A Lovely Daughter's Birthday!

We celebrated my daughter, Michele's, birthday yesterday so we could all gather as an entire family to mark her special day.  Michele's request for the day was that it be casual and relaxing.  A simple day of lounging on the deck, pizzas to munch, favorite beverages to quench our thirst, family games (both board and lawn games) to play, and banana split extravaganzas, including all the toppings imaginable as a finale.  With these notable facts in mind, I came up with just what I wanted to do for her birthday card.  A card depicting a banana split!

I found just the right digital image I wanted to use, and as I did earlier this month for my friend's card, I grouped all four images together into one, using PaintShop Pro.  I sized all my images to their appropriate sizes and then grouped them.  As before, it took a bit of work with the images as they were all different dpis and sizes and rotations.

My next step was to decide on the papers for the card.  I decided to use a technique called Angled Background, which I have not used in over a year and one-half (last on my husband's birthday card published Feb. 2, 2014).  I found a pretty little flowered paper by Echo Park in reds, pinks, greens and a tiny bit of yellow.  I decided that this would be the piece to build from and found four other papers to blend with it.  I chose two shades of cardstocks by Stampin' Up: Strawberry Slush for the cardbase and Gumball Green for the next layer.  For my third layer under my angled background papers, I used a red glitter paper.

Knowing the paper colors made it easy to then choose the Copic Markers to use on my banana split digital image.  I used a bit of Crystal Effects on the cherries and some puffy white Flower Soft on the whip cream.  I'm pretty happy with the way it all turned out, and I think Michele will be thrilled!

One of my signature cardmaking styles is to always create an inside decoration to coordinate with the outside design and complete a little verse that fits the occasion for the card being given.  Michele's card is, of course, no exception; therefore, my final step was to do just that.  It is finally completely done and ready for your inspection. . .see below:

Recipe:  Cardstocks: Stampin' Up - Strawberry Slush, Gumball Green (both retired), Red Glimmer.  Pattern papers: Echo Park - This & That/ Wooden Nickel Red Floral, Hello Spring Floral (back) ; My Minds Eye - Find Your Wings/ Up & Away (back), Nostalgia/ Scallop Paper.  Digital images (online freebies).  Spellbinders dies: Ovals, Lacey Ovals, Circles, Scallop Circles.  EK punch: Scallop Photo Corner.  Copics Markers.  Stampin' Up Pearls: copic colored.  Stash: Ribbon, Lace.  Homemade "flower soft" w/ styrofoam shavings. Computer-made sentiment and inside verse.  Font: Gisele Script/ Bold.  Technique: Angled Background strips.  Size: 5-1/2" x 6".

Sister-in-Law Birthday in June!

My second sister-in-law birthday of 2015 is in late June.  I made several birthday cards while away in May at my Girls' Get-Away Cardmaking Retreat.  I immediately earmarked this one for my sister-in-law, Thelma.  After I made it, I reserved it and set it aside for safekeeping until it was time to mail Thelma her birthday card.  

This card was designed by my good friend and cardmaking buddy, Charlene Inks, who actually happens to be an around-the-corner neighbor as well.  This card was the design Charlene brought for our ShoeBox Swap cardmaking marathon.  Her original sample card was in oranges, but mine is in shades of aqua (or Pool Party as known by Stampin' Up users).  I really enjoyed learning how and making the little fold-back frame depicted on this card.  It was absolutely easy-peasy. . .much more so than it looks.  I have seen several cards made with this little fold-back frame idea over the past several years on Pinterest, and I really wanted to try my hand at it, but just never got around to it.  So, I thank Charlene for bringing this idea for her contribution to our ShoeBox Swap.

I finished off my card after coming home by designing an inside that coordinated with the outside color scheme and completing a little verse suitable for Thelma's birthday.  I hope she enjoys her handmade birthday card!

Recipe:  Stampin' Up cardstocks: Tempting Turquoise, Pool Party, Whisper White.  SU dsp: Sweet Sorbet (2015-SAB).  SU EF: Perfect Polka Dots.  Sizzix die: Flower Daisies #2. Glitter paper: white, aqua.  3/8" white satin ribbon.  Recollections: Aqua rhinestones. 

Father's Day to Celebrate!

