Bing Crosby, Ann Landers, and 93 Candles

Today was my mother's 93rd birthday. We celebrated with lunch and the BEST hot fudge sundae in the Midwest, MAYBE even in the United States. The Green Gables has been at the same location since 1929. They are literally famous for their Matzo Ball Soup and Hot Fudge Sundaes. It was the after school hang-out for our most famous twins - Abigail and Ann Friedman (AKA Dear Abby and Ann Landers). The building actually looks like this: What makes this Hot Fudge Sundae so incredible? Is it the really good, hand-scooped, vanilla ice cream? The tall fluted ice cream dish it is served in? Is it the chopped almonds or the maraschino cherry? The swirl of whipped cream? Or...is it the Hot Fudge served on the side in a green miniature ceramic pouring pitcher? I know from experience that the top of the wee pitcher is JUST wide enough to allow your spoon in to retrieve most of the contents. Of course if you want EVERY last drop of the chocolaty indulgence the PROPER retrieval method is your finger. Good to the last lick I tell you!

It's not a place to go if you are in a hurry. Every thing is cooked to order and the waitresses...well lets just say they (and I mean this seriously) are the same waitresses that worked there when I was in high school and I'm old enough to have an 11 year old granddaughter. They were probably high school chums of Ann and Abby. It is one of those places that, if you've moved out of the area, you must revisit with every homecoming.

My personal lunch favorite? The Custer Special. The description: "is it a sandwich or is it a salad?" Daughter Amy calls it the Hay Mound. I like it no matter what it is called. She always orders the Chicken Club Sandwich. They even have Liver and Onions as a regular on the menu! Anyway if you are ever in the area - Green Gables is a must do!
Enough about the Sundaes - on to the cards. I was a maniac in the Bubble tonight. I was probably on a sugar high from the fudge...

Ruby Tube
~Base card Paper Trey Ink White
~Layer of bright green cardstock
~Layer of My Mind's Eye Penny Lane (I like the circles that duplicate the round of the inner tube)
~Three flower punches using DCWV Glitter Mat Stock
~Ribbon
~Digital image - this week's freebie by Elizabeth O. Dulemba - colored with Copics, inner tube embellished with three 'ruby' rhinestones and Stickles - I don't know why I "sparklied-up" the inner tube. It had little circles drawn on it and it just screamed 'gemstones'!
Challenges:
Hidden Treasures - sketch
City Crafter - Some Like it Hot (summer theme and use the color red)
Daring Cardmakers - Ruby inspiration


Brush Up on Your Greetings

~Base card Paper Trey Ink Raspberry Fizz
~Striped design paper
~Layer of blue and pink cardstock and digital image printed on white cardstock. Image is another freebie from Lauretta's Digital Stamps - colored with Copics and the bristles are coated with Glossy Accents. The background of the image I sponge-smudged with pastel chalks.
~Sheer ribbons and thin trim/braid for the string of the brush handle
~Challenge
Stamping 411 - sketch

Caardvarks - create a birthday card


Carry Moonbeams Home in Jar...
~Base card Paper Trey Ink White
~Unknown design papers
~Sentiment - Stampin' Up Warm Words~Oval diecut using Spellbinders and Cuttlebug - background sky and ground applied using pastel chalks and dry sponge
~Two digital images colored and attached using foam dimensionals. The girl on the swing is from Little Musings and regrettably I didn't save the artist's name on the Swirly Tree
~Accordion flower with white brad is something I made because I just happen to have a strip of the design paper tossed to the side which I had accordion folded and then never used - so I decided to try to make a circle out of it
Challenges:
Lord Have Mercy - sketch
Dare U 2 Digi Stamp - The Great Outdoors

I think my sugar buzz is melding into a carbohydrate coma - so that' all for me tonight. Thank you for stopping by. Maybe we'll meet for a fountain treat at the Green Gables!

All good wishes,
Nancy