Show and Tell

Peace in the Heart... and... Happy Birthday, Bob!

Today is Friday, October 7. My brother's birthday. More on that later.

So far the steroid reduction has gone fine. I truly attribute that to your prayers, so thank you very much. I'll keep you posted.

Not a lot else going on. I did some laundry this morning... just a few things that I wasn't ready to allow Ken to touch. :) I also took a couple of naps, watched some HGTV (trying to get my DVR list down before I start to load it back up again tomorrow), and am now starting on the blog post. I'm also getting a hair cut today. That should be interesting. We'll see what Cathy comes up with. Of course, I don't have much hair, but what I do have could use some work. And I'm thinking of just going pretty short all the way around. Good thing that I have never been a hair-focused person. If I were, I think this whole process would be quite traumatic.

 

Today's scripture is from the New Testament.

Colossians 3:15

"And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful."

I'm going to take this verse in a different direction than I think it may be intended. I think the verse is really talking about our interpersonal relationships and how we need to live at peace with others. Important, yes. However, here is what it is saying to me right now. 

It's easy for me to get discouraged these days. And, I was there yesterday and this morning. I was feeling like my situation is hopeless and that there is no use in thinking anything different. I was forgetting that I have a relationship with the God of hope! I was forgetting that I have access to the peace that comes from knowing Him... the peace that surpasses all understanding! And I was forgetting to be thankful.

You may wonder what I have to be thankful for. Here's a partial list. No pain. Patient co-workers who are taking up the slack for me. That so far our jobs have not been jeopardized by our inability to do them as we've done them in the past. People who are providing us with food... abundant and delicious food. Good sleep. Time to blog. Time to create. Friends. Family. A caring Savior who knows just what I need and provides it for me. Like I said, that's just a partial list.

When you get discouraged about things in your life, I encourage you to turn that around and think about the things that you have to be thankful for. It makes such a difference in attitude and will do much to improve your relationship with others, too. No body likes to be around a sourpuss, right? So — let the peace of Christ rule in your heart. Live in peace. Be thankful.

 

And now a card. A birthday card for a special guy.

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Today is my brother's birthday. Mom called him a bit ago to wish him a happy birthday and I got to talk a little, too. He was on his way home after buying himself a birthday present... a great big (used) Ford truck. I know how guys are about their trucks — and my brother lives out in the country where a big ol' pick-up truck is almost a necessity. I'm sure it'll get lots of good use! (And, knowing Bob, he'll probably test out the 4-wheel drive very, very soon!)

Bob has had his own health challenges over the past several years including a fierce battle with melanoma and over a year of grueling, painful treatments — during which time he lost his job and has not been reemployed since. Life is just not fair, is it? But my brother has kept on living. He's kept on doing the things he loves. He hasn't given up. He's been an encouragement to me. And an inspiration. I'm so proud to have him as my brother! Happy Birthday, Bob! Sure do love you!

AND TELL:  stamps are from Papertrey Ink (Say It With Style); cardstock is PTI (Kraft) and Stampin' Up (Soft Suede, Island Indigo, Lucky Limeade); ink is Versamark; twine is PTI (Rustic Jute); also used PTI's Wood Grain impression plate, SU's Curves Ahead Sizzlet, and Platypus Designer Duct Tape (wicker).

Well, Cathy will be here to cut my hair soon, so it's time to finish this up. Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope you have a fabulous day! I really appreciate your visits and love hearing from you. :)

 

We will not fear... and... a leafy thank you

Today is Friday, September 2. The day before a 3-day weekend. Say a prayer for me. I didn't do so well after a 2-day weekend, so the idea of three days makes me a little nervous. Of course, I've had more treatments since last weekend and am on a higher dose of steroids so everything will probably be fine... still I have just a bit of anxiety if I let my mind go there. (And thanks for the prayers!)

My plans for today include finishing my stamp club project (our meeting is on the 10th) and also finishing another little project to take to the teachers at school that I've begun but am now avoiding.

