OLS14 Words, Words, Words

The March One-Layer Simplicity #14 Challenge is hosted by me, so I'm going all literary with a Words, Words, Words challenge...to use only word stamps on a card.

I got the idea from Shakespeare. He and I are best buds, you know. "To be, or not to be...," and all that jazz, sonnet, blank verse, rhyming couplet.

You get the picture.

Anyway, you can click over to the challenge blog for my word collage card, but here on Simplicity, I wanted to post a super-CAS word card in honor of the DT at OLS.

I just realized that I used to tease my husband for all the military acronyms he used. We stampers rock them, too.

I want to publicly thank Ardyth, Heather, Cheryl, and Karen for being such a great team, so supportive on the OLS blog and elsewhere for the CAS style. CAS is not everyone's cup of tea, coffee, or whiskey, but these ladies make it awesome.

So thank you, team OLS!

Supplies
stamps: Papertrey Keep It Simple Thank You
ink: Memento, Hero Arts
paper: Papertrey
accessories: not a one

Inspired by Anita

As I was commenting on the One-Layer Simplicity Challenge entries for February (awesome cards over there, folks!), I came across Anita's lovely card and read that she'd used CHALK to make that pretty blended pink background.

Chalk!

I can't remember the last time I used chalk. It is, in fact, on my list of Use My Hoard supplies. Seeing how Anita made such a lovely background with chalks inspired me to pull out my chalks and play. Here is the first effort of that play.

This was FUN, not to mention quick and easy! I used pom-poms and an alligator clip "pen" (it has alligator clips on both ends of a wooden dowel) to rub the chalk onto the paper. Papertrey's paper has a slight tooth to it, so the chalks rub in and stick pretty well.

I love the soft effect, and the contrast with the solid block stamps makes me happy. I used pigment inks for nice, dense color over the soft chalk.  

My second card used a spectrum of colors.

I masked using post-it notes and blended the chalks using a fair amount of pressure to get denser color than on the first card, which heightened the drama a bit, don't you think?

So thanks, Anita, for inspiring me to use my chalks. Who knows when I would have gotten around to them if you hadn't inspired me!

And yes, I'm keeping the chalks.

Supplies
stamps: Papertrey
ink: VersaMagic, Memento Luxe, Impress Fresh Ink
paper: Papertrey
accessories: chalk, alligator clips, pom-poms, post-its, dimensionals

Life Isn't Black and White...

but inspiration sometimes is! If you poke around on my Pure Inspiration board over on Pinterest, you'll notice scattered throughout various black-and-white projects. They look so clean and crisp and pure, don't they? So I made these two cards in honor of black-and-white inspiration:

*happy sigh*

Supplies
stamps: Papertrey Doodlie Do
ink: Memento black
paper: Papertrey white
accessories: dimensionals

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