Monday, December 26, 2011

Clean and Simple and a Giveaway

My life has been so crazy and hectic this past year despite my attempt to simplify. So, my motto for the coming year is going to be “simplify.” (We’ll see how long it lasts. LOL!) Something that I have wanted to do for a while is to simplify the design my blog. I recently created a very simple blog header and changed the template. (If you are reading this post via Google Reader or from a FeedBlitz email, you won't be able to see the new design. You’ll have to visit my blog.) I’d love to know your thoughts. Is it too simple?

Another area where I seem to already gravitate towards simplicity is my design style. I recently signed up for an online class taught by some of my favorite designers, Jennifer McGuire, Kristina Werner and Julie Ebersole, called Clean & Simple Card Making. The class starts on January 9th and I simply cannot wait! (Pun intended. LOL!) Other than the awesome free CTMH Training Academy classes, I have never taken an online class before. In fact, I think the last class I officially took was an Advertising class when I went back to get my Masters Degree in the mid 90's. (I never finished. I got married and started a family instead.) Anyway, I hope to share some of my “class projects” with you over the course of the two week class.

Now for a fun little giveaway...If anyone has any great suggestions on how to simplify your life, I would LOVE to hear them. Please leave a comment with your best advice on simplifying (and maybe organizing) and I will pick one lucky winner to win a package of Close to my Heart White Daisy Die-Cut Cards and Envelopes and a package of Kraft Die-Cut Cards and Envelopes so you can create some clean and simple cards yourself. I will pick a winner at random on January 1st and announce it here on my blog. I will also notify the winner via email, so be sure to leave your email address.

I will leave you today with a clean and simple card that I created using Close to my Heart’s Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge and Cricut Craft Room. (If you are not familiar with Craft Room, you must check it out. It allows you to have more control over your Cricut images and the best part is that it’s free.) I used the font on the AP cartridge and welded the letters together in Craft Room. I cut it out of some White Daisy cardstock and added it to my card with some 3-D Foam Tape. I couldn’t find the perfect sentiment to fit the bottom of the card, so I used a retired alphabet set called Sans Alphabet. I love using alphabet sets to make whatever sentiment I want! I also added a tiny Cranberry Embroidery Floss bow as a reminder to count my blessings next year and to SIMPLIFY!


Here’s to a clean and simple New Year!

Cheers!

ETA on 12/27: Thanks for all of the feedback on the font. Since so many people were having problems seeing it, I changed it back to basic Arial. Thanks also for the GREAT simplifying suggestions. Keep them coming...

44 comments:

  1. Loving the simplfied format.

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  2. I would love to learn how to "weld" the letters from the AP cartridge. Any chance you might do a little video to show us?

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  3. Lisa,

    I love the new simple look! The font in the size it is, is a bit hard to read (even on a larger screen), so that might be something to consider.

    To simplify . . . have one calendar. Do little 'chores' every day, so that there isn't just one cleaning day per week. Remove clutter (sounds like a 'duh' thing, but when everything has a place, it's much easier to do all the chores)

    Those are my ideas!

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  4. Joanie, if you go to Cricut's Craft Room, it will automatically weld the letters/images together unless you uncheck the weld box that pops up. It is SUPER easy to use. Email me if you have any problems and I will see if I can help figure it out. *Ü*

    Michelle, I sent you an email about the font on my blog. I was wondering what browser/computer you are using because on my computer it looks fairly large. I am on an iMac using Firefox. I'd be interested to know if the font isn't showing up properly on other computers.

    Thanks also for the great organizing tip!

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  5. I love the new look. Good job, Lisa!

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  6. I like the simplicity of the blog also.

    My PC is using Firefox and I am also seeing very tiny slightly slanted letters that are very hard to read.

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  7. First off, I love your card.
    I like your banner, chocolate and teal is such a nice combination.
    I like to simplify my life by making time for what's important, and keeping those appointments with myself.
    I try to get rid of anything that interferes with my life or raises my stress, whether it's a pile of nonsense, or too much tv. If it doesn't lift me up, it's time to put it down.
    Best of luck. I've enjoyed the online classes I have taken, and will have to check out Jennifer's new class.
    Happy Holidays.

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  8. The card is beautiful! But I have to agree that your font for your blog is too skinny so it is difficult to read. Best tip to simplify? Invest more in eternity. The other stuff won't matter in the long run anyway.

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  9. The older I get I have learned to simplify simply by saying "no." I carefully choose those activities that are most important and just say no to the rest.

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  10. Lovin' the new look! And, the card is beautiful! To simplify, ENJOY what's in front of you; CREATE TIME for yourself and live in the
    MOMENT!

