Red, White and Blue Birthday

My mom's birthday is July 1st and she just loves all things red, white and blue. I always make her a patriotic type birthday card...she sits it out all summer long for decoration. I decided to use Karen Lockhart's Picnic stamp. I presented an idea to Karen for a stamp like this and she came up with a great little ensemble that captures the summer time perfectly! The pretty bouquet of flowers with the flag.....the juicy slice of watermelon.....the blueberry pie....and the checkered tablecloth.....all perfect pairings for summer time cards. I colored my image in with Copic Sketch markers. Then I cut and embossed my image out with a Spellbinders Label 1 Die Template. I added some Ranger Distress Ink around the edges to create a vintage look. A button and a ribbon snippet from my stash finish off the main image. Patterned paper source is unknown. I glittered the entire background of the main image to make it sparkle and shimmer.

To finish off the base card, I added a Lockhart *happy birthday* sentiment, two tied buttons and some eyelet ribbon from my stash. The script stamp is from Papertrey's Background Basics: Text Style. For the entire card, I inked the Kraft Edges with Ranger's Distress Ink...then I applied PTI Fresh Snow ink directly from the ink pad. So I have darker distressing then the lighter white to crisp up the edges. Colored Lockhart Itty Bitty Watermelons are scattered along the bottom of an envelope.

One more card to cross of my list, woohoo! And doesn't that envelope make you crave watermelon??? We planted all of our seeds last night and can't wait to see vines creeping all over the place.

And........it's the last day of school today. My girls were super excited and the buzz was all about if they'd get to go outside to play during class and how they were going to carry all the junk home from their lockers. Good times here!! I always get a little sad when I hear people say *ugh, my kids are going to be all summer*....like it's a bad thing. Just a little bit of advice: Embrace these times....you don't get do overs.......have fun with your kids, that's what you had them for......make a memory every day.....be thankful for your family......let things slide a little more.......don't be so serious. I'm hoping to heed my own advice this summer and enjoy every single day. Let the fun begin!!!!!!!