Happy Birthday to a Friend Across the Miles!

The wife of one of my husband's Kansas cousins is having a birthday in August.  She is a special person, whom I consider a friend.  Over the years, we have had some very nice visits with this couple, and they have extended their hospitality when we have traveled to Kansas to family reunions, just visiting relatives, or passing through as we traveled beyond them, usually in our motorhome.  I have enjoyed these times to visit with Barbara and get to know her better, and it is always a fun and relaxing time.  Barbara celebrates her birthday in August, and I wanted to make her one of my handmade cards.

In thinking over what kind of card I wanted to make, I decided to re-create a card I saw at the Paradise Scrapbook Boutique in Chico, California a few years ago.  I so very much like this card, and I snapped a picture of it for my card mojo file.  I remember thinking at the time, that I had already purchased the papers from that very store while attending the three-day crop, and I made sure to buy whatever embellishments I might need as well.  I put the picture away with the stash of embellishments and the papers for future use.  It was time to  pull out this packaged bundle and get to work.  I decided to add a Vanilla cardbase to the design, a double bow, and patterned layers to the fishtail sentiment to spruce it up a bit more.  

I particularly liked this card for Barbara because she is always dressed with great style, and having been to a few weddings with her in attendance, I thought the little dress on the card was perfect for her.  I hope she likes her dressy little birthday card!

Recipe:  SU Very Vanilla cardbase, Crumb Cake cs, misc. patterned papers.  Die: Papertrey Dress Form, Spellbinders Ovals LG, Lifestyles Nesting Scallop Ovals (largest/ modified).  Fishtail Banner (homemade).  Stash: 1/16" Grograin ribbon, gray netting, pearls. Computer sentiment.

First Class Event: Totally Loving Christmas!

In mid-August, Liz Thayer had her annual stamping camp event:  Totally Loving Christmas!  We spent the entire day making ten wonderful Christmas cards with Stampin' Up's newest line of stamps presented in their Holiday catalog booklet.  For me, I am so thankful for this wonderful event, because it gives me a head start on the many Christmas cards I want to make for the upcoming holiday season.

I know Liz spent many, many hours getting this event put together for all of us who were delighted to attend; therefore, I always like to send Liz a little thank you card with a Starbucks gift card to provide her with a probably much needed recovery caffeine "pick-you-up."  For her thank you card, after giving it some thought, I finally decided on just the card.  

Last year, I belonged to Becca Feeken's Amazing Grace kit club for the short time it was available...I love Becca Feeken's lovely card designs.  In the very first kit, there were stamps to make a card that depicts the words "First Class" on the front. . .so perfect to tell Liz what "First Class" events she always put on for all of who are lucky enough to get to go.  Because this card's design was so perfect just the way it was, my card re-creation follows Becca's design almost entirely, except that I changed the flower embellishment.  I thought it needed a softer look than the one provided with the kit.  I loved making this card with the new Spellbinder postage dies and the JustRite stamp set that came in the kit.  I hope Liz enjoys it as well!

Recipe:  Neenah Cardstocks: Classic Linen Natural White cardbase, Classic Crest Cream. 7Gypsies cardstocks: Canyon Brown, Mulberry +Antiquities Postale DSP. JustRite stamps: Signed Sealed Delivered (First Class background + Cents). Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, StampinUp Rose Red, Colorbox Chestnut Roan (distress). Spellbinders: Postage Die Frame (kit exclusive). Hug Snug Mastic Beige seam binding ribbon. Want2Scrap Finesse White Swirls.  Triple pearl hat pin. Wood flat bead. Adhesive half-pearl. Silk & Organza flat flowers.

Sister-in Law Birthday #3!

I warned you that there were many!  Back in May you saw the first for 2013, and now comes a steady roll of them each month through October!  This one is  my "oldest" of the "in-law" sister-in-laws.  

You see we are categorized.  First, there's the sister-in-laws that are actually my husband's sisters, the "sister-in-laws."  Second, there are the sister-in-laws who are the wives of my husband's brothers and my brother, or truly the "in-laws."   I even have one sister-in-law that belongs to the "out-laws," and I am part of that too!  Don't even ask me to explain that one!

So, this sister-in-law belongs to the "in-laws" group.  I say she is my "oldest" of the "in-laws," because she and one of my husband's brothers married next after John and I, John being the first of the four brothers to marry.  (I guess that really makes me the "oldest!"  Yikes!)  But, I call her my "oldest" "in-law" sister-in-law because she was my first "in-law" sister-in-law.  So, on that note, she gets a vintage card for her birthday!  

Okay, with all that gibberish, now the card!  This card was originally designed as part of a card kit by my sister, Heidi Gonzales (mylilscrapcorner.blogspot.com).   But, wanting a larger card, I added a "Pool Party" cardbase, but the rest of the papers were used in the original card.  I re-cut the "word" trim, the eyelet dot trim, and the "graph" paper wider.  I was then able to spread the paper elements out more for a larger card.  I re-positioned the ribbon and added pearls to coordinate with the hat pin.  I do hope Dianne likes her card!  (Not so sure she will like the "oldest" bit though!)

Recipe:  Papers:  SU Pool Party cs, My Mind's Eye-Stella Rose (misc.).  Papertrey stamps: Button Boutique. Ink: Memento Cocoa Brown. Dies: Papertrey Beautiful Blooms II; Spellbinders Scallop Circles.  Seam binding ribbon/ blue dye.  Wood button/ gold glitter, Half pearls (stash).  Brown/White Baker's twine. Distressing: Colorbox Chestnut Roan.