MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

This was my Christmas card for 2011 sent to family, and a newsletter to friends. I send almost 100 so have to limit the number of hand made cards to family - LOL! Oh for a little more time and energy to do all the crafting I want to do!!! I'm sure you understand...it really was a fun project...based on the 'Letterpress/Embossing' technique I learned from Anne Clarke (she lives in France)...thank you again Anne!

From my house to yours I send wishes for 'Season's Blessings'.

Paper Hugs,

Jan

A FEW MORE 2011 FAIR WINNERS

Wish I understood why the pictures show up in different spots than when I'm uploading them to a post...oh well, I'm sure you can figure out which is which in the last post - LOL!

That's all for now...

Paper Hugs,

Jan

MORE 2011 FAIR WINNERS

Computer Generated Card (above left)

3-D wedding card (above right)

Quilted card (right)

Faux Quilting and then die cut card (below)

2011 FAIR WINNERS

Hi All,

Thought you might like to see some of my '2011 State Fair' winners...hope you enjoy them!

Paper Hugs,

Jan

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween...hope you all have a fun weekend - be sure to enjoy the kids!

I made this card for a challenge: the background papers are purple and green 'Silk'; I used Cheery Lynn Designs 'Fancy Flight' die on black card stock; for the spider web moon I inked up the Cheery Lynn Designs 'Feather Embossing Plate' using VersaMark - placed my spider web paper face down on the embossing plate and ran through my Big Shot, then brushed the spider web with purple and orange 'Perfect Pearls', a couple of minutes to dry and dusted off the excess mica powder; cut to fit the moon shape...as well as cutting the leave and stickled orange pumpkin to fit, and then glued these pieces to the back of the 'Fancy Flight' die cut. I used black 'Stickles' on the witch hat and broom. The row of witches at the bottom of the card are ribbon material. My little sign says 'Boo' with the O's being google eyes. I enjoyed this fun project...and I don't usually do Halloween - LOL!

Hope you can see all the glittery details,

Jan

Enjoyed making this card for the 'October 2011 Pink Challenge' at 'Enjoy Michael Strong Stamps'...looks a bit red here, but trust me - it's really a hot pink background! I inked this frame stamp by 'Love You To Bits' using black Versafine, heat embossed with clear embosing powder; cut out the cat and attached to my white card. I rubbed Spun Sugar Distress Ink pad to cover a piece of white cardstock; when dry I stamped the Cat stamp by 'Michael Strong' using black VersaFine, and heat embossed with clear embossing powder; colored a few cat sections with RV63 Begonia Copic marker; cut out the cat and layered on the hot pink background using foam pop-up tape; applied jewel embellishments.  There you have it!
Jan

Winner of Customer Favorites Contest

Hi All,

'Our Daily Bread Designs' announced the winners of their 'Customer Favorite's Contest' last month, and I was surprised and pleased to be one of the winners (scripture choices of the winners were made into a stamp set, available as 'Customer Favorite's 2').

 Here's the card I designed to showcase my choice of scripture. I used black and gold Washi paper for the background, 'Cheery Lynn Designs' diagonal grid frame, as well as their butterfly die embellished with black diamond embossing powder.

Psalm 54:4 is a wonderful daily reminder for me!

Time to hit the hay...paper hugs to you,
Jan

Holly Craft Visits Me!

Hi All,

Hope you had a wonderful summer...I was busy, busy, busy! Holly Craft, my cyber buddy who helped me set up my blog way back when, visited in July from Altanta, GA - her first time in the Pacific NW. We took pictures around Salem, the falls in the gorge, covered bridges, the coast, and spots in between. A lot packed into 4 days...we had a blast!

Jan

Thought you might also like to see another 'Earth Art International' stamped card I made...so spring...don't you think! Love the shades of blue/aqua!

