Saturday, April 4, 2020

A Winner and a Demonstration in Contrast

The random winner of the bookmark is lucky number 1...Colleen! Her comment is a lovely inspiration:

What a cute bookmarker. Thank You for this giveaway opportunity.Me & hubby are coping by just taking it one day at a time and staying to home as much as possible not get overly stress. Being patient, calm, prayer, along with faith and the love in trusting our Lord that this crisis will be over soon.You know, when there is a serious crisis like this; it brings people closer together; helping one another and caring for each other and I do think that is what the Lord is telling us all; Just help one another through the good times as well as the bad.
In the meantime been doing craft projects; working on homemade Christmas items, etc.
In the meantime; everyone stay safe & healthy and say a prayer that this crises will be over soon and keep the faith.God's Blessings to all.ColleenB.~Tx.
Colleen, please send me an email at susanraihala at roadrunner dot com with your snail-mail address. I'll get the bookmark in the mail ASAP!

Thanks to all of you who commented!

And now, I want to share what stamping between 1:00 and 3:00 in the morning yielded earlier this week. (Can't sleep. Too many thougths.)

The two cards truly are a study in contrast and were inspired by a number of designs on Pinterest, as well as several different cards using the pink and gold color combination.

First up, I went with crisp and clean, using a very old Hero Arts shadow stamp (only three of the five blocks on the stamp, though), Hero Arts cotton candy ink, and Smooch gold lame. The larger two hearts are Hero Arts Infinity Hearts dies and the smaller ones are from a Martha Steward heart confetti punch.




This was lovely but struck me as a little too crisp, if you know what I mean. So I flexed to a different Hero Arts shadow stamp and handmade paper, Tim Holtz preserved raspberry ink, and a Penny Black branch die. That Smooch is fabulous on both cards!



Scattered hearts just did. not. work. on this larger block background. At. all. I had this die cut sitting on my desk (because Francie M. and Joan B. recommended a metal shim to get this die to work...and work it did!). I tossed it onto the watercolor panel, and magic!




Several observations.
1. The artsier card makes me happier, but the cleaner card makes me smile, too.
2. Except for the way the "birthday" die cut gets lost on the card.
3. And except for the use of rhubarb ink for that little stamped heart and "happy." Not sure what else I could have done there, but there's just something off. I tried to add a third bit of rhubarb, but the design was already getting cluttered. Maybe the "birthday" die cut should have been rhubarb. But that would have been pretty heavy on the rhubarb. Just. not. sure.

I'm feeling very staccato today (or perhaps staccata, if I remember my Italian correctly and since I identify as female). Lock down is making me feel disjointed. cut off. stuck. The flow. Not happening.

Except, apparently, at 2:00 in the morning.

How are you feeling in your current place in the pandemic? Please share!

Mercy, grace, peace, love, and distance socializing!
Susan


12 comments:

  1. STIR CRAZY is what I am. Mind you, I don't really go out a lot, but being told I can't somehow makes me crazy lol! How about cutting the Birthday die again in black or dark gray and glue it on top of the white one? Your second card is wonderful!
    Lu C

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    1. Lu C! The lure of the forbidden! It's the garden of eden all over again.

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  2. love these cards - need to get my act in gear - doing yukky housework stuff - I need to get my priorities correct and make cards lol xx Keep safe and virus free

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  3. Feeling....not guilty exactly; but a bit something because we are doing okay. Hubby and I are both laid off; but we have money in savings and we will collect unemployment. We are self isolating; but finding so much to do at home. I have made a very conscious effort to cook from my pantry and freezer. Tomorrow will be the first day at the grocery store in more than two weeks. I am out of eggs, milk, cheese and fruit. I also plan to purchase a few things for a private Easter dinner.

    I have done some cleaning out; my jewelry box, some family photos that were passed on from an elder. I deconstructed six huge photo albums and sent off some happy mail to fourteen friends and family. So much fun seeing pictures from years ago. I am sewing right now, first some masks for friends and family. Then Easter presents for the grandkids. Once those are done I have promised myself an organization of my craft room. Then, I can sit and make some cards. Although I may whip out a few soon for family that needs some encouraging snail mail. I have many card “kits” leftover from my card classes. So not much brain power required; just some time in the chair with glue.

    I have been walking almost every day; 75 miles in March! Eating more than normal though so just maintaining the weight. I have not paid attention to the isolation rules for Ohio; has George been out running, on the bike? Is he essential? I imagine your boys are both at home. I hope they are not making you crazy.

    Take care in this crazy time in our country. This too shall pass.

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    1. You've been cleaning out...what I always thought I'd do if forced to stay home. That must be enormously satisfying! I'm not teaching this summer (semester ends first week in May) and that's what I plan to do after I sleep for a few days. I want less stuff cluttering my life!
      The walking is good. We walk the neighborhood almost every day, and I've been on our rowing machine several times. George is essential and occasionally has to go to the base for classified work. Otherwise, he's working from home. He's struggling to find his bike mojo this spring...we are both getting older and feeling it. The boys aren't making me crazy, but George's extra time to cook is making me fat.

      This too shall pass. Amen.

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  4. I love your cards! I may have considered using gold foil paper for the birthday to add contrast.
    Like Marie, we are doing pretty well with being home. My hubby is able to work from home and I'm an optometrist so I only go into the office for emergencies (which are actually not often.) Therefore, I've gotten a lot of cleaning and sorting done, LOTS of cards/bookmarks created and sent out, some reading (although not as much as I thought I would) and some baking. I've been continuing the dog walks and even was able to take a bike ride, so hopefully the baking won't catch up with me!

    Hope you stay well and sane during this unprecedented time.

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  5. Beautiful cards, Susan! Maybe the Birthday die could be tipped with gold Smooch to look dipped...

    I am an introvert and I guess I’ve been training all my life for living in isolation. The quiet is great, but I am grieving for all those in harm’s way. Where there’s life, there’s hope, and I believe we will emerge from this challenge a stronger society.

    Be well, love hard on your family, and keep brightening up our inboxes...

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    1. Your idea for the gold might work! I'm going to try it. My son feels like you do...introverts are winning right now!

      I hope your prediction of a stronger society is true. I'm seeing so much kindness and outreach going on. But I remember after 9/11, things got unified. Then, when we had comfort and time to remember our differences, things got ugly again. Why do we do that? When did I get so cynical? Ugh.

      Blessings to you!

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  6. As always - your talents are a source of great inspiration! Thanks bunches <3

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Thank you so much for taking time to comment!