We are celebrating my husband this weekend for Father's Day.  He got a new gas grill barbecuer and wants to cook for the family on his special day, so we are hosting a potluck at our house with our four children and their husbands, wives, and significant other joining in.  We plan to play some lawn games if the weather holds, as you never know in the Northwest and a little gambling game I learned of at my Girls' Get-Away!

For John's card, I made almost the same coffee shaker card previously posted on May 31st.  This card suits him to a "tee," as he is a six-to-eight cups of coffee a day person.  His coffee shaker card is the first version I made of this card, and my former boss's card (and elementary school principal), was the second version.  That version was the simplified version to avoid the pleated ribbon edging on my husband's card, which I found a bit of a challenge to adhere and thought it too tedious to use for my Girls' Get-Away shoebox card (as I planned to use this design for the Get-Away ladies to make from my card kits.  My husband's card, as shown below, is the first and larger version.  Even though the ribbon was time-consuming and tedious, I do love the finished product!  I think John will be please as well.

A little Father's Day verse to come up with, a little design to coordinate with the outside, and voila, John's card is complete!

Recipe:  Stampin' Up products: Cardstocks -  Early Espresso (card base), Real Red, Very Vanilla, Gold Glimmer paper; stamps - Perfect Blend (retired 6/1/15), Guy Greetings (2015 Occasions); inks - Soft Suede & Early Espresso; punches - Confetti Stars (2015 Occasions/ 2015-16 Annual); Dotted Scallop Ribbon (retired 6/1/15); framelits - Striped Scallop; largest Stars (banner fishtail pattern); smallest Banner (pattern for sentiment fishtail); Circle (3-3/4" & 3"); embossing folder - Lucky Stars (2015 Occasions/ 2015-16 Annual); cardboard from designer paper packaging (10-layer shaker frame); ribbon - Early Espresso 1/8" cotton (retired).  TomBow Glue.  Memento Tuxedo Black stamp pad.  Offray 1/4" Early Espresso Grosgrain ribbon.  Darice Dark Brown Seed Beads (coffee grounds).  Stash: Clear acyrlic sheet.  Large gold rhinestone.  Gold star brads.
(Note: I wanted to give credit to the person who originally came up with the idea for this card and the picture in my mind.  With lots of computer searching, I finally found the card I cased. . .boy do I have a good memory. . .thank you Ellen Taylor, who made the original over three years ago.) 

Many Belated Birthday Wishes!

A good friend and cardmaking mentor had a birthday yesterday, and I have been away on a re-decorating project with my daughter at her Oregon beach house rental.  It was a sudden decision on her part to make the trip, and she needed my help and my company as she did not want to make the trip alone.   This put me behind in my cardmaking projects for June, and I just finished my friend's card after returning home from my trip.

I had actually been thinking about Liz's card for some time.  I wanted to do something with dogs as she has two Labradors that are dearly loved from the bottom of her big heart, a male yellow Lab and a female chocolate Lab.  I was on the lookout for an outline digi image that I could use to represent her dogs.  I found a dog image that I decided was close enough to use.  I made a mirror image by flipping the image in PaintShop Pro so that I had a right-facing dog and a left-facing dog.  I wanted to put a cupcake or a birthday cake in the middle between the two dogs and put birthday hats on them.  My search was rewarded with a black and white birthday cake outline and three styles of birthday hats.  

I went to work re-sizing the images and grouping them together into one image in PaintShop Pro.  I thank my son, David, for his instruction on how to accomplish this as the hat images were sized in pixels per centimeters and the rest in pixels per inch.  He showed me how to make them all in inches and also how to find a "average" dpi for my new grouped background, as they all varied in dpi.  I was so very pleased with the outcome and really appreciate his help.  I have typed a detailed instructions sheet so that maybe next time I can accomplish it all by myself!

I selected my birthday background paper and dog paw paper and chose my Copic Marker colors to color my new image based on the shades in the papers, plus making the smaller female a chocolate lab and the large male a yellow lab as Liz's dog are.  I hope she is pleased with the end results!

  

Next, I wanted to create an inside that coordinated with the outside already finished design, per my usual card projects.  I found a digi "Big Birthday Wishes" in my stash of online free digis and decided to use this with a human vs. dog years in the birthday sentiment for a little humor.  I colored "BIG" with the same Copic Markers in the same color scheme on the card front.  Below is the design I came up with!