Have a wonderful week!!!
Jan

Stamp Artist of the Month = SAM

Woo Hoo! I'm the SAM (Stamp Artist of the Month) for 'Oriental Stamp Art' the month of May!!! Sooooooooo exciting for me...and to keep my lip zipped until today - amazing!

For my project I chose this dragon by 'Earth Art International' and the Chinese 'I Love You' by 'Inkadinkado'.

Details are on the Oriental Stamp Art site under the 'SAM' tab, then click on Jan C. for the month of May.

Enjoy,

Jan

Hi all,

This was my entry in the March/April Michael Strong Rubber Stamps challenge....to celebrate his 15 years in business, the entry had to have 15 layers - no more, no less - not counting the base card, and you had to use at least a piece of one of his stamps. Believe me, that's harder than it sounds! My base card is Curious Metallics Red Lacquer cardstock. Next a layer of Curious Metallics Super Gold. Next a layer of Curious Metallic Red Lacquer #111 cover cardstock which I embossed with Cuttlebug #2000011 bamboo embossing folder, punched all four corners with the southwest punch and laced with gold string; then popped up with foam tape. On a piece of washi paper, I stamped Michael Strong's kimono stamp using VersaMark ink pad and carefully heat embossed with Judikins transluent gold embossing powder; cut it out; used double sided tape to adhere to my card. I punched 3 flowers each of two sizes of an oriental flower punch, using 3D Crystal Lacquer on the larger 3 flowers. After they were dry, I used glue dots to place the smaller gold punched flower on top; then onto the card with another glue dot. I embellished each flower with a mini rhinestone, and added a small butterfly and rhinestone to finish.

A note to let you know of wonderful blog candy available on Heidi Blankenship's blog - 'Embellished Dreams': embellished-dreams.blogspot.com Hope you check it out!!!

Woo Hoo!

What a delight to be contacted by Patti's friend, Gene, asking if it was okay for her friend, Patti, to share my work on Patti's blog today. After a bit of discussion I discovered Patti is Patti Lee of 'Creations By Patti' fame, www.creationsbypatti.blogspot.com and I have been following her blog for many months...LOL - small world!

The grid frames are manufactured by Dies Direct and can be purchased at: www.cheerylynndesigns.com - there are 3 grid frames to choose from...check out these wonderful dies!!!

Thank you Patti and Gene...soooo exciting for me!!! Hope you all enjoy these Asian designs.

Jan

Hi All...just got home from the Heirloom Convention in Portland, OR...a really fun day! Met up with Bernadet, Stamp TV - Oregon Stampers and exchanged name tags. Also met Bonnie, Annette, RLI, and Candice of OSA. Many friends were there to chat with, as well as the pleasure of meeting Sue Coccia (creator of Earth Art International), and Judi of JudiKins. For a small Convention, it certainly packed a lot in! Attended the Scrapbook Convention yesterday in Portland, OR...enjoying that day too!

Was asked if I used 'Cheery Lynn Designs' grid/lattice frames with any of my photos...so, for your enjoyment - here's a couple of cards using my 'Jan's Joy' photos.

Hugs,

Jan

OSA Haiku Bunny Mingle

Happy to say I was one of three winners in Michael Strong Rubber Stamp's February Challenge with my aqua heart card (see previous post for picture)!

This is my very first Oriental Stamp Art (OSA) mingle - I'm sending 4 cards to assigned people and will receive 4 cards from others...'Haiku Bunny Mingle'.

Don't know why the picture of my card is sideways, and don't know how to change it here??? My original picture is correct.
Guess you will get your neck workout looking - LOL!

Have a great week!
Jan

Here's my card for Michael Strong's February Challenge (can't use red, pink, or purple).

