Red, White, and Blue; I Miss You

Having fun with red, white, and blue for Operation Write Home. Please note all the delicious white space. Ahhhhhhh!

This card just sort of happened, and I like it!

Thanks for your comments on yesterday's post. It's very interesting how we get motivated to create!

Supplies
stamps: Papertrey Faux Ribbon, Hero Arts Year Round Sentiments
ink: Memento Danube blue, Hero Arts red royal
paper: Papertrey white
accessories: star rhinestones, Fiskars cloud punches, dimensionals

Where's the White Space?

Dude cards are hard.

Today's card deviates from my norm because I made it specifically for my BIL, who is a history professor. I thought this might be a perfect opportunity to use my Hero Arts Americas background stamp, which has such beautiful, flowing lines. But dang, it's busy to my eyes!

You wouldn't believe how long I debated inking the edges of the two stamped panels. In the end, I'm glad I did. It really emphasizes the straight lines...in contrast to all the curvy, irregular lines on the map image.

While this isn't my usual style and looks sort of weird on a blog so dedicated to white space, I think the recipient will very much appreciate the map and the masculine cream-and-brown color scheme. It's not often I feel motivated to go outside my style for someone...but occasionally it's sort of fun!

Do you make cards outside your "normal" style for particular people? Why or why not? I'm interested to know because I honestly don't think there's a right or wrong here. Some people make cards for others, some for their own artistic self-expression, some for other reasons altogether. What motivates you? I think I'm mostly motivated by my joy in expressing my love of CAS style, but I do want recipients to like what I send!

Supplies
stamps: Hero Arts Americas, Papertrey sentiment
ink: VersaMagic jumbo java
paper: Papertrey vintage cream
accessories: brown half-pearls

Live Your Bliss

Yay! The kids had school today! After a whole week off for cold temps and snow, they actually started on time this morning!

That's a good reason for exclamation points.

Of course, we're back to sub-zero temps tonight, with wind chills around -20, so a delay or cancellation may be in order for tomorrow.

*sigh*

Anyway, I had shockingly little time to stamp last week, considering how home-bound we were, but I did make a few cards to share.  Here's one I made for my niece, who is undergoing a major life change.

Especially after I started making lots of cards for Operation Write Home (whose requirements limit the sentiment options), I began to wonder what some stamp companies are thinking when they come up with odd sentiments. Who would have thought "Live your bliss" would ever come in handy? But it actually perfectly fits my niece's situation. Go figure.

I love that blue. It's Memento Luxe Bahama Blue. Doesn't it just pop right off the card? And with the crisp black sentiment, the focal point panel looks so clean and fresh! Love it! And it doesn't need any embellishment whatsoever.

Supplies
stamps: Waltzingmouse Fine Feathers, Papertrey Mega Mixed Messages
ink: Memento Luxe 
paper: Papertrey white
accessories: dimensionals

A Little W(h)ine and a Card

Last week was just weird. My sons were home from school ALL WEEK. They essentially got an unscheduled winter break because it's been so dang cold in Ohio. As in highs of single digits. As in -8 degrees at bus pick-up times. Wind chills as low as -30. Our power went out. Twice. We finally got a healthy dump of snow today (Saturday), and it was gorgeous. But mostly, it's just been cold.

My creativity seems to have frozen as well. Like our snow, it will thaw, melt into a muddy mess, and blossom (eventually) with color and fun.

Can you tell I've been cooped up with kids too long?

Anyway, I made this card about a month ago, and it was totally inspired by Somerset magazine, with all its vintage-y goodness that isn't exactly my style but makes me feel warm and fuzzy anyway.

Warm and fuzzy. That describes the nest of fleece blankets I curl up in at night, too. Oh, my. I need to shut up now.

Eggs. Speckled eggs. Soon, people. Soon.

Supplies
stamps: SU
ink: VersaMagic, Hero Arts
paper: Papertrey white
accessories: sponge, dimensionals

Speckles

SU used to have a set called Itty Bitty Backgrounds, and in that set of four was one stamp of speckles. That's one of the sets I broke up and sold, keeping only the speckles because it's a darn useful stamp.

Of course, I don't actually use speckles much. But that's irrelevant, right?

Anyway, that little stamp caught my attention the other day, and I made this card with it.

To make this, I punched a largish circle from a post-it note, stuck it to the panel, and repeatedly stamped the speckle background over it until there was fairly thick coverage.

Looking at it now, I wonder how much interest it would have added if I'd stamped the speckle stamp a few times with silver metallic ink, too. A little shimmer does most things good, don't you think?

Whatever. This simple card makes me happy, as does that sentiment because the font is so bold and distinctive. It's definitely the star of the show!


Supplies
stamps: SU Itty Bitty Backgrounds, Papertrey Keep It Simple: Thinking of You
ink: Hero Arts, Memento
paper: Papertrey white
accessories: corner rounder, post-it note, dimentionals

You Make Me Smile and a Reminder for OLS13

Thank you all for the comments and emails on yesterday's post. Your prayers and good thoughts mean a lot to me.

Like so many other people in my beloved country, we've been experiencing some fairly yucky weather. Gray, cold, snow...the whole litany of winter woe. That's why I made today's card...to shovel the winter blahs away.

Happy citrus colors always make me think of summer sunshine! I particularly like how I used the Kaleidacolor pad here. You don't have to use all five colors in the pad...not if you turn the long, narrow stamp sideways and just ink two colors!

I'm going to link this to the OLS challenge "You Blend" because it is indeed just one layer. Remember that you may enter that challenge as often as you like until midnight on the 24th. I hope you'll play along!

Y'all make me smile, and I thank you for it!

Supplies
stamps: Papertrey Beautiful Blooms II, Signature Greetings, Ombre Builders
ink: Kaleidacolor, Hero Arts, Memento
paper: Papertrey white
accessories: rhinestones

When Bad Things Happen...

I made this card for a friend going through a rough time. A really rough time. Her situation has sent me reeling emotionally and has caused me to lean hard on my spiritual gifts of faith and trust in the face of genuine evil.

I never ask God why things happen, even when my heart is breaking. In this situation, however, I'm asking, begging for answers.

It's just awful.

This card is for my friend. I wanted it to convey softness and comfort and gentleness, hope and light.

If you are going through a rough time, I'd like to remind you to breathe and take things one day at a time. But it's also important to find people to support you through the crisis and be open to their help. Don't try to go it alone, and don't keep people at arm's length.

As a Stephen Ministry leader, I see first-hand how much of a difference one person can make in the life of someone who's suffering just by being there. Just by showing up. Often, we can't fix a thing or make it better in any tangible way, but we can be there for each other.

If you're suffering, reach out for help.

If you know someone who's suffering, reach out to help.

Yes, there is evil out there.

But there is also good. A lot of good. Let's all be a part of that good and be there for each other.

Supplies
stamps: Waltzingmouse Fine Feather; CASual Stamps Breathe
ink: Impress Fresh ink Sicilian Blue, Memento Luxe black
paper: Papertrey white
accessories: none