We Will Miss You, Ike :(

 

 

Hi, Friends.....

I am sharing very sad news today.  As many of you have already heard, our dear friend Ike (Suzy Eisenhauer) of Ike's Art, Ike's World Challenges, and Show Us Your Pussycats Challenges lost her battle with cancer and passed away early Thursday during the night.  Since then.....blog posts, FB posts, and emails have been showing up expressing what we all feel: grief and loss, but also a huge amount of gratitude for the privilege of knowing Ike, even if it was only on-line.  

Ike had the beautiful gift of making everyone feel special and valued.  I do not use digital images very much (rather, hardly at all!).  But anytime I used her artwork in a card or project she made me feel like a million dollars with her words of appreciation.....(even though my cards were never all that great!)

She was a loyal supporter of the Cat Lovers Hops here on my blog.  She sponsored our Hops from the very beginning in 2015 and graciously designed special sets of images especially for the Hop each year until she was too ill to do it.  I featured those images each year and designated Ike's Art as the official sponsor for the Daily Games feature on the Hop.  She was a dearly loved member of our Cat Lovers Hop family and it won't be the same without her!

She was a cat lover through and through and that's probably how she and I first got to know each other.  I recruited her to help me launch the first Cat Lovers Hop by submitting a project.....and then I couldn't get rid of her!!  Ha.  She stuck around and became part of the backbone of the Hops.  (What in the world are we going to do now???)

Ike was always positive and cheery in her outlook.  She spread joy and humor wherever she went.  Her emails and FB posts were often sprinkled with funny memes and wry humor.  Most times you would never guess she was suffering so intensely.  

She only mentioned occasionally that she was ill, but one could tell things were not good at all.  She courageously dealt with all life threw at her, including the nasty effects of chemo.  So it was a huge surprise to receive a package from her several weeks ago.  It was a birthday present.....this wonderful crocheted kitty lap afghan.  Sooooooooo fun and cute!!  

How she managed to make this when she had been ill for so long, I don't know...but it is something I will always treasure and remember her by.  How very like Ike to generously give of herself with a special handmade gift.  I know that many others have similar tales of the unique and creative gifts Ike sent "just because".....even with high postage costs and "donkey mail" clear from Greece! 

Ike will live on in the hearts of her family and her many friends around the world.  She made a tremendous impact on the papercrafting community and her art will continue to be loved...and used to bring joy to others!  

My prayers are with her family and to all those who will miss her dearly.  We will always love and remember you, Ike.  We are so blessed to have been privileged to know you! 💖💖💖

❤
Janis

April Rudolph Days - More Graphic 45

Haha....this made me laugh.
Credit to this post HERE.

Hi, Friends......

Well, here it is the end of April and time for Rudolph Days again!!  Where did this month go?????  Too much going on and nothing blogged....but I have been playing with my Graphic 45 again.  

I finished making all the 5x7 cards from the large cut-aparts in the G45 Let it Snow collection.....eighteen cards!  They are essentially similar to the ones I made in February, but I decided to dress these up with glitter and I LOVE it!!  Glitter gives them a nice vintage Christmas look and has the added advantage of spreading magical sparkle into every nook and cranny of my house!!  Ha...I know you all understand this concept well!!  (Even the cats ended up bedecked with it.  lol....  Gotta love glitter!! )  

You might have to click to enlarge the photo below in order to see the glitter.  So much fun!

 

Here's my set of eighteen cards!  Hey, who knows....YOU might get one of these this Christmas.  :)  

Supplies used include:
Graphic 45 - Let it Snow Collection
Solid cardstock, ribbon, and glitter from my stash

Thank you for stopping by today.  Hope spring is sproinging at your house.  It is here, but it is a chilly one.  Had snow on Easter and a few flakes since then, but the daffodils are blooming and the birds are singing.  The chickens and cats are loving the warmer weather.  It's rainy today, but April showers bring May flowers so it's okay.  :)  

❤
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. April Rudolph Days
2. Pam's Inky Pinkies Challenge #2217
3. DL.Art April Linky Challenge
4. ABC Christmas - H is for HoHoHo (features Santa)

March Rudolph Days

 

Hi, Friends.....

