Mom's 2013 Mother's Day card

I am SO thankful to have had my mom for another year! Her health is delicate and not to be taken for granted -- and I DON'T!!

This was LOTS of fun to make. Did a wee bit of layering on a kraft card base.

The card stock envelope was made with a PTI die called "Bulk Mail Envelope." The finished depth is 1/4 inch, so the finished envie doesn't require extra postage. I thought it might be terribly "involved" to put together, but this one is my first attempt -- and it was surprisingly EASY to assemble and it turned out FINE.

Over the next few days, I have several card projects to post. I've been making them -- just haven't been posting. (I'll try to do better.)

Making Teacher's Valentine with Abigail!

Our THIRD year of creating Teachers' Valentines together! And, every year, Abigail does MORE of the process, herself! I prepared for our creative time by assembling a supply of embellies and adhesives on a tray and cutting papers to cover the bag pages. I wanted Abigail to be able to immediately begin, with NO waiting for Grandma to measure and cut.

And, here are photos!

Abigail is getting to work, edging all sides of the folded bag with pink ink.

Smiling while she works

In addition to her Valentine and Hobby Lobby gift card, Mrs. Gregory was given a small box of chocolates -- and I'm sure -- an EXCITED smile from Abigail!!

It was SUCH FUN to continue our Teachers' Valentine-Making tradition!! And, soon, we will work together on a Teacher's Easter card! WONDERFUL MEMORIES!!

One More Year as a TEEN

Morissa, my youngest (of five), will be NINETEEN on Wednesday!! Head shakin' CRAZY is what it IS. (grin)

She still likes zebra print, so I "pinked it" as a background to this year's bday card.

I used a new mft (My Favorite Things) die to make the rose. Really like the die -- just wish one were available at three sizes LARGER. The leafy flourish was made with another new mft die. The sentiment & punched shape were by S.U.! And, the sentiment mat was made with a PTI die. In the bottom-right corner is a sweet zebra-stripe gem, but it is barely visible in the photo.

Enjoyed making Morissa's card -- hope she likes it. (Seriously, as long as there is CASH inside, she'll be satisfied, I'm sure.)

THANK YOU, Melissa!

Melissa, the Office Manager at the YMCA, where I work, made CHRISTmas AMAZING for the ladies who work in the office!! She hosted an "Office & Spouse/Boyfriend" party at her church with a buffet-style dinner and "Dirty Santa" gift exchange. And, she gifted each of "her girls" (grin) a LOVELY wooden country-style photo frame! She organized an "all-employee" CHRISTmas party at the Y facility, complete with games and prizes -- LOTS of fun!

Well, I have wanted to make a "thank you" card to send her, but had to wait until I was healthy -- B-A-D flu going around here -- but, I'm finally healthy, so was able to spend this coooold Saturday afternoon making her a card.

I was smiling while I made it -- thinking of my online friend, Audrey, and my desire to accomplish the technique which SHE has mastered -- LAYERING. I gave it my BEST SHOT on this card!

A Birthday Card for Sherry!

Yesterday was my friend, Sherry's, birthday -- and I had a GRAND time making her card! (Cleaning the horrific mess I made -- not so much.)

Not long ago, I was at Sherry's home and she was showing me the special massage setup that she created in two rooms of her home for "Raindrop" treatments that she gives as a ministry/business. She uses essential oils produced by a company known as "Young Living" which owns its own herb and plant farms and distills its own oils. (I have become a distributor -- and USER -- of the oils and they are AMAZING!!)

She has a professional massage table and the most SOOTHING & RELAXING environment imaginable -- and the WONDERFUL oils scents!! Aaaaah!!!

When showing me how she had organized her client records, she pulled out a large BLACK plastic file box! DEJA VOUS!! (Remember the black file box that I scavenged at work and for which I crafted a decorative front panel??) I knew IMMEDIATELY that I would create a pretty panel for HER file box -- and I made one as an "extra" birthday gift for her.

                                                              Sherry's birthday card

                                                                   inside Sherry's card

                                                 decorative panel for Sherry's black file box

Last year, I crafted Sherry a mini-legal pad "holder" and since she is using it in her "massage haven," I chose materials for her file box panel that would coordinate with it. (Maybe now, she'll not hide the file box in a cabinet! grin)

AUTUMN JOY!!

Today is my daughter-in-law, Joy's, birthday, so yesterday afternoon was spent making her an "autumn" birthday card. I've written SEVERAL times, and it remains true, that I am the S-L-O-W-E-S-T cardmaker in existence!! But, I thoroughly enjoyed myself as I crafted while watching an old chick flick -- "Sabrina" with Harrison Ford and Greg Kinnear.

Friday, I had extra work hours for the week, so left the office over an hour early to begin my evening with my daughter and her two youngsters. Well, Moriah wanted to run by a local thrift shop and it is THERE that I discovered a supply of old VHS movies! (I have a VHS player in my craft room, so was tickled to buy several titles!!) Soooo, truth be told, I invested as much time watching the movie as I did crafting Joy's card, but it was a relaxing and pleasurable experience.

Now, about the card...I used several manufacturer's dies and punches, as has become my habit. The leaf was made with an oldie-but-goodie Sizzix die (I doodled the veins with a stylus); Paper Trey Ink made the die used for the mat; Simon Says Stamp produced the sentiment panel. Stampin' Up!'s Word Window punch was used for the itty-bitty sentiment -- and, a Sizzix embossing folder produced the wood grain panel.

The kraft card base was not perfectly folded -- the front didn't "meet" the back, so I just trimmed it back MORE and added lace along the cut edge. When the card is open, the pretty lace can be seen -- I like that.

HAPPY 7th to Abigail and Emilie!

My sweet granddaughter, Abigail, turned seven years-old this week and her BESTEST turned seven LAST week, so the girls celebrated together with one BIG party!

When making their cards, I kept in mind that little girls COMPARE endlessly, so I made their cards very similar -- just alternating dominant/supportive paper patterns and changing element placements.

I think they were pleased and BOTH felt special!