Molly Birthday

For: Molly
Occasion: her birthday

Molly is among my most vibrant and passionate friends, and I tried to capture this in her birthday card this year. I used a watercolor technique of blowing the paint through a straw to try to get that splash technique. I think it turned out great, and I especially like what it did to her hair!

I miss my Molly so, and I hope this year brings her all kinds of happiness and success--I've got a pretty good feeling about it!

Gatsby Birthday

For: Uncle Joel
Occasion: his birthday

My Uncle is an English teacher, and he owns a seersucker suit. Therefore, for his birthday card, I created a variation of the iconic The Great Gatsby book cover. This one is called It's Your Birthday by J. Andrew Walsh, as opposed to F. Scott Fitzgerald. I used cray pas to achieve the whimsical swirliness of the design.

On the inside, the card reads "Party at Gatsby's" in honor of the birthday. "He gives large parties...I like large parties. They're so intimate."  I hope Uncle Joel has a great day!

UK birthday

For: Jimmy
Occasion: his birthday

Jimmy is a proud University of Kentucky alum, so for his birthday card, I featured the wildcat and UK insignia. There's a little birthday cake hiding in front of the letters--I bet the cat gets it in less than two seconds!

I hope Jimmy has a great day and all the cake he wants!

Beach Birthday

For: Domi
Occasion: her birthday

Domi loves summer and beaches (and is pretty fierce/fabulous besides), so I created this watercolor beach scene of Domi enjoying the sun. Her hat and bag have her initials on it, for some added personalization.

I think it turned out great, and I hope Domi enjoys her last days of summer!

Typewriter Birthday

For: Aunt Marilyn
Occasion: her birthday

Aunt Marilyn is an awesome wordsmith, so I decided to feature a typewriter in her birthday card this year! I've never seen one with such bright colors, but I think it looks neat. The special message that's been typed out is "Happy Birthday!"

I miss Aunt Marilyn a lot and hope I get to see her over the holidays this year.

Mountain Pass Birthday

For: Adam 

Occasion: his birthday

For Adam's birthday card, I created a watercolor of the iconic pass signs you find all over Colorado. This one is Adam Biegen Pass, and where normally the signs say elevation, this one says Duration 10,957 days, which happens to be the number of days in 30 years. "Monumental Surprise" replaces "Continental Divide" and "30th Birthday Edition" replaces "10th Mountain Division."

I am beyond pleased with this card, and I hope Adam's surprise party was a big hit!

Sand Drawing Birthday

For: Amy
Occasion: her birthday

For Amy's birthday card, I created a whimsical watercolor of a lady drawing the world in the sand. We recently took a trip to the sand dunes and Amy is starting her Master's in International Disaster Psychology, so the image tied that all together for me.

It was wonderful celebrating with the gang at a French bistro, and I hope Amy has a great day!

Owl Birthday

For: Elly
Occasion: her birthday

For Elly's birthday card, I created this playful scene in which I got to play with white space. The owl is cut out, so only its form is a clue to what it is. I love the detail of the wings holding the cake, and I'm happy with how the design turned out!

I hope Ells has a great birthday and that the rally is a smashing success this year!

Ratings Birthday

For: Jack
Occasion: his birthday

According to his dad, Jack has been very interested in what the different ratings mean on various media. For his card, I created an entirely new rating: J for Jack! The cake on this cover has ten candles, and the content was rated by BDAY.

On the inside, the rating is explained: Material Not Accessible Until Age 10; For Birthday Fun Throughout.

I hope Jack has a great day, and that this card didn't add more confusion to his quest!