Featured Cardmaker: Sheila L., Medina, OH
>> Friday, March 30, 2012 –
Featured Friday Cardmaker,
Stars and Stamps
Hello everyone and happy Friday! The deadline for Mother's Day cards to be in your shipper's hands is tomorrow so I hope you sent yours on their way in plenty of time! Our next holiday deadline is for Father's Day cards on April 30th and other upcoming deadlines can be found over in the OWH Mailroom.
Now on to our Friday dose of inspiration… it's my pleaseure to introduce you all to Sheila, this week's featured cardmaker. Sheila blogs at Sajludwig where you can see more of her work and of course you can leave here a comment here at the end of this post.
How long have you been stamping? I have been stamping for more than 15 years. My sister-in-law was on a quest for a stamp on a visit, so I took her to a local stamp store. I had never been in the store, so I had no idea what to expect. As she was searching, I became instantly hooked on all the wonderful things you could do with stamps and all the great images! I ultimately went to work in that stamp store to ‘subsidize’ my habit! I also have been scrapbooking for nearly 25 years. When the stamp store started carrying scrapbook papers, I was done for!
Do you have a craft room or specific area where you stamp/craft? I am lucky enough to now have a dedicated craft studio, which was previously by son’s bedroom. When I started scrapping, I was working out of a tote. Adding all my stamping finds to that became too much, and I set up a small space in our partially finished basement. The area that I was in had no windows or natural light, so it wasn’t very inspiring (not to mention cold). Moving to a room with a fabulous view of nature is wonderful!
What are your favorite stamp/craft products? I try to play with new things as they come along, but find myself coming back to cardstock and patterned paper. I tend to do CAS cards, so the use of dimensionals adds interest. I also like using punches for sentiments for a focal point. I have been playing with Copic markers – I love the way they blend! I have not been able to find a Copic’s class in my area, so I just play to learn!
Do you have a favorite technique? I find myself using layers quite often. I am always looking for new techniques to keep my cards fresh and challenging my brain. Taking the online CAS Card class recently was great for making me think outside my box and habit. I also follow some blogs that are great for inspiration and ideas that I would never come up with on my own.
Are there colors you love to include on your cards? I love teal and burgundy, but make a concerted effort to use all kinds of colors. Since the vast majority of our Heroes are male, I have been trying to work in more ‘masculine’ colors and designs. Even though they may be sending cards to wives/mothers/girlfriends, I try to make cards more neutral for those whose taste runs in that vein. I have also been making an effort to make more kid-centric cards that Heroes can send to their children. (I’ve been using my Cricut to cut out kid friendly images using licensed cartridges.)
How did you hear about Operation Write Home?
I saw it online but can’t, for the life of me, remember where!
What motivates you to make cards for our heroes? My motivation is two-fold. My son-in-law is on his second deployment with the Ohio Army National Guard. I see firsthand how difficult this time is for him, my daughter and his family. My other motivation is having been in high school/college during the end of the Vietnam war and remembering all too well how horribly those veterans were treated, not only while they were deployed but after they returned home. It is heartwarming to see that people are now able to separate their feelings about a war/conflict from those who choose to serve. Our Heroes deserve nothing less.
