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 Visit That Was Special...!

A card to let my brother and his wife know just how glad I was to visit with them while vacationing in California.

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstock--Chocolate Chip, Cherry Cobbler, Crumb Cake.  Red Glimmer paper.  Stamps--Gorgeous Grunge, Chalk Talk (sentiment).  Ink--Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler.  Punches:  Small Heart; Heart To Heart-small (retired).  Other products:  Dies--Spellbinders Nested Hearts-smallest.  EK Slot punch.  Zutter Corner Rounder.  May Arts: Twine.  3/8" Striped Ribbon.  Washi Tape.  Size: 4-5/8" x 5-3/4".

The Card's Story & Other Tidbits

My Mom and I traveled to Nevada City, California to visit my brother Mike and his wife, Diane.  I wanted to send a homemade thank you to let them know just how much I enjoyed my visit.  I chose a card for them that Liz Thayer presented at a card class over two years ago.  I made a few changes to Liz's original design, as I thought it needed more color and a bit more embellishing.  I added a new cardbase color layer and tag layer in Chocolate Chip, and to the Cherry Cobbler Gorgeous Grunge lines, I also added Early Espresso stamped lines to the Cherry Cobbler stamped lines.  I popped on a few extra red glitter hearts.  I liked my additions and think Mike and Diane will be surprised and happy to receive their card.

I had not seen Mike for over two years, and because of Diane's illness and recovery, they were not able to make their planned trip to Redding early on in my visit.  So, what to do. . .we went to them with clear instructions. . .no elaborate planning for meals. . .a pizza, a late lunch out after church, leftovers, and a good-bye brunch out at the Humpty Dumpty, my treat would do very nicely.

Mike has just finished his 1951 Chevy coupe, which is a beautiful car.  But for Diane's illness, he would have been showing it off at Redding's Cool April Nights.  Here is a quick peek at a lot of hard work. . .no wonder he has arthritis in his hands!

 

Mike provided us with a quick trip up Hwy. 49 to visit the area my father grew up in, Pike, which has a population of about ten if that.  The property is still there with a family-owned trailor, but the old homestead burned down several years ago.  I remember visiting the old homestead as a little girl when Dad's family went deer hunting—dirt logging roads, no lights, and no plumbing—quite the adventure!

My Mom and I were able to make a trip to the Folsom Premium Outlets to visit the Sketchers Store, which Mom had been wanting to do for over three years.  From Mike's house, it was only an hour drive each direction, rather than the three-hour trip each direction from Redding.  We both found several pairs of Sketchers we absolutely could not do without. . .shoes, give me more shoes!  We had a delicious late lunch at Chili's, which neither of us had eaten at since Mom left Arizona about ten years ago!  All in all, it was a great day, the weather was balmy in the mid-80s,  and we enjoyed ourselves a lot.

Our nights were filled with playing Mexican Train, our family game that my Mom enjoys a lot.  She generally wins for some reason, but this time Mike took it home!  The leisurely pace of this game allows time for lots of catching up, great conversations, and a lot of joking around as well.   It was a great visit, and I hope to do it again on my next trip down to visit Mom.

Thank You Needed!

My daughter is getting married at the end of the week.  I needed to make a thank you card or a card that suited a thank you.  At all of Liz Thayer's cardmaking event sponsored that she hosts, she usually provides a bulletin board filled with card that either she has made in the past or acquired at conventions, etc.  She also gives some of her samples away to her regular customers.  I love to be the recipient of one or more of these cards, as they make good samples that might be used for casing in the future.

Today's card post is from that last idea----a sample card that Liz has let me adopt as one of her loyal customers.  I had it in my card sample stash, and I decided to use it for the card I need.  It is not a thank you, but rather a "for you" card, but I thought it would work just right, as it will enclose a check for payment to the solosit/ piano keyboard duo who will sing a medley of songs in the music prelude prior to the wedding ceremony.  A way to keep the guests entertained if they arrive early.

