s a striking card, cheerful and pretty!

There’s another problem of size we stampers have…the size of our stash. Too big, and we struggle more with organization and overwhelm than productivity. Too small, and we get frustrated and feel limited when we see such lovely work on social media, blogs, ads, and Pinterest. Each stamper has a different setting for the perfect balance, but as our skills and tastes change, so must our stash. 

As the saying goes, sometimes collecting product and using product are two VERY different hobbies. 

I’ve been collecting lots of new product lately. And it’s been fun playing and experimenting. But overwhelm is setting in, and so I have put an empty bin under my table. As I use products, some aren’t making my cut and go straight into the bin. In the not-to-distant future, I should be selling some grab boxes here. 

If you are feeling frustrated and limited by your “too small” stash, perhaps you’d like to keep an eye out for my offerings. People have NEVER expressed disappointment with my grab boxes; they are excellent deals. The best deals. You’ve never seen deals like mine. Nobody is as great as I am at making deals. Grab my boxes all you want. 

Ugh. It’s laugh or cry.

Mercy, grace, peace, and love,

Susan

Sometimes Black and White Is a Good Combo; Sometimes It’s a Logical Fallacy

I’ve been working on some essays for a book, and my latest addresses the logical fallacy of black-and-white thinking, sometimes called the either-or fallacy. This flaw in logic pretends that there are only two exclusive options for thoughts or actions in a given situation. 

For instance, artificial intelligence is EITHER a sign of the coming apocalypse OR offers up only good opportunities to humanity. These polarized positions engender particularly insidious oversimplifications of a complex and messy technology. (My essay covers more political examples, but Simplicity by Lateblossom isn’t the right space for politics, generally speaking.) 

But you can find all sorts of examples of this polarization and oversimplification of complex problems in the United States. They are common as dirt and just as welcome in my house. 

For crafty concerns, however, this blog, which has been around since 2009, has based its very existence on  minimalism, an extreme that contrasts quite nicely with the maximalism of products and styles available to us. Simplicity was a response to what I saw as less and less space in the crafty community for appreciation of basics, not a “down with maximalism” rallying cry. Most of us celebrate the differences in style and encourage each other to do whatever floats our boats…even if it’s not our thing. 

You do you!

If politics ran this way instead of pushing polarization ever harder, the world would be a much better place. Less fallacious and more free. 

Happy belated Independence Day!  

Our cards today celebrate the simplicity of black and white. As color schemes and fallacies go, it’s not really a favorite*, but I saw some black-and-white cards on Pinterest and felt compelled to experiment. Both cards are very old-school: ink and paper, no fancy techniques or embellishments needed. 

First up, an Altenew poppy outline and a very old Papertrey sentiment. The background is a wood-mounted stamp from Hero Arts.

Next, we have a cling rubber stamp from Tim Holtz, sentiment from Papertrey, and background from somewhere…it’s not labeled. 

These were fun and quick to make, especially after my recent over-the-top birdhouse card, which was also fun but not at all quick.

Vive le différence!

Mercy, grace, peace, and love,

“Professor” Susan

*My favorite fallacy is ad misericordiam, the appeal to pity. As in, “Professor Susan**, my goldfish died and my car wouldn’t start and then I got the flu. Can I please have an extension for the paper that was due last week?” Can I? How about may I? In one week, I had five—yes FIVE—students in one class claim flat tires as an excuse for absences. The alleged flats occurred in different parts of Dayton and the surrounding area. I asked, thinking there might have been a box of nails dropped on I-75.

Years ago, in a single semester, I received a doctor’s note written on veterinary stationery AND four students lost their grandmothers. 

What I wanted to say: “I’m sorry for your loss. Please read your syllabus for the late work policy.”  Honestly, I’m not heartless and will always err on the side of compassion, but seriously?

**I’m not a professor (just an adjunct instructor trying now to become a full-time instructor), but when using the appeal to pity, students give me a promotion to distract from their lies. <insert eye roll here>

Adorable ‘Shrooms, and Thanks, Priya!

First off, many thanks to reader Priya! She sent a lovely package of cards for Karen’s Cards. Bless you, Priya, for sharing your awesome talent with our church!

