Happy Father's Day!!!

My husband loves birds and since I make and send all cards for my son to DAD, thought the crane would work well. The base card is a light cream, as is the first layer which I stamped with 'Oriental Clouds' #3342J by Judikins, then die cut, embossed the 'Bamboo' #60020230 by Joy which I colored with Copics on top of the lime green 'Silk' card stock; the crane and cattails (colored with Copics) are die cuts by Tattered Lace out of cork...very delicate...I tried cutting with my Big Shot, but it tore apart - then successfully die cut with my CrossOver by Cheery Lynn Designs - no problem; the water is an 'Asian Cloud' die by Hanko #DD004. I layered with pop dots, glue and a prayer in the order listed above....ENJOY!

Jan

Black Plus Shades of Green Challenge

This was a fun card to make...the challenge was to only use Black and shades of Green. Sounds easy enough, but definitely a challenge!

The card base is Black Perle card stock. I used Lime Green Silk card stock to cut a rectangle frame using Spellbinders Matting Basics, and cut the focal Lime Green piece with Taylored Expressions Label Stacklets 8, then stamped with Great Expressions #G168 using Archival Black ink. I added Stickles applied with a stylus on the water areas (sorry this does not show in the picture), and placed black gems in the corners.

Paper Hugs,
Jan

Happy Mother's Day

Happy to be almost back to normal after the total knee replacement!!!! Here's a card I made for a Black plus Shades of Coral challenge on Oriental Stamp Art (OSA).

My card base is Black Perle card stock, topped with a coral shimmer card stock die cut by Taylored Expressions Quatrefoil Die. The oval is Matte Kote sponged with Rose Coral Fluid Chalks and die cut with Spellbinders oval. The Love stamp is by Penny Black and stamped using Archival Black ink. I stamped the Penny Black Water Lily #4307H three times on  shimmer vellum using Brillance Pearlescent Coral ink and embossied with clear embossing powder, fussy cut the lily to layer them - finishing with a jewel in the flower center.

Hope you enjoy my card and have a special Mother's Day!!!

Paper Hugs,
Jan

MERRY CHRISTMAS

 

Merry Christmas to All....hope you enjoy my Geisha Girl card. I made this for a special friend, and also posted as a Thank You and Merry Christmas to the wonderful OSA members that sent well wishes and cards while I was recovering from total knee replacement surgery (Oct. 16th). Am finally released from Physical Therapy as I purchased a recumbent bicycle to use at home. Still unable to sit at my desk for very long and creating in a recliner does not work too well. This is my first card since surgery. Made 12 others for family with a smaller tree to replace the geisha girl.

Still owe you a recap of the Oregon State Fair...in a future post...am working slow but sure - LOL!

Paper Hugs,
Jan

SEPTEMBER CHALLENGE

Hi All,

Decided to enter the September 2013 Challenge at www.enjoyMichaelStrongstamps.com making a card using red, orange, and yellow. Here's what I did:
My card base and flowers are 'Neenah Classic Cream' card stock. Using Michael Strong's 'Cloisonné Flower' (large and small), I stamped one set of flower pieces (1 lg. and 1 small) with 'VersaColor Camellia Red' and one set with 'VersaColor Orange' and embossed with clear embossing powder...then colored with Copic Markers, and fussy cut the flowers. So the cream cardstock edges would not show, I tipped the edges with corresponding Copic markers colors...red/orange, then tipped all edges of the flowers with 'SmoochGlitz Frost' for glitz when the light hits the flowers. The yellow center swirl is a die from 'Build A Flower set B181' by 'Cheery Lynn Designs' and cut from the 'Stardream Gold' card stock. I used a gold brad for the center when putting the flower together and used more of the 'Smooch Glitz Frost' on the brad and swirl.

The leaf swirl is a 'Fanciful Flourish'  by 'Cheery Lynn Designs' B117 (medium size) die cut out of 'Stardream Gold' cardstock, and the leaves are tipped with red or orange (can't remember which, and then lightly rubbed off - left them looking bronze; also used a little of the 'SmoochGlitz Frost' on the leaves.

