An early Cinco de Mayo birthday gift that was nearly late

I made this book nearly two months ago, before spring was even on its way. I wanted to get it finished early and in time for my dear friend Halle at Halle's Hobbies. For the past two years I have been late with every gift I've made for her. I wanted to break the cycle. So, after making the pages to this book, which are ATC size (2.5 inches by 3.5 inches), I set it aside and didn't bind it until it was nearly too late to get it to her on time. She called me yesterday to let me know she got it, so here it is for your enjoyment.

Some of you may have seen this side, honoring spring.


Even more may have seen the left side, which I used in an Inspiration Avenue Challenge last month, also honoring spring. For the right side, I used a small piece of sheet music (quite old), some of my handmade paper that I broke off from a larger sheet, a nearly matching piece of colored tyvek, and the sentiment that I printed out for the spread.


For the "Farm Angel," I created what I hoped looked like an angel flying over a field. Her head was made using a circle punch, her feet from a star punch and her body from a cheese label. I colored the telephone page using H20s. I have no idea where the 1.75 came from.

The right side is a bit ambiguous in its message. There is a heart, a gear, the word forever, and the number 2, overlaid onto a heavy substrate of color and a foreign text napkin. It's one of those pieces you can interpret however you choose.


This side of the card is not ambiguous. Talent has definitely been unleashed by the little girl and it is hopefully passed on to anyone who sees this book. The background is a page from an old book.

The right side is all about St. Patrick's Day, with stickers of rainbows and a pot of gold.



The rainbows continue onto the second side, where Leprechauns dance among mushrooms and a lucky horseshoe. A bit juvenile, and not exactly my style, but I had the stickers and needed to fill the page!

The right side is pure collage, with a star ticket and a crow complementing a warning label from a dead lighter I found in my yard.


For the reverse side, I began with a tape transfer of a feather, then added a strip from a dictionary page, a golden egg, and a pheasant. I topped it with a nest made of string, and the words "A bird in the nest is worth . . ."

For the next page, I used some darling fuzzy bunnies, along with heads of lettuce, carrots, a bird, shamrocks, and grass. Mix and stir and you now have "Bunny Dreams."


On the left, I started with a gold paint chip, then added an image and sentiment (If you never did you should.) I found in art magazines.

The right side has a background of a paint chip, to which I added a bit of colored book page, a large sticker from the USPS liberty bell, and some ledger paper I used to add my name and the date after I scanned the book.


The back page has another paint chip background, a flower I cut from the same paint chip, a postage stamp, and the sentiment "Spring is all about flowers."

Today is Halle's birthday, and thankfully she has received it in the nick of time. It seems no matter how early I start something for Halle, I end up running late, or nearly late. Happy birthday, dear friend, and remember, I'm thinking about you today!

By the way, have a great Cinco de Mayo, too!!

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