It's that time again, time to freak out with the freaks on our monthly blog tour! If you've just arrived from Patty Bennett's blog, you are in the right spot!
But if you started right here, fear not! You can manage to get all the way around the entire tour just by following the links at the bottom of each post.
This post is going live on the evening of the 19th, so if you find some posts in our tour have not yet posted, please be patient. The entire tour should be accessible at some point this evening. Keep checking back!
The theme this month is KISS!
Naw, not these guys!
Got nothin' to do with this either. What KISS stands for is:
Keep It Simple...Stamper! Yea, we won't use the usual word for the last S!
Can I tell you how hard this was for me? Me and Wendy were whining to each other that we just don't do simple that often anymore, so it was a real struggle for us to tone down our usual complicated style. 'Cause there is always something MORE we want to add to a card and we had to hold ourselves back!
But after a massive struggle, I managed to come up with some stuff. Lookie:
Ingredients: Stamps - Merry Winter; Paper - Letters to Santa DSP, Riding Hood Red, Marina Mist, Early Espresso, Very Vanilla; Ink - Early Espresso, Marina Mist; Markers - Early Espresso, Riding Hood Red, Marina Mist, Old Olive; Other - 5/8" Scalloped Dotted Ribbon, Gold Brads, Drafting Tape, dimensionals, sponge wedges.
I know it is not THAT simple, but hey, it is simple for ME. I have been really enjoying these kinds of softly sponged backgrounds lately that people have been achieving with the thin steel rule dies that have multiple sizes that we don't have...yet...heh heh...TIK A LOK! I achieved this look using drafting tape, which has less tackiness than regular masking tape so it is not supposed to rip the face off your paper (but I still stick it to my jeans a few time to take the tackiness down even more.) ANYWAY, yes, it is STINKIN' CUTE! (YILM!) and I love these colors and want to marry them, but then I would be a bigamist! Onward!
I got the inspiration for this next card from Darlene DeVries' blog. I twisted her idea a little bit, since she did hers with white cardstock, and as you will see, mine is NOT:
Ingredients: Stamps - Snow Swirled; Paper - Wonderful Wisteria; Ink - Elegant Eggplant, Wonderful Wisteria; Other - Elegant Eggplant marker, White gel pen, Basics Jewels, Drafting tape.
GOJUS!!! (YILM!) I just love this look and can think of many variations on it!
This next card has a bit of a sad story. My downline and dear friend Mary's mother died this past weekend. She really hated the thank you cards from the funeral home, but didn't want to make any herself, so she commissioned me to do 25 cards for her. When you are making that many, they gotta be simple. Lookie:
Ingredients: Stamps - Leaves of a Tree, Perfectly Penned; Paper - Spice Cake DSP, Old Olive, Early Espresso, Very Vanilla; Ink - More Mustard, Early Espresso, Pear Pizzaz; Other - Chocolate Chip taffeta (sorry, retired, but they do have Soft Suede), gold brads.
Okay, this is nice. It's not GOJUS, but it is nice looking and much better than those cards you get at the funeral home. And it's her mom's favorite colors and seasonal, yet somber enough without being depressing. So I guess I still can say YILM! Because sometimes creating cards means knowing what to leave out rather than what to add.
Well, it's time for you to go onward to Robin Spinner's blog and see the fabulous projects she has in store for you! Ta!
Beautiful as always, Jan! Love the colors for the snowmen card! And the snowflake card is stunning! What a super idea for that!
Posted by: Deb | November 19, 2011 at 09:37 PM
Beautiful! I love those simple little snowmen...so cute, but they really look like they've been up to something! Your purple card in the middle is stunning! I love the illusion of the center layer. The fall tree stamp makes simple cards easy, doesn't it? Great projects, Jan!
Posted by: Lisa Martz | November 19, 2011 at 10:29 PM
Jan,
All of your cards are beautiful!!! I especially love the card you made for your friend, what a lovely "Thank you" card and so appropriate for the occasion.
Posted by: Terry I | November 19, 2011 at 10:44 PM
Like them all, Jan, but your Snow Swirled card is delicious!
Posted by: Pam | November 20, 2011 at 02:41 AM
Gorgeous cards Jan! I may case that second one for my work cards. OOops, gave myself away, haven't started them yet! Yikes!
Posted by: Dee in N.H. | November 20, 2011 at 06:29 AM
LOVE that second card especially, Jan! Great tech on the darker color with spots of light!
Posted by: Connie Babbert | November 20, 2011 at 07:34 AM
Inspiring as always!! I'll be CASEing some of these designs myself as well!
Posted by: Jason | November 20, 2011 at 10:09 AM
Great job as usual Jan. May have to get those snowmen after all.
Posted by: Dawn Olchefske | November 20, 2011 at 10:43 AM
these are all simply wonderful but I have to say....LOVE that snowflake one THE BEST!!! And those little marshmallow snowmen are just the CUTEST!
Posted by: Mary Brown | November 20, 2011 at 10:47 AM
Hi Jan what a beautiful card so delicate--glad to hear you are back on track--you are one woman to admire for all you do for your family and your fans--and yes I am even happier that you YILM--that gives me the inspiration to feel great about myself-even when days are just going the way I want. But just have to keep the faith. Have a Happy Thanksgiving full of good health and lots of blessed love. Raquel
Posted by: Raquel | November 20, 2011 at 01:45 PM
Love, Love, LOVE! your Season's Greetings card! It definitely is Gojus! Thanks for sharing it with us.
Posted by: Kristine Vencel | November 20, 2011 at 04:32 PM
Lovely Samples!!!
Love the coloring on the snowman card- great color combo and love the layout!!! So cute!!! What a beautiful color combo on your snowflake card- so pretty!!
Great fall card- nice color combo and layout- Love how the words and ribbon finish it off!!! Very Nice!!
Posted by: Diane Vander Galien | November 20, 2011 at 07:32 PM
What can I say??? You ARE a rock star!! (Profile pic a-la KISS would be AWESOME, btw!) All three cards are home runs, my dear! :)
Posted by: Wendy W. | November 21, 2011 at 05:29 AM