How to make 11 cards real QUICK...

because you were so busy (procrastinating). cough.. sputter.. gasp.

Don't judge me just because you know that it's not like I didn't know it was coming.  I mean Mother's day is always the same time every year, right?  Not to mention the fact that I have known for a couple of months that there was a big shindig going on today (Saturday) for 4 of my closest friends who all turn the big 5-0 (yep, I said... FIFTY) right around the same time over the next weeks.  Still, for whatever reason it came down to last night before I realized that I needed to make almost a dozen cards and had VERY little time to do so.  In fact, I had to make Eleven... yep, Eleven cards... but I'm only showing you six - the rest I had to send on their way before I even had a chance to take photographs.  That's no never-mind though, 'cause they was all about the same!  (This is how I roll when I am under PRESSURE!) :-)

Seriously though, with very little time, I formulated a quick and easy card layout, grabbed some nice papers and cranked them babies out with the help of my trusty Cricut and a couple of cartridges, Mother's Day 2010 and one of my new carts, Potpourri Basket (which I got dirt cheap by the way!).

First I did a few Grandma cards in two different Papertrey Ink colors, Raspberry Fizz and  Plum Pudding (using their patterned paper and ribbon as well).  A Raspberry Fizz example is right here...

...and then I did a couple of cards for the mothers.  Here is an example of the Plum Pudding version...

I actually made four mom cards and three grandma cards in total.  Then I moved on to the birthday cards.  One of the four turning the big 5-0 (yep, I said it AGAIN... FIFTY!!) is of the female gender and I liked the Raspberry Fizz color best for her so I pulled out my Potpourri Basket cartridge for the Happy Birthday sentiment.  Deb's card looks like this...

At this point (and no, not before) I started to feel just a tad bit guilty that I was putting together look-alike cards for all these wonderful women (gulp)...so I added this to the inside of Deb's card just to ease my pain...

By this time is was almost midnight... so I finished the task with three more birthday cards for the OLD men in my life... Art, Chris and Gordy.  Though all three of these guys constantly TRY to say that I am older than they are... the fact is... they are WAY - WAY older than me.... I mean I'm still in my 40's (49... eeeek) for crying out loud and they are the big 5-0 (yep I said it AGAIN... 5-0.... FIFTY!!)  :-)  Anyhow, I pulled out the Cosmo Cricut Boyfriend paper collection pack and matching ribbon as well as some coordinating Papertrey Ink cardstock to finish their cards... also using the sentiment from Potpourri Basket. (if it ain't broke, don't fix it, is what I always say and this card layout was working as far as I was concerned....)

Funny... (sad) that I had all these plans to make each and every one of these cards unique as a testament that my friendship and love for all of them, mothers, mother-in-law types, the grandmothers, grandmother-in-law types and my beloved friends, is unique as well... but in the end, I just wanted to make sure they had a card from all of us to mark these special days!  What is that saying about the best laid plans..?  Ah well. 

Now I'm off to get around for the Cricut Cake roadshow.  Today I travel to Michael's in Battle Creek (they've added a store to my show) and then tomorrow another stint at the Michael's in Lansing's Frandor store!  Can't wait to get started showing off Provocraft's latest machine!

Oh and if you are in the Mid-West parts (like I am) freezing your butt off right now (like I am) try to keep warm today... figures that the shindig for my pals is an outside hog roast and horseshoe tournament!  I hope everyone bring thier mittens. :-)