Notes on Turning 60

60 is a freaky number!  Really!!  You can't call yourself middle-aged with a good conscience anymore.  You can't hide those laugh lines, no matter how much spackle you trowel into them.  You catch yourself shuffling a little when you first get up.  Walking as fast as you can, you get passed right and left by younger folk.  You're old.  I like to think of it more as "oldish"!  The "ish" just softens the physical trauma a little. Because getting old is definitely not for sissies.  It's darn painful and inconvenient, but there you are... we all have to do it, because think of the alternative!

But, that being said,  it is also a fun time of life.  You may be retired and now get to do what you love to do (in between doctor appointments).  You may have grandchildren that you get to play with and then hand back to your son or daughter to discipline and look after.  You probably have lost most of that disabling fear of what others think of you.  So it's not all bad! And many seniors are looking after themselves and enjoying this time of life for a lot longer than our parents did.  Really, inside we still feel we're 18, with 42 years of experience.

With these thoughts in mind, I set out to create a card for a good friend's sixtieth birthday.  I used the MOJO Monday sketch for the layout and picked the square option, going for a 5 1/2 x 5 1/2" card base.

Here's my take on the sketch:

I used Old Olive cardstock for the card base and added a panel of Basic Black.  The vertical panel is Tempting Turquoise which was embossed using the Big Shot and the Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder.  I sponged it with some Soft Suede ink to bring out the embossing more and to distress it a little.  The flag is Old Olive run through the Big Shot with the Stripes embossing folder and again sponging with just a little Soft Suede.  The stamp sets I used were  Established Elegance, still available in the new 2012-13 Idea Book and Catalogue, and a retired hostess set called Happiest Birthday Wishes, available only until May 31st for those who host a workshop.  I punched out the typewriter with a 2 1/2" circle punch, newly delivered to me this week, and matted it with Pacific Point cardstock.  I used linen thread to attach the Trinket Key, a lovely little accessory that I've just discovered, but which will no longer be available after May 31st.

I added the 1952 to the ESTABLISHED stamp, a year that all of us 60 year-olds will recognize as a vintage year!

 I love reading your comments and getting to know more paper crafters!  Thanks for stopping by.

MOJO Creation

Finally got to my MOJO Monday Challenge last night, but it was way too late to post so I'm getting it done today.  Not much to say about it, but it was a challenging sketch, mostly in terms of proportions, and I recut and restamped several features.  But I'm happy with the overall result.  It would make a good Administrative Assistant Day thank you card.  I know I owe a lot to the many I worked with over the years.  In a lot of cases, they are the "glue" that holds an organization or business together!  Too bad the official "day" was on Apr. 25, and I'm a bit late, but better late than never, I always say.

Here's my card:

The stamp sets I used will be showing up in the new catalogue. They are Established Elegance, Daring Adventure and Teeny Tiny wishes.  My colours are Pink Pirouette, Bravo Burgandy and Very Vanilla.  The DSP is Beau Chateau, which, you have probably guessed, is one of my favourites, but is being retired.  I've already stocked up on it, and so should you, if you love it like I do!  The little flowers are made with SU Paper Daisies and the Boho Blossoms punch, topped with Basic Rhinestones.

I struggled with the bow, as usual, but I am beginning to realize that the difference between a good and bad bow is directly related to how much fiddling and fixing you do to it AFTER you tie it!

I am entering it in the MOJO Monday Challenge #240.  This is what the sketch looked like:

Thanks for dropping by.  I'd love it if you left a comment or question!