Happy Mother's Day - You're Special (X 3)...Retro Sketches #62, 4 Crafty Chicks #141 and just because...

A bunch of things to be jazzed about this morning, with the Top 3 being:

• We’re off to visit my family this afternoon (two weeks since last visit have flown!),  and you know what that means:  some time to be Aunty C, some time to be my parents’ daughter, some time to be a sister and sister-in-law and…some time to be a bike-race official…

• First road bike race of the Alberta racing season is this weekend, and while I usually don’t sign up to be a commissaire (cycling referee) for this event, (busy being Aunty!), they needed an extra so…I agreed to help out.  My husband (who divides his time as a rider or official) is an official for all three stages – both Saturday and Sunday – while I’m involved with only the first.  Sometimes, following behind a group of riders, decked out in their cycling suits (whoops… my husband, who chose just this moment to read over my shoulder has yet again, reminded me: “They’re cycling kits, Carol…kits, not suits.” *heavy sighhhh - him, not me*  Okay, okay, I stand corrected.  Kits, suits, whatever – it’s all spandex and latex, and helmets, and shoes and chains and gears.  The whole kit-and-caboodle…) is a blast and sometimes it’s not.  First race = nervy jitters for everyone involved.  I’m sure all will be well – and besides, a drive through country roads on the (dusty and windy) prairie is an outing.  By the time I’m finished, my niece should be ready and raring to do “stuff,’ so I’ll have a balance of ‘work and play’ (hmmm….actually, it’s all play, when I think about it…).

• I finished the Mother’s Day cards I set out to do, although “Happy Mother’s Day” doesn’t appear on any of them, because…ummm, I don’t own such a stamp.  Instead, I went with a phrase (from my PS Sentiment set) that captures the essence of the moms – my mom, my mother-in-law, and my sister-in-law’s mom - I made cards for: “You’re Special.”  They truly are three most amazing women and I hope my cards – a little bit whimsical, a little bit colourful, and a whole bunch ‘love-infused’ – will make them smile.

Two of my three cards were inspired by this week’s popular Retrossketches #62, which has soooo many possibilities, as well as an idea to 'extend' my PS Notebook Basics Die, by the incredibly talented, super sweet Savannah O'Gwynn, shared in her video here.  Thank you, Savannah!

Here's my first card:

My second card had an inspiration boost from Melissa, one of the creative minds found at both TAWS  and 4 Crafty Chicks #141, where her colour challenge - based on My Mind's Eye "Saffron" paper pad - is on

Guess what I have...that very paper (scraps only, but enough...and now I want more...), so here's my Retro sketches/4 Crafty Chicks entry...

and here's the pair....

Finally, my third card is my "re-vision" of a stunning inspiration shared by Shari Carroll, one of the amazing guest artists at the recent Online His and Hers card class.   

Shari's is a bajillion times prettier, of course, but I'm happy with my 'tried something new' outcome,

shared here, just because...

I'm not yet sure what the mom-card pairings will be;  perhaps I'll let my mom decide which one she wants because she's my #1 fan (it's only fair, right - she 'puts up' with all my card-making shenanigans...). On the other hand, perhaps I'll let my husband decide which one he wants for his mom (he really puts up with my shenanigans, card-making and otherwise...).  We'll see what happens come Sunday.

Thank you for dropping in, and please know that your comments are welcome and appreciated, deeply.

Have a wonderful Friday...and to all of you who are moms - HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!  Hope you receive plenty of spoiling and pampering on your day, because "You're Special"!

Update:  So honoured to be selected as a Top 3 for the 4 Crafty Chicks Colour Challenge Combo!