The Texana Designs Team!

Happy New Years

from

Texana Designs!

I'm thrilled to announce that the Design Team Members all want to continue for 2013!  It's been quite a year.  This group of creativeness far surpassed my vision for this team.  Not only did they design and create amazing samples (such a variety) using the Texana Designs Stamps, but it's a team of friendship, support, inspiration and a constant sharing of care and ideas.  

They all bring a unique style to our stamps and are ready to start another year of creating!  They are:  Janet Bradshaw, Jilda Bolton, Karen Lambert, Libby Hickson, and Megan Bickers.

The Texana Design Family

Jimmye Sue Mitchell, Owner

Texana Designs begins year #6 and it has been quite a ride - loving every minute of it.

We began in November 2007 when my daughter, Maggie (the one who just got married), wanted to make some $$$ (the  poor college student).  She wanted to make Texas calendars and we couldn't find Texas stamps that would work for us.

Fortunately, she was dating (not the one she married) a 5th generation Texan and artist that designed our first 12 Texas stamps and the rest is history.

I've been married to my Zen man Tom for 26 years and have two amazing kids.  Maggie just got married and is in grad school at the University of Texas.  Kenny is a senior at the University of Texas.  I'm also a surrogate Mimi (my sister is no longer with us) to Roxy and Alister.  Along with my passion for stamping, is my passion for travel.  Our family loves to travel and we have been all over the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii.  We have also traveled to France, Italy, Germany and Prague.  I'm looking forward to  visiting the New England states next October - changing of the leaves.

Joyce A. Meyer, Artist/Teacher

I've always loved Joyce's designs and had many of her stamps before she joined the Texana Designs Team In November 2008.  We soon found out that her stamps were secondary to this relationship.  We are dearest of friends and travel all over Texas teaching classes, Make n' Takes, promoting our stamps.  We love road trips!  

Joyce says:  I have a BFA in Art and MA in Art Education and taught art in the Texas Public Schools for 21 years.  Jam'n Stamps was in business from 2000-2005.  In 2006, I wanted to devote more time to my art and family.  I've been an artist all my life and love drawing, painting, photography and TEXAS.

Janet Bradshaw, Design Team Member

Janet and I became friends while working at Scrapbook Fever.  I've said many times I would love to visit Janet's brain for awhile!!  Such creativity.  She is a regular teacher at Stamp Salado and her classes are a must!!  

Janet says:  I was born and raised in West Texas.  I now make my home in Austin.  My professional career is in the oil and gas industry, but my passion is scrapbooking and chronicling.  I created my first scrapbook in 1980.  My interest in scrapbooking was renewed in 1997.  Scrapbooking photos of my daughter rekindled my question for ancestors and genealogy.  I love to create heritage albums.  I love to share my enthusiasms of stamping and paper crafting with everyone.  I worked many years for a local scrapbook store.  I have created and taught many classes at various stores around Central Texas and have led a number of online courses about scrapbooking.  In my spare time I enjoy visiting with family and friends but mostly I love paper crafting.  I am delighted to participate in this design team.  Paper crafting has so many outlets, find yours and enjoy! 

Jilda Bolton, Design Team Member

I've only know Jilda for a couple of years, but I know we've had a connection for many lifetimes.   It's just one of those heart connections.  Jilda brings her love of "dies" and punches to all her samples!  Jilda had an opportunity to go to CHA last year for the first time and leaves Friday to return.  Can't wait to hear about all the new goodies!! 

Jilda says:  I grew up in Fort Worth, Texas, and moved to Austin, Texas when I was 20  (42 years ago!).  I am blessed to live with my amazing husband and three fine pets - two dogs and a cat.  We live near our wonderful daughter & son-in-law and two fabulous granddaughters (two of my favorite fellow crafters).  Our life is filled with an exciting assortment of family and close friends.  

I've been involved in art since elementary school, but I didn't start using rubber stamps as a medium until the summer of 2006.  After I retired from the University of Texas at Austin in 2008, I really stepped up my fun with stamps by taking classes and making lots and lots of cards to keep in touch with friends and family.

In February 2011, I met Joyce when I took her Watercolor Crayon class at Stamp Salado.  I met Jimmye Sue that same week when I picked up my class kit (that I had left in Salado) from Joyce.  Since then we have shared classes, play dates, road trips, and lots of FUN.  I learn something from each of them every time I see them.

Karen Lambert, Design Team Member

Karen and I made a connection when she and her hubby went to Key West.  She shared her information, we went to Key West and we have been sharing trip information ever since.  But that's not all, she is an excellent seamstress and has made several items for my sweet Roxy and Alister and made Maggie's wedding dress using the lace from my wedding dress.  Amazing experience.  Many holy moments.  Forever thankful.  

Karen says:  Creativity is a big part of my life.  If I am not doing something creative, I am probably thinking about it.  I began sewing in elementary school and that led to working in the garment industry when I got out of high school.  After moving to the Austin area I started my custom Bridal Business in 1994.  

I discovered scrapbooking and stamping in 2001 after friends encouraged me to "try it out, you'll like it".  WOW!!  Were they RIGHT.  Paper crafting became a passion.  I now consider myself a "mixed media artist".  I love textures and dimension, so it is not unusual for me to include embossing, glittering, stitching, photos, and even fabric into my creations.  I love tools and techniques.

By day I am "nanny" to 2 of my grandsons while their mommy teaches Middle School Art.  Evenings and weekends are spent creating or exploring Texas with my husband of 34 years, Mike.  We have 2 grown sons, 2 wonderful daughters-in-love, and 3 grandsons.

Besides my art, I love photography, hiking, crocheting, and spending time with our dogs.

Libby Hickson, Design Team Member

Libby moved to Georgia after living in Texas for several years.  Having her on the Design Team has been such a blessing and an opportunity to keep that connection close.  We now have her join our monthly play dates via Google!  She's always trying new techniques that are so amazing! 

Libby says:  I'm mostly a SAHM (stay at home Mom) living in Marietta, Georgia - but I  just moved from Austin, and I'll always be a bit Texan at heart!  My two kids keep me busy during the day, so I do most of my stamping late at night once the house is quiet.  I work part-time for Hero Arts, doing behind the scenes admin work, blog posts and best of all, corresponding with contest winners - such a fun job!  I'm currently a member Linda's Catered Crop Recipe Swap team. In the past I've served on The Play Date Cafe team, as well as designed for Firecracker Designs by Pamela.  When I'm not getting inky, I volunteer at a local cat shelter, and I also love cooking, gardening, hiking & biking.  I love love love making Texas-themed cards, and I'm as thrilled as all get-out to be on Jimmye Sue's Texana Designs team.  

Meagan Bickers, Design Team Member

Megan joined the Design Team last June.  She has been such an asset to the team with her samples of rich colors,mixing patterns and textures and Copics!

Megan says:  I am thrilled to be on the Design Team for Texana Designs!  I was first introduced to stamping when I was in 5th grade.  My babysitter loved all things "crafty" and my favorite supplies to use were her rubber stamps.  That was many years ago, but my love for stamping has grown and I have a much larger collection to prove it!  I also love to scrapbook and most of my layouts contain stamping in some form or other.  My projects mostly have a vintage flair and reflect my love for mixing patterns and textures.  For over ten years I taught stamping and scrapbooking classes, but I have recently taken a break from the teaching role to return to work part time as a Dental Hygienist.

I have been married for 15 years to my best friend, Mike, and we have two children (Jacob and Abbey).  Of course, our family wouldn't be complete without our dogs, Scrappy.  We live in Texas and enjoy spending as much time as we can outdoors or playing board games together.