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Monday, February 20, 2023

The Earth Has Turned + $50 Giveaway

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One of the best pieces of advice my dad gave me was "live east of where you work." Whenever there's an advice thread on FB, I add this, and I inevitably get questions from directionally challenged people who, for whatever reason, know nothing about the compass. Texas is mostly VERY flat, and so if you don't know how to navigate via the position of the sun, you are up the proverbial creek. 

I started to notice in the 90s that people no longer understood this. I noticed it the most when I called 911. I'd call and say "Hi - I need the police to come check out the 18 wheeler full of tyrannosaurs that flipped over." "Where is the emergency?" I'd say "It's on the north side of westbound 290, just east of the Lamar exit." (stunned silence) "Um, WHERE?".

It's really a problem in a landscape with no natural landmarks if you can't orient yourself on a compass. Unless you're okay with dying of exposure, that is.

Anyway, I think that's why my dad's advice is puzzling for people who only know where they are in relation to their favorite Target location or Starbucks. But it's really important advice unless you want to be blinded by the sun twice a day on your commute. Unfortunately, I didn't take that advice in my current house. My street runs STRAIGHT east and west, with east end containing all of Austin's civilization.

So if I have an early appointment, like today's allergy shot, I'm blinded driving down our street and I hear him saying that. However, it's worse at certain times of year, as the earth's position in relation to the sun changes a bit, and this morning, I noticed that it had changed a LOT from last month's shot, and so I survived my trek without getting in a head-on. One of the many miracles of spring!

I can finally show you, speaking of spring, the cards I made for Hero's spring catalog. I did these during cold, grey November, and they brought me a lot of joy in the dark months. It's fun to reveal them now that it's sunny and warm again - WE MADE IT. 

My favorite card of them is the simplest one. I masked and blended a Hero Hues rainbow stripe and stamped this gorgeous wildflower silhouette over it. Masked sections like this were one of my early stamping technique go-to styles in the late 1900s. It's easy but it wows people and if you wanted to do any duplicated - this right here is your friend. The sentiment is this Friendly Messages set - and it has dies!



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There's a fun layering daffodil die too. I colored this one with OLO markers, and used the honeycomb foiling die to deboss the background - I love using foiling dies like this because they have such a deep impression. The sentiment is Friendly Messages and dies.


 The columbine stencil is breathtaking. I did soft pinks just to be contrary! The sentiment set matches the sentiment strips die if you have that. 

CURRENT COUPON CODES
20% off anything at Glassboard Studio  - UNDERSTANDBLUE.
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15% off anything at Marker Universe or any of their other sites - Understandblue15.
10% off at Sweet Sentiment with code UNDERSTANDBLUE
10% off the whole store at A Colorful Life Designs - LydiaFan10
5% off at LBC here with code LYDIA5
Arkon Mounts - 20% off sitewide with code UNDERSTANDBLUE



If you thought I was going to forget about the set with the squirrel, you'd have been wrong!



They are doing a $50 giveaway for the catalog today - so leave me a comment with YOUR best piece of general advice! I can't wait to hear it. 

For more inspiration from this catalog - start HERE for the hop and LOADS more cards! 

Loveyameanithappyspringbye.

45 comments:

  1. Hi, Lydia - Probably "a job worth doing is worth doing well." I love all the cards you shared. Wow... you work reallly far ahead. November to Feb 20? Eek... I can barely work one week ahead. You sure did provide some beauties for us to admire!
    Lori S in PA

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  2. My Aunt Abbie (who lived to be 95) used to tell me "Age is just a number. Old age is a state of mind."

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  3. These cards are all awesome! I wish I had some good advice for you, but today is not a great day and I've got nothing!

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  4. HELLO THERE is very cute. I love all of the critters, and the fence and flowers. I would love to have this many critters in my yard

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  5. My dad is an interest. He's still practicing at 86 years old. I have a note from him from when I was in college in the mid 80s. He wrote it on his prescription pad. I have it hanging by my desk. He wrote, "Study!!
    Get Smart!!
    Make Money!!
    Retire!!
    Reconsider. There is much more to life."
    I love this advice.

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  6. I LOVE them all....especially the CAS ones! Gorgeous!

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  7. Never cook bacon in the nude. :-)

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  8. Love them! The Bee Floral is just amazing!

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  9. These are so beautiful! I love that cute squirrel!

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  10. I have to agree with you - the simplest card is also my favorite!! Nice job!

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  11. Great cards! And here in Utah you want a West facing house as your back yard will be shaded in the afternoon.