I re-created this card almost without any changes, and it gave me my first opportunity to try a step-style.  It is a lovely card using the Sunflower stamp set that retired after the 2013-2014 annual catalog.  I loved the little brown butterfly on the big Crushed Curry sunflower.  I am not sure who should get credit for the original design.

Recipe:  Stampin' Up products:  Soft Suede, Very Vanilla, Early Espresso cardstocks.  Sunflower, Chalk Talk (sentiment).  Crushed Curry, Soft Suede, Early Espresso.  Itty Bitty Butterfly, 1-1/4" Circle punches.  1/8" Early Espresso Taffeta ribbon.  Rhinestone jewels. Inside: Fancy Photo Corners. (CASE from author unknown).

Thanks Needed for My Seaside Birthday Vacation!

My daughter, Michele, took two days off work and took me to her beach house in Seaside, Oregon for my birthday week.  Our vacation provided an amusing, relaxing and enjoyable respite both on our two-day vacations days and the three workday evenings, and I thank Michele for the lovely interlude with her in Seaside!  I wanted to make her a little thank card for taking her time to spend with me and providing a lovely birthday week with so many pleasurable and relaxing occasions to remember.  It was so SWEET of her, and I hope she enjoyed it as much as I did!

(Card inspired by unknown author from picture taken at a cardmaking event.)

Recipe:  Stampin' Up:  Cardstock - Basic Black, Real Red, Very Vanilla.  Pattern dsp - Summer Picnic (retired).  Stamps - Tart & Tangy (stamp-off technique), So Many Scallops (both retired).  Ink: Real Red.  Punches: 1-3/8" Square, 1-1/4" Square, Scallop Edge Border (all retired), 1-3/4" Scallop Circle (modified).  EK CardCreator Punch: Basketweave Corner.

Thank You for the Delicious Birthday Tea Party!

While in Seaside for my birthday vacation, my daughter, Michele's mother-in-law, Dina, hosted a little birthday tea party for me!  I traditionally pay them a visit every time I am in Seaside, and often she serves tea with cookies or dessert, but we generally know when she is going to do that.  This time was a nice surprise of tea, cookies and a present as well.  Dina is such a lovely and kind-hearted lady, and I truly enjoy visiting her.  She sets a lovely tea table with her English fine bone china tea set, and this time was no exception.  I'll share a picture of her table setting before we demolished all the goodies!

I wanted to send a little handmade card to thank her for her birthday tea and her kindness in thinking of me during my birthday stay in Seaside.  I had been wanting to try Spirelli weaving on a scalloped die-cut circle.  I had a picture I took at one of my Stampin' Up upline's card events that I really liked.  I don't believe this design was made by Liz, but rather one she acquired through card-sharing at a Stampin' Up convention several years ago.  

I decided to use the bones of this card picture to make Dina's thank you card.  I liked the colors used on my picture sample, so I decided to stick with them, but added a third more layer to the background matting and one more flower layer in the center of my spirelli design and a pearl.   I, of course finished off the inside with a design compatible with my outside and composed a little verse with my computer. 

I know Dina will be surprised and please when she receives her thank you card.  She never fails to thank me for the cards I send several times a year.

Recipe:  Stampin' Up:  Cardstocks - Island Indigo, Bermuda Bay, Pool Party, Whisper White.  Stamps: Apothecary Art (sentiment).  Ink: Island Indigo.  Dies: Top Note (retired), Ovals Collection.   Punches: 1-3/4" Scallop Circle, Boho Blossoms (retired), Itty Bitty Punch Pack (retired), Scallop Edger (retired).  Pearls.

Thank You. . .Hydrangeas...What a Lovely Gift!

While vacationing in Seaside, Oregon for my birthday at my daughter's beach house, Michele's sister-in-law brought over a lovely bouquet of the largest, darkest purple and darkest blue hydrangeas I have ever seen.  Now, if you don't know, hydrangeas are one of my favorite flowers since I was a little girl, because they flourish in my hometown of Eureka, California.  These flowers just love that cool coastal weather found in both Eureka and Seaside!  I had to find a way to bring them home so that I could continue to enjoy them some more.

