One Layer Simplicity

We will be taking a break for December, to allow our team to focus on family and friends.

We want to thank all of you for your support throughout 2015 and to wish you and yours all the very best as 2016 approaches.

We will be back on January 1 with OLS #23! We are all looking forward to another wonderful year of One-Layer Simplicity!

Hugs from

Susan, Ardyth, Heather and Karen

OLS22 Details

What a wonderful month of gratitude! We are especially grateful for all of you, who play along with us each month and share your creativity!

We've chosen some details that really caught our attention - we love the little details that make each card special!

Remember our new blog badge for those of you whose cards have been featured here.

Ardyth's Details


The contrast between the geometric blocks of colour and the script sentiment make Carol's card stand out!



Elizabeth's use of bold, blended colour make this card fun and whimsical!



Heather's Details


Jane has paired with her silhouette with a bright coloured background for great impact.

I love the swoop of coloured pattern that leads the eye across Kim's wonderful card.

OLS22, A Multitude of Gratitude

November (at least in the United States) is all about gratitude for harvest, for family, for food, for friends, for faith, for our many blessings. It's also the month before December, in which we receive holiday gifts for which we should send thank-you cards.

Right?

So this month's One-Layer Simplicity Challenge is a Multitude of Gratitude: make thank-you or gratitude cards for any purpose or occasion. So you could make a bunch of Christmas-themed thank you card for your after-holiday needs! You are also free to go outside the box of standard or generic thank-you cards...as long as the theme is explicitly gratitude. For instance, my sample card today is a Christmas card with a verse of thanks on it.

My card uses Papertrey's Silent Night set in Memento Luxe Bahama blue and tuxedo black. A scattering of bling adds shine and interest, and two rounded corners enhance the feeling of movement. Simple!



OLS#22 Rules

1. A one-layer card is defined as a single layer of card stock folded in half. No other layers of paper allowed!

2. Make a card of thanks/gratitude. Remember to keep embellishments to a minimum.

3. Post your card somewhere on the internet and link to it using the InLinkz button below. If you link to your blog, please be sure to link to the specific OLS22 post, not to your blog's main page. That way, we will be sure to see your beautiful entry!

4. The deadline is midnight EST on November 24.

5. The most important rule of all: HAVE FUN!

An InLinkz Link-up

OLS21 - Details

Thanks for sharing your weather inspired cards here on One Layer Simplicity during October. There were quite a few snow inspired cards but rain, sun and wind all made an appearance too. The design team has chosen a few cards to feature here because their details impressed us and will no doubt impress you too!

Remember our new blog badge for those of you whose cards have been featured here.

Heather's Details

Kimberley showed us now to ground a stamped image perfectly but expressively by sponging an icy blue line behind it.

Lynn added interest to her three sunny images with subtle variations in colour and a bold sentiment.

Ardyth's Details



Shirley used perfect technique and colours to evoke a frosty atmosphere on this cool card!



Loli used a classic layout, classic image and classic quote for this CAS beauty!


Karen's Details 

 
 Mac posted this gorgeous card.  Love the way the white space around the leaf makes the image pop.

Jasleen added this sweet, happy card that would make anyone smile.  Great bkg. for adding a sentiment.

OLS 21 - Whatever the weather

Whether the weather is cold,

Whether the weather is hot,

We'll weather the weather,

Whatever the weather,

Whether we like it or not!

Heather here for the October challenge. As the weather changes in both hemispheres this time of year we are going to feature weather elements on our one layer cards this month. Snow, rain, sunshine, rainbows, clouds, if it is weather related you can feature it on your one layer card this month. 

Rules for OLS#21 

1.  A one-layer card is defined as a single layer of card stock folded in half.  No other layers of paper are allowed.

2.  Make a card by that relates to weather in some way.  

3.  Post your card on the internet somewhere and link it using the InLinkz button below.  If you link to your blog, please link to the specific post, not your blog's main page, so we can easily find your entry.

4.  The deadline for linking up is midnight on  October 24.

5.  The most important rule is to have FUN!!

An InLinkz Link-up

OLS20 - Details

September has just whooshed by and it's time once again to highlight the little details that caught our eyes this month!

Remember our new blog badge for those of you whose cards have been featured here.

Ardyth's Details

Shirley's design was a happy 'accident' that resulted in an artistic, masculine card!

Nicole reminds us that the best part of cardmaking is personalizing cards for friends and family!

Karen's Details:

 

 Foleysfriend created this cute and fun card that made me smile.

 

 Elizabeth created such a fun background using number stamps.

Susan's Details


Lynn combined pretty colors and an awesome layout for her million thanks. I love how the sentiment overlaps the flowers just a bit.

Susan went all out for a number shape--a challenge for one layer, for sure!--and used glitter and faux stitching to excellent detailed effect.

Heather's Details


Cimbacreativefun nailed the one-layer numbers challenge by working with a happy colour scheme and that 'cool words down the side of the number' stamping.


