Long Life

Blue Ribbon #7

Asian art has always beguiled me - happily, cards made with Oriental themes tend to be my favorites throughout my years of stamping.  Evidently, the judges liked this one too . . .

I love using Washi papers for embellishments but they are too thin to do the job on their own.  So I iron them onto freezer paper which gives them instant strength.  It's quick, easy, makes no mess, and can easily be cut with scissors, a craft knife or a die.

The Chinese coin embellishment shows my favorite way to deal with the hole that's usually in the middle of these coins.  I laid down a small spray of dried pine needles over the hole and threaded a narrow strip of reinforced Washi up, over the needles, and back down through the hole.  The ends were secured on the back with glue and then the coin was stuck down with a large glue dot.

Cardstock:   Bazzill Cantaloupe, Beckett Moonlight, Generic

                     Washi papers      

Stamps:       MJ Barber Chinese Horseman, Stamp Camp Texture

                     Specks, "Long Life" chop

Inks:             Hero Black, Ancient Page Cardinal, Mandarin, Distress

                     Old Paper, Peeled Paint, Black Soot

Emb Pwdr:   Distress Black Soot

Emb Fldr:     Taylored Expressions Weathered

Dies:            Spellbinders Victorian Tags

Doo Dads:    Chinese coin, dried pine needles