Handmade Holiday Cards

ho ho ho

Some people bake cookies by the batches, 

I make cards by the batches!

My Handmade Holiday Cards

*I drew a design on paper
*Placed drawing on top of my lightbox (Logan Desktop Lightbox)
*Traced design onto 50 Strathmore Watercolor Blank Greeting Cards
I love these blank cards:

https://www.amazon.com/Strathmore-105-150-Watercolor-Cards-Envelopes/dp/B004O77NVE/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=strathmore+watercolor+blank+cards&qid=1608336730&sr=8-3

*Inked each using Faber-Castell, size small, color Sepia (a few in Black)
*Watercolor painted the ornaments red
*To speed things up, I used Copic Markers for skin, hair & dress (skin white E00, Barley Beige E11& Dark Suntan E15)
*Added glitter for fun!!!
*Sealed each envelope with my Hanko stamp (paper was too rough to stamp, I improvise a new use).
Mailed out 50 handmade cards,
If you did not get one, it's because I only had 50 cards. Next time I'll buy 100 cards. I enjoyed making these over the course of 4 evenings while watching tv.
Merry Christmas & Happy Hanukkah
Peace & Carrots!

Double Click on each image to supersize

Spread a little magic Glitter!

Some with silver glitter, some with gold!

And some with Ribbons

Pictured above is an easy fun craft to make with your kids. 

Cover Styrofoam trees using Candy Gumdrops attached to toothpicks!! 

Stick an ornament on top! 

These last almost forever!!!

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah

Peace & Carrots!

Our China Adoption Journey

This is a photo essay about our China Adoption Journey, our daughter's orphanage, the people & captivating land. It was a "Happy 4th of July" that day she stepped foot onto USA soil and became an American citizen & forever our daughter. I'm posting this to my Art Blog because its a happy story & it's my story. It is part of what influences & inspires my art. Most of all, I hope this will inspire anyone out there who is trying to have a child but unable to conceive, or just wants to add to their family, or maybe thinking they're too old. I was 49 when I adopted this child. I adopted not because I could't get pregnant (but I was older) more because of the epic need I witnessed in China to save baby girls. I was raised as an American teenager in Southeast Asia, so for me, the choice was Asia. However, there are children all over the world and in USA who are waiting to be adopted. The need is overwhelming, even dire in many cases. I can assure you, it simply makes no difference if you are the birthparents or the adoptive parents, the level of love you will feel for that child is exactly the same wonderful love. I'm hoping my photo essay will spark your interest and possibly help you take that leap of faith! You can make a significant difference in a child's life and the love you get in return is powerful stuff! 
I posted too many photos,
so scroll fast!!! 
Enjoy!

For our adoption we used;
US Asian Affairs
539 E. Garvey Ave
Monterey Park, CA 91755
(626) 288-2220

I hope you will enjoy the following photo essay . 

We flew from Los Angeles to China

Gotcha Day refers to the day you're given your child 

That moment she was handed to us

Her referral photo mailed to us 

Her 1st photo taken by another visiting family 

Our first time to see her in person, waiting to be given to us.

some of the other new families that day (4th of July)

This is us, new family, it was 4th of July
Chinese hotel was honoring USA holiday with flags.
We flew home this same day and because China is one day ahead,
we got two 4th of Julys!!!

We stayed 2 weeks in China learning about the culture, people & land.
As we walked the public streets, people seemed grateful we adopted her

My favorite Pic "Water Babies"

at hotel 1st day, she looked scared

still looking sad

new families

At American Embassy in China, she was sworn in as an American

On the footsteps of her orphanage in matching dresses

she looked so sad & scared

a smile at last!

The blessing of the adopted children 

Blessing of the children

all these babies need homes!

girls playing in the Orphanage 

my daughter's crib

Some of the things we donated along with needed medicine

so excited about this ball

enjoying the new toys

We donated to her Orphanage & "HALF THE SKY" organization
https://onesky.org

sitting on the famous "White Swan Hotel Red Couch"

the red couch

The land & the people

Chinese diaper method

pollution

Her town grows yellow rapeseed 

VIEW FROM OUR 5 STAR HOTEL ROOM

1st week in her new American home

she loves American food

She meets her new kitty, 1st week home. They just happen to share the exact same Birthday!

Always smiling! A very happy child!

age 5 at DisneyWorld

Standing with same kitty as above, 11 years later

Give a child a chance & they will bloom!
At 12 years old, beautiful, always happy, Top Honors Student,
Black Belt in Karate, Pianist and interested in A.I. Engineering.

Family

"Our Frist Week Home"
Click link for YouTube Video ;

http://youtu.be/Izxc7XCiOpo