Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Cheer UP with Casology

There is nothing new about this card - you've definitely seen it all before because I jumped on every trend out there.   Die cut letters on a shelf, baker's twine, scallops and even sequins!  The only thing that I didn't use, that I would have used had I owned what I thought I owned(!), is a wood veneer arrow for the up part.

I am playing along with this week's CASology Cue Card: Up.  I was a little worried about whether the sentiment was obvious, so I asked my fairly clueless husband and he didn't even hesitate before he said "cheer up...but it has too much bling" (that's his usual analysis of my cards - my clean, simple, basic cards!!)  I also added a little scallop to the "shelf" because I am always inspired by the challenges at Less Is More!

Cheer Up


I really wasn't going to jump on the sequin trend.  I had myself totally talked out of it when I realized that the stores/brands carrying the really nice sequins had each color bagged separately.  I would have had to spend $60 and owned about 5,000 sequins to get a complete collection from any of these stores - because, you know, I have to have complete collections!  I do like some of the cards that I have been seeing, so I popped into Etsy and found some collections of iridescent, metallic and satin sequins at Endless Inkabilities - just enough in a bag so that I could play along with the trend!


iPad Users: The iPad/iPod tab at the top of my page has been updated.  Mostly just removing a lot of clutter - but it's MUCH easier to use!


An Amusing Google Reader Update:
Just a reminder that I defined the situation here (no, you won't lose your followers) and I gave a tutorial on Feedly here (my choice for a Google Reader replacement).

Feedly is now saying they have 3,000,000 new users.  Wow!  And the other service being used by cardmakers is bloglovin' - you can't read card blogs without seeing the button popping up.

It really makes me wonder what Google was thinking when they canned the Reader.  And I'm not the only one who thinks that.  Last week, Google announced a new note-taking tool called "Keep".  Tech bloggers and news people are warning against it.  One headline said "Google Keep just went live, and watching the media warn people about it is remarkable".  Other techie people have said it might even be better than what's already out there, but they say "fool me once, shame on you.  Fool me twice, shame on me" - they won't use it because they had been Google Reader users and no longer trust Google.

The big flaw that Google missed is that they not only annoyed a legion of crafts and cardmakers (!), they killed something that was used loyally by techies and journalists - the same people that they need to promote their products.  One techie blogger said, "It's a public relations nightmare that I'm sure is being discussed in a dimly lit office right now."

(This all has nothing to do with cardmaking and I'm sure none of you care - but I'm currently in a marketing class - and this whole move violates Marketing 101 - so I have been following in fascination!  Thanks for listening!)
  • Stamps: none!
  • Paper: Papertrey Hibiscus Burst CS, Simple Stories dsp
  • Ink: none!
  • Accessories: Papertrey Ink Headline Alphabet and Get to the Point dies, Trendy Twine Tinkled Pink, Stampin' Up scallop border, sequins from Endless Inkabilities

27 comments:

  1. First, your card is wonderful! I love the bright colors against all that white space.
    I am really enjoying your talk about the blogger issue. You were where I got most of my info for making my choice (feedly). I tried bloglovin first but the issue I had (and this may be user error here!) is I find new blogs to read by visiting participants of my favorite challenge blogs. Once I click on their card through the challenge blog, I delete the card specific info and then just read through the blog and add it to my reader if I really like it. With bloglovin, their info was always in the address and I couldn't really get to the blog, just the specific card page.
    Sorry I have written a novel here and I am not sure I even made sense! Anyway, thanks for the info! :)Traci

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  2. Okay now I might have to jump on the bandwagon and buy sequins! This is relaly cute Kim, love the polka dot letters!

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  3. kim i love this so much.. loads of white space with a pop of colour
    Thanks for joining us this week
    Jen
    "Less Is More"

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  4. Kim are you making a sequin lover out of me? LOL Your card is fantastic I love the bright colours so much and those sequins. I have moved to Feedly because you have researched so well. Thanks you so sharing with us this week at CASology!

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  5. LOVE your update - I'd love to be in that dimly lit office and see who gets canned! lol! I hope your classes are going well - you're still very productive out here in cardmaking land. Love your bright cheery colours - whoever gets this is guaranteed to smile (great sequins, too!). I also identify with your 'whole colllection' need. I always feel like it would be so frustrating to have the (sequin or whatever) but in the wrong colour, so I better buy all the colours! And sizes! lol! Thanks so much for playing along with us at CASology this week!

