Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Mother's Day Cards (and an update!)

Happy Wednesday, dear crafty friends!

I wanted to share a project and some fun news with you today. Thank you so much for the encouraging words you gave me a couple weeks ago as I submitted my Graphic 45 design team audition. I did not make the top 30, but, I was genuinely thrilled to see quite a few familiar names make that list, including The Gentleman Crafter, Clare Charvill, and DeeDee Catron, to name a few. Current G45 design team members Gloria StengelTara Orr, Nicole Eccles, and Melanie Forbes also made the top 3; their creations are utterly stunning and I'm glad to see them possibly return for another year! I also discovered from the top 30 some new faces like Alberto Juarez Diaz and Maiko Miwa. When I visited their blogs, I was just blown away by their gorgeous creations.

As they say, when God closes one door, he opens another ... and he absolutely did! As of Monday, I am now a design team member for The Mad Scrapper, one of the greater Seattle area's local scrapbook stores!! Mad Scrapper has been around for 14 years and the ladies I've met so far are so talented and just a pleasure to be around. I am sooo excited and honored to be part of this great company, to be able to teach classes again, and to make some new friends. I wish I could have taught more classes at Paper Mermaids last year, but with my husband and me not knowing if we were going to move or not for several months, it really put a damper on my ability to commit to more classes.

Anyhoo, I will be teaching classes focusing on Graphic 45 papers along with Tim Holtz-style projects. Someone asked me if I would be teaching card classes and that is a possibility, but for now, I believe I'll be focusing more on mini books and either altered projects or Tim's configurations. I may teach some Donna Salazar-related projects, too -- but before my head spins out of control, I need to finish my first project for Mad Scrapper ... a top secret project that I'll announce later on! I can let you know, however, that my first class will be on Saturday, April 21st!

Finally, here is a project I made for my Etsy shop: an assorted pack of Mother's Day cards! I used the same paper for each card, but altered the orientation and design ever-so-slightly.


It was fun making the cards. I hadn't made one in what seems like such a long time. Last week, I bought some beautiful Teresa Collins paper from Mad Scrapper. I plan on making cards for Operation Write Home with it and will be sure to post that project once it's completed! 

That's my "newsletter" for you ... now, I'm off to do some sketches. I wish sometimes that there were 100 hours in a day ... the days go by waaay too fast! Thank you as always for looking!

13 comments:

Deb Neerman said...

WoW, congratulations on your new 'gig!' You will be amazing and they are so lucky to have you ... can't wait to see the projects you create for them!

And your Mother's Day cards are just lovely, Maria!

Maria said...

Deb, you are the sweetest lady, thank you so much!!

Sandra said...

Congrats that you joined that design team and that you're gonna teach! Very cool! I'm so excited for you!
Those motherday cards are absolutely stunning!

Maria said...

Thank you so much, Miss Sannie!! You are the sweetest and I am so thankful for all the support and kind words you've given me!!

{Eka} said...

These cards are beyond gorgeous! Love your work!

Janna said...

These cards are so pretty and they sure sold fast! Congratulations on the design team gig!!! What fun!!

Paper Nurse said...

Beautiful cards Maria! So happy all is going well for you and the Mad Scrapper is lucky to have you! Have lots of fun.

Maria said...

Aw, thank you so much, ladies!! Recognize this paperline, Carol?? :)

Marisa Job said...

Beautiful cards Maria! Congratulations on the Mad Scrapper DT!! Hugs!

Marjie Kemper said...

These are so beautiful! Love how you've nestled the words in there and the bits of lace.

Maria said...

Thanks so much, ladies!! :)

Gloria Stengel said...

You do such great work with the G45 papers. Try again next year! Sometimes they need to see more of you. Post often to the Ning gallery! If you need a link, email me! Hugs!

G.

Maria said...

You are sooo sweet, thank you for the kind and encouraging comments, Gloria!!