I'm going to try to figure out how to make scarves work on my head so that I'll be prepared when my hair starts to fall out in a couple of weeks. Thank goodness for YouTube videos. I know that many of you who know me are curious about how I will look as a brunette -- since I told you I was going with a brown wig. Eventually I'll show you a picture of that, too. I promise. When that picture appears, it may be the clue that the hair has begun to fall.

Oh -- and I must write some thank you notes. I've always been bad about writing thank yous, but... man... if ever a person had a lot to be thankful for it's me. And I need to acknowledge how grateful I am. But, I've kept terrible records... so I'll do the best I can from what I remember. If you have done anything nice for us and I don't acknowledge it... can we just chalk that up to me having a brain tumor? :) Truly, though, we are so, so appeciative!

Now let's get into the Word for just a bit.

Psalm 46:1-2

"God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes [and brain tumors] come and the mountains crumble into the sea."

Yes, I like to personalize scripture. :) And, I can tell you that, when I stay in my Bible... when I go there every day... it is so much easier to not fear. I know that I've said it before, but it probably bears repeating. Being in my Bible daily (I use this one... The Change Your Life Daily Bible) is essential for my mental and spiritual well-being. The other thing that really helps me, and I've said it before, too, is that I've loaded my phone with some of my favorite Christian music and I play it often. Doing both of those things -- daily Bible reading and listening to music that magnifies the Lord -- keeps my focus off of what ails me. And I bet it would keep your focus off of what ails you, too. You may want to try it. :)

So -- now it's after 3:30, I've had my treatment, been to Target... bought a scarf that is NOT silky (silky is so slippery to work with!)... went to a shoe store and bought a pair of shoes with no heels (PURPLE! gotta have something kinda fun!)... and am now realizing that I haven't really done a single thing that I planned to do today. Oh, well. I'll try chipping away at my to-do list later.

We've had so many people do nice things for us and I thought I'd share some of those with you. Maybe they will spur an idea in your mind of something you can do for someone else. Or maybe you'll just want to copy. Copying is fine. I think it's a great form of flattery. :)

Here's one idea. My office assistant, Kim, while we were still in the hospital, came in with this round hatbox...

I think that I knew immediately what I would use it for. Besides getting a lot of cards, which I've shown you how Britt's been taping them to our walls, we have gotten letters, annointed prayer cloths, and other things that just aren't wall appropriate. So -- this box was perfect...

It corrals all of those precious items in one place and makes it easy for us to locate words of encouragement and just look at things that make us smile. :) And it's much better than a willy-nilly pile of stuff on the counter -- which is my usual style.

On to something crafty... 

 

This card has sort of an autumn look to it. Is anyone else ready for cooler weather and fall colors? 

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Hmmm. I seem to be out of words... Not much to say about this. :)

AND TELL:  stamps are from Stampin' Up (Day of Gratitude); cardstock is SU (Sahara Sand, River Rock); ink is from SU (Cajun Craze, River Rock, Chocolate Chip); button is Papertrey Ink (Dark Chocolate); marker is SU (Chocolate Chip). 

So -- I really, really appreciate you stopping by my blog today. I know we're not having much of a conversation lately since I haven't been doing much in the way of responding to your comments... but I do read every single one and am so encouraged by your words. Thanks for participating! And I hope those of you in the U.S. have a fabulous holiday weekend. Hugs to you all!

Happy Birthday, Mike!

Today is Saturday, August 27. (I always have to look... I actually have no idea what the date is when I start these posts...) We have a break from radiation for the weekend. But no break from the chemo pill. That will come tonight. Again... pill number 3. Also, today is my brother-in-law's birthday celebration in Indiana. Sure wish I could be there... but more on that later.

Here is a picture of my morning snack.

I know... it's not healthy. But it's tasty. :) The yummy sandwich cookie is one that I brought home from the wedding. As we were leaving the reception at the end of the night, I looked at all the leftover food and determined that there was no way all those specially made whoopie-pie type cookies were going into a dumpster (or someone else's belly!). Ken thought I was crazy, but we brought each and every leftover cookie home and stuck them in the freezer. And now we bring them out a few at a time and... mmmm...mmm...mm. They're the perfect anecdote for my raging sweet tooth, my crazy need to eat, and as a vehicle to remember a very, very special event that took place less than a month ago. How much has changed since then!

