Happy New Year from the Open-Minded Crafting Fun Design Team!!

Good evening everyone! First we just want to send out one last HUGE thank you to Vicky Fortier, who we miss dearly. She was a part of the beginning of Open-Minded Crafting Fun and it would not have ever happened had it not been for her support and the time she put into this challenge blog. You are very missed. Next, we want to send out a huge thank you to Carol and Erin for running the blog while Susan was away. You are all amazing for doing what you did. You are missed and appreciated more than you could ever know. So, thank you so very much for everything from the bottom of our hearts.

Next, we wanted to post a little Happy New Year to everyone from the entire Design Team and we wanted to introduce you to our team as well!!  We have our first monthly challenge coming up on the 10th of January at 6 am EST. It is ready to go and we are all excited to have everyone playing along! All of the challenges will be posted on the 10th of each month and the winners and DT Favorites will be posted on the 20th of the following month.

So, without further ado!! We are going to introduce you to the entire Design Team... including members that have stayed with us and those that are new to our team!!

These are our Design Team Members that stayed with us during our switch to a Monthly Challenge. Thank you all so very much for staying with us. We are so lucky and honored to have each and every one of you on our Design Team Family. You all are wonderful and so great to learn from. Thank you!!

• Ana Isabel -- The Red Mullet Band
• AngelicBadGirl aka Samantha Brooks -- AngelicBadGirl
• Berni Cuttino -- Chasing The Dream
• Del aka Adele -- Designed By Del
• Hanne Makela -- Handmade By Hanne
• Joanna Gorecka -- Handmejki Aluny
• Kel aka Kel Acopan -- Scraps & photoGRAFFS
• Lynda Cooke -- My Handmade Life - A Crafter's Blog
• Rebecca Wong -- Scrapping With LUV
• Shirley-Anne Barber -- Stamping For Joy
• Susan Kennedy -- Scrap A Thousand Words

Now, we would like to welcome our new members to the team. Thank you all so much for joining us!!  We look forward to the great time ahead!! You all are so talented and it has been a joy to get to know you so far and we look forward to getting to know you better!! Thank you all!


Annette Stapylton -- Annettes Hobby Rosettes
Hi, my name is Annette Stapylton! I live on the South Coast of Nowra NSW Australia with my hubby and two little dogs and have been scrapping for approx 10 years on and off. Since retiring 5 years ago I have been scrapping full time as a hobby only. I am the Owner/Creator of the World Wide Open Design Team Monthly Challenge and I also am the owner/creator of My Besties Meet at the Scrappers Corner Monthly Challenge. I also am the owner of the Facebook Group Meet at the Scrappers Corner which currently has 1589 members and this site is for chatting, listing various challenges, promoting, posting projects, sharing all types of crafting and tutorials etc. Its just a fun friendly group.


BBsButterfly aka Elizabeth Britt -- BBsButterfly
Elizabeth Britt has been a public school and online educator for over 15 years teaching English to students from grades 6^th through college, and Masters level Teacher Education courses. She currently lives in Oklahoma City with her husband of 15 years, 6 dogs, a cat, and a bird. She has been creating art for as long as she can remember. She is fairly new to blogging and YouTube tutorials, but is excited about sharing her art with the world. Her specialties are papercrafts, altered items, and mixed media. She is a member of the DecoArts Helping Artist program and new to the Open-Minded Crafting Fun Design Team for 2016.


Deanne Clarke-Saunders -- A Little Bit O'Paper
My name is Deanne Clarke-Saunders. My hubby and I live in Paradise, Newfoundland Canada. I was an elementary teacher for 23 years but retired early. I am now an Early Childhood Educator (couldn’t stay away from the kiddies!!). I have always enjoyed playing with paper, scissors, glue, and ESPECIALLY crayons and pencil crayons, ever since I’ve been a small child. I just couldn’t stop playing, so I continued by scrapbooking and card-making! I love it!!! My hubby calls me a paper hoarder. He just MAY be right, but I’d never tell him that!!! A man doesn’t need to know he’s right!!! haha!


