40 cars in 50 years? Is that even possible?
I was moved to finally open this set and matching dies from the Occasions Catalog to make a card to show my friend Stacey, a professional writer in the automotive industry. She loved the results and purchased the stamp set for herself!
Back to those 40 cars; I drove most of them, if not all. I "learned" how to drive a stick on Stuart's first car, a 1967 Austin Healey Sprite.
After a particularly frustrating lesson, the little car
was relegated to spend the summer in the f
amily's garage, engine hoisted with the help of a friendly neighbor in order to repair the transmission I ruined.As time went on and after marriage, we owned a Javelin whose dashboard melted in the New Jersey sun and a Fiat sedan which felt like a mini Milk Truck, as I was forced to drive it for a time with the passenger seat removed. Stuart took it out to accommodate transporting the new TV we bought and couldn't figure out how to put it back. Then I got my very own first car: a Fiat Spider in which I blasted Chicago while my belly grew to such proportions, Stuart had to switch cars with me at the end of my first pregnancy. But I took it back eventually and loved singing "Just You n' Me" to baby Regan seated next to me in her car seat.
And there were more, more cars (more kids)and more stories. Two automobiles, TWO, during separate winters, ended up sideways on our front lawn as Stuart (honestly, he was responsible both times) attempted to navigate the icy driveway and get out to the street. Two times tow trucks were summoned.
Then there were the years when we were the recipients of the castoffs of one of Stuart's client's automobile obsession. For a few years we owned a 1986 black Eldorado convertible, the last convertible in the line. The car was absolutely gorgeous and so much fun to drive. Think anti-depressant on wheels.
Then there was the series of Mercedes 450 SL's. Fun and more fun.
What about the U-Haul trailer we loaded and attached with a special something to our car for a few weeks vacation in Saratoga Springs? We were strongly warned, strongly warned, by the U-Haul guy to "NOT" attempt to back it up … and one of us did, and one of us jackknifed it. Any guesses who?
Then there were the station wagon years, the ones with the wood sides and the seat in the "way back." The last one had a Thule bike rack on top and a pair of child car seats in row two. We were a busy family. I marvel at my 40-something self climbing onto the roof of the wagon while a strong middle schooler handed me up one bike, then another.
This was the wagon, which on day two of our cross-country move, was pulled up onto a flat bed truck due to some silly hose thing and smoke. The big kids rode in the State Trooper's vehicle because the tow truck cab could not accommodate the six of us. Know that this car spent what seemed like the appropriate amount of time in the Buick service department PRIOR to our embarking on this move for a "full system, safety" check up. (We were, afterall, sensible adults and knew how important safety checks were.) I won't bore you with the computer system glitch in New Mexico and then the loss of most of the brake system coming around some really big mountains. Stuart had to practically stand on the pedal to slow the car down to a stop.
OMG, there is much more. But enough for now; there are more car stories should I feel inclined. Suffice to say I have been driving a 2006, 5-speed Jetta, for the last 10 years. I love my car. I get in, put on my sunglasses and feel young … ish. If cars are an extension of the owner, my Jetta is me. Note: I have never needed transmission work on this car!
Is there not a greeting card mentioned here! Well yes, and here are the stats:
Geared Up Garage / Garage Gear Thinlits Dies
Card base is Whisper White Cardstock 5 1/2 by 8 1/2, scored at 4 1/4
Smoky Slate base 5 3/8 x 4 1/8
Classic Garage Designer Series Paper 5 1/4 x 4
Whisper White 3 1/4 x 3 1/4
Smokey Slate scrap for gears
Whisper White scrap at least 3 1/4 x 1 1/2 for car
Scrap piece Silver Foil Cardstock for gears
Sentiment strips: Whisper White 2 1/2 x 1/2
Basic Gray 2 3/4 x 3/4
Black Twine few inches
Classic Garage Metal Elements
- Fold Whisper White Cardstock base in half and burnish with bone folder.
- Layer the Designer Series Paper onto the Smokey Slate base and then onto the card with adhesive of choice. I like multipurpose liquid glue for "wiggle" time to lay cardstock evenly.
- Stamp the smoke using Smokey Slate ink, onto the Whisper White square, about in the middle, then stamp again as pictured, without reinking. Glue to card front.
- Stamp the car on the scrap in Basic Gray Ink. Using Big Shot, die-cut car with thinlit and adhere to Whisper White piece using Stampin' Dimensionals.
- Stamp the sentiment using Basic Gray ink onto Whisper White. Flag end. Flag Basic Gray strip. Adhere Whisper White sentiment strip to Basic Gray as shown with Multipurpose Liquid Glue. Then adhere to card using Stampin' Dimensionals.
- Die Cut three gears of choice using Silver Foil Cardstock and adhere with Mini Glue Dots.
- Choose a Classic Garage Metal Element and tie with Black Twine. Attach to sentiment strip with Mini Glue Dot.
- Send to the car lover in your life!
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