Happy Birthday to a Childhood Friend

Today is the birthday of a childhood friend who was then known as Kathy ... but as we've gotten older, she has the much-cooler name of "Kat".  Here is the card I made for her:

This is a tight close-up of the front of the card, so you can see the tiniest details.  I used Studio Calico's "Anthology" paper for the background, a chipboard star, and October Afternoon's Thrift Shop word stickers to decorate.  The typewriter letters are from a punch-out sheet by Graphic 45, the alphabet page from a collection called "Domestic Goddess" (which really speaks to me!!).

"Anthology" is perfect to use for Kat -- she is my longest-term friend, spanning back to the days when she and I met in Mr. McAteer's 4th grade class at Forest Park Elementary on Long Island, NY.  That's 47 years ago! 

(I had SUCH a crush on Mr. McAteer ... he was my first lay teacher [non-NUN] and OH MY he's a BOY!!  The crush lasted until I found out he {ewwwwwww} grew up with my father and therefore, he was older than dirt!!)

This isn't us, but it could have been!

Kat and I shared a love of writing, and she had mad-drawing skills that I so admired.

We danced together to our favorite "Purple People Eater" song, and shared a love of dogs -- particularly collies, since she and I both had beautiful ones, her's was Lad, mine Tikai. Kat, if you're reading this, you'll just love this video:

We kept in touch throughout the years, except for an interval of about 10-20 years post-college. As I made my way through a first marriage and new baby, I didn't realize that Kat went on to write a book (wow!) and we both settled in Pennsylvania -- amazingly, only about 15 miles apart. When her book was featured in an article in The Philadelphia Inquirer, I tracked her down and we reunited. 

Happy Birthday, Kat!