OLW24 Hosted by Jennifer Styles!

Jennifer Styles is hosting the OLW this week, and I took a few minutes to play along. Literally just a few minutes, because for once, a card popped into my head and all I had to do was make it. The challenge is to make a winter holiday card without using a white, cream, red, or green base.

I confess I had to make this card twice, because my first choice of ink colors didn't quite work with the blush blossom cardstock. Is your blush blossom ink more orange than blush? Well, mine is. So I tried again with the VersaColor cinnamon and old rose, and BINGO!

Design Discussion: These stamps are from Art Impressions. I picked them up years ago for 90% off at a scrapbook store going-out-of-business sale. I've tried to make things with them a few times, but nothing really worked like I wanted it to. This time, it came together so easily! One layer, visual triangle of snowflakes (which I had to use a positioner for because the flake is crooked on the wood block and it bothered me), monochromatic color scheme, bling: these all worked for me!

Note: This also works for the Hope You Can Cling To challenge at SCS. Many thanks to Lydia for telling me about it!

One-Layer Wednesday Break

For the last six weeks, my ability to comment on OLW submissions has been extremely intermittent. I feel  just terrible that many of you have taken the time to upload cards and link to them without my being able to thank you properly with a comment. Life has gotten extremely busy, I'm not writing as much as I want for my other two blogs, and something has got to give. Actually, several somethings have to give, LOL!

For the next two weeks, we won't have an OLW challenge. In November, I'll try to resume them but instead of weekly, we'll try every two weeks. In the meantime, I hope to be able to go back and comment on the last month's entries and make time to appreciate just how talented and dedicated you all are!

Some time Wednesday I'll try to put the Gratitude Collection InLinkz stuff on the sidebar in place of the OLW challenge. Remember that the Gratitude Collection will continue through the end of November, so you can link any thank you, thankful for you, and Thanksgiving cards there.

Also, rest assured that my daily posts here will continue. I've got a bunch of card pictures already loaded onto my computer and ready to go. Also, I had promised someone to do a post on the book ornaments I posted a while back, as well as one on taking photos (a subject I feel totally inadequate to discuss, but hey, that's never stopped me before!). These will be coming up, too.

I am really sorry about this but know that y'all understand.

Shady Tree Studios and Paper Talk

Shady Tree Studios has some awesome stamps available in its first release, and I bought one set, and Nancy, the owner, sent me one for free.

Free stuff is so much fun! Especially when it's high-quality photopolymer. Y'all know how I am about clear stamps...no cheapy silicone ones allowed in my craft room. I have standards.

Here's my first card with these stamps. I wanted to use my scalloped circle punch to matte because the stamp's curvy lines invited that. Plus, I've not used those punches in forever and feel a bit guilty about that.

The thing that has impressed me about these outline stamps is just how easy it is to color them. I've played around with colored pencils, SU markers, and (on this card) Sharpie/Bics. Every one yielded great results, even in the hands of a very inexperienced colorer like me. Most importantly, I had FUN. Mainly because the areas to color are all small. I really don't like big open spaces to color and shade. It's just easier to work on a small scale. And that's what these stamps give you.

How To Tips: I used sharpies and bics to color these...two shades of green and two of aqua/teal. The centers of the flowers are blinged with Stickles Turquoise. The rick rack makes a fun grass. The sentiment is from Papertrey's Mixed Messages. The whole card is 5" square. I have envelopes from Marco's to fit that size.

Questions about Paper:
People have been asking about my white cardstock. I almost always use Papertrey Select white and vintage cream for card bases. These papers are very sturdy, and because they have a bit of tooth (are not smooth like SU's whisper white), they feel so rich and luxurious. I use a Scor-Pal to fold them because they are so thick. I'm starting to experiment with some other papers, but most of them are just not as thick as I would like, so I keep reaching for Papertrey.  Fabriano Medievalis (I know I'm spelling that wrong...sorry) is also wonderful, with a watercolor look and nice and thick. I've been hoarding my cards of that and need to get them out and use them!