I've just awakened from a refreshing 20 minute nap and am going to launch into a little scripture. Actually, I think I'm going to do a little New Testament and a little Old Testament today. I'm having trouble deciding which direction to go... so I guess I'll go overboard. :)

New Testament first:

2 Corinthians 1:21-22

"It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us, and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us."

I can't imagine any other way than standing firm for Christ. But maybe that's because physical persecution hasn't been part of my life. (I really don't like pain!) I would hope that, with the Lord's strength, I would rise to the occasion, but I don't know. However, these verses tell us that God will enable us to stand firm — so I'll take it at its word. He has promised to never leave me nor forsake me — and that is something that I cling to now. Whatever the next few days (weeks, month, years...) may bring, I know that Jesus will be by my side — encouraging me, strengthening me, supporting me, loving me.

And here are the Old Testament verses that spoke to me today:

Job 23:10-14

"But he [God] knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure gold. For I have stayed on God's paths; I have followed his ways and not turned aside. I have not departed from his commands, but have treasured his words more than daily food. But once he has made his decision, who can change his mind? Whatever he wants to do, he does. So he will do to me whatever he has planned. He controls my destiny."

OK — I know sounds like a fatalistic type of attitude. But maybe I'm kind of a fatalistic type of girl. And I'm OK with being a realist. I know God is going to do what He is going to do. However, I do also believe that prayers can change the course of events. And that's what we're counting on now. And that's why we are so incredibly grateful to all of the people who are storming the Kingdom of Heaven on our behalf. Prayer does change things. And, if you know the rest of the story about Job, you know that God did change the course of events for him... that his misery was turned to joy. If you don't know the story, you may want to stick around with me for another few days. We'll get there. (Or, of course, you can read ahead...) :)

We have been so incredibly blessed with so much during these past several weeks — and one of the big blessings has been some really great mail days. :) A few weeks ago when our journey was really just beginning I showed you a photo of how Britt was displaying the cards on the family room wall (in this post). Here's a picture I took this morning before the cards from yesterday and today were put up.

 I cannot tell you how much all the cards and notes mean to us. We read and enjoy each and every one... handmade or not, from someone we know or not... every single one is special to us and many of them have brought us to tears of humility and deep gratitude. All the cards and drawings go on the walls. I've been corraling other items in another way. I'll share that with you at another time. Mostly we know how very blessed we are and just want to — yet, again! — try to convey our heartfelt gratitude for all the love being shown to us. We will NEVER be able to repay everyone... so please, please, please accept our sincere thanks and our virtual hugs! ((((()))))

And — one more thing before I move on to a very special card — whoever left this gorgeousness on both sides of our front porch...

what a spirit-lifter! Thank you so much! (We will do our very best to keep them alive!)

 

Today my brother-in-law (Ken's sister Lynne's husband) is having his third birthday (party) since he was told he wouldn't be having any more. You know that's inspiring to me right now, right?

So, I am so, so, so happy to have the privilege of making him yet another birthday card. :) Happy, happy, happy birthday, Mike!

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Here's what I know about making cards for guys. The guys in my family, anyway, seem to be mostly impressed by texture and dimension on a card — so I try to emboss and pop things up. And then I try not to be too girly with the colors and motifs that I use. I know that Ken likes bright colors, but Michael with all his woodworking skills leans toward a more Craftsman style. Don't think I accomplished anything that's especially Arts & Crafts movement or Craftsman here, but I thought it might work anyway. It's got muted colors, several textures, and dimension. Seems OK for a guy. :) Sure hope so, anyway!

