Milestone Tribute

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This card is for my friend of twenty-five years, the kind of friend who keeps all your Christmas cards and ties them together with a string.

Of course, purple is the base color in pearlescent.  The texture is provided by some hand corrugating, but only offset in the center. A bit of washi tape is added, as well as the page of a probably mundane book that is transformed tres chic for its French words. A filigree medallion with a purple pearl sets off the subtle pearl tribute to the milestone age. But in the center, the sentiment says it all: "Friendship lightens every burden and makes the sun shine brighter."

Knowing my friend to be an avid reader, I made a matching bookmark alongside. It worked well adorning the package which held her present. The simple word "Friendship" is displayed along the face.

At my friend's request, I made a name plaque for her sweet hamster's cage. I used a hobbit font and theme, since her hamster loved the movie. The map is from the book, and the pun is from my corny sense of humor. I can't say I have ever made a pet plaque before, but I can see it as a new caged animal niche to be explored.

Happy Father's Day, Papa

I've been trying to connect with my dad all day, but we kept missing each other.  At least I was able text him on his iPhone and message him on Facebook, in addition to sending him a card via snail mail.  Thank goodness for modern technology, and for a father who (mostly) keeps up with it.  So here is my third high-tech attempt to let him know how special he is to me.

When I was little, I was always his princess, and he was the best Daddy in the world.  He helped pull out loose teeth, and made sure the Tooth Fairy took care of us.  Even that time she forgot, my Dad found that she misplaced a whole pound of coins under my mattress.  Silly Tooth Fairy.  And then there was the time I had to write "I will not talk in class" 100 times for shushing someone else.  He calmed my tears and taught me how to write in columns I-I-I-I will-will-will-will not-not-not-not, so it was much faster.  And then there were all those times he let me comb his hair and put barrettes in it.  (Little did I know I'd later practically pay my kids to do that to me.)  I've since put aside my tiara, but he is still the best Dad in the world to me.  Happy Father's Day, Papa!  Thank you for all your support and for listening.  Thank you for your generosity and for your wisdom.  Thank you for being fun and keeping us laughing.  I love you to the moon and back!

Happy Birthday, Sean!

My son is finally turning 14 today. I say finally because he is a big kid and seems a few years older. I guess each year I have been surprised how long it has taken him to turn the next age because of his size. But he is still a kid at heart. For the second year in a row, he and his best buds have done the gaming party at a hotel, after swimming and pizza. I heard them planning it again for next year. I suppose when you get it right, why change it?

This card has a Minecraft theme, with a Lego Minecraft block as its focus. It is my son's golden birthday, 14 on the 14th, so I like the number 14 reflecting on itself. We also did the traditional cupcakes in the shape of the age. My husband is the baker, but this year also did most of the Lego Minecraft blocks for their adornment. They came out pretty darn cute this year, if I do say so myself. Funny thing is that my husband wanted all his Lego back. No matter, the kids ate the brownie cupcakes and went back to their games and did not even notice when I cleaned up.

Yet another birthday, successfully accomplished. With my kids' combined ages, this makes party #30. A little mind-boggling when you think about it, but they are certainly getting easier. And I let them both know that after age 18, they just get a cake if they are around.

So Perfect

I love getting feedback from people who have purchased my cards, but it's extra special to hear a personal story of how it was given.

"We gave the card today to a great couple getting married abroad. The groom is a huge Kurt Vonnegut fan and even has a birdcage tattoo so this card was the PERFECT card for them!!! I told him that the birdcage is filled with lovebirds now ;) and he was very touched! The quote I had asked you to put in was a Vonnegut quote. Just thought I would fill you in on how perfect the card you made was!!! The groom was amazed that I found it so thank you, thank you, thank you!!!"

For more photos of this card, follow this link.

Friends 'Til the End

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I received a request from someone on Etsy to create a custom card for a friend's birthday which featured Frodo and Sam and their friendship. ("Kinda geeky, I know," she said.) Actually, it reminded me of my own friendship with Stephannie. We must have read The Lord of the Rings a half-dozen times while we were teens. We would read all summer in her family's living room, her on one sofa, and me on the other.  Barefoot, kicking back, with saucers of orange Tang on our tummies (just the powder, not mixed). We would each dip our fingers and suck on the sweet sugar while we read. My trilogy still has orange fingerprints throughout. (And my Fellowship is still warped from my misguided loan to her brother, who dropped it in the bathtub. I mean, who reads a borrowed book in the bathtub? No trauma remaining on that one after thirty years. No, really, I'm fine.)

I found an old beat up Two Towers at a yard sale a few weeks back, and I am actually ripping from it to create my cards. I know it sounds blasphemous, but how cool is that? For this friendship card, I found a lovely passage where Gollum finds Sam and Frodo napping peacefully despite their danger. I also copied the map onto cardstock for the background. Adding a picture of the two hobbit friends, and metal tags of the initials of the sender and recipient, it came together quite nicely. And come to find out, these girls are turning 16 soon. Just like me and Nuffy back when. Kinda geeky, I know.

You can see more pictures here.

Happy Mother's Day

It is so easy to come up with something to say about my mother on Mother's Day. She is my constant supporter and biggest fan. She teaches me how to be a mother to my own children, and to be their biggest advocate in turn. Thank you, Mom, for always being there for me with an encouraging word or a listening ear. I will always love you to the moon and back. Happy Mother's Day!

