In Hopes that Spring Will Come This Year!

I started this post last night but had a webinar that lasted until 10:30 and I was too tired to stay up any longer to finish.  Yesterday was my birthday and I had a wonderful day.  I went to a friend's house in the morning and we worked on cards to send to soldiers.  That is always fun and makes me feel like I am doing something to help out.  Then my daughter had invited me to lunch at my favorite resturant and there were 8 of my friends there to celebrate my birthday so that was fun.  My son called from Oklahoma and talked for a long time so it was nice to have that visit.  My favorite card I got for my birthday is one my other daughter sent me.  The sweet little girl on the card is my granddaughter, I love that picture!

I am sharing 2 cards I made using another new stamp set from the Occasions Mini Catalog called Easter Blossoms.  The sentiments on both of these cards are included in the as well.  The first card has the sweet little girl silloutte stamped on Whisper White and punched with the XL Oval punch.  I sponged around the oval as well as around the top of the card with Pretty in Pink to soften the edges.  The paper is from the Springtime Vintage pack and punched with the Scallop Trim border punch and it is all tied together with a length of Pear Pizzaz Seam Binding.

The second card also uses Springtime Vintage DSP, this time cut out with the Top Note die.  I love the dogwood branch that is in the Easter Blossoms set.  I used a Baja Breeze marker to color it in so it doesn't look very dogwoodsy but I love it just the same.  I used the Framed Tulips Embossing folder again, I love that thing!  I love the look of ruching that I did on the card I posted Wednesday (forgot a link to directions I posted Nov 10) but I went with another fun ribbon technique on this one.   I just ran a lenght of tape runner across the card where I wanted the ribbon to be and just pleated it, laying it in the adhesive to hold each pleat.  I kind of alternated each pleat toward the top and bottom to make it look fuller.  I added a Basic Pearl on each end of the ribbon.  Quick and easy!