AND TELL:  stamps are from Papertrey Ink (Little Labels); cardstock is Stampin' Up (River Rock); patterned paper is Webster's Pages Petite Papers (from the Seaside Retreat/Garden Gala/Nature's Storybook triple pack) and some Bo Bunny Back to Backs; ink is SU (River Rock, Elegant Eggplant); also used PTI's Little Labels die and Picnic Plaid impression plate, a Sizzix embossing folder (Tropical Paisley), and a shipping tag.

Since I've been feeling good and am able to do stuff, I have quite a few things lined up to share over the next week or so. Probably I've never been so "prolific" (haha)! I also still have my thoughts on taking meals to people in crisis, plus a few photos of some of the other nice things that have been done for us that I'd like to show you — just so that you might put on your thinking cap to determine how you can impact the people that you know and love. Truly, it is amazing how something that may seem small (like flower pots on a porch or a card in the mail) can lift the spirits of the people inside the house. 

You all are the best and we are so, so grateful for each and every interaction we have with you. Hope the rest of your Saturday is extra special. And, if you can take a moment, click over to my brother- and sister-in-law's blog (here) and wish Michael a very happy birthday! Hugs to you!!!

Happy Birthday, Ian!

Today our baby is 25 years old. Where does the time go?

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No gift for the boy today... and I sent the card to his new apartment. Hopefully he'll remember to check his mail — surely he would check on his birthday. After all, birthdays are made for mailbox surprises! And I hope he won't be too surprised that it is just a card — no goodies on the inside (other than the nice words that I added to the little writing place I created). We have an afternoon shopping trip to IKEA planned for next Monday to pick up some things he'd like to have for his apartment. Love gifts like that... it's kinda like a gift for us, too, because we get to spend time with him. We have the truck, the tools, and the credit card. All he has to do is grace us with his presence — and his shopping list. :) (And if I get an IKEA cinnamon roll in the process it'll be a bonus!)

AND TELL:  stamps are from Papertrey Ink (Just the Ticket, Banner Builder, Little Bitty Bird, Background Basics: Retro); cardstock is Stampin' Up (Night of Navy, River Rock, Always Artichoke, Sahara Sand); ink is SU (Night of Navy, River Rock, Always Artichoke, Early Espress); twine is PTI (Rustic Jute); button is PTI (Dark Chocolate); markers from SU (Early Espresso, Always Artichoke); also used PTI dies (Ticket Border, Little Bitty Bird, Double Ended Banner, Banner Borders) and a PTI impression plate (Picnic Plaid).

This has been one of those days where things just don't go smoothly. No crises... just irritants... the kind of stuff that reminds you that you're not in control of your life at all. The latest thing? Our TV and DVR are somehow messed up. Ken's out of town and I'm quite techno-stupid. I have a meeting at 7:00 and I know that I won't be back in time for Survivor. And how will I survive if I don't get to watch Survivor tonight? (haha) That and two Criminal Minds and a Law & Order that must be DVRed for us to watch when Ken gets home. (Yes, I know. We watch way too much TV around here!) Anyway, irritating. That's what it is. (Taking a deep breath.)

So — I guess I'll go back to play with the remote some more... pushing random buttons and seeing if I can get something to respond. Thanks for stopping by for a little visit. And for listening to my mini-rant. :) See you again soon! (And — happy, happy birthday, Ian. We sure do love you!!) 

 

Chairs to you!

Grrrrrr. I finished this post... went to save it... and then realized that I had lost my internet connection. Poof. All that work gone. You'll probably be getting an abbreviated version now. (And maybe that's a good thing!)

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I made this card for our son who just moved into a new apartment — all by himself. No roommates. No sharing of anything. Including the bills. As his parents we find that a little scary. Not sure why... he seems to have it all under control. Guess it's just a parent thing. We are, though, very proud of him for taking action when his previous living situation appeared to be eroding quickly. And — he's in a two bedroom apartment, so if times get tough he can get a roommate. And — it's close to where he works so if times get really tough he can leave his car parked and hoof it. (Of course, times would have to be pretty tough for that extreme of a measure! haha!)

