About Us

Gutenberg's Daughters

Janae and Michelle with their Sister Melinda (on the right).  

This blog is a coordination between two sisters.... Michelle, in Portland, Oregon, and Janae in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  Being two of four sisters, number 4 and 2 respectively, this is our little project to keep us crafting together and a way to explain to our husbands why we need so many crafting supplies!

There's a 16 year spread between us four sisters, eight between Janae and I.  But of all of us, Janae and I are the most alike, in looks, in gestures, and in interests.  I remember my first paper crafting experience was back in the early 1970's on a trip across the US after picking up our brand new Vista Cruiser Station Wagon from the factory in Michigan.  Janae, being the intricut crafter she was back then in high school would occupy our time in the car by cutting and making play paper makeup for me to play with.  Janae chose for her activity bag for the car, a pad of colored construction paper, pens, scissors and glue.  Me?  I chose an assembly of barbies with their bangs cut off to their scalp along with the various ballroom barbie dresses I had traded my friend for.  I was always stuck in the back of the station wagon, a fort made for me out of our luggage, and I would watch over Janae's shoulder as she cut, folded, curled and manuevered that paper.  I was hooked.

Janae's High School Graduation.

Shortly after returning home to Oregon after our whirlwind trip, Janae left for college to pursue her higher education in arts.  And I would love when she came home for visits, because I would bug her until she would make me something or fold a dollar bill into a pair of pants for me.

Fast forward 40 years, and here we are, still crafting together.  Janae still making me beautiful objects out of paper and me just wanting to be like her.  I eventually gained my degree in graphic design and then 10 years later, in web design.  We make trips back and forth to visit each other, but spending the majority of our time, crafting together, making mini albums, boxes, folded wonders out of paper... and of course, visiting every craft store in a 20 mile radius.

We love chatting over skype what videos we have viewed on YouTube.  We subscribe and frequent to our favorite bloggers:

• Jim the Gentlemen Crafter
• LuvLee Scrappin
• Kathy Orta - Paper Phenomenon
• Ann Xannero - Anne's Paper Creations
• My Sister's Scrapper
• Laura Denison - Follow the Paper Trail

We love every little tool we can get our hands on.  Tim Holtz, Ranger, 7 Gypsies, Heidi Swapp, Take Ten Studio, My Memory Keepers, etc.  The more unique the tool, the more different the technique, the more we love to disect and make it our own.  We both got die cutting machines (see our article on why we switched) and wanted to use them beyond scrapbooking.  So it was a challenge to us to find ways we could use our die-cut machines for home decor, gifts, projects, and DIY's.  Find a popular trend and figure out how we could remake it with our diecutting machines.

Janae's memories, a wee bit different: I remember Michelle always trying to make life more flavorful savory and spicier. "Can I stretch this further?". "What limits can be reached?" "How can i put my spin on this and make it mine." I guess somethings never change... Our mom was like that. 15 people taught the same technique. In the end 14 paintings looked next to identical . And then what does MaryBelle show us? Something different...more vibrant... her interpretation. She got it! Life isnt cookie cutter. It is learning, applying it to yourself and growth.


I hope our blog inspires so many to find their own path , their own interpretations. 
Just as our favorites have inspired us.





Happy Crafting,
Janae and Michelle