Recipe:  SU cardstocks: Old Olive, Tempting Turquoise.  Fancy Pants/ Cake Time dsp.  Basic Grey/ Max & Whiskers Tiger.  Outline Black & White digital images.  Copic Markers.  Lifestayle dies: Ovals, Scalloped Ovals, Rectangles, Scalloped Rectangles.  WRMK Corner Chomper/ Deco.  EK Punch: Large Scallops.  Stash: Tone-Tone ribbon. Computer-made sentiment.  Computer-made verse.

Sympathy Card #2

As mentioned in my previous post, I needed to send a sympathy card to my brother-in-law's brother's wife, Shelley, whose husband died unexpectedly while I was away in Oregon.

Needing cards as soon as possible, my second card to the rescue was one I made at a Stampin' Up Catalog Kick-Off Make 'N Take hosted by Dara Peterson and Luci.  This card was intended to be a Thinking of You card, but I chose not to add the sentiment shown on the original just because I felt it could be used for a variety of occasions, including a sympathy card.  I used a sentiment and a verse from a newly retired Stampin' Up stamp set, Bloom with Hope.  I was very please with the final outcome of this lovely card designed by Dara Peterson.

Here is a look at the finished inside design also using the Stampin' Up retired stamp set, Bloom with Hope for the inside verse.

Recipe:  Stampin' Up cardstocks: Watermelon Wonder (2015-2017 In Colors), Whisper White, Basic Black.  SU Stamps: You've Got This, Bloom with Hope (retired).  SU Ink: Watermelon Wonder.  Memento: Tuxedo Black. SU framelit dies: Deco Labels SU ribbon: 1" Dotted Lace/ Watermelon Wonder.  SU Marker: Delightful Dijon.  SU: rhinestones (Copic colored).

Sympathy Cards to Make. . .

While I was away in Oregon helping my daughter with re-decorating work on the beach house Tillamook Head bedroom, my husband called with some sad news.  Our brother-in-law (his youngest sister's husband), lost his only remaining brother, Walt, who developed  a very sudden and unexpected health issue.  He was taken in for emergency surgery, which he survived, but he died  unexpectedly a few days later due to complications with his diabetic condition.  He was a man in his mid-60's. . .so sad.

I needed to send a sympathy card to our brother-in-law, Dave, and to Walt's wife, Shelley.  I was already so far behind and belated on almost all of my June cards, but thankfully to the rescue came two cards that I recently made at two different cardmaking events.  My first card chosen to send to Dave was made at our May Girls' Get-Away Retreat and was designed by Liz Thayer.  The technique is to color the vellum on the backside with a coloring marker.  In this case, I used the Lost Lagoon Stampin' Up Marker.  On the front side, glue was applied to the butterflies and then sprinkled with glitter. This panel was then adhered to the card front.

I had almost completed the card at the event, but decided not to put on the sentiment, because I thought it could be used for a variety of occasions.  In addition, I switch the corded bow from the right side to the left side, deciding to place my sentiment to the lower right of the card bottom rather than on the left.  I thought the card when completely finished made a beautiful sympathy card.

My final step, as with all my cards, was to decide on an inside verse to suit a sympathy card.  I composed a little verse that I hope will let Dave know we are thinking of him and keeping him in our prayers.

Recipe:  Stampin' Up:  Cardstocks - Whisper White, Lost Lagoon; DSP - Sheer Perfection Vellum Stack (2015-SAB suppl.).  SU stamp: Thought & Prayers (sentiment).  Spellbinders dies: Petite Ovals; Petite Scallop Ovals.  QuicKutz die: Photo Corner (inside).  SU EF: Perfect Polka Dots (retired).  Thick Baker's Twine: Lost Lagoon (2-15-SAB suppl.).  SU Marker: Lost Lagoon.  SU: Dazzling Diamonds glitter.  SU rhinestones.

Pre-Retirement Boss Has a Birthday!

My boss, before I retired as the office manager/ administrative assistant of an elementary school, has his birthday at the end of May.  I needed to design a birthday card for him, and I decided I would use it as my Girls' Get-away Cardmaking Event Shoebox Share card.  In a Shoebox Share, those attending must design a card and put a sample together.  Then each attendee cuts out the paper sizes for the card and goodies for the other participants to make this same card.  They, in turn, do the same, and with nine attendees, each of us ended up with eight cards to make while at our get-away.