When I was making the card, the chairs seemed to need a little something, so I tried to create some shadows in the upholstery with a Copic marker. I find the few Copics that I have to be quite intimidating because I really don't know what I'm doing when I pull them out, but it is quite amazing how just a little touch of shading in the upholstery "creases" can make a difference.

AND TELL:  stamps are from Papertrey Ink (Chair-ished, Border & Corners: Circles); cardstock is Stampin' Up (Night of Navy, textured Wild Wasabi) and PTI (Kraft); patterned papers are bits of scraps; ink is SU (Early Espresso); also used SU's Chocolate Chip marker and 1-3/4" circle punch, PTI's Woodgrain impression plate, and a C1 Copic marker for a little shading. 

So — we gave this card to Ian on Saturday night. He invited us to his new apartment for dinner — a fun first. Ken & I sat on the stools he has at the kitchen bar and he stood up in the kitchen. Yes, it's a bare bones place right now. But the dinner was yummy and the apartment was clean. And it can stay clean because we also took him a little housewarming gift of a bucket full of cleaning supplies. I guess that's another parent thing. :)

That's all for tonight. Thanks so much for spending a few minutes of your time here. Your visits mean a lot to me! I'll be back tomorrow with a graduation card. Hope to see you then!

because nice matters

 
Today was the monthly meeting of the stamp club that I'm a part of. Our swap theme for May was masculine cards.

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I'm not sure the design is super masculine, but I showed it to Ken and he didn't seem to think it was too girly so I went with it.

When I first got the idea for this card I didn't think it through all the way (surprise, surprise...) so it had to kind of evolve as I worked. But I think it came out OK. I cut the die shape from the center of the 4-1/4" square card front, ran that half of the card through the Cuttlebug with the embossing folder, adhered a square of checkerboard stamped cardstock on the inside of the front, and then popped up the die cut shape on top. The layered sentiment label is adhered with a mini glue dot.

AND TELL:  stamps are from Stampin' Up (Checkerboard, Sweet Little Sentiments); cardstock is SU (Sahara Sand, Very Vanilla, Not Quite Navy); ink is SU (Not Quite Navy); also used punches (Modern Label, Word Window), a die (Lattice), and an embossing folder (Square Lattice) all from SU.

This weekend is the Wells Fargo PGA golf tournament in Charlotte — so when I was going to stamp club this afternoon I was amidst the tour buses that were going between the tournament and the outlying parking lots carrying spectators back and forth. The Quail Hollow Club is just a couple miles from our house, so besides the increase in car, bus, and foot traffic — there is also an increase in air traffic...

 
specifically, the Met Life blimp. You know, I really don't care too much about the golf but I do love hearing the whirr of the blimp and seeing that big ol' thing in the sky.

That's all for tonight. I've been going non-stop since I got up this morning — finishing my cards, making food for club (it was my turn to host... but, sorry, I forgot to take pics of the food), attending club, heading to a graduation party, and then meeting Ken for dinner with our son at his new apartment. Ken worked at the golf tournament today (as a marshall on the 12th hole) — and when we got home after dinner he stopped by a neighborhood party that we were invited to tonight. Crazy the number of things that we squeezed into this 24 hour period. Definitely time to fall into bed!

Thanks so much for stopping by tonight... and if you get a chance, come back tomorrow. At some time I'll be posting the Mother's Day cards that I sent to our moms. See you then!

Happy Birthday, Kenneth!

Three months from today, Kenneth will become our son-in-law. Today he's our daughter's fiance. And today is his birthday.

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Pretty straight forward card, I think. I used my ol' standby for guy cards: the woodgrain impression plate... then added a piece of map from an old atlas and some die cut ticket shapes that have been stamped with coordinating images. Inside I placed a little pocket and a strip of cardstock that had been background stamped with a sentiment over the top. Instead of a gift card, I added a check to help pay for that awesome TV that he wants to start out married life with. (Smart guy... guess he knows that once you're married things like new TVs often get put on the back burner!) So — Happy Birthday, Kenneth! We hope you have a fabulous day!!