Quick post here because the rest of this week is jam-packed but I don't want to miss getting this card posted for Mo's Rudolph Days.

I dug out a package of Christmas motif felt stickers and got inspired to use this tree as a focal image with scraps for the panel and background.  I went very simple with my usual clean and layered look.  I debated putting a sentiment on the front, but decided I liked it better plain to let the stylized tree and fun background paper be the stars. 

Supplies used include:
Hero Arts - Green Christmas Felt stickers (retired)
Winnie & Walter - Essentials:  Audrey Cutaways die set (scallops) - retired
Winnie & Walter - Essentials: Katharine Cutaways die set - retired
Lawn Fawn - Small Stitched Rectangles die set
Adhesive star from stash
Scraps of solid and patterned paper

Thanks so much for stopping by today.  You still have another day to enter over at the March Rudolph Days.  See you there!!

❤
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. March Rudolph Days
2. Snippets Playground Challenge #424
3. DL.ART March Linky

Better A Lil 'Late Than O'Never

 

Hi, Friends.....

I usually don't make St. Patrick's Day cards, but lucky me.... I do have some supplies for the occasion.  I got them out and played around a little bit. I am barely getting these posted on the 17th! 

Instead of cards specifically for St. Patrick's Day, I made some Irish-themed birthday cards for friends who are celebrating in the second half of March.   If I dig around in my stash deep enough, crafty goodies for nearly every occasion magically appear....including some of Julee Tilman's Lucky Day digital images printed out way back when she had her Verve shop going.  So I put them with some fun patterned paper scraps to make a few cards.
 

Card #1

Thank you for the honor of entering card #1 in the following challenges:
1. Double D Challenge - Something with a Handle
2. Word Art Wednesday Weeks 535 and 546 - AG

Card #2

Thank you for the honor of entering card #2 in the following challenges:
1. Colorful Options March 2022 - Gorgeous Green
2. Double Trouble Challenge #105 - Bring on the Green
(Thing 1: Green, Thing 3: Plaid Design Background)

Card #3

Thank you for the honor of entering card #3 in the following challenges:
1. Snippets Playground - Ruby's Memory Challenge #423 - Use snippets
2. DL.ART March Linky

Supplies used include:
Verve Stamps - Lucky Day digital stamp set - retired
Winnie & Walter - Essentials:  Audrey Cutaways die set - retired
Winnie & Walter - Essentials: Katharine Cutaways die set - retired
Patterned paper and solid scraps from stash
Spectrum Noir alcohol markers

Hope you enjoyed these birthday cards and get an idea of how you can use St. Patty supplies for other March occasions.....in a "pinch"!

Thank you for stopping by today! 

💚
Janis

Celebrate In Style - Guest Designer for Paper Dragonfly

 

Hi, Friends......

I am honored this month to be a Guest Designer for Cat over at the Paper Dragonfly Creative Challenges.  Are you ready to celebrate in style?????  I hope so, because the March theme is.....Mardi Gras! 

Wow...this was really a challenge for me, but I discovered I had a few Mardi Gras looking stamps in my stash.  So it was the perfect time to pull them out.  Dragonflies are optional for this challenge, but there is a special incentive if you do use them.  You can read all about that on the Paper Dragonfly Creative Challenges blog.

I got really arty and maybe a little wild with my card.....which I guess is right on mark with the theme.  Mardi Gras really isn't a "thing" where I live so I had to Google Image search for Mardi Gras motifs.  To my surprise, a stamp set that I recently received from Impression Obsession had several images that could work:  fleur de lis and diamonds.  I chose a watercolor background from my stash and added gold embossed dragonflies.  

