Thank you all for the wonderful birthday wishes that you shot my way yesterday. I’m not a big “celebrate me!” person, but I certainly loved all the kind regards and warm wishes.
Since you are so big on celebrating me, I’m happy to share a gift that I received in the mail last week – a surprise parcel from Australia filled with “chocolates and lollies.” How adorable is that?! While I loved all the treats (there’s hardly a thing more delicious than Tim Tam’s), I might have been more excited about the accompanying card. Here’s what I found inside the box:
Don’t worry! You’ll get a closeup of this card in just a second (it could be a minute or more, depending on how quickly you read and how quickly you study what’s inside these beautifully wrapped gifts). Here’s what I found inside:
Lousie Sharp is a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator in Londonderry Australia. I first met Louise during my first Stampin’ Up! Convention in 2013. Justin and I were walking around the convention hall on the first day when we heard a faint screech from a woman behind us. She politely approached us and asked if she could give us cookies and a hug. Are you kidding me? It was one of my first “I know you!” experiences – and she was from 15,000 miles away from me. She’s quite “the big deal” in Australia, too – I see her picture everywhere, and I collected more Tim Tams from her on the Caribbean cruise this past Spring. 🙂
And, as promised, here’s the card that came with this amazing gift:
How’s THAT for a wowzer of a card? I’ve not really made many projects with this set, but I love it and have loved what I’ve see with it. According to Louise, this card depicts the side-by-side comparison of Christmas in Atlanta and Christmas in Australia. It’s Summer in Australia, so her house (which is apparently pink) is filled with sunshine when Santa makes his stopover there. I’ve never experienced snow on Christmas, but this is pretty much the image we think of at Christmas in the states. I LOVE how the sentiment, so delicately placed at the base of the two panels, ties the two together perfectly.
I’m so happy to be able to share this card with you. I hope you’ll share your wonder and amazement with Louise as a “thank you” for indirectly making this card for you. 🙂
Thanks for stopping by today!
Brian
Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog
Weekly Deals. Stampin’ Up! released new Weekly Deals yesterday – current products at huge discounts. You don’t want to miss these:
You have become a stampin’ rockstar when someone SCREECHES when they see you!
What a cute card and oh those yummies….wow. ENJOY them.
Have a great day!
This is just the best ! Love this card ! So so cute !! I used to have a swap friend in Australia and it was such fun ! Louise , you are a real sweetie !
Sounds like you had a great birthday , Mr. King !
Happy belated and what a lovely surprise! Love the Aussie’s!
Hi Brian! I personally saw this card being created by the very talented Lou Lou! Wishing you a merry Christmas from Oz! A pink house would definitely suit Lou Lou too!
Love it! Great idea! These houses really grow on a person!
I love this card so much. It is so well thought out and meaningful. What a sweet friend you have across the world!
Now Brian… Maybe you went away – but it has actually snowed a bit in Atlanta on Christmas. I’m from there so I know it’s not common, but we visit family nearly every Christmas and it snowed there about 3 (4?)years ago. My boys were overjoyed because they had prayed for it to do so for about a month beforehand! 😉 enough teasing…
Thanks for sharing your lovely treats wih us. How sweet of her to send you the special goodies and the lovely card. 🙂
You are right! It was 2010, and I forgot that it snowed in Atlanta that year. I was in Charleston visiting my family while it was snowing in Atlanta, so I technically didn’t experience it. 🙂
Wow , Brian those yummys look yummy. We need to celebrate you , you are our King !!!!
Hugs , I know you had a wonderful day !!!!
Love Frenchie ,
Thank you for sharing Louise’s card with us. I love how she compared the two places. Fabulous card, Louise!
I think I shall do the same when I finally meet you “in person.” Hmmm…what will I send you afterward…lobster, blueberries, maple syrup or potatoes??? 🙂
Lobster and maple syrup, please.
P.S. Those are all the things we are known for up here in Maine!
Hi, Dawn: I know this isn’t SU related, but your comment made me SO nostalgic for the cruise I went on in September. My Class of ’66 girlfriends (we are all 66 this year!) and I had that wonderful Maine lobster (lobster rolls, of course) and blueberry pie when we stopped in Portland and Bar Harbor. I would do it again in a minute!
Oh my, yes, Bar Harbor! We took a cruise up there a few years ago and that Bar Harbor Inn has the BEST Lobster Chowder!!! I vow to get back there someday. Thanks for that thought, Marcia!
Happy Belated Birthday Brian. Thanks for sharing the beautiful card. I truly don’t know how I would react if I saw you in person but hopefully in would only be described as a “faint screech”. You are royalty after all. 🙂 Thanks again for the wonderful blog I get to read each morning.
Leah, I just guffawed at my desk. What a great response!
Lovely card, great presents! And — a belated happy birthday!
Hi Brian:
I really love Louise’s card. It is like two mini creations blended together perfectly and the sentiment is one I use often on my Christmas cards. Santa and reindeer are also perfectly placed. I think if I received this card I would mount it on a piece of balsa wood and make a tree ornament out of it. It would be a wonderful reminder of how blessed I am to have friends all over the world.
Thanks so much Louise for this beautiful gift….it’s so fun having JOY in the morning! Your creative card is truly a work of art from the heart.
Brian, it’s nothing like surprises in the mail, so happy for you!
What a lovely surprise for you. I want to add my belated, but sincere wishes . I hope you treated yourself to something wonderful on your birthday. Brian, meeting you and getting to know you has been a real high point of my 2014. You inspire me with your creativity and unfortunately make me snort with your humor. I can only hope you know how much your friendship means to me.
Our Lou Lou is totally amazing isn’t she? This card is absolutely gorgeous! Merry Christmas from Sydney Australia xo
King Brian — well we have King Felix (Mariner pitcher) here in Seattle. It works. They even have their own t-shirt. Happy belated birthday. Of course you know that you share your birthday with the one and only Beethoven!
I also look forward to your daily messages. Sometimes they are posted before I go to bed, so I get to read them really early. Thank you.
Hi there Brian,
Our Lou Lou is a very special, kind hearted one indeed! I seriously doubt it was a “faint screech” but a nice way to explain it! And trust me, if her hubby would let her she definitely WOULD have a pink house!
Merry Christmas to you in Atlanta from us in Australia
Cool . . . great story, great treats and a really great card. That is a beautiful pic of the three of you.
🙂
Happy Belated Birthday Brian. LOVE your site, and thanks so much for letting me share in your special birthday celebration…. all the way from ‘down under’ !!!
Judy
Fabulous card! Lucky guy to receive those goodies!
Brian, I know what you mean about Tim Tams. They are the bomb. They are fab with hot chocolate. Bite of opposite corners and then use it as a straw in the hot chocolate. You will think you are in heaven. Enjoy yours, I sure wish I had some now. BTW, the card was cute also.
What a clever card!