Hop, hop, hop!

Well, the Stampin' Addicts Parade of Papers blog hop is underway, and Julie and Comeka's projects are every bit as wonderful as I knew they'd be.

Making it even more fun is discovering other fun stampers and their creativity. One project that really caught my eye is Amy's shaker ice cream card--it's the second project on her blog hop post. Who wouldn't love to get that fun card on their birthday?

Can't wait to see what the remaining blogs hold. . . .

One more sleep!

I'm so excited! Tomorrow, 24 SU! demos--including Sparkle Girls Comeka and Julie--are hosting a blog hop to showcase projects created with each of SU!'s designer papers. (You know, the ones on May's buy-three-get-one-free special?)

Each blog will feature a different designer paper, with some also offering blog candy. Since each blog links to the next, you can circle through all 24 blogs easily.

But don't delay--the hop starts at 7 am (CT) tomorrow (May 8) and runs through midnight Sunday (May 10), when the links are taken down.

See you at the hop!

A card that became a RAK

This weekend's challenge at Stampin' Addicts is to upload cards to the gallery. With folks busy adding their latest beauties, I noticed some long-retired sets weren't getting any love. So I combed my computer files and found this, the first card I made with my beloved set Seeds of Kindness.

Simple as it is, I never could part with it. Then in 2006, one of the ladies on SplitCoast Stampers asked for RAKs for her mom, who was gravely ill and seemed to have given up. My Seeds of Kindness card went postal.

Joanne was so sweet--she gushed over my little RAK as much as she did over the many elaborate confections that more experienced stampers sent.

And, curiosity piqued by what the next day's mail might hold, Joanne's mom rallied. In the end, her family enjoyed a number of months more with her.

In December 2008, Joanne died suddenly.

I never met Joanne, other than in cyber-space. But looking at this reminds me of what a devoted daughter and sweet person Joanne was.

I'm glad my card became a RAK.

Happy Mirthday, May Babies!

Are you a May baby? Well then, today is your mirthday!

In case you haven't heard of mirthdays (which is likely, since I just declared the first one today), it's the first day of your month of birth.

Your birthday, of course, falls on the anniversary of your date of birth. But, in this day and age, how many times does everyone celebrate with you on that exact day?

Cards come early, phone calls come late, the family gets together on the weekend and friends ask to squeeze in coffee, lunch or drinks whenever mutual schedules permit. Your birthday is just one day, but the festivities bubble over into the rest of the month.

So, heads up, May babies: May 1 is your mirthday and your party's getting started!

Mocha's got happy mail!

It's not every day you go to the mailbox and find a hand-addressed letter. . . to your dog! Julie (yes, she's a Sparkle Girl) sent this sweet surprise to Mocha all the way from Washington State.

Isn't Mocha a lucky girl?

Thank you, Julie--Mocha and I love this whimsical card!