Susan R. Opel
Card Creations, Volume 8 is chock-full of inspiration. But the cool thing is that you don’t even have to OPEN the issue to be inspired. There are three great projects right on the cover to get you started!
Today, we’re going to get a little behind-the-scenes look at the cards on the cover from the designers themselves!
Cover Girls Julie Campbell, Alicia Thelin and Betsy Veldman will reveal their reactions to making the cover, the inspiration for their amazing cards, as well as a few paper crafting tips and tricks!
Take it away, ladies!
- Julie Campbell
Julie says, “One of the themes for Card Creations 8 was friendship. My best friend and I are country girls through and through, and I tried capturing that personality in my design. I wanted this card to feel as comfy as a pair of worn-in jeans or cowboy boots but still very feminine. I love creating homemade embellishments, and I made the flower on my card out of a strip of denim fabric. Here’s a video tutorial in case you would like to make one of your own flower embellishments!
Julie's Hey Girl Friend Card can be found on p. 63.
If you would have told me a few years ago that I would be published, I probably would have laughed in your face! I just want to encourage anyone out there who has ever had the desire to submit their work to go for it! It’s like any other goal that you might set for yourself. You’ve just got to give it your best, dust yourself off and if you don’t succeed at first, then try it again. I love the fact that Paper Crafts only accepts blind submissions. Everyone has an equal opportunity to be published, and that someone just might be you!”
What was your reaction when you found out your card would be on the cover?
Oh wow! I was so ecstatic! One of my goals for this year was to be on the cover of a magazine, and I’m not sure I actually believed it could happen. Just knowing that I can share my art with so many people is completely exciting, yet humbling at the same time.
Alicia Thelin
Alicia says, “As I was creating my card, the image of the stylized girl holding the gift in such a teasing manner made me feel like a kid waiting for a birthday present. Knowing that this image is part of a ‘holiday’ collection didn’t deter me in the least. I’m all about finding the untapped potential in all paper crafting product. Want to know something funny? This card was a last minute creation. I’d been working on submissions for the entire day, and this was an afterthought. Literally. It just goes to show you that you NEVER know what the editors will want. This card took me minutes to make, and ta-da…COVER!”
Alicia's For You Stripes Card can be found on p. 15.
What was your reaction when you found out your card would be on the cover?
Shall I quote my e-conversation with Susan? Here it is in a nutshell:
Susan: “Alicia, congratulations! Your card has been chosen to be on the cover of Card Creations, Volume 8!”
Alicia: “Shut the front door!!! Seriously?!”
Susan: “Is this your first cover?”
Alicia: “No, I just get so excited each time!”
Followed by: A perma-grin and a call to my sister. Best kind of day e-vah.
Betsy Veldman
Betsy says, “I love vintage paper goods…old magazines, books, sheet music and of course, postcards. The patterned paper I used on this card reminded me of the writing on the back of an old postcard. So, I pulled out a stamp that resembled a postage cancellation stamp, a postage stamp die and a fun (and fitting!) sentiment stamp.”
Betsy's It's Been Too Long Card can be found on p. 84.
What was your reaction when you found out your card would be on the cover?
Wooohoooo! My usual card making style is kind of shabby, layered and detailed…a style that doesn’t typically fit in with the clean and graphic types of projects that are chosen for the cover, so I was pretty excited.
Betsy continues, “Card Creations is my absolute very favorite issue to work on! I love the freedom of just creating all sorts of cards for whatever occasions my heart desires, and this one is a goodie! I’ve been pouring over it since I got my copy, and I’m so inspired by all of the projects!”
Since Card Creations, Volume 8 is so inspiring, we thought we’d get three of you on the road to creativity. Three winners will each win – Jillibean Soup’s Lentil Soup collection (used on Julie’s card) Cosmo Cricket’s Jolly by Golly collection(used on Alicia’s card) and Papertrey Ink’s Big & Bold Wishes stamp set (used on Betsy’s card) and a copy of Card Creations, Volume 8!
Tell us which types of cards you struggle the most to make. Once you get your hands on this issue, we’re pretty sure you’ll be able to overcome that card making challenge of yours! Leave your comment by midnight (MDT) on Wednesday, May 26, and you might just win!
Three lucky winners will take home this cover girl prize package!
Susan
P.S. Paper Crafts Go-to Gal Kim Hughes was so inspired by the CC8 cover, she created three new cards! Click HERE to see her interpretation of Julie, Alicia and Betsy’s designs!
Love the interviews…. I struggle the most with using various patterned papers together.
My biggest struggle is sympathy cards. It’s always hard to find the right thing to say.
Can’t wait to pick up this issue
Thanks for the giveaway!
Cards for men! They always turn out too “girlie”! My son’s birthday is coming up and I’ve been struggling with a design for over a month now!
I can’t wait to pick up the new CardCreations!
Thanks for a chance to win!!
Without a doubt, masculine cards are the hardest for me. I usually end up with a sports-themed card for my hisband’s special occasions, but only after hemming and hawing about what to do with the card!
Congrats to the covergirls! Great choices, PC.
The hardest kind of cards for me to make are those for men.
The most difficult for me are masculine & sympathy cards.
For sure I struggle with male themed cards the most-I don’t know how to use the types of patterned paper I have to create one that doesn’t look too girly!