First, I inked Michael Strong's heart stamp with 'VersaMark', stamped on white card stock, embossed with 'Judikins Translucent Gold' EP, heat set; sponged with 'Ranger Tumbled Glass' distress ink; cut out the heart and a few sections, as well as a smaller heart from 'Aspire Petallics Starburst Lichen' cover weight card stock (Paper Zone); using double sided tape layer the gold heart on top of the aqua heart; run the middle and largest 'Heart Doily Dies' (3 in the set from 'Cheery Lynn Designs') thru my 'Big Shot' machine; using double sided tape mount the gold and aqua heart set on top of the middle size heart doily, use pop up foam tape to adhere to A-7 card cut from 'Curious Metallic Ice Gold' cover weight card stock (Paper Zone). Place the largest Heart Doily Die cut in a cardboard box, wrong side up, spray with adhesive spray and quickly center on your card; Add 1/2 glue dot to the smallest hearts (left over from the die cuts) to trail down to the 'Just You' which was stamped with VersaMark and embossed using 'Zing Aqua' EP...finished with aqua rhinestones.

Fun project...give it a try!

Jan

Valentine Card

Happy Belated Valentines Day!!!!

I had good intentions to post these pictures...as you can see, I got side-tracked posting to 3 other sites - Die Cuts All, OSA, and Michael Strong, as well as mailing it to Peddler's Pack for a Challenge...in doing all this I forgot to post it here on my own blog - LOL! So, here tis'...better late than never!

The background is black, gold, and red washi paper; on the next red layer behind the white & gold cardstock, I edged & embossed with 'black diamond' EP. The main heart is an iris fold, and the die cut heart around is from 'Cheery Lynn Designs'. For the inside I used a Fiskars heart punch; and the oval letters are stamps from Michael Strong Rubber Stamps which I also embossed using the black diamond EP.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine weekend!

Jan

Hi all...This card background was made using the 'Wickers' die by 'Cheery Lynn Designs'. The die has a slight design and gives your weaving a thatched mat look...lots of fun to weave and it comes together quickly! Stamped the mat with VersaFine Green Spanish Moss (Decorative Bamboo stamp by Hero Arts), and brushed gold Smooch here and there on the leaves. The little Geisha (Great Impressions E547) was stamped with Black VersaFine, embossed, and colored with Smooch.

Some delightful news!!!! On Keri Lee Sereika's blog www.pinklemonade.typepad.com I won a random drawing and will receive a copy of her book "Coloring Techniques For Card Making"! Keri asked people to send 'John' a card for his 90th birthday...aiming for 90 cards. I sent one and thus was entered in the drawing. Looking forward to receiving the book!!! Thank you Keri!

Take care of those you love....Jan

PAPERFECTIONS BLOGOVERSARY & GIVEAWAY

Hi everyone...Trying something new here...Sharon Harnist is celebrating her 4th Blogoversary with a giveaway from JustRite Stampers worth almost $140!

http://www.paperfection.typepad.com

I just purchased a few of the JustRite products and they are wonderful. So, if you are interested, be sure to take a look at the 'PaperFections' site.

If for some reason I put the link in wrong, please Google 'Sharon Harnist' or 'PaperFections' to get you there. Guess that covers me either way - LOL!

Jan

Oops, the correct link would be www.strongstamps.com and then click on "Mike's Blog" on the left of your screen...hope you have a minute to check it out.
Jan

Michael Strong Blog Hop

Well, today www.strongstamps.blog has a great blog hop...and with blog candy too! The theme is Valentine/Wedding...needless to say my little kitty does not fit that category - but, it is a Michael Strong stamp! Hopefully, I will have the time to play along for the next blog hop...everyone participating did an exceptional job!

Jan

Iris Folding Class

Hope your New Year is going well and you have adjusted to 2011...hard to believe January is half over!!! One of my New Year's goal needs some attention as I wanted to post to this blog once a week! LOL! Focus Jan, focus!!!

I had fun teaching an Iris Folding class this past week. One card's aperture/hole was made with a Spellbinders scalloped heart die; the other card is a kit from 'Creations by Dedra' (I used my own handmade paper for this one).

Until next time,

Jan