A Break for Father's Day Cards and First-World Whining

I am on vacation in the wilds of northern Minnesota (really, a resort on Lake Vermilion...beautiful cabin, loons floating on the water, eagles flying overhead...a rough life), and after three days, I finally have internet access. (Yes, I'd scheduled the past two posts ahead of time.) Anyway, the internet here is as slow as molasses in winter, but it's internet access. I'm not sure how trustworthy this service is. The past two days rained, and apparently that killed the Wi-Fi. Six humans trapped in a cabin without Wi-Fi or cell phone service.

The horror. The horror.

Kurtz had NO IDEA WHAT SUFFERING WAS!

Whatever. (Name that literary reference!)

I'm going to (hopefully, God willing and the creek don't rise) post my final entry in the washi tape series tomorrow, but for now, I want to talk about Father's Day, because I couldn't yesterday, and what a bummer that was.

I have mixed feelings about Father's Day, as do all children of fathers who were not exactly Ward Cleaver. My usual response to the day is to focus on those men who were LIKE fathers for me, who were and are wonderful, positive, loving, supportive men. My uncle Darius, my grandfather D.L., my father-in-law Roger...and a variety of male teachers who went above and beyond in the setting-an-example-of-good-men department.

On Father's Day, I am incredibly thankful for these men in my life, but mostly, I'm thankful for my husband, the father of my own children, who are more important to me than myself. He's pretty awesome in the dad department (and no slouch in the husband department, either). So I made him a Father's Day card inspired by the view off our back deck because it's his happiest place in the wonderful home he's provided for us.

The design focuses on the tree with giant leaves in two shades of green and a single red bird (evocative of our cardinal Louis, who is stupid beyond the usual bird brain and constantly tries to head-butt his way through our windows). 

And while we're on the topic of Father's Day cards, here's the one I made for my husband to send to his father, who is a fan of petroglyphs and all things southwestern.

And here's a close-up of the marvelous shimmer of the Brilliance rust ink. I outlined the rectangles with copper metallic marker since without it they looked a little blah. The results are fabulous, I think.

I hope you had a lovely Father's Day. For those of you who have great fathers still alive, know you are blessed. For those of you who have great fathers who have passed on, know that I prayed for you on Father's Day. And for those whose fathers are not or were not Ward Cleaver, know that you are not alone and it's all going to be okay.

Supplies for Tree Card
stamps:  Papertrey
ink: Memento and Hero Arts
paper: Papertrey Ink white
accessories: green grosgrain ribbon, leather circle punch

Supplies for Southwest Card
stamps: Stampabilities, PSX, Hero Arts
ink: Brilliance, Memento
paper: Papertrey Ink white
accessories: dimensionals, copper metallic pen, straight metal ruler