Thank you Sale-a-bration

Well Sale-a-bration is over, no more free SAB stuff until next year. Hopefully you got some of that action. If not, never fear, SU is coming out with yet another special for April! YEAH for SU!

April is the release of the Occassions mini and if you spend $40 from the mini, you get $10 FREE from the last page (pg 208) of the regular catty. This page features some really great individual stamps and some mini note kits. Did you even know that existed??? It does and is a great way to suppliment existing stamp sets with a sentiment or floral image you want, or to have a mini notes to go with gift bags, etc. So check out the new mini and get $10 free (you can see it on the right side bar).

Before I leave you for the evening, I wanted to show you a fun card I made tonight. I borrowed this set, Fifth Avenue Floral, from my friend Anne-Claire (check out her blog on the right bar as well). I stamped the image in Rose Red on Pretty in pink paper and embossed with glassy glaze, this allowed the outline to set a little better for the next part. Then I used my aqua painter and rose red to watercolor my flower. Watercolor paper is good for this too, but I didn't have any and wanted the pink to show through. I used Kiwi Kiss and the same pink for the background layers of cardstock and used my ticket corner punch on the corners. Next I used my bigshot Top Note with the bella rose paper and again the big shot swirly sizzlet in kiwi for the flower "stems" and once they were set mounted my dried and cut out flower above with dimensionals. I took another peice of the pink and stamped the sentiment in rose red and embossed and adhered. I finished it off with a button from my button boquet and some leftover little swirly's from my swirls die. Wha-lah!














I have to admit, I do like this card (yes, tooting my own horn) because I feel like this was outside my normal realm of creation. I always feel excited when I do something new or break my own mold. This card is soo not my style as far as creating goes, but I did it and think it worked out well. Hope you like it too. :)

PS- I know I have been promising some easter stuff and plan to post some tomorrow. I am taking a vacation day tomorrow from my "real job" so I can get a little needed R&R. Reality is that I will probably stamp all day, but we'll see. I MIGHT go see a movie- yep by myself. I haven't been to one in so long with the little one, and although normally that would seem lonely to me, right now it sounds lavish. Funny, the things that become treats when you have young kids and never get out! Oh and last month we went to Applebees (I used to loath that place) and it was a huge outting- LOL!

Yarrow

One more time for this color Challenge by Kristina Werner. This idea came last night while I was lying in bed, to use the yarrow stamp from Organic Grace that is. The rest came while playing with it. I have to admit, I don't much like this color combo, it is a hard one to work with. This card, however, is a little more successful in putting those colors together than the last.

The fun part about this card though, is that I have a co-worker who's daughter's (born two days after mine) name is Yarrow. So I will take it into work and give it to her. :)

CASEd

As promised, here is my second card for the night. It is a CASEd card (copied and shared) for a challenge on Laura Fredrickson's Scrapin' Extra's blog- http://www.scrapnextras.com/scrapnextras/2009/03/celebrating-300000-hits.html. The challenge was to CASE one of her cards, and here is the link to the card I cased- http://www.scrapnextras.com/scrapnextras/2008/11/verve-preview-two-sets-today.html. I also did the splitcoast stampers color challenge this week- colors were Baja Breeze, Pretty in Pink and Kiwi Kiss. I am sorry I don't have the energy for more tonight- I have to go to bed. Thanks for stopping by!

Are you ready for Chester?

I am sure you are thinking who is Chester?!? Well he is this darling little bunny here. I guiltily bought this guy from Whipper Snapper Designs with a little girl stamp named Sofia. I initially saw Sofia and couldn't resist, I mean she was cute like my daughter (not as cute of course, but you know) and her name was Sofia, my daughter is Sophie, so you can see the temptation. And of course, if you are buying one, why not two!?! Lessons to live by from Katie right! LOL! Anyway, so my Sophie stamp (renamed her to something more appropriate) has yet to debut, but Chester was ready for his adoring fans. So here he is....