AND TELL:  stamps are from Papertrey Ink (Just the Ticket, Background Basics: Retro, Big & Bold Wishes); cardstock is PTI (Kraft, Rustic White); ink is Stampin' Up (Early Espresso, Soft Sky); also used PTI dies (Ticket Border, Library Card Pocket) and impression plate (Woodgrain) and pages from an old atlas.

Yesterday morning I was up way before the sun to watch the live coverage of the royal wedding. How 'bout you? I loved every minute of it — the pageantry is just so wonderful. Not a lot of ideas that we'll be incorporating into the wedding that we're currently planning, though. Just a slight budget difference. :)

Thanks so much for dropping by for a little visit today! Hope your Saturday is beautiful and productive... so far mine has been both. See you again soon!

 

April Papertrey Ink Blog Hop

[Edited to add some links to pictures of Mike's furniture... you'll see them below.]

The theme this month is masculine. Not my strong suit. But I've been trying. Actually, I've had quite a few masculine cards to make lately, but since some are for upcoming birthdays I'll hold off on posting them and just go with this thank you card for today.

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It seems like we often think of leaf sets to be used only in the fall with those gorgeous autumn colors, but with the trees now wearing their leaves again (at least here in North Carolina) I'm struck by all the shades of green represented in the landscape. That was my first inspiration for the card. Then since it will soon be on its way to my woodworking brother-in-law, I used the woodgrain impression plate for a little added interest. And, as a side note, I impressed the card when it was already folded so just holding it is a real tactile experience because the woodgrain can also be seen and felt on the back of the card... it also looks pretty cool when it's opened and you see the woodgrain traveling all the way through (Cuttlebug sandwich from bottom:  A plate, B plate, folded card front side up, impression plate, Spellbinders tan mat, extra cardstock shim, B plate). To make writing a little less bumpy (due to the woodgrain) and a little more visible (due to the dark card base), I added a panel on the inside of the card for my message of appreciation to Michael.

AND TELL:  stamps are from Papertrey Ink (Leaf Prints, Through the Trees, Background Basics: Retro); cardstock is PTI (Dark Chocolate, Rustic White); ink is Stampin' Up (Always Artichoke, Wild Wasabi, Old Olive, Early Espresso, Crumb Cake); also used PTI's Leaf Print dies and Woodgrain impression plate.

Now you may be asking, why do I need to write a note to Michael? Because I've been the recipient of his talents quite a few times and I just don't feel like I've adequately let him know what all his handmade pieces mean to me.

Like the mirror that we received for Christmas I don't know how many years ago.

 
He made it while he was still "lawyering" fulltime. Working with wood was a great release for him after the hours and hours and hours that he spent at the office.

Then when he was diagnosed with cancer, told to put his affairs in order and basically go home and die, he set his affairs in order, but he didn't go home and die. Instead he went home and kept building things. A desk for his wife (Ken's sister) with beautiful inlays in the top. Then a chair to go with it. And a bookcase. And, when he was still alive, he began making side tables for people who visited him in the hospital — 
and, apparently, for people who invited them to Thanksgiving dinner. My table sits in a place of honor in the living room, next to the chaise I like to curl up in when I'm doing my daily Bible reading.

And then he and Lynne came to Thanksgiving dinner again the next year.

 
And instead of bringing a casserole (all the way from Indiana), he brought this beautiful cookbook stand. Or — a hot chocolate mix-marshmallows-measuring cup stand, as it is now. :)

Shortly thereafter, I received a random box in the mail.

 
It held this pencil cup with the circle of wood inlaid into the side. To say that I treasure these items would be an understatement. So — I'll send Mike a link to this blog post, but I'll also send him the card. Just so he knows how much I appreciate the time and the effort and the love that he has put into these beautiful, pass-on-through-the-generations, pieces of his handiwork.