I remembered the daily ritual of both Scott and I coming into the office almost every morning with our Starbucks latte cups to wake up, rev up, and prepare for each day, which was bound to be jam packed with busyness and that feeling of not enough time to get it all done.  I decided my card design would feature those latte cups that were seen around the office each and every morning.  Just a side note to keep in mind, we are from the Northwest where the Starbucks corporate offices make their home!  

I wanted to do something a little extra with my card design, so I am featuring a shaker card with real coffee beans as part of the shaker items enclosed and real coffee beans for the shaker frame trim.  In the back of my mind lurked a memory of a card that I had previously seen with reds and browns in the color scheme and coffee beans in the shaker, but I didn't remember where I saw it.  I am sure this is where the idea came to me along with memories of coffee cups in the morning at the office.  

My card was a fun to design and make, though finding the smallest beans and the perfect size for inside and outside the frame was somewhat tedious, I am sure that was because it was for TEN cards. . .not just one!  As I designed my card, thoughts went through my mind of hopes that my fellow Girls' Get-Away attendees would have fun making their version of my card, but I especially hoped that Scott will enjoy his birthday card!

Completing the card with a design and verse inside to compliment the exterior and the purpose of the card was the final step.  Here is my completed inside.

 

Recipe:  Stampin' Up products: Cardstocks -  Early Espresso (card base), Real Red, Very Vanilla, Gold Glimmer paper; stamps - Perfect Blend (retired 6/1/15), Guy Greetings (2015 Occasions); inks - Soft Suede & Early Espresso; punches - Confetti Stars (2015 Occasions/ 2015-16 Annual); Dotted Scallop Ribbon (retired 6/1/15); framelits - Striped Scallop; largest Stars (banner fishtail pattern); smallest Banner (pattern for sentiment fishtail); Circle (3-3/4" & 3"); embossing folder - Lucky Stars (2015 Occasions/ 2015-16 Annual); cardboard from designer paper packaging (10-layer shaker frame); ribbon - Early Espresso 1/8" cotton (retired).  TomBow Glue.  Memento Tuxedo Black stamp pad.  Offray 1/4" Early Espresso Grosgrain ribbon.  Darice Dark Brown Seed Beads (coffee grounds).  Stash: Clear acyrlic sheet.  Large gold rhinestone.
(Note: I wanted to give credit to the person who originally came up with the idea for this card and the picture in my mind.  With lots of computer searching, I finally found the card I cased. . .boy do I have a good memory. . .thank you Ellen Taylor, who made the original over three years ago.) 

....WOW...BIRTHDAY 100!!

I have an aunt that turns 100 today, May 27th!  WOW...WOW...WOW!  It is definitely hard to believe...almost takes your breath away.  I wish I could claim to have her genes, but unfortunately she is an aunt-in-law (my mother's brother's wife).  I know she is French Canadian by birth and had 13 brothers and sisters, and somewhere, she has longevity in her DNA!!  I do know that she never smoked, liked her coffee and loved her wine.  (My uncle was kind of a wine snob.)  So, if any of those things helped, we had all better get to it!

Last year, I made her a fashion card, because she always, always looked like she had just left a couture designer shop...dressed to perfection.  This year, I thought I'd just make a very feminine card for my petite 4-foot 9-inch aunt.  So, I chose a card I made using a design from a Rebecca Feeken card kit I received while I was subscribed to her short-lived monthly card kit.  We received exclusive dies with each kit that were designed by her and made for her by Spellbinders Paper Arts and exclusive stamps made by JustRite Stamps.  It is a card with many, many layers, and elevations; therefore, it will definitely have to be mailed as a parcel...no getting a break in postage on this one!  But, I think she will love it!

My finished inside design to coordinate with the outside.  I just love to do those details and add my own verse sited to each card and person to whom it is to be delivered.

Recipe: Becca Feeken Amazing Grace Kit: October 2012.  Bazzill cardstocks: Classic White, Mulberry.  Kaisercraft 6x6 pad: Magnolia Grove.  JustRite stamps: It's Sew Vintage.  Stampin' Up ink: Rose Red.  Hug Snug White seam binding ribbon.  ColorBox ink: Chestnut Roan (distressing). Spellbinders Exclusive Becca Feeken Kit dies.  Velvet Rose (unknown vendor).

