Purple and Some Chit-Chat

Purple appeals to me on many levels, so it’s a mystery why I use it so rarely. This monochromatic birthday card is just darling! 

The Stickles on the bowl gives a hint of frosty shine to the card, and coloring was done with Copics.

George swam the Mackinac Bridge faster than anticipated, and he gave me a thumb’s up sign afterwards. The finisher medal is super cool: a piece of the actual bridge, acquired when bits of the bridge were replaced. 

Being his support for this event was a piece of cake after being his Iron Sherpa through a bunch of Ironman races. First off, there was no bike tire pump to carry around during the swim and no sticky, sweaty bike to retrieve from T2 (the second transition area) and roll back to the hotel. Second, while our day did start early, George finished the swim around 9:45 a.m. His last Ironman in 2016 started even earlier and ended around 9:45 p.m. 

THAT was a long day.

And here’s a random Lily picture. How this dog sleeps in these weird positions is beyond me. If I sleep even a little awkwardly, I struggle for the whole day. Dogs are much bendier than humans…especially middle-age humans. 

Mercy, grace, peace, and love,

Susan

Merry and Bright…With Some Crazy Thrown In

Our card for today is a Christmas card I made last December and never posted, which is weird because I love its aggressive minimalism. 

This cool color scheme and the expanse of white feel very authentic for me and makes me so very happy. Hopefully, its recipient will feel the same!

George and I are currently in Mackinaw City, Michigan. He’s going to swim the Mackinac Bridge tomorrow (Saturday), along with several hundred other crazy people. 

He’s crazy. But not as crazy as when he did the Ironman races. 

We’ve had a lot going on in the past two weeks. We got new carpet, which was LONG overdue, and the new lighter color has transformed our finished basement. 

Yay! The dirt-colored carpet is history, and now we need to paint the house interior so the walls and trim look as fresh as our new carpet!

Also, I will not be considered for the full-time teaching job at my college, but I WILL teach three classes this fall. I’m happy. 😃 

Mercy, grace, peace, and love,

Susan

Thanks and Two Blue Cards, with a Side of Discernment by Nausea

First up, THANKS to Charlotte, who sent lovely cards for Karen’s Card Shop. They are beautiful and so very appreciated! 

Next up, the blue…because you’re here for cards, not nausea.

Today’s two cards use the darker shades of blue. Blue is my favorite color, and my favorite color combination is blue and green, but I’m much more likely to use medium to pale shades instead  The sympathy card uses a delightfully elderly Papertrey sentiment (heat embossed in white) and some watercolor brushstroke stamps (also elderly Papertrey). I used a very dark blue ink and spritzed the inked stamp with water. Simple, as most sympathy cards are, but impactful. 

Next up, an equally high-contrast card. To make the blue circles, I have no idea what I did. This card was made months ago when I was experimenting with different ways to create graduated colors. I’m not sure why the bling looks so dark except to say my photo editing skills are not the bomb. Anyway, I have several friends who really love the beach and for whom this card will be perfect!

And now for the nausea. 

Not sure who coined the term “discernment by nausea,” but whoever it was knew a thing or two about the Holy Spirit. The following text exchange happened today:

What doesn’t come across in the text is how my stomach lurched with the request. God doesn’t want us to sit still in our faith but to grow it, and often, His call is to something that’s really quite scary. I like to think this old dog has learned a few tricks, and one is to trust the Holy Spirit when it taps me on the shoulder, especially if it scares me. Because it’s not about me. It’s about worshipping a God who loves us, cherishes us, and wants us to speak that truth with love. 

And Lord knows I can speak. Often, it’s the shutting up that’s the challenge. 

Have you ever experienced discernment by nausea? It doesn’t have to be within a faith context for those of you who aren’t religious. Opportunities to do stuff that scares us 

Mercy, grace, peace, and love,

Susan 

A Copic Christmas and Today I Learned

As much as I love subtle cards, sometimes bold stamps call for bold colors. Such was the case with this Hero Arts Christmas flower.

White on white on white on white, yes. But with some texture (Gina K Swiss Dots embossing folder), a shaped panel die (unknown), bright colors, and a nice big sentiment, I think we’ve done the focal point image justice. 

Coloring with Copics is challenging for me, but it’s also so much fun. Doing hard things often connects me with my inner student who thrives on challenges. What crafting taught my inner student, however, is that mistakes are part of the learning process. My dad saw my academic mistakes as weaknesses, moral failings, proof that he should be in control. “What do you mean you got a 99 on the chemistry test. Careless error to lose a point. Don’t let it happen again!” 

Shedding that baggage has been extraordinarily challenging. But I like hard things, and that makes all the difference. 

Go make some mistakes in your crafty space. And let the lessons you learn inspire you to let go of beating yourself up for mistakes in the rest of your life. Whenever my husband is corrected or has his perspective expanded, he will say, “Today, I learned.” I love this. 

Today, I learned. 

What will you learn today?

Mercy, grace, peace, and love,

Susan

The Problems of Size

If you clicked on this title expecting something naughty, you’re my people. We English majors see Christ figures and phallic symbols in everything. 

But alas, the problems of size for today’s post both relate to craft supplies. Sorry to disappoint. 

I cannot be the only stamper who has bought supplies (especially online) thinking they were one size and been surprised when opening them. For instance, I bought the Spellbinders Splatter White opaque watercolor. The jar looked quite large in the photo at Simon Says, but it turned out to be a tiny little jar and only about a third full. Not sure if that’s normal, but it is what it is.

