Susan R. Opel
I’ll never forget the day that I first talked to Brandy Jesperson on the phone before I moved from Indiana to Utah to start my job at Paper Crafts magazine. I accepted the position on April 1st but had to finish out the school year and fulfill my duties at my teaching job before I headed west; however, Brandy wanted me to get my feet wet by writing a couple of sections of Card Creations 6.
One day a box arrived on my doorstep with a VERY large binder inside. Tucked in ten protective sleeves I found cards from Jennifer Hansen, Ashley Harris, Kandis Smith, Tracey Odachowski, Stefanie Hamilton, Davinie Fiero, Becky Olsen, Danielle Flanders, Michele Boyer, and Debbie Olson – the entire Congratulations and Easter sections of Card Creations 6. It was pretty amazing to be able to touch these beautiful creations that would be going into this special issue.
Before I could get to work writing, I had a garage sale to conduct, a house to pack up, and finals to give, but when my good friend Tina Albertson (a talented scrapbooker and card maker whose card was on the cover of Card Creations 5, BTW) came to my garage sale in Fort Wayne, IN, I pulled out that big binder, and we looked at everything with awe.
I slaved over writing the instructions and supply lists for my two sections giving each card a snazzy and befitting name and trying to very carefully follow all of the directions. Brandy would probably agree that it wasn’t stellar, but it was such a whole new ballgame to me! And I was trying to write it all while administering final exams. Shh – don’t tell my former principal.
Fast forward to early June of 2009… and it’s time to introduce Card Creations 7 to the world, and now I am a full-fledged part of the Paper Crafts team. It’s been so fun seeing this issue through from the concept meeting to the call for submissions to the submissions judging to the projects rolling in to the writing (which I am MUCH better at now – I did more than 20 cards this time!) to the hand off to the proofs to the copy of the issue on my desk. And what makes it SUPER cool is that this time I have 12 of my very own creations in this issue. I thought I’d share three of my favorites!
Susan R. Opel's Fabulous Card from CC7
I’m pretty darn dramatic (if you hadn’t already noticed!), so this Heidi Swapp damask sticker really spoke to me. I decided to pair it with some lustrous damask paper from Hambly, black satin ribbon, and some sassy red alligator paper from Fibermark. Pop on some contrasting and cute American Crafts letter stickers and you have a great card to send to your long distance BFF!
Susan R. Opel's Good Luck Card from CC7
This card was totally inspired by the cherries (also from Heidi Swapp). I tried to think out of the box on this one and steered clear of “Life is a Bowl of Cherries” or “Happy Birthday with a Cherry on Top.” Instead, I channeled my inner Vegas girl (I lived there for three years) and went with a casino theme. The inside of this card reads: “Hope you hit the jackpot!” I sent this to a friend who recently started a new job.
Susan R. Opel's Life is Good Card from CC7
Pair this amazing graphic paper from GCD Studios with some bling and a fun phrase from Scrap In Style TV (one of my favorite spots on the web), and you’ve got yourself a quick and funky card for many occasions. Hmmm, looks like I was on a little bit of a red, white and black kick, huh?
From the three cards I shared, you can probably tell that I like dramatic and graphic cards best. But you’ll find a multitude of styles in Card Creations 7 – that’s what is so AWESOME about this definitive card idea book. From shabby to girly to fun and cute to classic to pretty to simple, we’ve got what you’re looking for!
Leave me a comment and tell me what YOUR favorite style is. I’ll choose three lucky winners who will win a copy of Card Creations 7, as well as the Label Love, Morning Milk, and Window Shopping paper collections (all used in CC7!) and the Rainbow Sushi Phrase Stickers used in my Life is Good card from Scrap In Style TV and the delicious Chianti paper collection (used in my Life is Good card) and epoxy stickers in Ravishing Reds and Shades of Black from GCD Studios. Get those responses in by midnight MDT on Sunday, June 28, and Kelly will announce the winner on Monday!
Three lucky winners will take home this prize package from SIStv and GCD Studios!
Bravo for Lucky Card Creations 7!
Susan
P.S. It’s time to announce the three winners from Brandy’s Tickled Pink post! Here they are in no particular order:
1. Laurel (June 23, 7:20 a.m.)
2. SMK (June 24, 2:58 p.m.)
3. Amber R (June 23, 2:58 p.m.)
Congrats, winners! Each of you will receive a copy of Card Creations 7 and Making Memories’ Rouge Paperie collection. Kelly will be contacting you shortly for your mailing addresses. Thanks to all who left so many pink comments!
Clean and simple for me, definitely!
simple but fun definitly!
I’m a clean & simple gal! Less is more for me!
I love bright, clean and graphic!
whatever hits my fancy – I really have no favorite – I like a variety of things!
My favorite style is definitely fun and cute!
My style is a mix of clean, girly and feminine- I liike grungy too sometimes!
I tend to go for the “More is more” style, but it depends. Using puns, both in sentiments and visually is a favorite”style” too.
