Week 2 with Miesje Flach

Welcome to week 2 with Miesje!! Today Miesje decided to step out of her card comfort zone today and create a 3D project with "The Vine", this gorgeous jar! I think you'll all agree with me after seeing this she should step out more often, with confidence! :) She was very clever to make a clear wrap for the jar instead of trying to stamp directly onto the curved vase which can be tricky. Also this allowed her to color on the back side with Copics to prevent smearing the images.

Miesje's details: I stamped the vine on transparency with StazOn and then colored on the reverse side of that with Copics (yg61,yg67, yg63). The flowers were all on Pure Luxury white, colored with Copics (R89, R35) and cut out. I stamped the sentiment on white, used the Spellbinders tag and then some distress inks. I added some pearls to the flowers and some ribbon.

Here's a little more about this talented lady:

Tell us about yourself!

I have been married to by best friend for almost 40 years! Together we have raised 8 amazing children. All of our children are adopted and have enriched our lives and the lives of each other with their uniqueness. We are very devoted to our family and our faith. We are Catholic and active in our parish. I am a teacher in a Catholic school where our children attended and now several grandchildren roam those same halls. Now that is fun! My DH owned his own precast company for more than 30 years but last year it was time to close the doors and work for another precast company where he is now the GM. He likes it. God has always shown us where to go and, when we listen, it was always the right path.

Describe your style/what you think you do best:

Gosh, do I have a style? I think my style would best be described as basic, if that is a style. Not really sure about this one.

FAVORITE TECHNIQUE:

My favorite technique is paper piecing and coloring. I am also big on fussy cutting and popping up elements.

COLORS/COLOR COMBO:

I am a fall colors person. Pastels are the colors I use least.

FAVORITE EMBELLISHMENTS:

Pearls, gems, flowers, ribbon. Thank goodness she put an (s) at the end of embellishment or I would have been in trouble!

FAVORITE GINA K SET BY MELANIE:

Oh my gosh – this is hard! My first “Melanie” and still my go to set is “A year of Flowers”

FAVORITE GINA K SETS (FROM ANY ILLUSTRATOR)

I think that the stamp set I use the most often, especially for those times when you have to make a card quick and the thinking – planning – playing time is limited I have turned to the StampTV set called Spring Mix. It covers a multitude of options and I love the sentiments.

CRAFT SUPPLIES I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT:

Spellbinder dies and designer paper – gotta have em – can’t have too many! Oh – and my Scor-pal – oh wait – Copics – sheesh – can’t forget those!

I’VE BEEN STAMPING FOR (HOW LONG):

12 years – goodness, I had not thought about that in a while. Where did the time go? Oh, I know where it went – stamping and shopping for stamping!

I GET MY INSPIRATION FROM:

Fellow stampers, especially StampTV.

Tell us about your FIRST stamping experience!!

Pitiful! I was invited to a Stampin Up party, did my make and take and thought it was absolutely incredible. Ummm, still have that card ummmm, not so incredible. But it was love at first sight though and I had to have the “stuff”!

Tell us about your most MEMORABLE stamping experience!! In October of 2009 when I posted my very first card on StampTV and I got 2 comments!!!

THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS I’VE LEARNED ABOUT STAMPING/CARDMAKING ARE:

There are very few “mistakes” that can’t be saved with an embellishment. Thank goodness or I would have a VERY full waste basket at the end of each craft session!

SOME OF MY STAMPING/CRAFTING GOALS ARE:

Be brave enough to send in a card to a magazine to see if I can have one published.

ADVICE FOR BEGINNERS:

Don’t be too hard on yourself. It took me many years before I thought I was good enough to put a photo of one of my cards online.

FAVORITE THING TO MAKE THAT AREN’T CARDS:

Not many, I have altered tins as gifts for people and filled them with the mountains of cards that I have.

SOME OF MY STAMPING/CRAFTING ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

I was guest designer for Theresa Momber last spring. I almost hyperventilated when I received that e-mail. Wow, what a moment. I was also selected as a Center Stage Design team member for the month of August of 2010, that was incredibly exciting. I am on the design team for Stampin Sisters in Christ which is a joy for me! And I was the July Friends of The Crafts Meow this year.

CHALLENGES I LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN:

I really like sketch challenges so some of the ones (other than StampTV) that I enter are Card Patterns and CPS. I also enter some other stamp company challenges such as MFP and ODBD.

Tell us more about Stampin’ Sisters In Christ and how your faith influences your artwork:

When Lisa asked to guest design for SSIC in May of 2010 I was stunned! I did not think that I would ever make cards good enough and be able to express myself well enough to be part of that incredible team. You know, when I started creating a card based on scripture, the cards began to take on a different meaning. I look for sentiments that encourage and show that my first love is to the Lord. It is in giving that you receive and I have received so many blessings through this experience. It is amazing how when I reflect on a scripture verse every week for the challenge my focus for the week changes – I change. I am blessed to work with those ladies and by those who visit the site and leave their own comments.

Another craft I have a talent for or one I would like to try:

I think I have tried just about every craft known! I used to sew all of our children's clothes, I have quilted, ceramics, macramé, counted cross stitch and probably every fly by night craft that anyone told me about. Stamping has lasted the longest though.

TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT YOURSELF THAT MIGHT SURPRISE US!

Okay – 2 days later and I am still stumped! I suppose I am an open book.

WHAT I DO WHEN I’M NOT STAMPING:

I love to work outside. Mowing the lawn is fun to me. I enjoy reading too. Really though, when I am home and the chores are done – I stamp and stamp and stamp.

A FAVORITE QUOTE:

“God doesn't require us to succeed; he only requires that you try” Mother Teresa

Don't ya just love her? :) Now please give a little love on her blog and check out a beautiful CARD she made with "The Vine"! Thanks for stopping in! Hugs!