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  12. my advice would be finish what you start:)

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  13. Terrific cards! I love the simple black silhouette against the rainbow, Fabulous new catalog release - of course I want it all but the bee florals and the sentiments are my faves,

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  14. I think your dad knew my dad (a Texas native) -- they both had the same rule! As a diehard mapaholic, I get it and can't figure out why others don't. I also don't like when Google and Waze turn their maps in the direction I'm going rather than keeping North at the top! ... I do like the new Hero Arts catalog, and those nice-sized and very detailed wildflower silhouettes caught my eye, too.

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    1. I came back to add my best advice, also from my father: "Admit you don't know and then find out!"

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  15. So beautiful! I love these! I can't wait to shop some of the new products! Thanks for the inspiration!

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  16. Wonderful cards! I love the simplicity of the first card and the shadows of the critters on the last card! Thanks for sharing!

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  17. I enjoyed reading your post as much as I like these inspirational cards. I'm one of "those" directionally challenged people...thank goodness for my husband, who is not.

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  18. I had to think about this for awhile! At 73 I'm used to GIVING advice! My grandmother used say "mind your manners" & honestly I do!!!! Anyway love the daffodil I haven't done any of those layering flowers yet๐Ÿ˜˜

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  19. Beautiful cards. I am a clean & simple stamper, so your first 2 examples are just my style to create, but I love them all.

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  20. I love clean & simple stamping, so your first two card samples are my favorite, but I love them all.

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  21. Journey's song "Don't Stop Believin'" references South Detroit. I like to say I'm from there so no one can find me. Beautiful cards.

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  22. Love your cards and your post. My advice is "start shopping from the back of the store. That's where the clearance items are."

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  23. What a cute yet simple daffodil card! I love how a card front can easy be made with just this new fancy die.

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  24. I think all of your cards are awesome, but I do really like the simplicity of the first card. TFS!

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  25. Have never heard that advice. Luckily I am a great map reader and have an excellent sense of direction. My uncle always says time passes even more quickly the older you get. Slow down and enjoy it.

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  26. I have to buy the squirrel stamp set, it is a must have. I am a compass freak, always have been. I collect them and feel lost without having one with me. Everyone I know is directionally challenged. That is a wonderful hint that your dad gave you. I never thought about it.

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  27. Beautiful and creative cards!
    Thanks for sharing.

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  28. Maybe it's because I'm a Texas girl, too, but I totally understand the "sun in the eyes" problem. Sounds like we both have (in my case had) very wise fathers! Your cards are amazing!

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  29. There's a season for everything. And I'm loving all the bright colors spring will bring!

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  30. So directionally challented, but I got the reference. I don't leave home without a navigator either a person or electronic. Love the bees and the clean designs.

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  31. My advice is to eat dessert first, but I don't know if necessarily good advice. Just the way I love my life. And I really love your classic masked rainbow card. Those black silhouette florals are timeless.

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  32. A silhouette card never fails to “wow” me. There’s a reason this technique is so loved for so long. I always like hearing about your Dad’s advice to life East of where you work; it’s truth!

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  33. I love all of your cards, but my favorite is the rainbow. Simple & Beautiful. My Gram, God bless her soul, used to say "Cleaning the house while the children are growing is like shoveling snow while its still snowing ." And " Little pitchers have big ears." She pretty much raised me, and taught me how to be a good mom! ๐Ÿ’œ๐Ÿ’œ๐Ÿ’œ

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  34. For a couple years I had a squirrel who would
    take an afternoon nap on the covered deck
    chair outside my door. He slept soundly
    (and pottied so I had a stain) but he was
    safe. Had another one up there the other
    day but he didn't stay. I just left them live
    free. Love the daffodil. thanks for sharing

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  35. I do love the silhoutte card. So pretty

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  36. Nice cards! I like that rainbow card a lot too! Nice little picket fence scene too. Quotes... Do More of What You Love. It just reminds me to take time to craft and go out with my camera (not a fancy one). I also like a quote from a Tom Petty song which is Never Slow Down, Never Grow Old.

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  37. Gorgeous cards! Love the flowers.
    Thanks for sharing.

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  38. I love all your cards! I do have a love of the black silhouette though - love that you put in on a rainbow background!

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  39. So creative! Thank you for sharing your talents with us!

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  40. Wonderful variety of cards. My advice is Don't eat yellow snow!

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  41. Great cards. I'm in love with the flowers and bees die and stencils.

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  42. I love your gorgeous cards. The beautiful spring colours really bring them to life. I love the sqirrel card! So pleased you didn't forget him!

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  43. Such pretty cards! I really love the beautiful daffodil card and the awesome fence scene! The piece of advice I'd like to share: enjoy the simple things.

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  44. Beautiful cards! My best general advice is don't ever give anyone advice unless they ask for it.

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