The day my Mom kicked me off the Christmas card list

For Realz ya'll!
(Now listen, stick around to the very end, cause I need your help deciding on something)

Recently I was having a convo with my mom about Christmas cards.
Do you ever have random conversations that you don't even know how they winding around to a subject? It was one of those conversations....Here we were unloading groceries and the next minute we were talking about Christmas cards.

I admitted that I didn't send many cards out in the past few years and Mom proceeded to tell me her system.

She has a list of each person/family she is sending a card to, as she writes the card, addresses and sticks a stamp on the envelope--she checks that name off the list. 

That's terrific, I LOVE  a good system, #Ilovecheckmarks 

So then, this cute little momma of mine tells me about the second column on her Christmas card list. The naughty or nice column. 

The column that will make you or break you.

This is the column where she checks if you sent her a card.

(note to self, ask Mom if she will show you the list--It's a great need of mine to see it)

Then with the cutting her throat gesture, my sweet momma said, "Two years and no checkmark--you are off the list." 

We both just laughed and laughed and laughed. 

And, then seriously, I said, "I better get some Christmas cards..."

Here's where I need your help...

Which of these would you choose? 1, 2, or 3

BTW As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

It's not too early to purchase Xmas cards, is it?  

I've narrowed it down to these 3--please help me decide.

(if you can't see the images below, copy the website url into internet explorer or firefox)

1. These have a cool retro vibe and are blank on the inside so I can write a nice note to my mom about how much I love her and wish her a merry holiday, yada, yada, yada.

2. What!! Scratch and sniff Xmas cards. No freaking way! I'm really leaning toward these.



or
3. A real classic selection. I love buying a box of cards with options. So if I really like you you'll get the cutest card and if you're kinda a friend you'll get the dullest card. haha

Sing a New Song!

Ever had one of those days where you think, "Crud....really!?"  Today was one of those for me.  I have this great mechanic, he is a mobile auto tech, so the fella comes to you wherever you might be.  Wonderful!  Today, I called and asked him to give my car a little check before a road trip I'm about to take. Welllll........it wasn't a good check up for the little Chevy.  $300, yup, just like that.  *snapping fingers*

One thing that really just makes me a nervous wreck is car troubles.  For many years I was a single mom and was always nervous about taking my car to a shop where I never knew if the mechanic was taking me for a ride.  Ya'll know what I'm talking about.  Now, I have a good mechanic, but all those negative feelings pop up whenever I need work done on the car.  It helps to write it now, so I can say...ok, it's not that bad. Thankfully, we are able to fix this problem BEFORE I'm on my road trip.  Right?!

Ok, let's end this post with some fun stuff.  Would you like that?  I would!
This week's Summer of Color at the Kristen's blog Twinkle Twinkle is yellow.  Ooooh, do I have something for you!  I was so excited to finish this.  It came out so much better than I could have imagined.  My twinny is starting a new chapter in her life, one morning I woke up with this quote in my head: "Sing a new Song."  She's not much of a singer, but, that saying can work for anyone.  Here's the project:

I

Isn't it lovely!?  It came out so much better than I ever could imagine.  This is an 8 x10 canvas with acrylic paint in yellow and orange.  A few music sheets collaged onto the canvas and painted over again.  I used some Tim Holtz stamps around the edges with Walnut Ink distressed ink.  I added the bird stamps that I could die for!!  I added the metal frame for accents (I get a bonus entry in the summer of color yipee!)  Yummy.  Here's a close up:

I stamped my sister's named on the canvas to personalize it and it just happens to be right next to a little birdie.  First thing my sister said was, "the little bird is singing my name!"  I didn't correct her, why spoil the moment. *grinning from ear-to-ear.*

The swirlie-cues (I don't know what to call that, so that's what I'm gonna call it!) were a nice accident.  It was another bird stamp, different from the others that didn't quite stamp a clear image.  I thought, "Oh well, let's just cover it up with this one..."  And Viola!  A wonderful accident.  I used gold stickles on the swirlie-cues.

Because this chapter in her life will bring my twin some hardship, pain and struggles, she needed a little encouragement.  I added those often used stamps "Believe" "Hope" and "dream" along the edges.  What fun! What fun!