It’s clean and simple...

 

Good afternoon everyone! I’m back from the great white north and I seriously mean it when I say great white north. Winter is certainly back with a vengeance this weekend and we managed to skirt all the snow squalls that have been streaming across the Great Lakes since yesterday and arrived home safe and sound.

I spent a little bit of time late last night catching up on all the amazing comments that I have been receiving from my new friends over at The Outlawz since I joined. Let me say a huge THANK YOU to all of you that took the time to welcome me, leave comments and/or join my blog. I would also like to say thank you for your patience with me as I learn how to navigate the site and for asking question upon question. I love learning new things but at this stage of my life (old dog/new tricks), along with a bit of confusion that stems from an illness sometimes it can be a tad bit hard.

I am truly taken aback by your kindness and encouragement. One can’t help but continue to create when you have a cheering section behind you like this one, whoa whoa!!! May I also mention that there are indeed some amazing artists on this site as well, and the fact that they are from all over the world fascinates me!!!! I think it’s just way too cool to be part of this connection.

Today I have a couple of non copic coloured cards to show you. I  will likely enter one of them into the Clean and Simple challenge over on The Outlawz. This challenge intrigued me because I have always been such a simplistic person or minimalist if you will. If you personally know me than you already know that about me and can see it in many facets of my life; from the way I decorate our home,  wear my hair and make-up, right up to this very blog . I come with a no frills, no muss no fuss attitude for my needs are few.

This simplicity carries over to my paper-crafting as well.  I just don’t seem to have the ability to put cards together that incorporate multiple layers of paper and/or embellishments. I have tried to make them because some of those cards just amaze me, but I end up frustrated and find myself taking way too much time on a project.  Thank goodness for those need a sketch websites, lol. I think people need to do what comes naturally to them and not try to be something that they are not.

Anyway, enough banter from me…my first card is an actual Valentine’s Day card and the second card I designed as a wedding invitation possibly. I am really playing around with the idea because I have made invitations for other events or special occasions in the past. I just like to have an sample book in case I ever get a request to do one.

 

I made this card using simple white and pink cardstock. Next I embossed some brown Core’dinations cardstock and lightly sanded it so that the pink core would come through. I used pink and cocoa ink to distress the edges. The ink, hearts and sentiment are from Close to My Heart. I like the way it turned out, (even though my stamping is a wee bit crooked in places, lol ;)

The card below I made using basic white and black cardstock to start with. Next I used my background sheet music stamp to make my own designer paper, ripped it and inked the edge. I used the ripped piece inside for added effect. The vine ribbon was purchased at an independent craft store up in St. Jacobs, Ontario called the Scrapping Turtle. The little pale yellow flowers believe it or not are actually from my wedding cake. I was married twelve years ago and  just couldn’t throw out the beautiful fondant flowers. I knew there may come a day that I needed them ;) Go figure!

 

I am not sure which one of these I will be entering into the challenge as I think they both qualify as as Clean and Simple design so I think I will take some time to dwell on it.

That is about all for me today, once again thank you to all of you that took the time, will take the time to stop by and leave a comment. Please know it is truly appreciated. Fondly, :)S