And to your suprise I am sure, I made this card for a couple of challenges. First the colors are from Kristina Werner's color inspiration challenge- http://www.kwernerdesign.com/blog/?p=1122. My goal is to one day be on the round-up. The color round up is always so fabulous and the entries are to die for, so I am working toward "to die for." In case youa re wondering, I colored sloppily on purpose, I thought it just added a little something.


The second part of the Challenge is the Splitcoast Stampers Sketch Challenge- seen below. I followed this layout.


I hope you enjoy my little Chester card.

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Enjoy your weekend.

All supplies are SU with the exception of the stamp. Did you notice I FINALLY used some of my hodgepodge hardware. :)

Oh and you can expect one more challenge post from me tonight.

A little glimpse of Soapy Stargazer

I don't have a card for you today. I did make one last night but didn't get it uploaded, so thought I would give you a little glimpse of my Soapy Stargazer. :) Isn't she just the cutest kid in the world!?!? (Proud Parent Here).

Anyway, we call her Soapy Stargazer because, well her name is Sophie and sometimes we just call her Soapy for fun :), but the Stargazer part comes from when I was in labor and she wouldn't come because she hadn't/wouldn't turn the right way (stubborn like her dad- NOT her mom...hope daddy isn't reading- wink!) , she was belly up, like she was gazing at the stars. so that is the day Soapy Stargazer was born, litteraly and figuratively!

I wanted to show you the recent pics of her post first haircut, but don't have them on my (eh-hem) work computer. So I decided this picture was super cute too and you might like that. This was Presidents Day and Sophie and I (daddy still had to work- boo) were at the Seattle Center Fountain. You can see the fountain there in the background, it is huge and fun and spouts water to music- so cool. We were running around and chasing birds and playing and it was sunny. No, really, it was sunny, no snow, no hail and no rain- which is why we were out. We had a terrific time.

I love this little girl sooooo much. You know, it is funny about quotes, I have never much been into them, but some of the parenting ones are right on, so I will leave you with this one from Elizabeth Stone, “Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.”

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!

Pop-up card and some swaps

Pop-up cards seem to be all the rave right now, I have seen a ton of them around. Recently I saw this super cute one on my friend Jackie's blog- http://jackiestamps4fun.wordpress.com/2009/03/22/another-pop-up-card/. I commented on how cute it was (isn't it!?!?) and said I wanted to try one soon, and so Jackie challenged me to make one. She also provided a link to her tutorial- http://jackiestamps4fun.wordpress.com/2008/03/10/happy-birthday-pop-up-card/- so basically, I had no excuse to not make one. Thanks Jackie, I needed that friendly little push! Besides, it is basically a *challenge* and I love those. ;) So, thar she blows......here is the card front.

And the inside view:

I am pretty happy with the way this turned out so big thanks to Jackie. Make sure to visit her blog for the tutorial and to see her cute pop-up cards.

Now before I go for the night, I wanted to show you some swap cards I received in the mail yesterday. This was a birthday swap, and there were 4 different categories: Youth Female, Adult Female, Adult Male, Youth Male. Here they are (sorry for some of the blurry photos):

Youth Male:

Adult Male:

Adult Female:

Youth Female

There were so many I couldn't fit them all, so from the left, Adult Female, Youth Female, Youth Male:

Now I want to point out that two of these lovely cards were made by my downline. Picture 3 with Manhattan Flowers is by Anne-Claire, so pretty! Picture 5 with Wild About You and the adorable button dies is by Denise. You can visit both of their blogs on the right under the section, "blogs I visit". They both signed up during Sale-a-bration and got a great deal and are loving it. :) You go girls!

Lastly, I just want to say thanks to all those who swapped, great cards- Cindy, Charity, Michelle L., Michelle W., Ringer, Alisha, Sharlene, Debbie, Carrie, Sherri, Judy, Sue and Colleen- THANK YOU!

