My "Old" Boss Celebrates His May Birthday!

My last boss before retirement, and principal of the elementary school where I worked as the office manager, is having his birthday in May.  I wanted to make him a card to send my birthday wishes and to let him see what I've been doing with myself since I retired.  Cardmaking is a hobby I started a few years after retirement with the encouragement of my sister and mentor, Heidi Gonzales (mylilscrapcorner.blogspot.com).  It has been a lot of fun, creating new and wonderful friendship, and something that I really enjoy doing as well.  It is so much fun to share my creations with family and friends.

You will note that this card sports a mustache, and, of course, you guessed it right, he has a mustache so I just had to make a card using my brand new Bow & Mustache EK punch.  This is actually the second card I have made with a mustache...such a cute idea.  My first card was for my brother-in-law's birthday and is posted back in January.  It was done using the Stampin' Up Bird Builder punch...a different look, but works well too.  But, I love this new quick and easy punch with the curly mustache ends.  I hope my friend and ex-boss likes his card as well as I enjoyed creating it for him.

 (Card inspired by a Liz Thayer design and modified by me.)

Recipe:  Stampin' Up papers:  Basic Black cs (base/ mat layer), Soft Suede (mat layer), Naturals cs, Neutrals dsp stack, Modern Medley dsp.  Creative Imaginations: Paint It w/Luminarte (brown word mat layer).  SU stamp: See Ya Later (modified).  EK punches: Bow & Mustache, Fancy Corners (inside). Inks: Memento Black, SU Soft Suede (distressing).  SU Chevron ribbon, pearls. 

Drum Roll Please. . . A 99th Birthday This Month!!!

My Great Aunt will be 99 years-old this month, and you would never believe it to see her.  In my youth, I remember her as the best dressed person around and an amazing cook as well!  She was quite the seamstress and made beautiful garments for herself with stylish dresses that made her look like she had always stepped out of the pages of a Vogue magazine.  For sure, she looked like she belonged in New York City not in rural California!  Current day is almost the same, although she does occasionally wear slacks with an elegant top or blouse.  

For my aunt, I borrowed a card design by my sister, Heidi Gonzales, My Lil' Scrap Corner, and made this little card displaying a vintage button card with a seamstress slant that I thought my aunt might enjoy.  I tweaked the design just a bit by adding a blue cardbase and using the original white cardbase as a mat layer.  I also hand-embroidered the pink crosses rather than use a sticker picture and slanted my button card just a bit more than the original, but other than that the design replicates the original.  Thanks, Heidi, for the design idea...I love it!

 Recipe:  SU Baja Breeze card stock base.  Papertrey Ink Button Boutique stamp set.  4" Wilton Doily.  SU Jewelry Tag punch. WRMK Corner Deco Chomper.

Long-time Friend's Birthday

One of the ladies that has been a friend for many years and part of my ladies' dinner group is having a birthday this month.  She has a great sense of humor and a wonderful smile and a twinkle in her eye.  I re-created a card from one of my sister's designs (Heidi Gonzales - My Lil' Scrap corner), that made me think of Ilene the entire time I was making it and decided right then and there that I would save it for her birthday this year.  I love the Authentique Renew papers that it is made with and the garden Papertrey Ink stamps/ die set.  This card's design prompted me to puchase the set to use for several of my friends and relatives who have green thumbs.  I hope Ilene like her card, made with her in mind.

Recipe:  SU cardstock: Very Vanilla (base), Authentique-Renew: Blossom (floral)/ Energize (check)/ Transform (small dot)/ Foundation One (blue die layer).  SU Pansy punch.  Spellbinders die: Bitty Blossom (small).  Papertrey dies/stamps: Garden Variety; Mat Stack 4 die.  SU pearls. Stash: blue trim; doily; netting.

A May Anniversary!

My brother and his wife celebrate their anniversary during the month of May.  I went to a cardmaking event hosted by my friend, Liz Thayer, where several cards she had designed were available for us to make with papers and embellishments provided.  When I go to these fun-filled events, my cardmaking mojo is always working, so many times I have to tweak the offerings and make them more my own.  That is how this card evolved, which I have chosen to use for my brother's anniversary card.

