A Golden Birthday Card

We've had a wonderful week on vacation - enjoying Hawaii and island life.  I'm thinking of trying to share some photos of our trip.  Stay tuned.

I had some time to edit photos and decided to use the WiFi to write this post.  My grandmother needed a birthday card for my cousin's kid whose 10th birthday is his golden birthday - meaning he was born on the 10th of June and he will be 10.  I had to whip this card up before I left.



I used my Gansi Tambi Starry Colors watercolors on Strathmore watercolor paper to create the background and my Mama Elephant Birthday Wishes sentiment stamp to keep it simple.  It's for a 10 year old boy - that magic age when grown ups can't possibly be cool enough but the kid is still a kid...   I think the card turned out just as I planned and so is a perfect match for the occasion.  My grandma was pleased for the help.

Celebrating Fathers

Before I left for my vacation, I'd begun the process of making a few Father's Day cards.  I have my own grandfather and father to celebrate and I thought to make a couple of cards for my children to give to my husband.  Let's be honest, I just felt like making some cards during the stress of the past couple of weeks. :)

These today are made using my JustRite Seasonal Trees stamps in coordination with the Art Impressions Foliage 1 stamps.  I used Distress Inks to create this card.  The backgrounds were made using a waterbrush and some ink smooshed onto a craft mat.  The trees and grasses were stamped with the stamps and then I altered a bit with my waterbrush.

On the inside, a simple sentiment because these cards would be given to a dude one way or another.

For the second card, I altered the look a bit - put a flowering bush in the landscape.  I like the first one better, myself.  However, both were simple and easy to make.  I've a few more card ideas and so I'm off to make the next.

A Happy Anniversary to .... My Hubby

 With all the graduation preparation, celebration and clean up, I knew that I wouldn't have time for anything elaborate for my hubby to celebrate our 24th wedding anniversary.  It's a little corny to make a card for your husband, but this is one of the ways he knows I care - that I won't let the opportunity pass to give him one of my creative works.

This card is made from lots of tiny hearts cut with several different mini-heart dies using patterned papers from the stash.  Most of these papers were smaller than 1 in wide strip from a 6 x 6 paper pad.  It is a good use for the scraps - though I'm left with a ton more hearts.

On the inside a simple sentiment that expresses my love for him with a few stamped hearts.  I'm currently in Oahu, Hawaii on a graduation celebration vacation with my youngest daughter, son and husband.  It is a spectacular place and we're blessed to be able to celebrate our anniversary in leisure, together, in one of the most beautiful places on Earth.

Here's hoping your June is off to a smashing start...

Precious Little Miracle - A Handmade Baby Book

I get the distinct pleasure of being able to share a handmade baby album designed by Brandy.  She used the Prima Heaven Sent paper pack to make this delightful photo album for a pretty young lady.  I'll try to get the details as much as possible to share with you.

The album is made using paper bags and one of Brandy's first creations using this technique can be found here.

The flowers on the front were made from coordinating cardstock paper using Heartfelt Creations Vintage Floret stamps and dies along with a liberal sprinkling of pearl swirls and greenery.

Inside the belly bands and pockets throughout the album are some cards for including special pictures and/or journaling. These cards are meant to make saving all the precious moments easy for the new mom.

This cute card has a baby stats page inside.

In addition to the album pages, Brandy makes cards for adhering photos.  These cards slide into the opening at the top of the pages, you'll notice the tabs on some of the photos.

A set made with the patterned papers.

A set made with coordinating cardstocks which have been dry embossed.

On the back of the cardstock fronts she included some embossed journaling spaces, allowing the freedom to caption the pictures adhered to the cards.

Brandy made all of the paperclips herself using some ribbon scraps and paper flowers from the stash.

The back of the album always includes a beautiful waterfall album with a magnetic belly band to hold it closed.  The magnets are hidden under the patterned papers.

Brandy did say this is her favorite waterfall album ever.  That's coming from someone who always makes a fantastic end to the album.  I'd have to agree with her, this album is simply sweet and adorable.  Join me in wondering at Brandy's creativity.

I'm entering this into the following challenges:

Simon Says Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday's Challenge 284/285 Anything Goes

A Pinkish Graduation Celebration

I'm checking in to share with you pictures from the graduation celebration for my daughter.  First up is this tiny treat bag.  I purchased these treat bags and then used the same stamping technique as I used on the invitations to decorate the paper bags.  Inside is some Smarties candies - because Katie is such a smarty pants!

Pink is Katie's signature color, so there was much pink in the decorations and the presents. I used my Clean Color watercolor markers to color some black and white wrapping paper as decoration.  Inside - a pink baseball cap and the pink gift contained some rare coins -from the year she was born and this year she graduates.

Pink is not her school color, but her favorite color, so table cloths and decorations in various shades.

The paper products from Paper Eskimo were a splurge for me - I usually go on the cheap for these kinds of disposable products.  However, perfect for the theme and matched the invitations.

I handmade and decorated the cake (can't you tell!).  Inside - strawberry box cake with dark pink sprinkles mixed into the cake batter before baking to make her own pink "funfetti" cake.  Some homemade buttercream frosting finished the look.

We had the food catered from a local Mexican food restaurant.  Keepin' it simple for the graduate.  Everyone had a blast, though you can never spend enough time with the partygoers.  I suppose this might be one of my last big parties for my kids as we'll have an empty nest soon.  It was worth it!