Today's Second Challenge

OK, this card is much more successful than the last. Oh well, the fun is in trying to make stuff. It is actually so funny, because I make cards (some I love and some I hate) but then I just move on, they sit in a pile until I put them in my for sale bin. I don't do well with multiples of the same card, because I want to make something new. Anyway, I digress....

So this card is for the Flourishes Timeless Tuesday Challenge- http://flourishesnewsletter.blogspot.com/2009/03/timeless-tuesday_23.html. This week it is hosted by Betty Wright- I love Betty! And she has challenged me to emboss something. So today, I was blurfing and found a great "faux tile" card made by Mary Fish- http://www.stampinpretty.com/2009/03/happiness-is-caseing-beate.html -so I CASEd this card idea and went with it.

After I made my tiles and did my peircing, I decided to leave out a tile. I then used a transparency sheet and put it through with my birds and blooms die. I topped that with a some glitter, put a (insert magic word...) BUTTON on and and tied to my twill tape. The little tag is stamped and embossed with silver embossing powder. The tag is regal rose (main colors are cameo coral and kiwi) because I didn't have any of the Lots of Tags dies in the coral color, so after stamping and embossing, I brushed the tag in my coral ink. I am happy with this card- yeah!

Yes, more challenges

OK, I did this card as a challenge card- are you suprised. I love Julie's blog- http://outtoimpress.blogspot.com/2009/03/celebrating-300k-day-2.html- and found that she was doing a challenge. The object was to CASE (copy and share) one of her cards- so I cased this card-

I love this card, it is so bright and fun. It makes me smile, just like it is supposed to. :) My version of this card is below:

Now I have to say that I looked at Julie's card in the early am and made mine in the late afternoon. I am not sure I actually CASEd it at all, but oh well. The main image in my head was the background flower with the ribbon on top and a word bubble (can't think of the right word here) in the middle with some bling. I new I didn't want to use a flower, too same-same, so went with a star. I was WAY off the mark and am not even sure I like this card- but anyway, here it is.

Oh, and did you notice the button? I think I mentioned this, but I love buttons. :)

Ultimate Stampin' Kit

Have you ever wanted to sign up to be a demonstrator? For those of you that do, keep reading for more information. For those of you that find this prospect too scary or too much of a committment...keep reading!

OK, maybe that is confusing, but what I am saying is that if you want to be a demonstrator you can sign up, but if you don't want to be a demonstrator, just like your hobby, you can still sign up and simply get the ultimate stamping kit. Either way, NOW is the time to do it because this is deal of the Century!!!

Through March 31st Stampin' Up! is offering:

• 15 % discount on the starter kit (not obligated to make sales!)


• free stamp set up to $47.95


• AND a three easy payments program ($56.34/month for three months- + tax on month one)

This is a value of $360+!!!!

Although this offer expires soon, the three payment option (not 15% discount and free stamp set) is an option through April 31st. Contact me for more information.

mmmm...good!

Don't these little cupcakes look yummy!? My husband saw this and said, "thanks a lot, now I want a cupcake!" Haha, maybe if you buy me those stamps I mentioned below! ;)

Now can we talk about a few of my new favorite things? First, I love the Wagon Full of Fun stamp set, so versatile, so cute. Second, I love the button boquet! I have had this for quite a while and it has been sitting in my pile-o-stampin' stuff, but I have been using them like crazy lately. My next goal is to do this with my hodgepodge hardware (hardly touched) and my clips (again, hardly touched)- it is just a matter of learning fun ways to use them. So I highly recommend this stamp set and the button boquet!

Oh and may have mentioned but I LOVE doing challenges! I made this card for two challenges. The first challenge is the mojo monday challenge- http://www.mojomonday.blogspot.com/ here is the sketch:

I also did the splitcoast inspiration challenge from Saturday- http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=427166. This challenge uses something for inspiration. In this case the host chose Little Daisy Designs on Etsy- http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=427166. These dresses are so adorable!!! Maybe I'll get my Sophie one. Who by the way got her first haircut yesterday and looks so big now- a happy and sad moment for me! Anyway, I chose this dress, it is so fun.