My masked lady with crown and wings was from a thrift store grab bag.  I managed to track down the name of the artist....Teesha Moore....but I could not discover what company this stamp might be from.  So if you recognize it, please let me know!!  I decided to give the gal purple skin for the occasion.....weird, huh?  But fun.  :) 

Supplies used include:
Winnie & Walter - Essentials: Katharine Cutaways die set - retired
Lawn Fawn - Large Stitched Rectangles die set
American Crafts - Head in the Clouds stamp set (retired) - dragonfly
Versamark Ink
Gold Embossing Powder
Impression Obsession - Masculine Set CL92
Lavender Pigment Ink
Distress Ink in Pumice Stone
Masked Lady by Teesha Moore (still trying to find that company made her)
Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers
Unity - "Celebrate in Style" (still trying to track down)
Winnie & Walter - Sketchy Thoughts die set - retired
Versafine Ink in Imperial Purple
Sparkle Embossing Powder

Hope you like my card.....even though it is not my usual style!  Please join us over at the Paper Dragonfly Creative Challenges for our Challenge #3 - Mardi Gras!  Thank you to Cat for inviting me to Guest Design!!! 

❤
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1.  I'll be adding some challenges later on.... :)

February Rudolph Days - Merry Christmas with Graphic 45

 

Hi, Friends......

I almost was unable to get this Rudolph Days card posted in time to get under the wire.  Not only is February a short month, but there were birthday festivities for me this weekend....not to mention that we have a fussy teething grandbaby in the house who isn't feeling well at all.  Then to top it off we were without power for the afternoon and evening today!  Whew!  I am delighted to be able to share my entry after all that. Yay!!

I opened up my new Let It Snow Graphic 45 collection the other day to make my Rudolph Days card.  Love!!!  I did a couple very simple cards....using cutaparts, borders, and pretty background paper.  Easy peasy and so pretty!!!  This is another of my "Use the pretty stuff before I die projects".  :)

Here's my second one....

Supplies used include:
Graphic 45 Let it Snow collection
Winnie & Walter - Essentials: Katharine Cutaways die set - retired
Forest Green cardstock
Distress Ink in Pine Needles and Faded Jeans

Hope you enjoyed these cards.  This is your gentle reminder to use your Graphic 45....before you die!!!  lol...
Thank you for stopping by today.

❤
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering these cards in the following challenge(s):
1.  February Rudolph Days
(Maybe more later.....)

C is for Cat - Set of ATCs

 

Hi, Friends.....

It has been several years since I made any Artist Trading Cards.  In fact it was 4 years ago this month that I celebrated my online ATC 60th Birthday Party where I had weekly ATC challenges for you to participate in.  In honor of my birthday month this year, I am revisiting ATCs.  

I am also joining in with this last-minute entry at the Think Pink (and shades of red) Challenge over at Lost Coast Designs.  I used the Lost Coast Designs - Two Cats stamp on my cards...but only one cat on each ATC.  lol...  

I wanted to stamp a sentiment across the heat embossed image....so I dug out my StazOn ink pad that hadn't been used in years and years.  Amazingly, it only took me a few minutes to find!  It was dry of course but I have a reinker.  Now that I have it freshly re-inked, I need to use it again soon so I don't waste it!!  I added splatters of black to help tie in the black sentiment to the cards.  

(If you wish to see detail, please click on the image to enlarge.)

Supplies used include:
Lost Coast Designs - Two Cats stamp
Lost Coast Designs - ATC Lattice Set
Versafine ink in Crimson Red
Clear embossing powder
Distress Ink in Lipstick Pink, Walnut Stain, Fired Brick, and Black Soot
Hampton Art - Graphic 45 - Raining Cats & Dogs stamp set (sentiment)
StazOn Ink in Black

Hope you enjoyed seeing my ATCs.  Are you interested in trading?  If so, send me an email  (jwoolbright at gmail dot com).  I might have to make more ATCs if more than three of you want to trade with me...since I want to save one for myself!  :)

Thank you for stopping by today.  Happy Valentine's Day to all!!

❤
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this set of ATCs in the following challenge(s):
1.  Lost Coast Designs - Think Pink (and shades of red)
More later, maybe.... :)