I wanted to thank Julie and her family by making and sending a little thank you card for remembering me with this special gift.  I thought I would share her thank you card with my blog readers.  I decided to pull out some of my older Stampin' Up products that I haven't used in a while because I just love this stamp set and this patterned dsp paper.  Julie's card is a circle-shaped card, made with the largest Spellbinder Classic Scallop and plain dies, but the rest of the card uses Stampin' Up products. 

Next is a quick peek at the card's inside.  The leaf is done with the Gently Falling stamp set, which has outline stamps and inside filler stamps.  By over-stamping, you can put the two together to look like my leaf.

Recipe:  Stampin' Up paper: Cardstocks - Soft Suede, Crumb Cake, More Mustard, Very Vanilla; Pattern dsp - Spice Cake (retired).  Stampin' Up stamps: Gently Falling (retired).  Stampin' Up Inks: Soft Suede, More Mustard.  Stampin' Up pumches - Modern Label (retired), Word Window.  Stampin' Up: Pool Party 3/8" Ruffled ribbon.  Spellbinder dies: Scallop Circle/ Plain Circle Computer-made sentiment and inside verse.  Font: Abbeyline/ Cheddar Cheese BTN (BIG).  Size: 4-1/2" diameter.

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").

Thank You Pocket Card

With the recent passing of my husband's last aunt and/or uncle from both his parents' families, we received a beautiful laser-engraved wood picture of John's grandparents at their wedding from her son, Dan.  Grandmother is certainly wearing a beautiful flourishing hat with a gorgeous flowing feather, which depicted the style of the day.  Below is the black and white picture from which that wood engraving was created: 

My husband, John,  has been very much interested in the genealogy of both the Prichard family history and his mother's family, the Kesslers, as well.  With the death of his aunt, John is the oldest surviving member from his father's side of the Prichard family.  He and several of his cousins have spent many hours looking up historical family information and sharing it with one another.  His cousin, John Kerry, in San Antonio, Texas, was probably the first to begin research and has been the most active in the search.  He has started a great Prichard Family Facebook group, where he shares information and asks for more information.

To thank Dan for his gracious gift to my husband from among his mother's possessions and to let him know just how much his thoughtfulness meant, John wanted to send him a thank you card and gift certificate to one of the local eateries in their little town in Kansas.  We hope Dan and his wife, Vali, enjoy their evening out with our thanks.  Here is the little pocket card I made using a fabric flower made with the Big Shot.

Recipe:  SU cardstock: Soft Suede, More Mustard, Very Vanilla, Pool Party.  DSP: Spice Cake (2011-12 Holiday book - retired).  SU stamps: Gently Falling (retired), Sassy Salutations.  SU Ink: Crumb Cake, More Mustard.  SU Sizzix BigZ XL die: Tasteful Trims (scallop). SU Spice Cake fabric. SU punches: 3/4" Circle, 1" Circle, Round Tab (retired). Seam binding ribbon: Crumb Cake. SU Vintage button. Sponging (Colorbox Chestnut Roam).  Zutter 1/2" Corner Rounder.  Stamp-Off Technique.  (5-1/4" x 4").

Thank You for a Great Training!

Several of my cardmaking buddies and I went over to Liz Thayer's for a Stampin' Up training using the new Blendabilities alcohol markers.  Liz had just returned from convention all revved up and ready to spread the word!  Not only did we learn lots, but we got to use all the colors as we desired from Liz's personal stash in addition to the set of our own provided with the cost of the class.  But, the goodies didn't stop there, we had a delicious potluck dinner and dessert with the main course provided by Liz.  And still more wonderfulness...let me go on.  It was such a fun-filled evening with great laughter and joking around, so much so that I'm surprised we got anything done or learned anything, but fortunately, this wasn't true...we did learn three different techniques in how to apply colors and blending.  To top it all off, we got to make two card using Blendability coloring, and one was a sneak-peek at an ornament in the new Holiday catalog.  We were all stoked and came away with new-found knowledge and skills to put to work in our own cardmaking. 