Gerrina's clever numbered stamp in black is perfectly framed by the soft sponged circles.

OLS 20 - What's Your Number?

Ardyth here for the September challenge. You may not know that I'm an accountant. I love math and I love numbers! So this month, we're going to have a numbers challenge.  Your one-layer card must relate to numbers in some way. Birthdays, anniversaries, phone numbers, debits, credits (just kidding!) you name it! We can't wait to see what you come up with!

Rules for OLS#20 

1.  A one-layer card is defined as a single layer of card stock folded in half.  No other layers of paper are allowed.

2.  Make a card by that relates to numbers in some way.  

3.  Post your card on the internet somewhere and link it using the InLinkz button below.  If you link to your blog, please link to the specific post, not your blog's main page, so we can easily find your entry.

4.  The deadline for linking up is midnight on  September 24.

5.  The most important rule is to have FUN!!

An InLinkz Link-up

OLS 19 - Details

Wow!  There were 73 cards entered in the challenge this month.  A big thanks to everyone who played along and added such wonderful CAS cards!  I had such a hard time choosing which ones to highlight here as everyone did such an amazing job with the challenge.
I have had such a busy month but will try and comment when I get some extra time.

We are so happy to offer a new blog badge for those of you whose cards have been featured here.

So now onto the cards and their details that really stood out to our DT and that we found particularly inspiring.  

Karen's Details:

 

Anita's card caught my eye right away with the wonderfully done sponging and the serene look of the scene that she created. 

Julie's card was so beautiful with the white embossing and the colours sponged over that...great sentiment too.


Kimberly's card had such wonderfully coloured images and had a fun and fresh feel to it all.


Ardyth's Details



I absolutely loved how Susan gave us a sneak peek at a glorious, warm summer evening!



Monika created an amazing spotlight on her image and sentiment through shape and shading!




Pam's "strip" was created by your eye seeing the edges of the balloons - very clever!

Heather's Details



Maura's sponging creates depth and the perfectly positioned butterflies look like they are flying off the card!

Eunji's bold black panel catches the eye which is then drawn to the elegant black and gold flowers.



Gerrina has used a bold colour scheme and strong images to make a lovely card.

Thanks again to all that played along this month.  I hope you are all ready for the next, fun challenge coming your way in the next couple of days.

OLS 19, Strip Down

Karen here for this month's One-Layer Challenge called 

STRIP DOWN

It's hot, humid and steamy and no, I not asking you to strip down and stamp in your undies (although that may be an option if you don't have AC like me!)  

This month, I am asking you to mask a strip down the front of your card and stamp away....easy right?

For my card, I played with a new stamp set I just got.  I love the way the blue and the greens work so well together.  I used Painter's tape to mask the panel down the front.  One tip I can offer is to stick the tape onto your clothes a few times before applying to your card front.  By removing some of the tape adhesive, you are less likely to tear your paper when you remove it.

Remember to keep it simple with just one-layer of cardstock folded in half.

Rules for OLS#19 

1.  A one-layer card is defined as a single layer of card stock folded in half.  No other layers of pape are allowed.

2.  Make a card by masking a strip down the front of your cardstock and stamp away.  

3.  Post your card on the internet somewhere and link it using the InLinkz button below.  If you link to your blog, please link to the specific post, not your blog's main page, so we can easily find your entry.

4.  The deadline for linking up is midnight on August 24.

5.  Whether you stamp in your undies or with your clothes on, the most important rule is have FUN!!

An InLinkz Link-up

OLS 18 - Details

By popular request, we've got a new badge for those of you whose cards are (or have been in the past) featured in our Details Posts! 

And now a huge thank you to all who participated in the Sparkle and Shine Challenge. What a great batch of entries! As always, the DT will highlight those details we found particularly inspiring. After all, great CAS cards are all about the little details!

Susan's Details:



Darnell's colorful thank-you card caught my eye with its bold use of texture and baker's twine.



Maarit's card made me look twice to make sure it really, truly was one layer. Her skilled shading and soft use of color add so much dimension and interest to a lovely design.



Susan's father-and-son card made me go "awwww" for its theme, but I'm calling it out for the gorgeous background of sky, the sparkly stars, and the overall balanced composition.

Ardyth's Details:


Anita's whitespace automatically draws our attention to her bright shiny Christmas lights!


Cornelia's graphic use of bold colour and simple shapes gets her message across clearly!


Foley'sFriend's card is simple, elegant and beautiful using very few supplies.


Karen's Details:


 Karen's card is so pretty with the shimmer she added to the wheat shafts.  They sparkle against that lovely blue bkg.


 
 EunjoA's card was just a delight to look at...so sweet.


 
 Michelle created such a fun birthday card that would make anyone's special day happy.

Heather's Details:


Ksenija made her flowers pop with some gilded flakes, an elegant way to add shine.


Kim's embossed trees add shine to her simple and beautifully balance three colour card.


Helen's beautifully blended sky caught my attention straight away; it's the perfect background for her shiny stars.