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  6. Gorgeous cheerful card, Kim! And no stamps!

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  7. This is so cheery it hurts! Wonderful bright colors. Love this!! Way to go Kim!

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  8. This is THE PERFECT cheer up card. Everything screams cheery on it. Love it. (Oh, and you make me want more sequins.)

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  9. Gorgeous card...love the bright "cheery" look!

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  10. Such a happy card, Kim, vibrant colours, shapes, lettering and of course those quite splendid sequins! Your posts on Feedly are so good, I'm wondering whether I NEED it, even though I'm not a-soon-to-be-ex-Google-Reader adherent! Anita :)

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  11. super cute card!! love the scallops, the sequins and the twine.. trendy or not you make it all look fab!!

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  12. Hi Kim
    Fabulous card... Love the bright zingy colours...
    Hugs Sylvie
    I am sending you an email Kim
    Xx

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  13. no stamps..no ink...?? really fun card!! love it

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  14. This really is a cheerful, cute card, and although I value my hubby's opinion, sometimes I'd rather he just walk on by LOL
    I enjoy reading all your info about the blogging issues. If not for people like you who have a complete understanding of these things, people like me would be fumbling in the dark all the time! A big thank-you!!

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  15. Definitely an A+ "cheer up" card, Kims! I'm glad you found a place to get a few sequins coz they sure look fab adorning your card!

    And did your husband really say the word, "bling?!" I'm so impressed! Mine would have said, "stuff," assuming I could get him to look at all, LOL!

    Way to go you on being affirmed by the techies and journalists about Reader and Feedly! I am always interested in what you have to say!!

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  16. I think this card is an amzing cheer up card! The colors are like eye candy to me...adore them! I have a baby food jar FULL of sequins from my kids' old craft supplies, I may have to bust them out! (Of course, I may be compelled to sort them by color first, which means the jar will likely never come out of hiding...) So glad you joined us for the CASology challenge this week!

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  17. Interesting post, thanks Kim and your card is fab, I love the concept of the arrow for the 'up'... I may have to case that!
    Thanks so much
    Chrissie
    "Less is More"

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  18. Your card is absolutely perfect. Too much bling?
    Three sequins = too much bling? If he only knew :)

    I love the colors, CAS design and how you grounded it all with a white scallop. It doesn't get more perfect than this!

    I picked up some sequins the other day but have yet to put them on a card. I'm going to check out your link. TFS!

    Oh, and thanks for playing along with CASology this week!

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  19. Wow! Love the bright fun colors and pop of sequins!

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  20. Love the bright, cheerful colours on your card Kim! I got it right away and I often don't get those subtle messages! As for the whole Google Reader issue, I'm so with you! You really have your finger on the pulse of this particular issue. I'm thinking Google should be offering you a job! I, too, went with Feedly as my blog reader. So glad you joined in on the fun at CASology this week!

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  21. Your card is delightful: cheerful with just the perfect amount of bling! I've not used sequins...yet another 'where have I been' discovery! You're taking courses? Wow; the layers of 'inspiration' you have are seemingly endless! Impressive - and the content must be quite interesting! Is your course online or 'in person'?
    Thank you for the comments on my post about my Grandma; your words are heart-warming!
    Have a fantastic day - and carry on with the 'bling,!
    c

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  22. Love this fun card, Kim! The dotty letters are fabulous and that arrow is so cool. I've been holding out on the sequin trend too but I have a feeling I'm going to break soon. :) Thanks for playing along with CASology this week.

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  23. Even though you say you used every element that has already been done, this card is still gorgeous. Love the simplicity, the lay out and those cut letters on the scallops.

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  24. Love the bright colors ~ how could this not cheer someone up? You have totally nailed all of the new trends!

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  25. Such a perfect card to send cheer! Love your clever title, beautiful colors, wavy arrow and the sequins are so pretty! Thanks for the link!

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  26. Great card, love the mix of elements. Funny thing about the sequins...I was thinking I might add a few to my stash...was in a big box store and was like...are you kidding me, I am not buying bags of individual colors! Because I would have ended up buying tons of colors! Gotta have the right one! I might have to stop by Etsy and see what I can find.

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