It's a gorgeous early-spring day here in mid-Ohio. This year March came in like a lamb and has continued like a lamb! I cannot remember a March without at least one significant snowfall, but this may be the year.

It's still too chilly to be outside for long, so I've had some fun today checking out interesting paper crafts designs on various websites such as splitcoaststampers.com It's mind-boggling how many different card designs can be created! One area I visited concerned simple designs, and that was kind of a fun challenge to me as well. All too often we think a card has to be complex and impressive to have any kind of wow factor at all. That just isn't true. Even very simple and low-key designs can be interesting.

I decided to experiment with some basic and easy cards. The first images are easier than they look. The pelikan stamped motif is mounted on a scrap of cardstack layered on a background paper adhered to a card. A ribbon trim dresses it up and a small tag adds a sentiment.

Next to the pelican card is another small card with a scarecrow image. The image is stamped on a piece of torn and ink-edged paper glued to a strip of patterned paper adhered to cardstock, all layered on a card. Again a vividly colored grosgrain ribbon sets off the other elements and a small tag clipped to the lower end of the image adds a final touch.

The pelikan and scarecrow stamps are from october pumpkin.

The final image just seems to scream "man card" with its strong lines and neutral tones. The palm tree image is one I drew and painted that may later become available readymade via october pumpkin. I stamped a Stampin' Up sentiment and then round-punched it out and affixed it to the image unit with a pop dot. Though it says Thinking of You, any sentiment could be used.

There's something about these cute little round messages that remind me of postmarks - do you get that impression too?