CraftyJC Challenge: Creative Simplicity

At the end of August, I received a lovely email from Jaya Christina, a paper crafter in India who has a beautiful blog full of clean-and-simple goodness. She explained how difficult and expensive it is for Indian crafters to get supplies. This is a common problem for crafters outside the United States, Canada, and Great Britain. I've had people in Australia, Spain, Brazil, Colombia, and Egypt tell me how tough it is for them to keep up with crafting trends and to get supplies.

We who can get everything a crafter might want--easily and affordably--have no idea how truly blessed we are.

Or are we really that blessed?

Think about all I've written lately about having so much stuff that it stifles my creativity, weighs me down. Jaya believes having limited access to supplies makes Indian crafters more creative, and I believe it. They do more with less, and they do it beautifully.

Jaya has a challenge called the CraftyJC Challenge, which "encourages and appreciates creativity--not just using fancy or expensive materials." When she asked if I would participate in this month's theme of Simplicity, I jumped at the chance to participate in an international celebration of simplicity.

Here's my card for the challenge.

It doesn't get much simpler than this. I used stamps from Hero Arts, stamped in Memento black ink and colored with three shades of Sharpie Markers. The bottom corners were rounded. I contemplated adding more (glitter, perhaps, or some Smooch), but decided this was perfect just the way it is.

Simplicity is beautiful.

I made a thank you card because I want to thank the world stamping community for providing so much inspiration. Few people in my "real" life stamp, yet I have so many stamping friends all over the world courtesy of the Internet. People take the time to share their arts and crafts with the world, and what an inspiration and gift to us all that generosity is! Thank you, Jaya, for giving us all the opportunity to connect and share.

See what you can do with less, and join Jaya and other Indian crafters in their Simplicity challenge. What a great World Card Making Day activity!

Supplies
stamps: Hero Arts
ink: Memento
paper: Papertrey Ink
accessories: sharpie markers, corner chomper

Thank You Wreath

Oh, I have some very exciting things to share with you in upcoming posts...including some very cool things from reader criminalgrace and something super cool and international for Friday night's post!

Oh, it's such an exciting time of year!

For now, I'm sharing a very simple wreath card accented with red Smooch.

4.25" square card

This image is beautiful without embellishment, but the random dots of shimmery Smooch add a sense of dimension and, of course, shimmer.

No time to be witty tonight, but if you don't usually read my other blog, you might get a laugh from this post.

Supplies
stamps: Papertrey A Wreath for All Seasons, Mixed Messages
ink: Memento
paper; Papertrey
accessories: Smooch, corner chomper

Problems Commenting

I've been having problems for the past three days commenting on Blogspot blogs, and I wonder if anyone is having problems commenting on mine. Please email me at susanraihala at woh dot rr dot com if you are having trouble. Thanks so much!

The Gratitude Campaign Needs Your Vote!

Right now, I'm grateful for Janelle's blog and the OLW66 Challenge this week. Goodness. Simple goodness.

And speaking of gratitude, today's card takes us back to the 2011 Gratitude Campaign with Papertrey's First Fruits, an older set that I just love. I blinged up the wheat because I could. The sentiment placement worked out pretty cool, don't you think?

Remember....

VOTE for the THANKFUL PARTY!

How is your personal Gratitude Campaign going? Are you going to send out Thanksgiving/Thankful for You cards this year? If so, to whom will you send them? How many are you planning to send? I'm aiming for thirty this year...ten more than last year. What are your thoughts?


Supplies
stamps: First Fruits
ink: More Mustard (SU), Rich Cocoa (Memento)
paper: vintage cream (Papertrey)
accessories: tiny brown gemstones

One-Layer Wednesday #66: Get Inspired by Janelle

This week's One-Layer Wednesday Challenge is to get inspired by blogger Janelle!

This is an easy one, folks!

Janelle and her blog came to my attention a few months ago. She lives in my hometown, not far from the very house in which I lived, so I feel like she's family. We Southerners are that way, you know. Shortly after I added her blog to my reader, however, she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Now, in addition to being a source of inspiration through her crafting, she's become an inspiration for how she lives her life and faces this challenge as well.

This week's challenge is to poke around her blog and find inspiration however you wish. She includes photos from her life as well as her crafting, so absolutely everything on her blog is fair game for inspiration. You can choose to copy a layout, CASify one of her more layered creations, play off a color scheme, pick up a theme (she loves cupcakes), or use a technique/product/style she spotlights.

I have two cards to share. The first is based on one of her many one-layer cards:

I took her idea of the 3/4 border across the card used as a ground for an image. My book was a bit too large for the scale of the card (much bigger than the bird she used), so I scooted it off the side and added just a touch of color with a Memento Pear Tart marker. Then I added a sentiment where she did. LOVE how the elements relate to each other here. (Stamps by Papertrey)

I giggled when I finished this card. It makes me so happy...and I never would have thought of this arrangement without seeing Janelle's card. That sort of inspiration ALWAYS makes me giggle with glee.


My second card is based on a photo from her trip to the Museum of Modern Art (scroll down to see the picture of a couple of Mondrian's paintings).

4.25" square

I couldn't even add a sentiment to it. It's just so much fun and doesn't need to say anything at all. I've been inspired by Andy Warhol and Picasso in the past, but I can't remember ever channeling my inner Mondrian. I created this with Papertrey's Faux Ribbon set, a couple of post-it notes for masks, and Memento markers.

So now it's your turn to let the amazing Janelle inspire you to create something wonderful!

OLW66 Rules

1. A one-layer card is defined as a single sheet of cardstock folded in half. No other layers are allowed.

2. Be inspired by Janelle's blog...anything on her blog, from her blog banner to her family photos, from her one-layer cards to her more elaborate creations. Doesn't matter.

3. Post your card online and link back to Janelle's post that inspired you. Then add your link to the InLinkz button on the sidebar of Simplicity.

4. Most importantly, HAVE FUN!

Nuts About You

I thought I'd posted this earlier, but apparently, not. Which is good because I don't have anything else to share today. Life's been a bit busy with sick kids and other stuff, and sadly, time in the craft room has been limited. So discovering this unposted nutty card was quite a gift this evening.

And I know it's wrong of me to go all "English major" on this perfectly innocent card, but after I made it, I decided that I'd have to give it to my husband...and only to my husband.

Because really.

Just really.

Nuts?

A perfect pear?

*hangs head in shame*

Supplies
stamps: Papertrey Framed and Autumn Acorns
ink: Memento
paper: PTI
accessories: dimensionals

Maple Leaves

All my Canadian friends seem to appreciate the maple leaves I've been punching lately. This one's for y'all.

DH and I spent our 20th wedding anniversary on Pender Island in British Columbia. It was an amazing vacation full of killer whales, bald eagles, seals, blood stars, kayaking, hiking, wine, food, and fun. I will always remember the maple leaves. Down south where I come from, maple leaves are about the size of my hand. Up there in Canada, y'all got maple leaves that could be dinner plates. No, not dinner plates. Chargers under dinner plates.

What I'm saying is that you Canadians do maples right. These piddly little punches don't hold a candle to yours. But then, yours wouldn't fit on a standard A2 size card, either, so I guess it's all good.

Happy Monday.