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!

Yum, Yum, Yum!

This weekend, I worked on a big batch of cards for my niece, who started studying French this year.

Here's a sample of what I made using the set En Ovale from the new 2009 SU! Spring Mini.

Don't these colors remind you of Neapolitan ice cream? Or maybe strawberry-dipped soft-serve cones from the Tastee Freez? Chocolate Chip, Regal Rose and Sahara Sand--my new favorite color combo!

Remembering our sweet Sydney Dog

It's hard to believe that 13 months have passed since our darling Sydney Dog was diagnosed with T-cell lymphoma. Even harder to imagine that it was three months ago today that we gave our furry little blessing back to God.

How special those 10 extra months we had with her were! In dogs, lymphoma cannot currently be cured. So, the treatment is all about maintaining an excellent quality of life while suppressing the cancer as long as possible. And indeed, until the final weeks, you wouldn't have guessed that she was ill at all.

We often joked that Sydney was probably thinking that the good life got even better starting last March. More treats! Better treats! New bones! Ball collection triples! Longer walks--and *twice* a day, when Daddy doesn't go to work! Lots of rides! Visits to Grandmother's and Aunt Joy's! Eggs with dinner! Less being the Big Guard Dog and more being the Big Go-With Dog!

So many happy memories, such a sweet little dog. . . .