I was looking for a birthday card recently but every card I picked up seemed to say “Thank you” on the front of it.  Either I need to stop making so many thank you cards or just send more of them out.   I went on a birthday card binge:

• Cheep Talk, A to Z and Crazy for Cupcakes stamp sets
• Very Vanilla, So Saffron, Tangerine Tango and Marina Mist card stock
• Marina Mist Classic ink pad; Versamark ink pad
  
• Tangerine Tango and So Saffron Stampin’ Write markers; Blender pen
• Tangerine Tango Embossing powder, Embossing Buddy (A MUST), heat tool, powder pal
• Subtles brads and Rhinestone jewels
• Big Shot, Petal Cone Bigz L die, Framed Tulips Textured Impressions Embossing folder
• Circles #2 Originals die; 1 3/8 inch circle punch
• Stampin’ Dimensionals, Stamp-a-ma-jig

When I embossed the A to Z alphabet I was REALLY impressed with the Tangerine Tango Embossing powder.  Every single letter is perfect!  I’m crossing my fingers that Stampin’ Up! has more colors of embossing powder in the 2011-2012 Idea Book and Catalog.  (This is the time of year when I let my imagination run wild.)

That Cheep Talk birdie is so sassy, and I needed just the right sentiment to go with it.  I found the curved greeting from Crazy for Cupcakes and knew it was the one.  I stamped it in two parts and used the SAMJ to align them, because the curve of the message was a little too round for my circle.   Now that so many of my stamps are clear mount I don’t use the SAMJ as much as I used to, but there are times that it’s the only thing that will do the job – and this was one of those times.

Today is my daughter’s 21st birthday.  I’ll share her card later as I don’t want to spoil her surprise.

Happy birthday, Sara!  I hope you get to wear a crown today.