If you’re interested in donating to Karen’s Cards, we ALWAYS need sympathy, get well, and thinking of you cards. Right now, we’re also running low on birthday cards.

These cute little mushroom dies from Poppy Stamps make me so happy. They are colored with Simon Says Pawsitively Saturated Ink and blending brushes, with white gel pen dots. The embossed panel (folder by Simon Says as well) was a left-over from another card. 

I hope you are all having a great summer and a safe Independence Day weekend. Toward the end of this month, George and I are heading to Mackinaw City, Michigan. He’s swimming across the Mackinaw Straits…about 4.25 miles. I will be either relaxing with a good book or prepping classes for the fall semester. I’ve applied for a full-time teaching job. If I don’t get that job, I’m already on schedule to teach two online classes, which will require minimal preparation. I’m adding videos to those classes, though, and that will be fun!

George and I had planned to travel to Germany, Switzerland, and northern Italy this fall, which is why I signed up for online classes in my adjunct job, but we had to cancel our trip because a family member has started treatment for pancreatic cancer. If you are the praying type, she would very much appreciate extra prayers. 

I hate cancer so much. 

Mercy, grace, peace, and love,

Susan

LBBs and Snowy Stickles

Today’s card is much busier than my usual efforts, but ohmygosh, these winter robins from Hero Arts are just sooooo cute!

To make this card, I stamped and colored the birdhouse, and then on scrap paper, I stamped and colored the birds, and diecut them. Instead of the usual robin markings, these two tweeters are LBBs…little brown birds. My uncle Herb was a biology professor at UNC-Greensboro and specialized in ornithology. Often, LBBs are hard to identify, especially if they are flitting around, as LBBs are wont to do. 

It’s nice to know that even the experts have a hard time identifying birds sometimes. 

The Stickles created a lovely, sparkly snow, and the sweater embossing folder adds warmth and texture. 

Mercy, grace, peace, and love,

Susan

Why Shading Matters

So I recently took advantage of a pretty awesome sale at Hero Arts, buying quite a few sets for steep discounts. Most of the stamps I bought are outline images for coloring because I need to make my investment in Copic markers worthwhile. This has been, well, an interesting experiment with very mixed results.

Today’s first card reflects a lazy approach to Copic coloring using very little shading (okay, basically no shading at all)…and the result is predictably flat. I even added a bit of white gel pen to try to liven it up, but meh. At least the layout works for me.

The second card is definitely more vibrant and fun although I’m just not sure about the brick-a-brac ground. The card also seems too top-heavy to make me truly happy.

The third card makes me happier! The color palette is definitely autumnal (and very appropriate for the mushrooms), and the cream card base (instead of white) helps, too. I stamped the outlines in Memento dark brown, which played nicely with the Copics. Also, the layout works better for me than the second card. 

So what did I learn here?

1. Outline stamps like these, with thick lines, are easier to color and shade than thin-lined images.

2. Shading really does make images more appealing and pleasing to the eye, but no amount of shading will compensate for a poor layout or color choice.

3. I really dislike punny sentiments.

More Copic-colored Hero cards to come. 

Why does that sound like a threat instead of a promise?

Mercy, grace, peace, and love,

Susan

Winner! Winner!

The randomly selected winner of the Copic/Hero Arts giveaway is Kay Taillon, who very kindly commented on Facebook:

Love your clean & simple cards!  Your cards have increased my joy in making cards by showing me it doesn’t have to be ornate and fussy.  Thanks for introducing me to CAS years ago!

It’s always exciting when a long-time reader wins something! Kay, please send me your snail-mail address at susanraihala at roadrunner dot com, and I’ll get your goodies out to you ASAP.

Many thanks to all of you who participated!

Another fun Hero Arts set was used to make this highly subversive card. Peace, love, and pink are not exactly what we’re hearing about in the news. But each one of us cardmakers knows that we are motivated by loving-kindness, the pure joy of creating order out of chaos (if your craft space is anything like mine!), and the desire to lift others up. 

Honestly, I don’t know enough about the situation with Iran and Israel and the U.S. to have an opinion on recent events,  and it’s unlikely either side would be moved to peace by a daisy stuck in its missile launchers. 