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  11. I am loving the new simplified look of your site. I also am loving the simplified new year card. SO CUTE! Really like the white on white! :D
    You are asking the wrong person for ideas on simplifying. I need some advice too! :D One thing I do is to open my mail over the trash can and throw away the junk mail immediately and file the bills. I also like to pay a bunch of my bills online and print out a receipt and file the receipts right away in the file cabinet next to my computer. Another tip. I like to do at least one load of laundry everyday. Some days I may do more, but at least one load a day. Keeps that dirty clothes pile down to a minimum, thus keeping my laundryroom looking neater. :D I know, not much in the way of advice, like I said I need the advice. Good luck and have a blessed new year!! :D

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  12. This is my first visit to your Blog - I DO LIKE the format!! I too feel the need to Simplify and am inspired by your BLOG!! My tip would be to open your mail by your recycle/trash bin... Get rid of anything not needed immediately!!
    LOVE the card!! Sally
    sdube57@aol.com
    Phil 4:13

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  13. I love the new look of your blog. I'm also a HUGE fan of all of your artwork. It's always gorgeous. The thing I do to try and stay organized is to try and always have a meal plan for the week. That way I can try and minimize my trips to the grocery store, have food I need defrosted, etc. I'm sure everyone else already does this, but I found I was wasting so much time running to get one last thing for dinner. Or I was driving myself crazy wondering what's for dinner at the last minute. And my dinner's are also very simple too. I'm definitely no Chef in the kitchen. ;)

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  14. Great format and I love your card. I am at my daughter's house right now and I can honestly say that one tip I know she needs is to simplify the amount of clothing they all have!!! She loves the thrift shops and finds good buys but has too much of it for every member of the family.

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  15. Love the new look. I tell my customers that simple is good. One way I try to simplify my life is a "use it or get rid of it" philosophy. When I get something, whatever it is, I use as soon as I can. Then after a period of time if I haven't used it again, I get rid of it. I give to friends or donate to goodwill, etc. this way I am not overwhelmed with "stuff". This also apples to my scrap booking supplies.

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  16. Forgot my email
    Triciagall@yahoo.com

    Thanks!

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  17. Lisa, I love the new look of your blog. And your card is great, too. My style of cardmaking and scrapbooking is totally CAS. One way I've simplified my life is to put bills into buckets based on due dates - one bucket for those due by the 15th and one for those due by the 30th (or end of month). I go online or write checks on the 10th and 25th. So I pay bills twice a month and nothing is late. In my personal life, I wear a single pair of gold hoop earrings everyday - no switching unless its a dress up affair. Also, I change handbags once a season only. Have a wonderful 2012!

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  18. I love the blog colors and simplified look. The main content font is a smidge small for my personal preference but love the font type. Very nice!

    I love all of your cards! I have tried the CCR a couple of times but never actually got around to cutting what I played with. Looking forward to trying it again this week while on break.

    Thanks for all that you share!!!

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  19. I agree with Michelle about the font it was small and light in color and hard for these old eyes to read.

    To simplify my life I would want to get my craft room in order that I know where everything is....lol.

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  20. Lisa, I am soooo with you on the "simplify" mantra! That's my challenge for 2012 too.
    I love the new clean look of your blog! One critique: I did find the font easier to read in my google reader...might want to consider a 'simpler' font? :)
    Many blessings to you in the New Year!

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  21. This is my first time visiting your blog and I love it! I bounced over from the Cricut Message Board after seeing your New Year Blessings card which I absolutely love. I will also be focusing more time on simplifying my life this upcoming year. I have 4 young children (3, 5, 7 & 9) and what has proved to be lifesaver for us is the vinyl chalkboard calendar on our back door. A large rectangle for each day of the week and each family member has their own colored chalk pen and we keep our daily routines listed for everyone to see. Before walking out the door, we all check our color and make sure we are ready for the day ahead of ourselves. We check each other and try to remind others to take what they need before leaving each day. Other than that - the family motto... Keep Calm & Carry On has been adopted. We all miss things and make mistakes but unless someone is hurt or bleeding, it's OK!!!

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  22. The card is simple and clean, Love it. If I was to change anything it would be the bow and the thin background to a sparkly gold. Happy New Years! Sherrie

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  23. I so need to simplify my life too my craft room for sure. One thing I have done is have my hubby put me up a little shelve above my desk, and he put a pices of small sheet metal under the selves, and I put magnets on all my stickles on the bottom and hang them upside down under the shelve----works great----Nancy mtbootleggerz@msn.com

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  24. My best simplifying advice is to get a large container for things you don't want to throw away because you have plans for it in the future, throw away what you don't need, amd then most importantly (I am worjibg on this myself) -EVERYTHING NEEDS TO HAVE A PLACE!!! :) Merry Christmas & Happy New Year.

