Thank You for the Delightful Gift!

I received a fairly unique gift quite unexpectedly...a cedar, chainsaw-made Christmas tree.  We had a family gathering a few weeks ago to celebrate two birthdays, and my son-in-law's mother was in attendance.  She is a collector of chainsaw wood art, and she brought a gift for me and my two daughters plus my daughter-in-law.  They were "carved" Christmas trees using a chainsaw to cut and form them from cedar logs.  The tree's branches were painted green with a bit of white snow gracing their tips and the trunks were the natural bark from the small cedar logs from which they was cut.  She had decorated each with miniature Christmas lights that could be all white or multi-colored by changing the remote settings.  What delightful gifts!

I needed a thank you card desperately and immediately.  I scoured some of the Splitcoaststamper challenges to find some ideas.  I used the Inspiration Challenge for an autumn color inspiration and found a Featured Stamper Challenge with a pretty autumn leaf card.  My mind was made up to do an autumn leaf card of my own.  I found some other challenges that would fit as well, and if I added green, I could finish Color Letter Z in the Round 9 Alphabet challenge.  

At this point, I remember a card by Liz Thayer that also had a leaf design, so I "borrowed" elements from her card to add to my card as well.  This is my finished card, a bit of a modified Liz design than from the Featured Stamper with two more added layers.  I finished the card off with an interior design to fit the outside and added a Chatterbox verse printed by my computer.

Take a peek below at the finished card inside and out.  I think my friend will enjoy her thank you card and also know just how appreciative I am of her lovely gift!

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up Papers:  Cardstocks--Mossy Meadow, Blackberry Bliss, Gold Foil, Cajun Craze, Soft Suede, So Saffron;  Patterned--Color Me Autumn (2014 Holiday), Typeset (2014-5 Annual).  Stamps: Holiday Cheer, Project Life (sentiment/ 2014 Holiday).  Dies:  Autumn Accents BigZ.  SU Embossing Folder: Hardwood.  SU Other:  Gold Basic Metal buttons; Washi Tape (names unknown); Dazzling Diamonds Gold Glitz.  Ink: Soft Suede ink distressing.  Size: 4-3/4x6-inches.

A Niece Has A Birthday to Celebrate!

One of my sister's girls has an October birthday.  In fact, it is on the same day as my son, Mark's, birthday and my husband's youngest sister.  I also have yet to make a card for my great nephew who celebrates on the exact same day.  What a busy day!  I guess in some ways it's good that we don't all live close enough to visit or it could be a problem!

I'm into making fall cards...just love the color combinations of autumn!  Our dinner-plate-sized Maple leaves are beginning to fall, but as it has been a lovely and warmer fall than usual, the leaves were slower to get ready to abandon their high perches. Though by Halloween, we should be wading in them knee deep!

With falling leaves in mind, I thought I'd make my niece a colorful leaf birthday card in the shape of our Maple leaves to remind her of her brief time living in Washington.    My next step was to design an interior that coordinated with the card front, and then compose a verse that fit the occasion.  Shauna's card would another that would arrive a bit late due to all my fast-paced family activities during the past three weeks.  I hope she enjoys her fall leaves card as much as I enjoyed putting it together!

Recipe:

Paper:  SU Natural Ivory (base), Crushed Curry, Cajun Craze, Very Vanilla, Pool Party; Echo Park Fall Fever-Journaling Leaves.  MME-So Sophie: Celebrate (grid).  Basic Grey-Pattern Paper:  Archaic Ancient.  Dies: SU Autumn Accents Bigz; Spellbinders Labels 12.  Punches: Scallop Edge Border; (Inside: EK: Medium Scallop Corner).  Other: SU: Button.  May Arts Twine.

Happy Thanksgiving to ALL!

I want to wish all those who take a peak at my blog a wonderfully warm and 

Happy Thanksgiving!  

I hope each and every one of you have a delightful day, enjoying good food and pleasing company!

My card was inspired by one originally designed by Misty Bradley over a year ago, and I thank her for that inspiration.  As you may know by now, I really like square cards, so my card had to be square, and I decided it needed a few more color layers.  I veined my leaves by folding at just the right angles and sponging these folds with Colorbox's Chestnut Roan to simulate the dinner-plate-sized maple leaves that fall in our front and back yards every year.  I also tweaked the papers used, adjusted the layout a bit, and added embellishments.  I just love the little wooden button and twine and decided it was just the right finishing touch.  I think my card turned out to be really warm, thankful, and encouraging, and I hope you enjoy it on this special Thanksgiving Day!

Inspired by Misty Bradley 2012 original.  Recipe:  Papers: Bazzill Dotted Swiss-Honey; Bazzill-Burning Ember/ Aqua; Stampin' Up Naturals Ivory (base), Early Espresso cs; Echo Park-Fall Fever: Trees & Stripe. Stampin' Up Punch: Open Scallop Border. Colorbox Chestnut Roan (sponging and distressing). Wrights Orange Citrus Twill. May Arts brown twine. Stash: wood button.

Sister-in-Law Birthdays in October 2012!

Yes, you can believe it...TWO of my husband's sisters have birthdays in October and only one day apart, but several years between!  I so love fall cards, and I am thankful that I have a reason to make cards for this season as I do not send them for Thanksgiving!  I made the following two cards from a card kit designed by my sister, Heidi Gonzales (www.mylilscrapcorner.blogspot.com).  Heidi is a wonderful teacher, as she lets her "students" tweak and personalize their cards to fit personal preferences.  This first card became a square rather than a rectangle by enlarging it and adding a cream edge and ribbon embellishment.  The front sentiment has been changed to fit a birthday greeting.  I decorated the inside to coordinate with the front and added a personal verse or poem using my computer.  I hope my sister-in-law, June, likes her card.  Her birthday is special, because she shares the same birth date as my son, Mark!

And, the inside verse:

Happy birthday June...hope your day is very special!

Next is Judy's birthday...one day later!  Again, I was able to use a fall card from the kit Heidi Gonzales designed!  I only tweaked the size, making the card square instead of rectangle, and changed the front sentiment to fit a birthday.  The card's design remains true to the original...such a wonderful design!  Once again, I decorated the inside to coordinate with the front, adding a personalized verse.

And, its inside verse:

Happy birthday Judy...I hope your day is wonderful!