What I do know is that my faith requires me to leave the world a better place than it was: to visit the sick, feed the hungry, give voice to the voiceless, do all the good I can with what I have where I am, and most importantly of all, LOVE God, my neighbor, and myself. A million different acts of love and kindness won’t make the news, but they are being done every single minute by people just like you and me all over the world.   

That’s the vibe I want to resonate with. 

In the comments, please share something good you’ve done for someone or that’s been done to/for you in the last few days. 

I’ll go first. I can’t get into specifics, but several people have come to me recently in need of more than a hug. I’ve been able to hook them up with Stephen Ministers, who will walk with them through their troubles for as long as they are needed. I thank God for the people who serve as Stephen Ministers, who receive extensive training and commit to caring a level above the norm. 

What about you?

Mercy, grace, peace, and love,

Susan

I Like Birds

Have you seen the movie A Big Year? It stars Steve Martin, Owen Wilson, and Jack Black, and it follows the three characters as they compete against each other for a big year—the race to see as many birds in North America as possible. The winner gets glory in the birding community, but no fortune. I highly recommend the film!

While I’m nowhere near obsessed with birds, I do enjoy watching them on our Netview Birdfy bird feeder. The feeder has a motion-activated camera and shoots 20-second videos. (Not compensated for this mention, just a happy customer.) Occasionally the videos show our boys mowing the grass or the dogs playing or an occasional chipmunk, but mostly we get a wide rage of birds.

Today’s cards use the Simon Says Spring Birds stamps and dies. 

These stylized bird images—colored with Copics—appeal to me for so many reasons. They are cute as can be, easy to color, easy to die cut, and easy to design into CAS designs. A win-win-win-win in my book!

Several of my friends are scared of birds. Are you? 

Mercy, grace, peace, and love,

Susan

A Darling Little Giveaway

Today’s post comes courtesy of my buying stuff I already have, and one of you with a mailing address in the United States will be the lucky recipient! 

Included in the giveaway are:

• Three Copic Sketch markers: R81, R83, and R85
• One Hero Arts clear stamp set: Merry Snowmen
• One Lateblossom original card using these products (shown)

All you need to do to be included in the giveaway is to comment on the blog OR Facebook OR Instagram before Sunday, June 22, EDT answering this question: 

What motivates you to create cards?

Everyone is invited to comment! After all, I’m very Methodist, and we believe in including all who want to partake at the communion table. If you live outside the U.S., please comment but include your country’s name. One of you will receive a card made by me! 

If you already have this set and the Copics, and do NOT wish to be included in the giveaway, please say so in your comment. Ditto for those of you who hate coloring. 

And thank you all for your kind support for Simplicity over the years. The stamping community really is the best!

Mercy, grace, peace, and love,

Susan

Copying a Design I’ve Copied Before

Do you have favorite layouts? I do, and this is one of them, inspired by another stamper’s design (can’t find it…but she was amazing).

It turned out to be perfect for the Ellen Hutson tile set I bought last year and gave me a chance to play with lots of colors from my collection of Simon Says Pawsitively Saturated ink.

Up first, three cards with colored card stock bases: a very old gable green (StampinUp), a pretty pink (unknown), and a salmon-y orange-pink (unknown, but perhaps Papertrey). 

And next, white card bases for a different feel. 

I varied the sentiments a bit, but otherwise the cards are identical in all except color. If I had to pick a favorite, it would be the blue tiles on white. Do you have a favorite color?

Mercy, grace, peace, and love,

Susan

PSX Never Goes out of Style

The old stuff from PSX has a timelessness that I adore…plus, this leaf is perfect for Copics!

In the closeup, you can see the gold spatter and edging. 

And that’s all I have to say today!

Mercy, grace, peace, and love, 

Susan

Gina K for the Win!

In the past year, I’ve picked up several sets from Gina K, all in the same style of outlined flowers. The outlines are dainty, the images darling. As I’ve made a commitment to use—actually use—my Copic markers more, these sets are simply perfect. 

First up, Garden of Wishes, in three different color schemes and the simplest of card layouts. This set has a very balanced design, and its size means it fills the card nicely, with plenty of space left over for clean margins.

I chose to omit the colored mat on the yellow card because it didn’t have enough contrast with the white and looked weird. Y’all know I love me some white-on-white card stock for the clean lines and simplicity.

