IFTL Madison Womack wins "Top Banana"!

I've got a lot of catching up to do in naming my "Top Bananas" so this is my second one this week. 

In case you missed my announcement, "Top Bananas" are fellow bloggers whose work is a-peel-ing to me ... or who do good deeds to help others through their craft ... as well as some papercrafting vendors who have products I endorse, at fair prices, with excellent customer service. 

You can find all of my "Top Bananas" listed on the page by clicking the link at the top of my blog.

So without further ado ...

The second winner of a CardMonkey Top Banana is MADISON WOMACK, owner/artist behind the Funky Cards blog.  Madison is a fabulous 17-year old in California, who is wiser and more generous than her years.

Madison initiated and runs a community service project she calls "I Feel the Love".  Through the project, she calls on fellow crafters to join with her in making and sending cards for children and/or their families who are facing serious health trials or loss. 

Through her project, Madison has received and given more than 500 cards, reaching her goal a year before she expected! 

Each month, Madison makes a difficult choice of which child to feature as that month's IFTL Child.  This month, it's BRANDON, a beautiful boy who receives his care at the facility where I work: Pediatric Specialty Care. 

Here is the card I made for Brandon, as part of Madison's IFTL effort:

Brandon's Mom Linda calls Brandon "Li'l Man", so I thought this image that
I found on Silhouette America's online store would be fun and personal.
I scaled it large enough to fit onto a 5"x7" card, cut in primary colors, and
mounted it using an Action Wobble, for fun. 

Please hop over to Madison's site to read more about Brandon, IFTL, and to see how you can make/send a card for this adorable young boy, just 5 years old and facing a lifetime of therapy as a result of a tragic car accident.

Thank you for all you do, Madison ... and congratulations on being named a "Top Banana!"

Creatively Yours,

Introducing: My first "Top Banana" Award

In redesigning my blog recently -- a project that's underway and will likely a dynamic process -- I decided to add a page (up there, on the top row) for my "Top Bananas". 

Some of the "Top Bananas" will be people, fellow bloggers.  Others will be papercrafting vendors who have products I endorse, at fair prices, with excellent customer service. 

Still others will be good-deed doers in this papercrafting world whose work is simply a-peel-ing to me.

The first winner of a CardMonkey Top Banana is a crafty sister-in-crime, Jenn McLean, who has spruced up my website just to be nice.  Jenn and I struck up a long-distance friendship ... she's oh, 2962 miles away, on the west coast of Canada.  We are so much alike, and yet so very different, that we've decided to start a co-blog called "Elle 'N Jenn". It will be the blog version of Thelma and Louise, or Laverne and Shirley, or Oscar and Felix.

Not only is Jenn a sweet fellow blogger, but she encourages good deeds among fellow artists. Check out the story of Jenn's participation in The Butterfly Project, which she writes about in the first issue of a European magazine for artists called "Featuring." 

Jenn writes on her blog today about her having become a published artist and writer.  Click HERE to be linked to Jenn's site and the story.

This is Jenn's amazing work of art she painted and submitted
to The Butterfly Project, as featured in the Spring 2012 issue of Featuring:

To purchase a copy of this magazine or to subscribe, click this link:

So Jenn, this banana's for you.  Thank you again for all your help in reworking my blog and figuring out a way to get me to be a little more OCD in my messy world. Thank you for brightening my days with Random Acts of Kindness and happy mail, like the sweet handmade earrings and bookmark I received yesterday.  OH, and this scan really doesn't do the work justice, but here is a beautiful watercolor painting Jenn did just for me -- just because. 

Don't I have wonderful, warm and talented friends?!  Hop over the Jenn's blog and congratulate her on her first publication!  Please tell her I sent you :).

Creatively Yours,

P.S.  -- A special shout-out to one of my best friends, Bernie, who had his left knee replaced yesterday -- and to his wife Star (my "bestie") for her loving support of him. Be well, my friends!!

P.P.S.  -- And happy birthday to my hubby John today ... and to my friend Jenn (above) tomorrow!!