Collage Birthday Cards

Felicia and Rita Fanto

I think one of the things I love to do more than anything is collage using photos of friends and family. Remember, all my art needs a purpose. It appears that I am unable to just do art for art sake. I know know if this is because I came to art late in life - almost 60 when I turned this corner or if its the only motivation I seem to find to do stuff.

The first card I made this week was for a relative of my husband, whom neither of us have ever met. She lives on Tangier Island in Virginia. I feel like I know here because of all the communications she and I exchanged when I was doing my husband's genealogy. She was a tremendous help. This is Rita on the right and her sister "Flea" (Felicia) . They are very close emotionally but live far apart. Rita's computer died and so she sent me a letter after Christmas. Now, I'm not sure I sent her one of my Christmas cards. . . So, I made this card for her which I will send her tomorrow and update her as to how things are out here.

Aunt Adele

The above card is for my second oldest aunt. She will be 91 at the end of January. I used a background I made in a Kelly Kilmer class that is a painted canvas. The "flower body" was created by Gail Russakov who I have taken classes from at Art Unraveled in Phoenix.

I just found a photo of Aunt Adele and sized it in PhotoShop. After printing both the flower body and Aunt Adele's head shot, I literally just pasted her face on the flower. I added very small rhinestones around her neck and then some Stickles for the white centers of the flowers that make up her top. The center of the sun flower is some more black Stickles.

The layout below was created by using a background created in a Chris Cozen class. Then applying the Gail Russakov flower with Aunt Adele's photo. Then scanning it into PhotoShop and adding the swirls with a custom brush created by Rhonna Farrer.

Aunt Adele

All of my natural mom (Irene) sisters have been amazing since I found them (remember I was given up for private adoption). They have told me so much about the Gorszczyk family and provided so many photos and letters and support. When I first found my mom's family mostly living in New Jersey, I made them all necklaces using beads from Taiwan that I gathered in a Chinese knots class that was taught by an incredible Taiwanese National. I wonder if any of my aunts still have theses pieces of jewelry?

The last photo is a collage of Aunt Chris who has been an intregal part of my family since my discovery of all my mom's sisters (remember, 9 girls and 1 boy total). She and her husband were the first to welcome me into the family. She and Aunt Adele's daughter, Arlene, came out for my wedding and helped me so very much. Aunt Chris went with me to take my son, Erik, to West Point and stood beside me as a surrogate mom when Erik and Shannon got married.

Aunt Chris

Butterflies mean a lot to my aunts and angels mean a lot to me. Anyone who knows Aunt Chris, will understand the placement of the telephone on the collage - and she does not have call waiting - so just hang in there. I think she talks to all her sisters almost every day. For sure, once a week.

Aunt Chris' birthday isn't for a while, but I am ready. Her background was created in one of the many Chris Cozen classes that I took at Stamping Details in Poway.