Thanks for stapping by!

Girls Rule...Boys Drool! :)

When I saw this set, I thought it would be great to get. I don't have any masculine sets so why not. Then I was thinking, well it shouldn't only be for guys- what about girls. So I made this fun page layout using pink and gray. All supplies are SU except the punch was a Martha Stewart punch. Anyway, I had fun with it, I hope you like it too.

Here is a close up for you to see everything. I colored the tools in pink and grey. I used a couple of brads, thinking they looked like nails. The "He who has the most tools wins" saying has a chipboard S in front of it for She and embossed with silver embossing powder. I was tempted to put Boys Drool, but didn't :)

Huggabugg 2

I loved that other Huggabugg card so much that I decided to make another. :) Same layout, just turned and another huggabugg that Tracey gave me- thanks again Tracey. This time I decided to change up the colors. These huggabuggs by Stamping Bella are soooo cute! Maybe my husband will buy me one- hope he's reading!!! ;)

Huggabugg

This fun little Huggabugg by Stamping Bella is so cute isn't it!!! I love it. This was stamped for me (along with a few other images) and sent with the birthday card from Tracy, remember this post- http://kbstamps.blogspot.com/2009/03/oldie-but-goodie.html. So nice. I was working on Kristina Werner's color challenge- http://www.kwernerdesign.com/blog/?p=1044 - and whipped this little girl out. I thought wouldn't it be fun to use her and make the dress blue rather than a girly color, so I did, colored her in bashful blue, which also matches the buttons. :)

Here is teh color pallete Kristina choose, fun isn't it.

While I was out there blurfing tonight (aside- isn't that a funny word- blog surfting= blurfing??) I found this sketch challenge on Caardvarks- http://caardvarks.blogspot.com/2009/03/did-you-ever-know-that-youre-my-hero.html. I never have time to complete too many challenges although I love them so why not combine them.

Blog Candy Winners

Hey all, sorry for the delay, home with a sick child- poor girl :(. Anyway, here is the information on the winners (note I said winners, yep there are two. Char is So Cal contacted me finally, her computer was sick too!):



#3 Marlene said- can't view your stampin'up gallery :( but i wann asay i really love your BEACH album!



#7 Char said- OMGosh I am SOOOOO embarrassed... I had no idea you were looking for me!! Am I too late??!!My e-mail addy is as follows in case I still qualify for your blog candy :0)Rubber Hugs,CHAR IN SO CAL

So- there you have it- congrats girls! Marlene- contact me with your info so I can send you your candy. :)

Happy Friday Everyone!

Hooray for Blog Candy!!!

Well Char never did contact me... I am referring to the very bottom of this post here-http://kbstamps.blogspot.com/2009/03/hope-you-have-beachy-birthday-blog.html. So I have this left over blog candy of some designer series paper (DSP) and ribbon, what should I do??? Sigh...Any suggestions???

Well how about this, can leave me a comment about your favorite SU! DSP. If you don't your your choices you can check 'em out my website- http://www.kbloves2stamp.stampinup.net/- and then comment. You have until midnight saturday, March 19 to leave your comment. I will use random.org to select from those who commented. Good luck!

OH and I plan to keep this post at the top until I name the winner. So newer stuff will go below :)

UPDATE- I decided to give more time to try to win the candy, a few days just doesn't seem like enough, so I will keep it open until the 19th. :)

3/18/09 AM- Another Update: Hi Char- glad you are OK and your computer is back from the "doctor" lol!- I guess I'll have to give out blog candy to two people now, sigh... ;) So Char is winner number one and winner number two will be picked tomorrow. Again, looking like your chances are pretty good, not many people have left their comments, but they still have another day, so we'll see.

