I am both pleased and a bit stoked to feature Ms. Lori Hairston, an Oklahoma card maker as this month’s Discovery Drive! I can’t tell you how excited I am about Lori’s cards and artwork. She truly inspires with her touches of vintage on her cards.

Lori chooses breathtaking images and creates these wonderful small projects, each card its own wonderful world of color, emotion and portal into a place just parallel of our real existence. Really! Not just words – take a look at Lori’s three examples below. Her first card is a silly, sweet and totally girly (girly-girl of any age, I might add!) card that any female would be proud to receive. Lori then takes us into the world of Renaissance-type angels and loads the layers of pieces together to complete one gorgeous mass of friendship. And the third? Lori takes a bit of epherma-like images, decorates with sweet contemporary paper, products and ideas, pops them with dimension and easily creates my favorite card of hers.

She makes it look so easy! If I had to emanate Lori's technique and style (which I highly doubt would produce cards as perfect as Lori's,) I'd say 1) choose the perfect image. 2) Match to modern colors and paper kits. 2) Pile on the supplies. 3) Add touches of color in stitching, distressing, borders, layers and stamps. 4) Sturdy the card up with heavy weight paper. And then 5) pop dot everything! These are just guesses, feel free to try this at home!

Congratulations, Lori, I thoroughly enjoyed working with you and receiving a few card in the process. We all here at ScrapStreet wish you much success and many, many more cards!

Bonjour by Lori Hairston

Supplies: Papers: Making Memories, Stamps: Will and A Way, Maya Road, Ribbon: Offray, Floss: DMC, Pop Dots: AllNight Media, Marker: Marvy, Other: image.

Design Notes: The ribbon runs through a hole punched in the top layer. It is sewn onto the back layer and holds the card closed.

Editor’s Notes: So sweet! The best thing about cards is that the image you may choose (whether it be stamp, subject, epherma or none at all) begins the overall theme and emotion of the card. Lori’s choice of a sweet girl image adds girly fun and sweetness.

Friendship by Lori Hairston

Supplies: Papers: K & Company, Cardstock: The Paper Company, Ribbon, Trim: Raffitt Ribbon, Button: JoAnn, Border Punches: Martha Stewart Design, Floss: DMC, Pop Dots: All Night Media, Image: Dover, Font: Adorable.

Design Notes: Back images with a heavy weight paper (I use manila folder, because I have lots) before placing on pop dots.

Editor’s Notes: With a few simple steps, your cards can look better than any store-bought cards. To name a few, add a shiny, flowing ribbon bow, lightly distress an opposite-colored piece attached to the card, add layers for depth and dimension, and back images and cards with sturdy paper (as Lori recommends) to promote authenticity.

Little Red Riding Hood by Lori Hairston

Supplies: Papers: October Afternoon, Sassafras Lass, Cardstock: The Paper Company, Die-Cut: Cuttlebug, Heart Punch: Marvy Uchida, Ribbon: Offray, Floss: DMC, Ink: Ranger, Pop Dots: AllNight Media, Thread: Coats and Clark, Other: image, button.

Design Notes: I love adding zigzag stitching on my cards and couldn’t do without pop dots to add depth to my cards.

Editor's Notes: This is that epherma feel I was talking about – a well placed vintage piece can add nostalgia to any project.