A BIG Thank You!

My friend and cardmaking mentor, Liz Thayer, was hostess for our Girls' Get-Away Cardmaking Event at The Hobby Hideaway in Snohomish, and I can't thank her enough for the wonderful time that was had by all.  She wore herself out with menu planning, shopping, food pre-prep, wonderful handmade goodies presented each day, and cardmaking kits to put together.  Of course, this is not to mention all the fun ladies who were invited, came, and brought their friendly and fantastic good humor right along with them!  We all had on our "let it all hang out" attitudes, and an uproariously good time was had by all as we made cards, played games, shared gifts, drank yummy beverages, ate yummy food, and gabbed the days and night away.  I do believe I was awake almost around the clock, and I had to go home just to get some sleep!  It was a WONDERFUL Mother's Day get-away that I thank my family for encouraging me to go and have a great time!

I thought I would prepare a little thank you card with a Starbucks gift card for Liz, in hopes that she would buy a Frappacino, sit back, put up her feet, and enjoy a rest (aside from working every day) to recuperate.  THANKS LIZ for a fantastic four-day event!  You outdid yourself!

I finished off this card by creating a coordinating design on the inside with the larges THANK YOU that would fit!

And, then I made a little gift card holder on the inside as well. . .all the better to send the Starbucks treat!

(CASE/ modified: Thank you Heidi Gonzales original design).

Recipe:  SU Papers: Whisper White cs, Daffodil Yellow cs, Rich Razzleberry cs, Tempting Turquoise cs, Summer Smooches dsp.  SU stamps:  Bright Blossoms, A Word for You (sentiment). SU Inks: Tempting Turquoise, Rich Razzleberry.  SU Punches: 2-3/8" Scallop Circle, 1-3/4" Circle, Boho Blossoms, Scallop Edge Border.  SU 3-1/16" Brights Brad.  SU Daffodil Delight seam binding ribbon.  Inside: EK Scallop Photo Corners. (Size: 4-1/2" x 5-1/2").

Birthday Card Shower Celebrating 85 Years!

Another of my husband's aunts has reach the venerable age of 85.  Her children decided to have a Birthday Card Shower for her, which seems to have become a tradition on the maternal side of his family.  It is a GREAT idea!  I needed to get a birthday card off to her from us in the mail as soon as I returned from my Girls' Get-Away Cardmaking Retreat, because I did not find the time to get this card completed before I left.  Back now from my gloriously, stupendous, fun-filled retreat, I am now, unfortunately, continuing my fast-mode "so much to do...so little time to do it" syndrome.

But, not to worry, one of our fun events of our retreat was our ShoeBox Swap, where we all design a card, made a sample, and provided the ingredients for each attendee to complete our card.  Thus, we all ended up with eight cards that we made at our Get-Away, and at least half of them were birthday cards!  

I decided on the card below for John's aunt because it looks really lacy and feminine and seems just right for a lovely 85-year-old lady with its frilly and glittery butterfly.  This card was designed by Gail Swartz, and I modified it just a bit by adding the magenta layer under the dark blue, re-enforcing my butterfly with two layers glued together and bathed it and the sentiment in glitter.  Today, I created and added a coordinating inside design with a little birthday verse.  I was most fortunate to own the Martha Stewart Deco Fan corner punch, so I was able to cut corner shells to place on the corners of each corner of the verse paper.  I think Aunt Betty will love her card.

(Thank you Gail Swartz for the design inspiration)

Recipe:  Bazzill cardstocks: White, Typhoon (blue), Royalty (magenta).  Darice Swirl Background Embossing folder (blue).  Martha Stewart Corner punch: Deco Fan.  Lifestyle Crafts/ QuiKutz Embossing Folders: Sketchbook (lavendar).  Creative Memories Corner Rounder.  Pattern scrap papers (butterfly).  Filigree Butterfly die: unknown.  Tsukineko Essential Glue Pad + Stampin' Up Dazzling Diamonds Glitter (butterfly/ greeting).  Impression Obsession Greeting Top Edgers (bottom cut with decorator scissors).

2015 Sister-in-Law Birthdays #1 - Brother's Wife

Every year, if you've read my blog, you know I have eight sister-in-laws whose birthdays fall between May and October.  So, as usual, be prepared to be deluged by sister-in-law birthday cards and blog posts.  My first sister-in-law birthday is my brother's wife, Diane.