It was such a delightful time that I got busy and completed a thank you card kit designed by my sister and first cardmaking mentor, Heidi Gonzales (My Lil' Scrap Corner) to send to Liz letting her know how much I appreciate her technical expertise, but also how much I enjoy learning from her because she is such a fun person to be around and laughter is never at a minimum!  I colored my little sunflowers with Blendabilities.  I tweaked the card just a bit by adding an Early Espresso card base instead of leaving just one cream layer, and I made my green sentiment back layer peaking out  twice as large to add more color.  I also I hope Liz enjoys her little flower card shown below.

Recipe:  Stampin' Up: Early Espresso cardbase, Very Vanilla, Mossy Meadow.  Patterns: unknown/ provided in kit.  Papertrey stamps: All About You Additions.  Papertrey dies: Photo Finish Strips, Tiny Tags.  Stampin' Up Ink: Early Espresso, Stampin' Up Blendabilities: Daffodil Delight, Old Olive, Skin Tone Asst.  5/8" Offray Satin ribbon.  SU: Linen Thread, Neutrals Button.  Stash: Copper Glitter.

Thank You for a Lovely Gathering!

My husband and his six siblings celebrated a family reunion over the July 4th weekend, which was hosted by his brother who lives in the Sacramento, CA area.  The siblings gathered from Kansas, Colorado, Utah, Washington (that would be us), and California, and a great time was had by all.  We motor-homed down, bringing our bedroom with us!  

Joe and June put a lot of work into assuring that it was a fun-filled and memorable occasion.  The reunion gathering was filled with catching up on our lives, reliving hilarious memories, and just generally a lot of talking, laughter, and joking around.  An old-fashioned hot dog and hamburger barbecue topped off the day with a yummy selection of salads, chips, desserts, homemade ice cream, iced tea, beer, and wine.  But, not only did they feed the group on this reunion day, July 5th, they also hosted a 4th of July gathering as well, with barbecued pulled-pork sandwiches, broccoli/ bacon salad, chips and dips, veggie and fruit trays, watermelon, and a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages!

And then to top it all off, this same lovely sister-in-law, June, hosted another event a few nights later for the ladies in the family.  (We let the guys fend for themselves with pizza and politics out on the patio.)  You might well ask, "What is Happy Hour Painting?"  This is the scoop!

The owner of the company comes to the house and sets up easels, canvases, oils, brushes, and wine, thus the name: happy hour.  June chose the subject of our painting lesson beforehand: a peacock.  When the setup was complete, the artist arrived with her sample of the painting that we would all be trying to replica.  There were 12 ladies in attendance all related and a few very close friends, all who had never painted in their lives before and didn't really think we had an artistic bone in our bodies!  I was absolutely shocked that 2-1/2 hours later, we all had a peacock painted on each of our canvases, and not a bad job either!  It was an absolute blast, full of chatter, joking, and laughter.  I hope I get to do it again someday.  The company hosts painting sessions at several cocktail lounges during happy hour on a regular basis.  On my next visit, I will have to take June, her daughter, and hopefully my daughter(s) out for this occasion!

You might ask where this story is going...well, I felt it only fitting that I make and send a thank you card to Joe and June for all their hard work and for providing such a delightful five-day visit!  I made this little card from a kit provided once again by my cardmaking mentor, Liz Thayer.  It was so cute, I just had to share it with these special relatives down south to be sure they knew how much we enjoyed our visit, how thankful we are that they took on this huge task of hosting all of us for this event!!! 

Recipe:  SU products: Cardstocks:  Pool Party, Real Red, Whisper White.  DSP: Fresh Prints pack; Stamps: Happy Watercolor; Ink: Real Red; Framelit dies: Circles; Stampin' Write Marker: Real Red. Gold Sequin trim.