Kerri Hibberd -- The Occasional Crafter
Hi I’m Kerri a part time teacher from the UK. I’ve been card making now for just over 2 years. I found that crafting helped me unwind from teaching and helps me relax. I started out by just making cards for family and my confidence has slowly grown. I married my very supportive husband back in 2012 and he puts up with all my mess! I’m not a very tidy crafter. I’m also a mother to a gorgeous toddler who keeps me on my toes!


Kraftykoolkat aka Cathy -- Kraftykoolkat
Hi I'm Cathy Tanner. I am a 64 year old crafter living Hertfordshire UK. I spend all my time crafting and blogging. I had to retire from work early through ill health and my crafting keeps me going. If I am not crafting or blogging I am on the internet looking for crafty things to buy, I am lucky to have a dedicated crafting room in our apartment. (BUT, I do have to let the other half in occasionally to do his hobby as well !!! )  I have been happily married to Tony for 30 years.  I have a Stepdaughter that lives in France with her husband but sadly no Grandchildren. My favorite technique is colouring Stamps and Digi images with Promarkers/Graph’ It  markers and using all the lovely dies that there are on the market.


Lynnpenguin -- Lynnpenguin's Creative Corner
My name is Lynn (aka Lynnpenguin) I have been crafting my whole life and enjoying many different creative avenues. I've been an avid Scrapbooker and Cardmaker for over 15 years. I came across blogging about 3 years ago and love it. I enjoy being part of several design teams. I love to colour with Copic Markers and also dabble in pencil crayons. I collect penguins and have over 3,000 of them (so please don't send me any!). I live in Southern Ontario, CANADA in the Greater Toronto Area with my husband and son.


Monica Maier -- Monica's Craft Corner
I am married with 3 boys, and work part time at Michael's. I've lived in IL since 2003 but was born in TX. I grew up a "military brat", so I've been lucky to call TX, FL, Germany, IN, AZ, NC and IL home at some point in my life. I've been crafting things since I was little. I've dabbled in painting (canvas, wood and plaster houses), sewing, wreath making, crochet, scrapbooking and card making. Card making has become a favorite, why by a card if I have the supplies to make my own!


NanaConnie -- Granny's Attic
I'm a Nana to 6 and great-Nana to 2; family is very important to me, second only to my love of God and church. I've been crafting all my life and my interests include sewing, crocheting, painting, ceramics, short stories and poetry, plus creative cooking and baking. Once I retired, I really discovered papercrafts, including scrapbooking and card making. These days, making cards seems to have eclipsed all other creative pursuits because of the relatively immediate reward of seeing the completed project. I love serving on Design Teams and playing in challenges. I'm so excited about rejoining the Open Minded Crafting Fun team. :-D **(And we couldn't be more happy that you have rejoined us!)**


Sandy How -- Sandy's Creations
I am Sandy How. I've been married for 40 years and we have 5 wonderful children and 5 beautiful grandchildren with another due in March. I spend my time babysitting, singing in the church choir that we attend each Sunday and performing concerts with another choir of 80 plus choristers and crafting. I teach cardmaking at a community group and love getting together with friends during the week to craft as well. I've dabbled in several types of craft but for the last 10 years cardmaking has been my favourite with stamping and paper embroidery being my top two interests. Having internet access has certainly helped to see and learn new techniques and enjoy looking at what other fellow crafters create.


Traceymo -- Mowbray Designs
Hi I'm Tracey, I live in Oxfordshire in UK, married with 2 wonderful sons. I have been papercrafting for over 11 years now. I love to craft! Love colouring in using digi stamps is a must for me. But have dappled in scrapbooking & jewellery.

Thanks to everyone!!  And we all look forward to the year ahead and having all of you play along!! Thank you to the amazing sponsors that have joined us for this year. Thank you for your generosity! You can find all of the sponsors on the side bar. See you on the 10th of January for our first challenge this year!