The second set, Tall Stems, begs for a few butterflies to adorn the space above! The larger design didn’t need a mat, so I used colored card stock to match. 

I really like this sentiment from the set and am blessed with a number of people to send these cards to. 

In the future, I will experiment with different layouts, cropping, and coloring. But for now, the simplest designs make me ever so happy! And no, Gina and I are not in cahoots. I just really love these sets I bought!

Do you have any favorite sets for coloring with Copics? Inquiring minds, and all that!

Mercy, grace, peace, and love,

Susan

Memorial Day

Memorial Day honors Americans who died in service to our country, from the Revolutionary War through recent conflicts. For me, the day has always been a chance to reflect on WHAT, exactly, these brave soldiers, sailors, aviators, and marines died for. I was taught some rather basic principles that are at the heart of the United States of America as it should be: 

• Freedom. Of speech, assembly, religion, press, thought, political affiliation.
• Separation of church and state.
• Due process and equality under the law, and innocent until proven guilty.
• The freedom to move around from state to state without interference.
• Checks and balances of power between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
• Respect for police, firefighters, emergency workers, and anyone committed to serving our country in the military or civil service.
• My rights end where someone else’s begin. That’s not a bug; it’s a feature. It means if I have an opinion or belief, I’m entitled to it, but I am NOT entitled to harm someone else just because they think or believe differently from me. There will always be people saying, believing, or doing things that I disapprove of, but as long as I am not being harmed by them, too bad. They’ve got the same rights I have. 

I remember so vividly my childhood trust that our government was just, balanced, and fair. As I grew older, I realized the ideals listed above ran more like guidelines than rules in the real world. For instance, more African Americans than white people receive the death penalty, even though whites commit more murders. Police officers can behave very badly, as can politicians and civil servants. 

In fact, anyone can be an angel, an asshole, or a psychopath, no matter what their position in life. 

But the ideals serve a purpose, a goal, an aspiration for a better world, a kinder world, a fairer world. They’re the lighthouses we should seek in tempestuous times. 

And hundreds of thousands of men and women put on the uniform and gave their lives for those ideals. 

Today, I’m sharing a few sympathy cards. Karen’s Card Shop ALWAYS needs sympathy cards. They seem appropriate.

And as you eat a burger and watch a parade or whatever you do to mark the occasion, take a minute to reflect on how we are (or are not) living up to those ideals. Are we betraying their sacrifice and trust?

I wonder.

Mercy, grace, peace, and love,

Susan

Menopause Brain and a Few Cards

The spring semester has closed, and what a weird one it was, somewhat captured in the following photo:

That’s what my feet looked like Sunday, two weeks ago, at church. Just call me Miss Matched. The rest of my photos for today are (hopefully) proof I haven’t completely lost my mind. 

And if you’d like to feel better about yourself—especially those of you who are women of a certain age—check out @justbeingmelani on Instagram. I’m a card-carrying member of her new club for perimenopausal and menopausal women: The We Do Not Care Club. We do not care if our shoes match. We do not care if we have makeup on. We do not care what people eat for dinner. 

It is very liberating, actually. 

A most relevant entry for this blog might be “We do not care if we make pretty things and no one cares.”

And now for some cards, the making of which led me to buy the large and small sets of Simon Says blending brushes because I wanted something better than the Tim Holtz blender pads.

First up, a delightful posey stamp from Gina K. Blues and greens are my go-to colors. They are so peaceful and soothing. I embossed the stamp, masked the border, sponged the inks (Distress ink), and added bling and a sentiment.

Next up, a very similar card using a stamp from an old set by Mama Elephant. Similarly, but embossed outside the masking. I like the look, even if it doesn’t show up well in the photo. 

For the remaining backgrounds, I brayered Kaleidacolor ink on scraps and cut shapes out of them, layered on die cuts, and let the color do the work! The color truly is spectacular with this technique. 

I’ve bought a LOT of new stampy stuff recently and am working my way through it all. One thing that has changed my life (in a small way, of course, but seriously, it’s cool): the Pawsitively Perfect Tacky Mat. I put it into my MISTI, and it’s so much nicer than using magnets to hold paper down.

What have you added to your supplies recently that has made your crafting better? Inquiring minds and all that….

Mercy, grace, peace, and love,

Susan