A blog anniversary - and you get a card

Today marks the fifth anniversary of Snippets. Where does the time go? I know I haven't always been the most consistent about posting, but I try, and I'm pretty pleased that I've stuck with it this long. To mark the occasion, I'll be sending cards to my blog readers, whether you've been around since I started or you've just stumbled onto my blog for the first time.

Does that sound a little crazy to you? It does to me. But in one of my posts last week I mentioned that I want to send more cards to say hello or thinking of you or "just because." And I also know several Stampin' Up! demonstrators who are participating in a campaign to fill mailboxes with something other than bills and catalogs (#imbringingbackhappymail). So I decided to take the plunge, and my blog's anniversary seems like the perfect opportunity to start my own #31DaysofHappyMail.

Would you like to receive a card from me in the mail? It's easy! Just add a comment to this post sometime this month (August 2016) and include your mailing address. (Your address won't be posted for everyone to see. I've modified the settings on my blog so comments need moderator approval before they are posted. When I review comments I'll jot down addresses and then delete them from the comments before approving and posting.) Then I'll add your name to the list. I'm planning to mail a batch of cards once a week throughout the month. Edited to add: Apparently I can't edit a comment before publishing it; just approve or delete it. So if you want a card, submit a comment with your address and I will write down your address and delete the whole comment. If you also want to have a comment appear on the blog, submit that separately from your address.

With that little announcement out of the way, I do have a fun, cheerful card to share today:

Supplies (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):
Stamps: Flower Patch, Hello Sunshine (Lawn Fawn)
Paper: Soft Sky, Pear Pizzazz, Old Olive, Hello Honey card stock
Ink: Soft Sky, Soft Suede, Old Olive, Hello Honey
Accessories: Flower Fair Framelits dies, Beautiful Wings Embosslits die, Grassy Border Lawn Cuts die (Lawn Fawn), Express-o Yourself mini prills (USA Art Quest), Designer Dries Clear Glue (Art Glitter)

One of my cousins loves sunflowers, and her birthday was in July, so I made her a set of eight of these cards as a birthday present. This card definitely makes me smile, and I'm sure it would brighten the day of any recipient.

My favorite detail here is the prills in the center of the sunflower. Prills are available in different colors and make a great addition to shaped, 3-D flowers. I took a class in flower shaping at a stamp expo earlier this summer, and while it's a very cool technique with stunning results, it's not really my style. But I picked up a container of these dark brown prills because I thought they would make a fun accent on a card. They are perfect here as little sunflower seeds, and I think they may work as gravel in the bottom of a fish tank, pebbles in the sand or dirt in a flower pot. Maybe even inside a shaker card. It's all about being creative, right?

As always, thanks for stopping by and checking out my creations. Remember to leave a comment with your address if you'd like a card for #31DaysofHappyMail.