Monday Madness

I made these two cards last night and I started out with a few different challenges in mind (one was Mojo Monday and I can't even remember the other- lol!) but I didn't end up anywhere CLOSE to doing either of these challenges, totally different cards. Does that ever happen to you, you start in one direction and find yourself in a totally different direction when you finish? Well I guess that is a good lesson in life right?! No, don't worry, I am not going to get all philosophical on you. :) Anyway, here are the cards-

I really wanted to use the new Wagon Full of Fun set from the SU! Occassions Mini. It isn't officially out yet, but the are doing a sneak peak/pre-order on select sets you can check them out here- http://www.stampinup.net/uploads/fckeditor/stampinup/File/March%2009/pg11-13_Occasions_09_US.pdf. Anyway, I particularly wanted to use the wagon. I love the wagon, it is so cute. I bought this set specifically for the wagon. So the top card, is the flower from the set and I used the die cut little leaves and trimmed them to look like sunflower stalks. The grass is just layered paper with dimensionals to pop the different layers out. The clouds were made using the scallop edge punch and then I brushed the edges with balled blue and inserted the saying. And the sun is just a circle punch and then another in orange, where I used the negative image (the portion outside the circle) and cut these point to make rays.

I actually used the wagon on the second card. I stamped in brown, cut out watercolored it with different browns. The handle was just colored black and accented with a little white. The wheels are eyelets. The flower (from the cheep talk set) is stamped in brilliant blue and cut out. Again, I used a scrap from the die cut little leaves. The paper is the good morning sunshine, ribbon from SAB 09 and the button boquet. Finally (if you can see) the friendship randomly stamped across the bottom is part of a saying from wagon full of fun. I had fun with these.

So what is it with the blog candy? You dont' want to win?!?! If you do at all want blog candy, then you best click here- http://kbstamps.blogspot.com/2009/03/hooray-for-blog-candy.html and leave your comment! :) I won some blog candy today from Vicky's blog- http://www.summerthymestudio.blogspot.com/ so it DOES happen. =)

New mini stamps I love with SAB paper.

Hi-

I did a workshop today at my friend Julie's house. Every time I do a workshop I do a free make and take for everyone. :) Below are the two make and takes we did, little gift bags using SAB supplies and my new Wagon Full of Fun set. I love this set, I bought it exclusively for the wagon, I mean, I have a 16 month old...

While I was at it I figured I ought to make a St. Patrick's Day card, with the heart from the set. I have say, I have this weird aversion to hearts unless they are pretty basic. Initially, I didn't like this one, but it worked quite well for the clover. This is not an original idea (the hearts to make the clover) I have seen it around a lot lately, but I thought it would be fun anyway and like it with the gingham ribbon.

Lastly, but not least! I wanted to show you the card my friend Jackie in NY sent to me last week. Isn't it cute!?! Thanks Jackie! Her blog is on my blogroll on the right.

Oh and don't forget to sign up for some blog candy, click- http://kbstamps.blogspot.com/2009/03/hooray-for-blog-candy.html - to go directly to the link above!

Take two...

Sometimes I wonder what my husband thinks because every time I sit down to work on my crafts (after little Sophie is in bed), I say something like, "I just want to do one thing" or "just for a minute" which inevitably turns into a couple of hours. Poor guy. :) But what makes me happy should make him happy right!?! ;) Anyway, take two...two trys, two hours, whatever.

Here is the second card I created for Christina's Challenge, which I am MUCH happier with. Everything below is SU. I used the SU! Backgroun Texturz Plates 1 on the whisper white CS (love that plate!). I took my little butterfly background stamp from my Sprinkles set, stamped in versamark on the black and embossed silver (hard to see in the pic). I used the Lots of Tags sizzlet for the gray window and my level three hostess rub ons- Hand Drawn- for the thank you (dimensionals to pop the window out). Finally I used some of the Little Leaves sizzlet dies (again) in both gray and vellum, bundled, them up and whalah!

Oh- No whallah- I accidentally deleted the main picture- will have to repost when I am home this evening, currently working remotely. :( Sorry!

