Just Us Girls Challenge #46...and a birthday SURPRISE!

Hi all!  It's Saturday which means it's time for some JUGS!  Just Us Girls challenge that is...#46 :] 

Today our challenge is to create a project with a Wild Wild West theme in honor of our beloved teammate, Alicia, and Ethan's Rodeo.  Alicia's son, Ethan, fought a cancer called Neuroblastoma from 2007-2009, and at the tender age of 5, he lost that fight...last year after the first rodeo held in his name.  Alicia and her husband Dave are continuing the fight against this horrible disease through the establishment of "Ethan's Rodeo".  You can read all about Ethan on their Caringbridge site and all about Ethan's Rodeo HERE.  I only wish I could be there with them to help out and enjoy the festivities while remembering such an AMAZING little guy ♥ 

The card I made showcases the Cowboy Ethan (now known as Cowboy Billy) Weiman Wrangler image from Pink Cat Studios that was created to raise funds for the family. 

The image is colored with Copics except for the black areas and the sponged background.  I used SU ink (no black Copic yet...I think it's time :)  Here's a close up that shows the paisley dry embossing :]  I also added a little faux stitching to the main panels.  The layout is courtesy of Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge (MTSC86).

While it's true that today's JUGS challenge is dedicated to Ethan's Rodeo, we are also spotlighting another beloved teammate...PAM!  Her birthday is Monday, but we wanted to surprise her today and celebrate by making a birthday card also!  This is the card I made for Pam:

For some reason these colors are just calling to me the past two weeks with JUGS.  I printed some of my MTME paper on kraft, stamped and embossed a couple of MTME flourishes in white, added a Border Builders cut file accent (scalloped border), some ribbon with a SU hodgepodge ribbon slide, another MTME cut file accent (All Tied Up - Rectangles label), and adhered all of my elements.  What a quick and easy birthday card that looks like it was much more labor intensive!  I hope you have a WONDERFUL birthday, Pam!  I'll put this card in the mail this weekend for your big day ♥  HAPPY BIRTHDAY girlie!!!

That's all I have for you today...we certainly hope you can play along this week!  Please post a direct link to your project over at JUGS and use keyword JUGS46 in any online galleries, and we would really love it if you could post a link to Ethan's Rodeo as well ;]

Be sure to check out the rest of the team's eye candy for additional inspiration...and to wish Pam a very happy birthday!  Links to their blogs are in my left sidebar.  You should also swing by the Color Throwdown team's blogs...some of the girls will be playing along this weekend to help promote the rodeo (thanks, ladies!)...links to their blogs are in my left sidebar also :]

Hope you have a fantastic weekend!  Can't wait to see what kind of Wild Wild West project you come up with!