I added a Naturals Ivory cardbase and an Early Espresso mat layer.  I also chose to use the embossed Calypso Coral layer as a mat as well, dropping the Crumb Cake torn-paper half-layer down so the Calypso Coral peaked out around the top and sides.  I also added a Scalloped Early Espresso Oval die-cut as an under mat to the "sweet, sweet moments" Crumb Cake sentiment oval.  I elected to place my petite coral flower on top my ribbon knot instead of off-setting as the original design suggested.  Though I really liked the original card design and my card retains the original design flavor, I was even more pleased with it after my added changes.  All the while I was making this card, I thought it could make a great anniversary card with the right inside verse, so I hope my brother and his wife like their card as well.

Recipe:  Stampin' Up papers:  Natural Ivory cs (cardbase), Early Espresso cs, Calypso Coral cs, Crumb Cake cs.  SU stamp:  Layered Labels, Happy Day.  SU Ink: Island Indigo, Early Espresso, Soft Suede (distressing).  SU Fancy Fan Embossisng Folder.  Spellbinders Petite Scallop Oval dies.  SU 7/8" Scallop punch.  SU 3/8" Neutrals brads.   SU Very Vanilla seam binding ribbon.  EK Scallop Corner punch (inside).

Mother's Day 2014!

I am visiting with my Mom in California, and I planned to stay until after Mother's Day, and so, of course, I wanted to make a special card just for Mom.  It is difficult to sneak in making a card that she doesn't see as she loves to see what I'm working on.  I have to stay up later than she does so that I can work on cards for her without her seeing, or I have to forfeit going to play BINGO with her, claiming I have personal finances that I must get to before the due date.  Little white lies, so that's okay, right?

I was in the mood for a pink card for some reason, and I decided to complete a card kit Liz Thayer presented at one of her Friday Night Card Buffets.  I used all the parts of the card kit and added a new card base and a flowered pattern paper for two more layers, thus my card is now enlarged to 6" x 5," which fits right in with my like of larger cards.  I also added a sheer pink organza ribbon and bow, a clear Vintage Facet button, with a large pearl, and a double-layered butterfly to which I added Dazzling Details adhesive glitter and more pearls.  I love the love sentiment in Stampin' Up's anniversary stamps set Best of Love, and I am so glad I was able to use it on Mom's card.  I'm thinking my additional paper layers, printed paper, and embellishments enhanced Liz's very pretty original design yet now the card takes on the flavor of my style as well.  I also think Mom will like her pretty little pink card.

I must apologize for the picture ahead of time.  Unfortuantely, it is the best I can do with the equipment I have available.  The card is very 3-dimensional with the Vintage Facet button and pearl, and the lighting and focus will not get any better.  I tried re-scanning it many times and changing its scanner position to the point of frustration!  Also, the color is very poor as well.  The distressing on the flower frame is much more subtle than the lighting made it look in the picture...I apologize for the poor quality, but I hope you get the gist of the card.  It is really very soft pink and not at all garish!

Recipe:  Papers: Stampin' Up cardstock--Whisper White, Pink Pirouette; DCWV--Preppy Princess stack (rose pattern).  SU stamps:  Best of Love.  SU Ink: Rose Red.  SU Embossing Folders:  Adorning Accents, Designer Frames Oval.  SU Framelit die: Label Collection. Martha Stewart Butterfly Medium Double punch. SU button: Clear Vintage Facet. Studio 21 pink pearl, cream pearls.  Stash: Pink Organza ribbon.

Sister-in-Law Birthdays Begin for 2014!

If you have been reading my blog for at least a year, you know I have eight sister-in-laws!  Yikes!  The 2014 round of sister-in-law birthdays begins in May with my brother's wife, Diane.  I made this little card using Stampin' Up's All Dressed Up stamp/ die set with her in mind, because we have shopped together a few times searching for just the right outfit for just the right occasion.  Sometimes, as I know you have experienced, you just can't find the right thing no matter how long you look.  As I have been a seamstress all my life, I decided I would make a little dress for Diane, only out of paper rather than cloth.