Still in the what I call my fast mode to finish my must-do cards before my wonderful Get-Away Event and still have time leftover for snail mail, I needed to complete Diane's birthday card right away.  When I get into the fast mode, I find my "from scratch creative" flies out the window, and I want to resort to at least a starting point of  something I've made before. 

I remembered a card I made that was designed by Liz Thayer for her Stampin' Up Sale-A-Bration event, which featured stamps available for that sale event, such as the penny-farthing bicycle featured in this card.  I completed her bicycle card at that event, but added a few tweaks of my own after coming home.  I don't have a sample of the original design, and at this late date, but I do remember some my additions or modifications, which was to increased the finished card size by adding two new layers in black and silver glimmer and group these with a larger cherry cobbler layer, making a three-layer frame under the  smaller black and vanilla layers.  I also centered my penny-farthing layer instead of off-centering it and lightly sponged Basic Gray and Cherry Cobbler Red onto the vanilla layers and the newsprint.  So, my card is at least a CASE of Liz's original design. . .thank you Liz!  I just love this little old-fashioned bicycle stamp, and I think Diane will like its vintage flavor as well.

And now for the inside design made to coordinate with the outside, and the little birthday verse jut for Diane.

Recipe:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstock--Basic Black, Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla; Pattern--First Edition dsp;  stamp--Feeling Sentimental (2013 SAB); ink--Basic Black, Cherry Cobbler (sponging); ribbon--1/8" Black Taffeta; Glimmer brads-Silver.  Core'dinations Silver Glitter paper.  Computer-made verse.  Size: 4-1/4" x 5-1/2".

Friendship to Honor at Birthday Time!

Another of my cards to finish and deliver before my Girls' Get-a-way Cardmaking retreat is for a long-time friend, whom I met through a variety of ways.  Four events in life brought us together, and it was obvious that we were meant to meet at some time in our life!  

I first met Ilene through my husband, because she was the wife of one of my husband's co-workers, therefore, we met at several business functions.  Next, it turned out that her older son was the same age as my younger son, and they ended up on the same community baseball team, but we had already met through the work connection.  Next, I went to work as the Administrative Assistant/ Office Manager of the elementary school that her older son attended, and she was one of our wonderful student's parents and a faithful classroom volunteers, plus a diligent PTA officer and PTA volunteer.  Our fourth life event that would have brought us together was that she became a school office substitute as her children grew older, and she ended up being sent to our school to fill in for an absentee office worker.  Wouldn't you say, we were meant to meet somehow, and life presented four different opportunities!  

With all that, I wanted to send her a little birthday greeting on her special day, and here is the card that I made just for her using some wonderful Papertrey Ink dies that have been around now for several years, but never grow old.  I also borrowed the inspiration for this card from one my sister made several years ago.  Thank you, Heidi Gonzales.

Just a peak at the finished inside to see the design that coordinates with the outside, and the friendship birthday verse made just for Ilene.

Recipe:  Stampin' Up products - Cardstock: Very Vanilla cs, So Saffron cs, Crisp Cantaloupe cs; Ink:  Calypso Coral, Crisp Cantaloupe, Soft Suede, Garden Green;  Stamp: And Many More (sentiment); Punch: Modern Label; Seam Binding Ribbon: Wild Wasabi.  Papertrey Ink products: Rosie Posie stamps/dies; Banner Borders (envelope flap).  MFT stamps: BG Gingham Background.

An Anniversary to Celebrate!

My brother and his wife are soon to start their annual marathon of birthdays and an anniversary in the early days of May.  You might ask why I say their annual marathon?  This would be because within seven days they celebrate all three events.  First comes my brother's birthday, then their anniversary, and then my sister-in-law's birthday.  I guess that's one way to get it all over with at once!  Just a thought as well, if you put all your presents together as one or two big ones, it keeps the shopping down to a minimum, but allows you to have a really BIG gift that you've always been wanting.  So, I can see where there could be some great benefits to this great idea.  I should have advised my children to look for a spouse with a birthday within a week of theirs and then get married in the middle between them.  Hmmm. . .what was I thinking!

