Rock Legends.

On this day in 1964 The Beatles appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show. Approximately 74 million viewers — about half of the American population — watched the group perform on the show. I think most of them were screaming girls when you look at the video!!
The next morning, many newspapers wrote that The Beatles were nothing more than a 'fad', and 'could not carry a tune across the Atlantic'.

Funny how history works isn't it.

Just recently 45 years later they have opened a theme hotel in Liverpool based on The Beatles called "A Hard Day's Night Hotel".
You have to love the imagination behind this. Check it out for yourself.

After you watch this video of their first performance tell someone you know what a "rockstar" they are. Head over to my etsy shop and check out this mini-album


If a card is more what you are looking for I can create a custom card for you similar to this one for a "rock star" on his 50th birthday. Or even one for your "rocking" mom, seen below.

Here's to The Beatles...you guys ROCK!

7 days and counting...

Just a reminder for all those holiday challenged types. Valentine's day is only 7 days away. If you head over to my etsy shop right now I can get you your order just in time for the big day.
Everyone deserves a valentine, the paper boy, your neighbor who takes in your trash cans for you when you are away, the UPS guy who walks you package up the hill when his truck can't make it through the snow. Stop by the shop look around in the valentine's goodies section and pick out a card or two. If you mention you saw this post on my blog I'll even give you an extra 10% off. Just let me know when you order.

Are you my TYPE?

On this day in 1957 Smith-Corona Manufacturing of New York, began selling portable electric typewriters. The first one weighed 19 pounds. It's unbeleiveable how far we have come in 52 short years. It's amazing that now even a laptop doesn't weigh 19 pounds. If typewriter history is your TYPE of thing then you want to check out this site by Will Davis, who apparently is all about the typewriter. Smith-Corona also has a history timeline for their products here.

If you're not really into that but know

someone who is...look for this Valentine card in my shop and send it out the old- fashioned way...snail mail.

Birthday Madness

WOW... July has hit me with birthday madness. In the last week I have known and/or celebrated about 6 different birthdays, including my own. It's funny how things like that hit you in packs, birthdays, new babies, weddings. It seems as soon as you go to one you are going to several. One of the birthdays we helped celebrate was a milestone...60 years. A good friend of the studios turned 60 and we had a surprise party to go to. Of course such a monumental occasion called for an awesome card and I hit the boards to create one. I came up with this, a bit nostalgic, but fun as well. Inside is a pocket that can hold a gift card or even cash if you wish to give it. A a great quote about growing old..or not growing old I should say.

Since it turned out so well I thought I would offer it in my etsy shop. It's a great card that can be personalized for the birthday boy by YOU. You can take out the replica photo and replace it with one of your own, or send us you photo here at the studio and we'll include it for you. While you're at the shop checking out this card take a look at some of the others we offer for birthdays too. If you are having or had a birthday this month...to you I say..HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

For the love of FONTS

While checking out some other blogs I randomly look at I found this link. This site has a simple quiz that you can take to see if you were a font what you would be. I love this. I currently have over 450 fonts on my computer. many of those I have searched out and added. I know it's bad when I see advertisements and can say "That's good dog cool " I also feel very limited by my blog page with the very slim selection of fonts they give you to choose from. None of my favorites are here! One awesome site that I check out frequently is http://www.dafont.com/ here you can find loads of fonts most of them are FREE and are available for mac or windows. So I am American Typewriter, not a bad font but I think of myself more as "Desyrel" with some "calvin & hobbes" thrown in.

If you need a place to write down those cool fonts that you see while driving down the highway or looking through the web. Try this handy notepad. It's available in my etsy shop and is refillable. The font by the way is "Fabulous Fifties" and is available at Fonttrader.

All this talk about fonts has me itching...I need to head over to Dafont myself and see what's new, maybe I'll see you there!

Those daring young women in their flying machines.

On May 21, 1932, Amelia Earhart was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic ocean.

It was five years to the day after Lindbergh's famous flight, when she took off in a Lockheed Vega, in an attempt to become the second person after Lindbergh (and first woman) to fly solo across the Atlantic. Starting from Harbour Grace, Newfoundland, her flight lasted almost 15 hours, when she touched down in a pasture near Londonderry, Northern Ireland. With this flight she had broken several records ...the first woman to fly the Atlantic solo and only person to fly it twice...the longest non-stop distance flown by a woman...and a record for crossing in the shortest time. (The distance from Newfoundland to Ireland being considerably shorter than Lindbergh's route from Long Island to Paris, her flight time was correspondingly shorter than his 33 hours.)

Amelia Earhart was born on July 24, 1897 in Atchison, Kansas. Her grandparents raised her during her early childhood. From the age of ten, she lived with her mother and father. She was a tomboy - climbing trees, sledding in the snow, and hunting She saw her first airplane in 1908, at the Iowa State Fair, but her interest in aviation lay dormant for another ten years. She served as a nurse in World War One, and took her first ride in an airplane in 1920. After her flight with barnstormer Frank Hawks, she said:

"As soon as we left the ground, I knew I myself had to fly."

Indeed, within a few days, she took her first flying lesson, in a Curtiss JN-4 Jenny. Six months later, she bought her own airplane.

This birthday card from the studio reminds me of Amelia. Perhaps you know someone who has a great spirit of adventure as she did. Look for this card in our etsy shop and celebrate the daring and adventuresome spirit of great women like Amelia.

I leave you with a quote from Amelia made before her attempt at flying around the world, what has become know as her last flight. This quote sums up much of how I think she lived her life.

"Please know I am quite aware of the hazards...I want to do it because I want to do it. Women must try to do things as men have tried. When they fail their failure must be but a challenge to others."
Bravo Amelia!

The Sultan of Swat...begins.

Today in 1915, Babe Ruth hit his first homerun while with the Boston Red Sox. May 6, 1915

In the third inning at the Polo Grounds, 20-year-old pitcher Babe Ruth slammed the first pitch off Yankee right-hander Jack Warhop into the second tier of the right field grandstand for a home run. It was the first home run for the youngster in his 18th time at bat in the major leagues. As Ruth trotted around the bases running out the home run he had blasted, the 8,000 in attendance, cheered him on.

Ruth's impact on American culture still commands attention today. Top performers in other sports are often referred to as "The Babe Ruth of ____." He is considered one of the greatest baseball players in history, in fact many polls place him as the number one player of all time. His name comes up anytime home runs are discussed, including Barry Bond's passing Ruth's career number in 2006. You can find his baseball stats here.

In honor of america's favorite pasttime and the huge number of baseball fans out there, we have created this card in the studio.

It features a replica T-206 baseball card, often times called tobacco series cards since they came in the package of tobacco (not chewing gum !)

It has been a popular seller from our studio and can be personalized for any occasion. We may even have your favorite old time players replica card to put on the front. Look for it in our etsy shop.

In the meantime ...get out there and knock one outta the park...The Babe is cheering you on.