The background piece is 'Burlap Border B312' by 'Cheery Lynn Designs' and it cuts like butter! I cut it out of 'Malmero Perle Red' cardstock.

To finish I stamped the 'Smile' stamp by 'My Sentiments Exactly' with 'VersaMark' and applied 'Chinese Red Embossing Powder' by 'The Peddler's Pack' in Beaverton, OR and heat set it...this embossing powder has red/orange in it - although it does not show up well in the picture, it matches the flower exactly.

It was a fun card to make! Michael Strong has some wonderful Cloisonné stamps made of deeply etched rubber on thick EZ Mount...they stamp beautifully! Great pricing and low shipping - in case you are interested: www.strongstamps.com
Cheery Lynn Designs dies are so versatile and cut well - you can check them out here: www.cheerylynndesigns.com

That's all for today...
Paper Hugs and Happy Autumn,
Jan

OSA Brush Stroke Mingle

I participated in an OSA (Oriental Stamp Art) Brush Stroke Mingle with 3 of these cards. My photo has a gray cast for some reason when in fact the card is white. The oval overlay is edged in brown and sponged with pink. I colored the birds and flowers with Copic markers and used Smooth Glitz Frost as well as a bit of Stardust Stickels on the flowers. This stamp is by Penny Black #2946K 'Love Blossom'. 

Until next time...Paper Hugs,

Jan

Happy Fourth of July!

Happy Fourth of July 2013!!!

A full year later to the day since my last post - LOL- my intention is to post a bit more frequently in the future. Trust everyone has been enjoying good weather, family, friends, food, and fireworks this Fourth! We have much to be thankful for. God Bless America!

My card looks a bit orange, but it is an orangeish red, white, and blue washi paper background, fish embossed with gold embossing powder and fussy cut.

Paper Hugs until next time,
Jan

Happy Fourth of July!!!

Hope you enjoy the petunia 'American Flag' picture I took a few years ago!

Paper Hugs,
Jan

As my husband likes to sing to me 'I'm a Winner'!

Happy First Day of Summer....finally!

I don't normally do blog challenges. However, Michael Strong of http://www.strongstamps.com posted this little doodle on his web page and blog. His May challenge was to do something with it using only black, white, and gray, with the additional option of silver! The doodle was susch a challenge, I carried a Xerox print around for several weeks before deciding I wanted 'to do something with it'.....the Kimono is the end result.

I used black satin ribbon with a silver edge, gray paper, and of course, Zerox copies of the doodle. It goes without saying I used Mike's Kimono die and pattern - even though using his stamps/dies/pattern was not a requirement in the challenge.

Happy to report I am one of the winners and will be receiving his new 'Hexagon' stamp! Woo Hoo! You can check out the other winning cards by clicking on 'Mike's Blog' on the left of his web page http://www.strongstamps.com .

Paper Hugs,
Jan

Iris Folding Fun

The 'Wave' iris folding card above has a bright shiney aqua background...a shade lighter than the fish...although the camera would not cooperate to show the correct color! Next is the'Cat'...again the camera does not pick up the shiney gold layer I used in the design. Don't you just love the creative names I gave these cards - LOL!

Paper Hugs,
Jan

CHA

Hi Blogger Friends,

Hope you missed me as much as I missed you! Back now and will be posting again...

I had the pleasure of working in the Cheery Lynn Designs/Dies Direct booth at CHA, Anaheim, CA the end of January, along with my friend, Pam Stilwell (also from Salem, OR).

Picture 1: Pam at the Anaheim Convention Center early on our first day there

Picture 2: Had the pleasure of meeting my blogger buddy, Patti Lee in person!
Picture 3: Gray color dies are some made by 'Dies Direct' for over 50 companies...you may recognize the shapes of some of your favorite company dies

Picture 4: 'Cheery Lynn Designs' booth...their own die designs are always purple

Picture 5: A sample board of some Cheery Lynn Designs dies

Picture 6: Mike Dywan, President and founder of Dies Direct/Cheery Lynn Designs, with his wife, BJ Dywan at the end of a long day.

The experience was wonderful and a great learning experience!

Paper Hugs,

Jan

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