Stampin' Up! New Year Celebrations From Japan

Hi!

Today I'm showing you a couple of cards made with a very rare Stampin' Up! set.   It is the only one developed for the Japanese market that SU! has sold elsewhere, and that was a year ago in the U.S.  Knowing I was headed there soon, I purchased it through my former team member and picked it up last February when I stayed with her.  I've made one other card where I used the mountain as a background image.

Most of you probably don't know that I have a Bachelor's degree in  Japanese Studies, and that I lived there for 2 semesters during university.  I really like a lot of the Japanese aesthetic...that's one reason the Boho Indigo Product Medley appeals to me so much.

I CASE'd this card from Satomi Wellard, a teammate here in Australia AND the #2 demonstrator in Japan.  I added a couple of layers to my version.

EverThis one is CASE'd from Junko Fukuda, the #1 demonstrator in Japan.  Again, I added a layer, and the pearls to the cherry blossoms.

I will be sending these cards to my host family, and to my husband's host family (he did the same university program a year before I did).  We have exchanged holiday cards for over 30 years now, and we had the opportunity to introduce our kids to them in their town in 2012, and I now have regular correspondence with a granddaughter of my host parents. So fun!

I leave you with a little photographic evidence of my stay in Morioka, Japan.

Participating in a festival, Summer 1987.

Tea Ceremony, Fall 1987

The host moms decided to dress us all up in kimono for our farewell party, December 1987

---