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  25. Love the new simpler header, Lisa!!! Hope you and yours had a wonderful Christmas!! best wishes for 2012!! Good luck simplifying!

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  26. I LOVE the new simplified look of your blog. I want one just like it. The card is wonderful. I love white on white and this is just so perfect.

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  27. It is PERFECT, Lisa! I have to laugh because I announced to my hubby that 2012 was my year to simplify, as well. Let's hold each other accountable!

    Happy New Year and Happy Simplifying, My Friend!

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  28. I like what Hermie sang on Rudolph..."Put one foot in front of the other and soon you will be walking out the door..." I take this to mean that every day is a "fresh" beginning and to make a small accomplishment goal... and by the end of the year we should have accomplished a lot;)

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  29. I pray you won't mind but I shared your beautiful card and site on my blog. My blog isn't anything like yours! You have a great blog. Thank you. The blog is: http://craftycaringfriends2.blogspot.com/2011_12_01_archive.html

    I don't write enough been too busy with home life, grandson, and my disabilities;) God Bless you always Lisa and Happy New Year!

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  30. I am in love with the simplified look of your blog. It seems a lot of us are looking to simplify in the coming year -- hopefully we are all able to find something that works for us!

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  31. Love the card and your blog!
    My ideas to simplify my life.
    When I have a project or something to do that I keep putting off I set the timer for 10 minutes and tell myself that I have to work on that one thing only until the timer goes off. Sometimes I choose to work longer, sometimes only 10 minutes.
    The other thing is to set up a tub for unwanted items. As you come across things put them in that tub. When the tub is full take it to the Good Will. OR, ALWAYS say yes when a company calls to pick up unwanted items.

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  32. I do the most important stuff first and at the of the day I let go of what didn't get done and by happy

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  33. Love the changes to your blog and the colors for the banner on top. I read somewhere that when you are cleaning, you should set a timer for 15 minutes and race to see how much you can get put away. If it doesn't belong in the room you are cleaning, put it by the door, don't leave the room you are in - you'll get sucked into another room. I do this in my craft room all the time - I do it before I start another large project that will require more stuff coming out. (First thing that came to mind. :)

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  34. I like the clean look on your blog too... I am sooooo distracted going to other sites/blogs/etc. and it's bling, award icons', and just tooooo many things to LOOK AT!!! My only suggestion on organizing is I am in LOVE with shelving units with wheels... I just bought 3 for my kitchen, have all 3 perpendictular to the wall and they are all side by side... all my "stuff" goes on there, and I just pull out the shelving unit I need and wa~la, I have it.. *got some spice organizers for my spices from QVC ITKWD and they are awesome too* I'm Weezie13 from the Cricut Message Boards and the CTMH orders!!!

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  35. The new format looks great, Lisa!

    I recently simplified my cooking/meal planning by putting all the recipes we use on a regular basis in one binder. I spent an afternoon copying the most-used recipes out of each cookbook and making copies of recipe cards. I put all of them in page protectors, found some cute page dividers, and put them all in one big binder (still need to decorate the front). It is SO much easier to pull out one notebook instead of trying to remember which cookbook a recipe is in! It also makes my monthly meal planning very easy, too, since everything is in one place.

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  36. Would love to see more tutorials anad great cards (like yours) on using CCR and Art Philosophy cartridge.

    Simplify....font change works better for me too.

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  37. I like the new look. One thing I do to simplify is to go through my mail immediately. It comes in the house and either goes in the garbage, the drawer for bills or on the table to be taken care of before the nights end.

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  38. Great card! My advice is to make friends with a good consignment shop. I almost always have $200 credit at my local shop that I can spend or cash out--and less "stuff" in my life. Buy only what you love. Get rid of what you don't.

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  39. Love the white on white - fabulous card!

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  40. Happy New Year, Lisa. I am looking forward to seeing all your creativity in the new year. I like the idea that several people have mentioned about opening your mail over the trash can. All I want is the "bottom line" invoice, all the rest is trash to me.

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  41. I love the look of your new simple blog. The only tip I can share is my grocery list. I have it on the refrigerator. When you use the last of something write it on the list or I don't know to buy it. Seems to really help with the meal plans too.

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  42. Hi Lisa,

    I was just reading tips on organizing- some great tips. I also do the meal planning for the week so that I buy groceries 1x a week and so that I know what meat to thaw etc. Really does help the evenings go better, especially after working.

    I saw others comments about the font size. I agree it is small and hard to read. Difficult staying on the right sentence. I am using internet explorer with windows 7. I do like the clean look to your blog though!
    Molly

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  43. I just love this pkg exspecially cardridge my friend lets me you hers for me the hole pkg. is to exspensive for me but I love it

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