Winners for the Week of Gratitude

The winner of the shadow ink pads and Card Style magazine is from Mary Dawn's first post of the week:

Beach Girl 115 said
What a beautiful story! The front desk staff at schools are often unappreciated, so I think your card will make her day.
9/27/2010 10:29 PM

Beach Girl, contact Mary Dawn on her blog with your snail mail so she can send you your prize!

The winner of the $25 gift certificate for Shady Tree Studio is from my third post of the week:

Jen said...
I LOVE your card. I'm so lucky to have found your wonderful blog!!! I'm so excited to see all of your wonderful cards. I signed up to get your emails and became a follower. Your work is beautiful!!!
hugs,jen(jennyscards.blogspot.com)
September 29, 2010 10:43 AM

Thanks, Jen! Please send me an email at susanraihala at woh dot rr dot com to claim your prize!

Knock on Wood

Last week was a big week for new stuff.

First, Mark's Finest sent me a huge selection of their new papers, charms, a bottle of gold Smooch, and a pad of Basic Gray fall paper (I've already made a batch of cards with that...yes, I used DP on cards and I didn't even swear once!).

Second, I received a RAK from girlgeek101 and Janet that included some super duper bling, gorgeous decorated pebbles, and a pack of Glimmer Mist (three colors and pearl!). Y'all are soooo sweet and generous and kind!

Third, Nancy at Shady Tree sent me my order and included a free set in the package, too!

Fourth, the new issue of Papercrafts appeared in my mailbox. 

Fifth, I went to Michael's. Didn't spend much, but got some pretty cool new stuff, including a MS bow punch and the product highlighted in today's card.

But let's back up a bit first. Last year for Christmas, I received this store-bought card from my aunt and uncle.

Isn't it wonderful?!?! It's even more wonderful when you consider that my aunt is a master wood-worker. She builds furniture...museum-quality furniture. And somehow, she still has all her fingers. Knock on wood.

So when I saw a sheet of cherry wood at Michael's (on sale, no less!), I knew I would have to make a card for her. So I did.

I was born on her birthday, and she's always said I was the best birthday present Mom ever gave her. Isn't that special? Well, it makes me feel loved. We all need to feel loved, and I sure hope my aunt does when she gets this card next month.

How-To Tips: The wood veneer is backed with paper to give it stability and punches beautifully, but the paper backing is slick (I thought at first it was adhesive backing, but apparently not...bummer). To glue it, I needed to use Scotch brand liquid tacky glue because the glue pen didn't work at all. The dark centers of the flowers were stamped circles (VersaColor Pinecone) on the wood, then punched out. I drew the lines with a Zig marker and L ruler, and the birthday stamp is from PTI's Mega Mixed Messages.

Supplies
stamps: PTI, Hero Arts (circles)
ink: VersaColor
paper: PTI white, cherry wood
accessories: circle punches, flower punches, L ruler, Zig marker

Happy World Card Making Day!

Because I live in my own little world where puppies poop rainbows, and the sky is grass green and the grass is sky blue, and cuttlebugs and big shots don't exist, I didn't realize it was WCMD. Until, of course, I checked out Joan B's blog Paperlicious. I may not be on the cutting edge of papercrafting, but I'm perfectly happy to be the last person to realize announce that it is World Card Making Day.

Go, me.

May your stamping today always be straight and every idea you have turn out even better in real life than it was in your head.

Thankful for You

Thank you all for playing along with Mary Dawn and me in A Week of Gratitude! Don't forget that the Gratitude Collection will be open for additions until the end of November. You'll be able to easily find the post by checking the Labels for Gratitude Collection. It'll take you right there. Winners of the give-away will be announced on Monday. Yippy!!!!

And today's card is for you.

Thank you so much for making Simplicity a fun place! Your encouragement, comments, emails, and cards keep me going. I am, indeed, deeply thankful for you.

MWAH!