If you'd like to take a little look at Lynne & Mike's blog, you can see it here. They take turns posting. Sometimes about his treatments (which have restarted when the cancer began to grow again). Sometimes family stories. Sometimes Lynne's insights from her years as a high school English teacher. Some entries are spiritual in nature. Some show other pieces of furniture that Michael has made (here's one) — like a dining table for their lake house. And sometimes all those things mixed up in bits and pieces for one post. If you visit, be sure to say hi — and tell them Janelle sent you. :) (Prayers are appreciated, too!)

Thanks so much for visiting here today. If you care to join the blog hop for more masculine cardmaking inspiration, you can check all the links on Nichole Heady's blog here. See you again soon!

Happy Birthday, Guys!

Today is the 75th birthday of the husband belonging to the other director at the preschool. We were planning on having our quarterly birthday lunch for the staff today and she had invited her husband to come and eat with us. And I had (secretly) tried to organize the staff to bring birthday cards for him. But — school was cancelled again. Too icy for large numbers of people to safely move around town. Hopefully we'll be back at school on Thursday. I do love staying home, but I need my school schedule to make me productive.

Anyway, I thought I'd make a card for Jerry for his birthday. And then I read this post from my blog friend Sue, who is trying to collect 90 birthday cards for her dear husband's 90th birthday next month. (Maybe you'd like to participate, too.) Making two masculine cards at the same time for these milestone birthdays seemed like a good idea.

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Not sure I really succeeded in the masculine department with the rather dainty trees, cute little birds, and scallop-y grass, but I decided that any man who was 75 or 90 should be secure enough in his masculinity to tolerate a bit of cute. :)

AND TELL:  stamps are from Papertrey Ink (Fillable Frames #11, Make a Wish, Little Bitty Bird, Simple Alphabet); cardstock is PTI (Kraft); patterned paper is scraps from my stash; ink is Stampin' Up (Tangerine Tango, So Saffron, Daffodil Delight, Wild Wasabi, Kiwi Kiss), Memento (Tuxedo Black), and PTI (Tea Dye Duo); twine is PTI (Rustic Jute); also used Sizzix Argyle #2 embossing folder, PTI's Woodgrain impression plate and Fillable Frames #11 and Little Bitty Bird dies, Fiskars Apron Edge punch, Cricut's Storybook cartridge, and Copic markers (B24, B21). 

Funny, but I'm just not feeling too chatty today. So — I guess that's it. I'll try to be back tomorrow night.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Happy Birthday, Bob!

My "baby" brother has a birthday today. A BIG birthday. Of course, I had to make him a special card.

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This card is quite similar to one in last year's Stampin' Up catalog (2009-2010, page 59). I knew it would be perfect for Bob because he is quite fond of things with motors and wheels. He's had lots of those boy kind of toys over the years, so instead of focusing on the large number of his age, I decided to focus on something he really enjoys. (I even tried to color the truck to kind of match our Grandpa's old truck that he's been fixing up.)

Then — it just didn't feel quite right. A sister has to do a little ribbing, you know? So when I was contemplating how to "package" the card, I decided to make a special little pocket for it and one thing led to another and somehow that number made it's way into the scene.

 
Of course, since I'm older I can't really do too much teasing, can I? Hopefully the little gift card to Home Depot that I included will help to ease the sting a bit. :)

AND TELL:  stamps are from Stampin' Up (Loads of Love, Loads of Love Accessories, Loads of Fun) and Papertrey Ink (Floral Fusion, Luck of the Irish); cardstock is PTI (Rustic White, Pure Poppy, Hawaiian Shores), SU (Early Espresso, Sahara Sand), and Birch Veneer; ink is Memento (Tuxedo Black), PTI (Hawaiian Shores), and SU (Early Espresso); twine is from PTI (Rustic Jute); coloring done with SU's Watercolor Pencils and Blender Pens; stickers are from Creative Memories; also used SU's Basic Black Stampin' Write marker, Curves Ahead die, and circle punches (1", 1-1/4", 1-3/8") and PTI's Woodgrain impression plate. 

I think that'll be it for today — we'll just leave the focus on the birthday boy. Have a wonderful birthday, Bobby! :)

And, everyone else — I hope each of you has a wonderful day, too! Thanks for stopping by!