My style with cards is very simple – thanks for the chance
Love the clean and simple style. I don’t know why we call it simple because sometimes it is not so simple to make it visually pleasing.
My style seems to morph around depending on my mood and what is inspiring me at that moment! It is mainly a cross btw layered, graphic & distressed. That probably makes no sense at all- LOL!
I really like to add some distressing to all my cards. I am quite happy with my shabby chic cards, but I really like a lot a bright colour too!!
My style is ever evolving but overall it is graphic and colorful. I like clean architectural lines and I love to experiment with the color wheel for combinations.
Classic and Casual is my style…I would have totally fallen for that Damanxk too!
Thank You!!!
I like to try all kinds of styles, but mostly clean and simple.
Awesome – one of my fave cards in the mag is yours (Vegas, baby!)…thanks for sharing your talents with us!
I guess you could call my most frequently used style “Shabby Graphic”: I love to sand and distress, but I prefer to use one big element so the card isn’t too overwhelming when you look at it.
I’m all over the place with my style, but I guess I am “frilly graphic”. I love bold typography, especially in chipboard letters, but I adore sparkles, lace and pearls.
I guess that best sums up my style.
I’m kinda a clean & simple + elegant/shabby- at least in my head I am! I don’t know that it always translates that way !
I love bright, clean & simple – with a hint of bling!
i normally to do fully embellish cards. it’s something awesome to get something in the mail that would just “pop-up” / be in 3D.
but of course, there are times (depending on the situation and purpose), when I want a card to stand out from its inside (the journaling). in this case, a “clean & simple” design is what i would achieve.
my style can be all over the place since I don’t like to limit myself, but I’d have to say that collage stamping is my fave. I love to use lots of embellishments and keep the eye jumping from place to place.
My favorite style is kind of grunge with bling. I wish I could do elegant and simple, but I tend to go overboard on all the fun blingy stuff! I’d love to win the magazine for new ideas, thanks for the chance!
~Rachel in Sacramento
My favorite style is shabby chic/vintage. I just ooh and aah every time I look at a Melissa Phillips card:)
I like the clean and simple style!
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My favorite style is shabby-chic…
I like simple, and clean.
Love all styles…butterflies, flowers, ribbons and buttons are my favorites to use!
I tend to gravitate towards the clean and simple with a POP of color.
I love the shabby/vintage style best. It reminds me of a well-loved and worn teddy.
I am a simple girl….love your cards.
I like tend to be drawn to a classic style of stamping. A little ribbon, a little sparkle and I’m happy.
I love bold and colorful. And I’m trying to learn to mix that with clean and simple. Not for every card, but as a favorite style.
The card I like the most is Kim Hughes “Lily of the Valley” card.
I am not sure that I have a style I just pick out whatever hits me and I go with it. I would have to say that alot of my cards tend to have a shabby chicstyle while others tend tobe clean and simple… Thanks for the chance to win!
Susan R. Opel’s your Fabulous Card is fabulous the red alligator paper from Fibermark is a must have. I luv it. My fav style would have to be FUN and simple (sometimes less is more).
My style varies according to my mood that day but I think I mostly stick with clean and simple. My favorite card is Kim Hughes’ sympathy card, it’s just beautiful and so creative.
Love the cards!!! I am a graphics person but yet simple and sophisticated look is in there too. Especially the vintage style.. Thanks for sharing and chance of winning. Many Blessings!!
Gorgeous cards. How fun!! I really love the ‘graphic’ look but I’d have to say I’m probably more drawn to Shabby Chic.
Thanks for the chance!
OMGorgeous! Betsy Veldman and Carla Peicheff were my two favorites. It’s too hard to choose just one. I really enjoyed this blog hop. I’ve found so many new blogs to follow. I”m also soooooo inspired to submit work to be published now. I’ve always thought about it but never acted on it. Thanks for doing this!
Love every one of those cards! I’m drawn to making simple cards with straight lines…I could use the inspiration from this new book! Thanks for the chance to win!
I really don’t have a favorite style. I like to try everything. I would probably say my main style is “the more the better”. I really like a lot of embellishments, patterns, etc. on my cards. I’m not much of a plain cardstock girl either, I love pattern paper!
I guess my style would be shabby-chic/vintagey. Since I love cherry prints the good luck card really tickles my fancy!
I love it all! What I use depends on my mood! I seriously LOVE Melissa Phillips Halloween card!
~Heather
Fabulous creations! Love the first one… I guess I like shabby, elegant, clean looking cards… but depends on my mood.
) TFS!
Wow, Beth! Your cards are gorgeous! I tend to go from shabby chic to graphic with lots of white space. Just depends on the subject I’m working with.
I liked the clean and simple ones and the apron card was really touching for me.
I love vintage and lots of recycled items with an elegant, classy feel.
It really depends on what I want to use and what I am working on! I love bling and shimmer though!
Thanks for sharing these beautiful projects! Crossing my fingers!