I don’t have any problems with the outside of the card, but designing the inside is always puzzling. I want the inside to back up the front and show as much thought as the front, but not overpower it. Also, putting together colors and prints is hard. I tend to stick to one or two colors and often that means bland.
Love all the cover cards! I would have to agree with others and say masculine cards. =)
I’m not alone with this struggle. Masculine cards are always difficult for me.
I have difficulty with cards for little boys, I think mainly because I’m lacking in age appropriate stamps applicable to boys.
I think masculine cards are hard – I have a few great sets for grown up men, and little boys but for older boys and teens — it’s kinda a challenge!!
It seems so many are in the same boat – boys cards are the most difficult. Especially my son – he’d take one look and toss it aside, no matter how long it took to make or how personal it was!
I struggle with serious sentiments – sympathy and loss.
I too struggle with cards for the men in my life and sympathy cards. With both, less is more and those super CAS cards can be the hardest!
I think I struggle the most with sympathy cards – I usually make bright cheery cards, and I have to do something outside my normal style with those.
Masculine cards and sympathy cards. Masculine because I always feel like the cards need a little more oomph and dazzle, and sympathy because I just don’t have the right materials (stamps/sentiments) to make them and I don’t want to make them too cheerful looking.
Love this issue! I just picked it up yesterday and I am already on my third time through it. My hardest cards are masculine cards.
Love those three cover cards! All are very inspiring. I struggle most with making Father’s Day cards and birthday cards for the men in my life.
Probably cards for men. I like flowers and ribbon and those don’t go too well with men’s cards!
Sometimes I have problems with cards for my immediate family. I want them to be different and I get stuck sometimes coming up with something different.
I have a hard time making masculine cards, children’s card and at times sympathy cards. I would love to win a copy of your magazine to help me with these. God bless!
Love the interviews and the CC volume 8 it is GREAT!!!! I think my hardest card to make are Kid Birthdays and ones for my husband.
Sympathy, Loss, and Serious Illness cards are the most difficult for me as I don’t like religious cards per se. The next most difficult are masculine-themed cards as I don’t have much in the way of stamps or die-cuts to use with them.
Beautiful cards ladies! I struggle with girly elegant cards. Thanks for the chance to win!
definitely sympathy cards – hard to find the right thing to say
I’ve made sure that I have sentiments and papers for the types of cards I used to struggle with which were sympathy cards. Now it’s not so much a type of card that I struggle with, rather it’s a style. I have trouble with free form artsy cards.
Beautiful creations! I struggle with masculine cards the most! Just not as much out there for the guys.
Great cards– I’m so inspired by these ladies, and I love the story of Alicia’s card. What a great feeling to create a card so freely! I am very much in agreement about the struggling to make cards for boys and men, but humor helps. I also find it a challenge to create cards with sentiments that aren’t cheesy. Thanks, everyone, for sharing.
I struggle with collage and shabby chic cards. I love them, but it’s hard for me to shabby things up for some reason!
I struggle with lots of layers! I love the look but can’t achieve the same results to save my life! But, I also like my CAS style so…I always say “I’ve tried layers and they just don’t look good on me…”
I seem to struggle alot with masculine birthday cards.
I have a really hard time making vintage cards that have a lot of layers and embellishments.
Love these three cards! The ones I struggle with are retro or the super embellied vintage ones. Just not my style, I guess!
I struggle the most with clean and simple because that’s just not a natural style for me. Love this issue.
I have a hard time making cards for the special men in my life. I always have to browse for ideas from others for a long time before I can make a card I’m happy to give. Thankfully, with magazines like yours and evolving stamp lines focused on my masculine themes, I’ve been able to venture more comfortably into this area. Thanks for a chance to win!
I would say sympathy cards are the hardset to make
Masculine cards are the most difficult for me. I guess I do not stock up on masculine papers and items and when it comes time to make a card I have a difficult time finding something to use.
I struggle with vintage style cards..with lots of layers ,flowers and total vintage-ish look.
Other day I was reading CC8…its fabulous…full of inspiration …love the different styles and designs.
I like to keep mine C&S, clean and simple – a minimalistic approach to cards.
I go for 1 layer and either blank space and one focal or some sort of punched out window but most of the people I know and follow are into patterns and layers and lots of embellishment.
As strane as this will sound… I really struggle making birthday cards! I never seem to make any and am always rushing to create one when the occassion arises.
I think I struggle the hardest with making cards and not being able to give them away! I get sooo attached to my cards, and the fun times I have making them, that I find it hard to part! I want them to go to a good home, and not just get tossed in a corner or thrown away!
I have a hard time with sympathy and sometimes masculine cards. My sympathy cards can be too girlie and happy and I have to be in the right mood to make a masculine card that isn’t bo-ring.
i have a hard time with sympathy cards…i always feel like they are too floral.
Sympathy cards are the hardest.
i am at loss when making vintage and male card…i just don’t know how to make a card without ever using flower (as in floral dp or as an embellishment..)
I have a difficult with cards for the terminally ill. What can you truly say????
I looove doing cards and I certainly want to explore it….and fo some reason, I struggle the most in making a masculine card..it just drains the ceativity in me…long hours of choosing the right papers and embellies..ending up with nothing or i’ll just buy from the bookstore..heh! tough huh!
Definitely anything masculine. I have such trouble with man cards!
I struggle with masculine cards. Really stumped on fathers day and my fiance’s birthday card! I also struggle with making cards quickly! I wish I could zip them out, but really get hung up on the little things…