Reviews Are In

When someone takes the time and effort to give words of gratitude and encouragement, well, it just feels good to be appreciated. I have at times taken the time to write that letter or send that email, just because I was so happy with a product or service that I felt compelled to let them know. Yesterday I was on the receiving end, and I just had to share an excerpt of the email I received because, well, it just feels good to be appreciated. :)

"I love, Love, LOVE the [graduation] card! It is absolutely perfect and I am so glad I happened upon ChalkandSlate on Etsy...It's been so reassuring these last several days knowing that THE card is taken care of...not just any card, but the perfect, unique one that conveys the exact message that I want to give my daughter. The color is perfect, I love the diploma with colored ties...Thank you so much for doing such beautiful work, and putting so much thought into the outlay to make it "just so"...I will definitely be back to shop for more...I really love the uniqueness of your products; each one is truly a work of art...Thank you once again for beautiful art work, and for a graduation card that I will give my daughter with great pride on her graduation next week."

Teachers Rule

When I read the email soliciting parents to help with teacher appreciation week, I waffled between bringing in paper goods or making handmade cards for three teachers. The paper goods would have been a little easier, but not nearly so much fun.

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The first card I made was for a teacher who is quite diverse in her subjects. She teachers language arts, literature, history, and drama. It was easy to come up with elements: this year's drama productions, a couple of the books they covered, as well as the history themes. And well, she is just a Mel Gibson kind o' gal. (I didn't really have the subject of grammar thematically covered, so the inside greeting reads rough--full of errors. :)

The next teacher is the science and religion teacher, and also ran a science fair. I added a miniature science fair board to her card, as well as religious elements.

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The last teacher teaches math and is also the librarian. The 'thank you' tag is on a replica card catalog file.  I enjoyed spending a Sunday afternoon working on these cards, but I am glad I am not the one who gets to gather several classrooms full of student signatures!

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Trash to Treasure

To see in my shop, click here

I love yard sales, both having them and going to them. There is just something so addictive to finding that one thing that is treasure to another's trash. It's all a matter of perspective. So on the way home from a friend's house one fine Saturday, I could not resist turning at the signpost with three different yard sale signs taped to it. The first two were bust (except for the three like-new hardcover Harry Potter books for $5), but the last one had all sorts of disheveled, dusty, old books.

The hardcover Two Towers was in such sorry shape, I hardly recognized it as once part of a very expensive deluxe set. I had to flip through it holding my breath to get the cat hair off the sides. It was pretty bad, but sadly the pages were pure white. Still, it had potential.

Then I spied the curled and ratty paperback of The Hobbit. I flipped through it, thrilled to see the pages already deeply bronzed on the edges. I asked for a price for both, and countered a dollar to his original dollar-fifty. (Really, dude? Those books were nasty.) I left happy; his trash, my treasure.

Flipping through The Hobbit for inspiration, I could have used any page really. I have read the book so many times that each page had something familiar. I chose page 29, where Thorin praises his new friend and fellow conspirator, Bilbo Baggins. It would seem sacrilegious to rip a page out of a book, but not this time. After I was done ripping and gluing and painting, I used a new embellishment, a clear sticker that draws the eye to where it is placed. One is on "Bilbo," and the other on "Baggins."

I am enjoying making these little treasures. I have made three so far, but I have collected four from around the world. I need to get busy and catch up!

What is an ACEO? It stands for Art Cards, Editions and Originals. These cards are miniature collectible works of art. The only rule is that the cards must measure 2.5 x 3.5 inches. These cards are a great way to collect affordable art and connect with the art community. 

A Garden of Another Name

"What'chu looking at, Willis?"

I noticed my membership to Quail Gardens was soon to expire, so I propped my card on my dashboard to remind me to go next opportunity. Sure enough, a sunny Sunday afternoon presented itself and I took my camera and set out. It was a lovely burn-in-the-sun, cold-in-the-shade San Diego day, making one alternately wear a sweater either fully on or tied around one's waist.

The garden is a bit more in bloom than the last time I was there, maybe even a bit past the height of bloom being it is late April. I am always in awe of the multitude of different plants and flowers along the path. I found myself breaking the rules often by stepping off the path to get just the right lens angle. But I did resist the temptation to peel bark off the paper bark tree to take home. I could peel that tree all day long if I wasn't at risk of being arrested. Alas, the only thing I took was pictures.

PEEL ME!!!  AHH!!!

There was one almost-mishap with stepping off the path when I almost squashed a very trusting lizard. He blended in so well, I did not see him on the rock. I forgot what I was going to photograph, and focused on him instead. He let me get my lens within inches of his face, and gave me the queerest look before running off into the bushes. I was amused to see I caught his look on camera.

I had a nice interaction with a relocated British family, after volunteering to take a few photos of their sweet sixteen tea party in the grass. I also chatted with an old man taking photos with a 30-year-old Canon AE-1, the same camera that I have tucked away somewhere from my teen years. We agreed that camera sure does take nice photos. I can't imagine being limited anymore by the cost of film and developing, as well as the number of pictures on the roll. I took a couple hundred pictures at the garden, unlike the old days where clicking was gold, and bracketing was too expensive to do. And not being able to see your picture instantly? Polaroid had that concept figured out early on. There was a time I swore I would never go fully digital, but that time is far past.

As I was leaving the gardens, I passed through my favorite desert section, harkening back to my Tucson upbringing. I was admiring the barrel cacti in bloom, and the various prickly pear, and the ocotillo metal sculpture. A young mom was saying to her toddler, "See honey? Remember these plants with the prickers? They are called cactus. Don't touch them!"  Poor kid. A San Diego native. She'll never know a single name past cactus. And a lot of them together will be called cactuses.

So until next time, Quail Gardens. Just like I eventually accepted digital photography as the norm, I will most likely someday accept that fact that my favorite garden changed its name four years ago. I don't see the acceptance happening anytime soon, but when I renew my membership, I will probably have to write my check to the San Diego Botanic Garden. Heavy sigh.