So, did I mentioned that I had lots to do and so little time to do it all?  Indeed, I'm sure I did.  So, I am looking for ways to economize my time.  I remembered a card that my Stampin' Up upline, Liz Thayer, showed us at one of her events, and I thought my good friend might have taken a picture of it to share.  With a little searching around, I found it.  I remembered that I really liked it for its design, as well as its soft colors.  After finding and reviewing it, my memory was spot on.  I decided to CASE Liz's card, though I tweaked it just a tiny bit with a change in the sentiment and a fishtail divider-band with pearls instead of a plain narrow rectangle.  Voila, it has become a super pretty anniversary card just made for my brother and his wife!

With the inside design completed to compliment the outside creation and the anniversary verse composed the card is finished and ready to package for mailing.  I think I'm seeing the end of the road for the early May rush!

(Thanks Liz for the inspiration).

Recipe:  Stampin' Up products: Cardstocks:  Soft Suede (card base), Wild Wasabi, Pink Pirouette + Very Vanilla; Inks: Soft Suede, Pear Pizzazz, Pink Pirouette; Modern Mosaic Embossing Folder; Mosaic Madness Stamp set; Mosaic punch; 3/8" Soft Suede Taffeta ribbon; Linen thread; Pearls.  EK CardCreators Interlaced Corner punch. (Size: 4-5/8" x 5-3/4").

Celebrating My Mother!

Mother's Day is coming, and I must get a card made and sent before I leave on my Girls' Retreat Cardmaking Event, which is four glorious and fun-filled days away, ending on Mother's Day!  But once again, the kicker is so much to do, so little time, but what else is new.  I'm just full of idioms this morning, and I'm remembering an English teacher from my past who advised us that idioms and cliches should be avoided at all costs as they are a sign of a lazy writer.  Somehow, sometimes they just fit perfectly, and today it pleases me to use them (so there)!

With a little anxiety because of the short timeline, I sat down a few days ago and thought about Mom and what she loves on cards.  She loves pastel colors, especially aqua and peach and especially with butterflies, so there was my anxiety reliever and my first injection of mojo.  I remembered a card made several years ago using the Flower Garden embossing folder and Pool Party cardstock, which was designed by Liz Thayer.  I decided to do a take off on that card, but I would use a little vellum with my aqua card and make it two tone,  and the rest just began to flow from there.  Something light and airy with a little sparkle would be nice, bring on the vellum, aqua shades and silvery glitter paper.  I decided my butterflies should have a embossed vellum layer as well.  Here is the card that evolved, and I think it suits Mom to a tee!

A little decorating on the inside to coordinate with the outside design, and a little Mother's Day verse just for my special mom, and now, I can say it's all done and ready to send off in the mail.  Enjoy your special day, Mom!

Recipe:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstocks--Very Vanilla, Bermuda Bay, Pool Party; Misc. paper--White Vellum, Silver Glimmer paper; Flower Garden Embossing folder; Punches--Elegant Butterfly, Bitty Butterfly, Modern Label, Word Window; Stamp--And Many More; Ink--Smoky Slate; Rhinestones.  WRMK Corner Chomper: Deco.  Stash: Sheer Aqua ribbon. (Size: 5" x 6-1/4").

Thinking of My Husband!

My husband had knee-replacement surgery in mid April.  One of my dear friends, and a cardmaking buddy, decided she would send him a Thinking of You card, unbeknown to me.  She asked to borrow my Stampin' Up Moon Lake stamp from the 2015 Occasions mini catalog, saying she wanted to use it for a card for her husband for Father's Day and that she couldn't decide whether to order it.  She is such a sweety. . .she has only met my husband once several years ago at ago. . .so a sweety she certainly is!

Lo and behold, what comes in the mail addressed to my husband late last month? It was a wonderful Thinking of You card using the very Moon Lake stamp she had borrowed.  (See Update Note below...LOL!)  I just absolutely love everything about this card. . .the woodgrain background stamping, the Work of Art faux watercoloring stamp, the lovely and serene color combination; but the piece de résistance. . . take a look at the dock pilings that she has handmade and finished off with hemp twine.  They absolutely look so authentic!  What can I say, a sweety she is, and I thank her for being just that!

UPDATE NOTE:  A funny thing happened after, I posted this. . .   When my friend returned the stamps she had borrowed, it turns out it wasn't the Moon Lake stamp set she borrowed, but several other stamps and dies.  Obviously, I wasn't using them or needing them, so didn't even remember them or miss them!