My Designing Friend, Janice, and another multi-challenge card

Before I show my card for today, I want first to introduce you to another one of my very talented designing friends,

Janice Whiting.

She is not only an avid cardmaker, but she also scrapbooks and creates the most amazing cakes! You can see some of her cake creations HERE. Look at this beautiful card she made using Lovely Labels. Wow, I love the quilted look and the lace...well you know how much I love lace. :-)

I asked her a few questions and I hope you will enjoy reading about her as much as I did.

1. How long have you been paper crafting and how did you get started?

I've been crafting all my life! I grew up with crafting all around me; my mom was a seamstress (often times making little dresses for my and my sister's Barbie dolls!) and my dad mettled in carpentry, matting and framing, so working with your hands to create something beautiful was just part of life for me growing up. I honed in on paper crafting when I was in college. I made a scrapbooking album encompassing my college years and I had so much fun doing it! It was when stickers and fun edged scissors were all the rage! I look back at that album now and laugh! Some of my pages were just plain hilarious ( I made my own handmade die cuts and colored my own background paper back then--what in the world!) I enjoyed it so much though that I've never looked back. :)

2. What are your current favorite:

• Techniques: my latest fascination has been with the "shabby chic" look! I can't say I've mastered it yet as I am such a "clean cut look" type of gal but I love the challenge of it and the aspect of stretching my creativity that it gives
• Tools: I love my BossKut Gazelle! Of course, borders punches, my Nestabilities, and stamps, stamps, stamps!
• Embellishments: oooooh, yes, I love ribbon and lately I seem to be putting a bow on every card I make!

3. What makes a "WOW" card, in your opinion?

Hmmm, that is such hard question because there are so many beautiful creations out there that look so different and use such different techniques, BUT, in my opinion, they do have to have a well-balanced composition and colors that compliment one another. And for whatever reason, if a card has a bit of texture to it it makes it all the more fun to look at!

4. What inspires you to create? Define your crafting style.

Another hard question. ;) I'm not sure if this would be considered inspiration but I simply have this drive within me to "create" and it is something that I have had all my life. The feeling I get when I have created something beautiful is so satisfying. And what a stress reliever it is to sit down and work with my hands! I must say though, that nature is absolutely inspiring to me!

As far as my style, I guess I'm a bit of a mixed bag. I really do like a nice clean cut look but I also like flowers and flourishes and those don't always lend themselves to clean and crisp looks. I'm not into doodling and such as my handwriting is horrible and I prefer to create something "elegant" as opposed to "cute"--not that cute is bad, its just not my style! ;)

5. Tell us something about your family. Where are you from? Other interests besides paper crafting. Or any random fact about you.

I've been married to a wonderful man named Luke and we have two little sons, Elijah (3yr.) and Judah (19mo,). They are the loves of my life! We are from central Texas but are currently in South Carolina attending language school and studying Russian! My husband will be teaching at an private international school in Russia this coming fall so, we are "in process" of learning the language and getting out the door. We are excited about our upcoming journey overseas!

Apart from paper crafting, I'm into cake decorating, crocheting, mountain biking, jewelry making, floral arranging, sports and the list goes on! What can I say, there are just so many fun things in this world to enjoy so why not enjoy them?! :)

6. Do you have a favorite quote/verse that you live by?

Yes! I have always claimed Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight." as my favorite verse and I still love it and cling to it but recently, Matt. 19:26 "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." has been the verse that has been close to my heart.

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Here's a card from me today. The frame is cut with Spellbinders labels 4. The subtle stamp in the background and text are from GinaK Designs' Lovely Labels. The butterfly is from Hope is Faith set; the papers are Theresa's Wings of Hope digipapers. Some of the proceeds from from these stamp set and digipapers will go towards helping the victims of Haiti.

I'm entering this card to the following challenges:

• Cute Card Thursday (to use metals: brads)
• Stampin' Sisters in Christ (to make a card to tell someone God loves them)
  
• 2S4U Sketch
• The Pink Elephant (to use ribbon)