Cousin Junie Celebrates Her 81st Birthday!

It's time to get a birthday card together for my oldest cousin, Junie, who celebrates her birthday in July.  I think she is going to be 81 this year, and here is the card I prepared just for her.

 

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up Cardstock: Whisper White, Baja Breeze (retired).  Patterns:  K&Co. Travel Pad (blue vine); My Minds Eye: Fine & Dandy-Tickled Pink - Radiant (brown-scallop trim), Delicate (pink-flower), Pretty (green-leaves); Stampin' Up 2010-2012 In-Color pad/ Blushing Bride print.  Papertrey Ink Stamp/ die: Delightful Dahlia (stamped on printed papers).  Die: Sizzlits: Lots of Tags #1; Sizzix: Ornate Labels (medium oval/ shortened); Papertrey Ink: Large Scallop Border.  Punches: EK LG Scallop Corners; Stampin' Up Scallop Trim Corner (retired).  Stash: Crochet lace, Brown pearls, button, baker's twine.  Size: 5-1/2" square.  (Thank you Heidi Gonzales/ My Lil' Scrap Corner for the original design idea).

The Card Story & Other Tidbitds

This card design was one my sister's (Heidi Gonzales/ My Lil' Scrap Corner) that she introduced as a set of three small cards in a class when she owned her scrapbooking store in Redding, CA way back in January 2011.  I took a picture of the card samples while visiting that following spring.  I also bought several of the papers she used while making her cards and was able to stamp my own flower and leaves with her Papertrey Ink stamps/ dies, but didn't get around to completing the card while visiting so it went into my to be done later unfinished stash, and there it resided for the past five years!

I still have this ongoing goal that I will eventually get out all these card kits, card parts and pieces, unfinished, partially finished or whatever state they are in and finally get them made up into finished card so they are ready to use for just the right occasion.  Therefore, I pulled out my picture of Heidi's card design and the papers and pieces attached to make up a somewhat similar card for Junie's birthday.  This many years later, some of the papers had gone astray, so I completed my card with some of my own paper additions.  The My Mind's Eye papers noted in the Ingredients are all the ones used in Heidi's original design.

Of course, I had to make some modifications for my card version just to make the card more me, and because as you may have read in a past blog post. . .I like larger than A2-sized cards.  With that said, I did indeed enlarge my card's design and made it into a 5-1/2" square card instead of the smaller rectangle.  Rather than stamp the front sentiment directly onto the bottom pink panel, I decided to add a popped-up tag with a new and different sentiment.  I also added some pearls for a bit more embellishing.   I then finished off the inside with a complimentary design and came up with a little birthday verse that I completed and printed from my computer.  I think cousin, Junie, will be pleased with her card.

Brother Mike's Birthday!

At the beginning of May, my brother, Mike celebrated another birthday!  I was so busy visiting with Mom that the time got away from me and our planned visit to celebrate with him snuck up on me!  I had to delve into my stash to come up with a card really quick!  

I made this card several years ago in a class taught by my sister, Heidi Gonzales (her blog: mylilscrapcorner.blogspot.com) with an emphasis on learning to color images with woodless-colored pencils and paper-piecing (Ed's umbrella is paper-pieced and the rest of him is colored).  I thought these stamps were so darn cute.  I'm glad I had a chance to given "Ed, the umbrella man" away to someone who would appreciate him.

For My Wonderful Daughter!

My lovely daughter, who is diligently studying to be an R.N.,  celebrates her birthday in April.  She has wonderful style and absolutely loves umbrellas and goulashes.  I made up this little card for her birthday, taking special care as I won't be there to celebrate with her and will miss having time with her on her special day!

Recipe:  Stampin' Up Whisper White cardstock, BoBunny Double Dot Cool Mint, Bazzill Swiss Dot Cornmeal, Doodlebug Flower Box (woodgrain/ flowers), Core'dinations White Glove Glitter, DCWV Shimmer pad (sun). Dies/ stamps:  MFT-Sunshine, Papertrey-Scattered Showers. EK Scalloped Scallop punch. SU stamp: Bootiful Occasions. SU-Chocolate Chip ink, 5/8" satin ribbon. Technique: Paper piecing. 

2011 Birthday: Mom-in-Law is #96!

My mother-in-law, Alice, was 96 on her birthday in June 2011.  I made this little card with her in mind when I was practicing coloring with woodless-colored pencils (Progresso Koh-I-Noor purchased from Michaels).  I thought of her at the time, because I think you very well might have found ladies wearing just such hats in the year of her birth 1915!

This card slants toward the vintage "simple and clean" that I'm not even sure really exists as a style of card.  I used the paper-piecing technique on her hat and the hat band. . .that was a lot of fun!  I think making vintagey cards brings on a bit of nostalgia for a simpler place and time.  Her is Alices birthday card, and I hope she enjoys the card as much as I enjoyed making it.

(Heidi Gonzales design that I modified and tweaked a bit to say "me.")

September 11th! Don & Michele's 2010 Anniversary...

And Don is in the Coast Guard...close to the fishies, and loves to fish!  I had already found the perfect paper to use, and that gave me my idea. . .two "love-bird" fishies celebrating their anniversary!   

I only had a few dies at that time, but alas, no fish.  So, I surfed the web, found some pictures, and I drew and shaped my own...not too bad for an un-artistic person!  I was really thrilled with my finished product and just knew they would like their anniversary card celebrating their sixth year!