Such was also the case with this Sizzix vase and branch set of dies, only in reverse. The package made the dies look smaller, but my, was I deceived!

I really like the stone wall embossed backdrop but do wish I’d put a shelf or something to support the vase. Nevertheless, it’s a striking card, cheerful and pretty!

There’s another problem of size we stampers have…the size of our stash. Too big, and we struggle more with organization and overwhelm than productivity. Too small, and we get frustrated and feel limited when we see such lovely work on social media, blogs, ads, and Pinterest. Each stamper has a different setting for the perfect balance, but as our skills and tastes change, so must our stash. 

As the saying goes, sometimes collecting product and using product are two VERY different hobbies. 

I’ve been collecting lots of new product lately. And it’s been fun playing and experimenting. But overwhelm is setting in, and so I have put an empty bin under my table. As I use products, some aren’t making my cut and go straight into the bin. In the not-to-distant future, I should be selling some grab boxes here. 

If you are feeling frustrated and limited by your “too small” stash, perhaps you’d like to keep an eye out for my offerings. People have NEVER expressed disappointment with my grab boxes; they are excellent deals. The best deals. You’ve never seen deals like mine. Nobody is as great as I am at making deals. Grab my boxes all you want. 

Ugh. It’s laugh or cry.

Mercy, grace, peace, and love,

Susan

Sometimes Black and White Is a Good Combo; Sometimes It’s a Logical Fallacy

I’ve been working on some essays for a book, and my latest addresses the logical fallacy of black-and-white thinking, sometimes called the either-or fallacy. This flaw in logic pretends that there are only two exclusive options for thoughts or actions in a given situation. 

For instance, artificial intelligence is EITHER a sign of the coming apocalypse OR offers up only good opportunities to humanity. These polarized positions engender particularly insidious oversimplifications of a complex and messy technology. (My essay covers more political examples, but Simplicity by Lateblossom isn’t the right space for politics, generally speaking.) 

But you can find all sorts of examples of this polarization and oversimplification of complex problems in the United States. They are common as dirt and just as welcome in my house. 

For crafty concerns, however, this blog, which has been around since 2009, has based its very existence on  minimalism, an extreme that contrasts quite nicely with the maximalism of products and styles available to us. Simplicity was a response to what I saw as less and less space in the crafty community for appreciation of basics, not a “down with maximalism” rallying cry. Most of us celebrate the differences in style and encourage each other to do whatever floats our boats…even if it’s not our thing. 

You do you!

If politics ran this way instead of pushing polarization ever harder, the world would be a much better place. Less fallacious and more free. 

Happy belated Independence Day!  

Our cards today celebrate the simplicity of black and white. As color schemes and fallacies go, it’s not really a favorite*, but I saw some black-and-white cards on Pinterest and felt compelled to experiment. Both cards are very old-school: ink and paper, no fancy techniques or embellishments needed. 

First up, an Altenew poppy outline and a very old Papertrey sentiment. The background is a wood-mounted stamp from Hero Arts.

Next, we have a cling rubber stamp from Tim Holtz, sentiment from Papertrey, and background from somewhere…it’s not labeled. 

These were fun and quick to make, especially after my recent over-the-top birdhouse card, which was also fun but not at all quick.

Vive le différence!

Mercy, grace, peace, and love,

“Professor” Susan

*My favorite fallacy is ad misericordiam, the appeal to pity. As in, “Professor Susan**, my goldfish died and my car wouldn’t start and then I got the flu. Can I please have an extension for the paper that was due last week?” Can I? How about may I? In one week, I had five—yes FIVE—students in one class claim flat tires as an excuse for absences. The alleged flats occurred in different parts of Dayton and the surrounding area. I asked, thinking there might have been a box of nails dropped on I-75.

Years ago, in a single semester, I received a doctor’s note written on veterinary stationery AND four students lost their grandmothers. 

What I wanted to say: “I’m sorry for your loss. Please read your syllabus for the late work policy.”  Honestly, I’m not heartless and will always err on the side of compassion, but seriously?

**I’m not a professor (just an adjunct instructor trying now to become a full-time instructor), but when using the appeal to pity, students give me a promotion to distract from their lies. <insert eye roll here>

Adorable ‘Shrooms, and Thanks, Priya!

First off, many thanks to reader Priya! She sent a lovely package of cards for Karen’s Cards. Bless you, Priya, for sharing your awesome talent with our church!

If you’re interested in donating to Karen’s Cards, we ALWAYS need sympathy, get well, and thinking of you cards. Right now, we’re also running low on birthday cards.

These cute little mushroom dies from Poppy Stamps make me so happy. They are colored with Simon Says Pawsitively Saturated Ink and blending brushes, with white gel pen dots. The embossed panel (folder by Simon Says as well) was a left-over from another card. 

I hope you are all having a great summer and a safe Independence Day weekend. Toward the end of this month, George and I are heading to Mackinaw City, Michigan. He’s swimming across the Mackinaw Straits…about 4.25 miles. I will be either relaxing with a good book or prepping classes for the fall semester. I’ve applied for a full-time teaching job. If I don’t get that job, I’m already on schedule to teach two online classes, which will require minimal preparation. I’m adding videos to those classes, though, and that will be fun!

George and I had planned to travel to Germany, Switzerland, and northern Italy this fall, which is why I signed up for online classes in my adjunct job, but we had to cancel our trip because a family member has started treatment for pancreatic cancer. If you are the praying type, she would very much appreciate extra prayers. 

I hate cancer so much. 

Mercy, grace, peace, and love,

Susan