I got the idea for this card from one I made at another Liz Thayer event, but, of course, I added my own flair and changes to the original idea.  I have seen so many ideas using the Stampin' Up All Dressed Up that I couldn't tell you if I made it up or it was something I saw during the past few years, but I do know the color hue and Sycamore Street paper were used in Liz's original card, but mine has several more paper layers and the sentiment is a Carlene original.  I hope Diane likes her little dressed up birthday card.

Recipe:  SU papers: Crumb Cake cardbase + mat, Pool Party cs, 2011-13 In Color dsp stack, Very Vanilla cs.  SU stamp: Flowering Flourishes.  SU Dressed Up framelits.  SU Apothecary Lg framelits.  SU Argyle embossing folder.  SU punches: Modern Label, Word Window.  SU Ink: Pool Party (flourish).  SU adhesive pearls strip.  SU ribbon: 5/8” Vanilla Flower trim, 1/8” Pool Party taffeta ribbon.  Computer-made sentiment (Font: Fling).

A Niece-in-Law's Birthday

I missed a birthday for one of my niece-in-law's birthdays while getting ready for my California trip, Easter cards, and several birthday's in Washington before I left.  Since it was going to be late without time to prepare the card's verse or finish inside embellishments, I decided to use a card ready from my already-made stash, and do the finishing touches after arriving in California where she lives.  

This card's original design idea was by Liz Thayer, with my own personal modifications.  I enlarged my card, added several background layers, changed the stamped image, added a Spellbinders' Deckled Rectangles die-cut behind the image, and added the green pearls.  I composed the inside verse and added embellishments to coordinate with the front image.  I hope Danielle will enjoy her belated birthday card.

Recipe:  SU Paper: Whisper White cs, Rich Razzleberry cs, Old Olive cs, Sycamore Street dsp (2013 SAB).  SU Products: Patterned Occasions stamps, Rich Razzleberry ink (oval distressing), Delicate Details Lace Tape (halved), Lacy Brocade Embossing Folder, Designer Frames Embossing Folder (oval), 3/8” Striped Organdy ribbon (Old Olive). Spellbinder dies: Ovals SM, Deckled Rectangles SM.  Queen&Co.: Olive half-pearls.  Inside - EK punches: Daisy Scallop edger, Scallop Photo corners.

Birthday Brother Celebration!

My brother celebrates one of those milestone birthdays this month.  I made a card a few months ago designed by my Stampin" Up friend, Liz Thayer, at one of her Friday Night Card Buffets.  I absolutely love the stamp set we used: Timeless Talk, and I was glad that I had already added it to my stamp collection.  I had to use it again for my brother's card to remind him that with this birthday, he is timeless, so I borrowed the telephone-stamped tag design by Liz to add to my brother's card.  Thanks Liz!

I decided to use my new Hardwood stamp, but wanted it bigger so fiddled with stamping and found I could line up the already stamped image again with the stamp edge and re-stamp beside it.  You couldn't even tell where the two met....I was stoked!  The paper I used is a retired paper from Stampin' Up called Mocha Morning, which has a slight gold shimmer in some of the stripes, though it doesn't show up much in the picture of the card.  I decided to try the Gold Metallic Encore ink pad (sold in this year's Stampin' Up Holiday catalog) to stamp my woodgrain onto Early Espresso cardstock.  It was very pretty and shimmery when I finished.  I hated to cover it up, but oh well, it was planned as a layer, so covered up it got, except for framing around the striped layers.  Following is my finished card, and I think my brother will like it really well, especially the verse inside, so I will share it as well!

Recipe:  Stampin' Up papers: Baked Brown Sugar cs (base), Early Espresso cs, Always Artichoke cs, Very Vanilla cs; Mocha Morning Speciality dsp.  Stampin' Up Stamp: Timeless Talk. Inks: Tsukineko Encore--Gold Metallic; Stampin' Up Always Arthichoke.  Stampin' Up Other: Scallop Tag Topper punch, Gold Metallic Baker's Twine, Button.  Recollection: Gold Metallic Star Brad. EK Fancy Corner Punch (inside).