OK Updated, now you can see it :). This is fun, because it also works out for the flouishes getting sentimental challenge- http://flourishesnewsletter.blogspot.com/2009/03/flourishes-challenge-getting.htmlgetting.html. I remember reading that the challenge was to use words or sentiments as the focus and wasn't sure what to do, but I did it with out even thinking about it!

One last thing, check out the top post on my blog- http://kbstamps.blogspot.com/2009/03/hooray-for-blog-candy.html - for a chance to win some blog candy through March 19.

Kristina Werner's Color Challenge (#45)

Hi folks- spent last night working on the color challenge for Kristina Werner's blog- http://www.kwernerdesign.com/blog/. I am so glad she is doing these again, I love to play! Here is the color pallette and inspriation she had:

Here is what I came up with (below). I am not totally happy with it, but oh well. I had borrowed this sizzlit die from a friend and went crazy cutting out the little leaves. The one is gray, the other is vellum. It is hard to read the sentiment in the picture, but it says happiness.

Oldie but a goodie

You think I am talking 'bout that truck or that stamp set? NOPE, I am talking 'bout you buddy!

OK, not really, because I didn't design this with a specific person in mind, I made it for a swap. I signed up for a b-day swap and the categories were adult male, adult female, youth male and youth female, I picked adult male. Why on earth did I pick adult male? Got me since I have no masculine sets, nope none. I wanted ideas, but I signed up to make them- duh. I guess maybe subconciously I wanted to challenge myself, and boy did I!

This card was a work in progress forever, didn't know what I wanted. I decided on the truck, from there the paper, ink and so on, last touch (after I cut out 20 trucks and colored the wheels and put highlights on!!!) was to run each black paper through with my texture plates. That was a LOT of work. I have to admit, I didn't really like the Jackpot DSP, but now I can see that with the right things, it works OK. Anyway, hope the swaps girls like 'em and those that come back are great too! :)

Ingredients:
CS: Basic Black, Basic Gray, Real Red, Jackpot DSP
Stamps: Loads of Love, Congrats (SAB ’09)
Ink: Basic Black & Whisper WhiteAccessories: SU Background I Texturz Plate, Aqua Painter (w/ white for truck highlights), Snips, Stamp-a-majig, SNAIL

Oh and I have to tell you that I got this CUTE card in the mail (see below). I was on her blog and commented about how, "I wish it was my birthday! ;)" and she sent it to me as a birthday gift even though my bithday is in June, isn't that nice!?! You can check out her blog here- http://www.trays-spot.blogspot.com/. Thanks Tracey!

One more PS- my daughter was super cuddly last night and we all felt better. Thanks to all of you who commented on my blog or sent me an email. Sometimes you just have to talk about it you know. :)

Confessions of a "Good Mother"

I know this isn't what you bargained for on a stamping blog, but can I dump for a minute? I am not waiting for you answer, so I hope it is yes, LOL.

Some people say that the mark of a "good mother" is having a guilty and troublesome conscience? Well I am the "best mom in the world" today. My daughter screamed all morning starting at 5:30 am. It started because she doesn't eat well and only wants what she wants (oh and I blame stupid Daylight Savings Time too, since she is now getting up an hour earlier than usual). In an effort to get her to eat more rounded meals, for breakfast we gave her half a waffle with pb (usually gets a whole) and couple strawberries cut up with banana slices. I walk over 5 minutes later, baby crying and find the waffle eaten the banana on the floor and the strawberry untouched. Funny thing, she likes strawberries and bananas (one of few things she will actually eat), but she wants more waffle with pb. I can tell she doesn't want to get up from the table, but she doesn't want what she has. We are trying to be consistent about our message and feel that she need not be so picky, so I pick her up thinking, "if she is really hungry, I can put her back in a few minutes and she will eat what's there." WRONG!!! She screams and screams and screams, despite our attempts to calm her down, doesn't want to get dressed, doesn't want to do anything. Finally she calms down but just wants to be held, "NO don't move, don't try to dress me or do anything for yourself like brush your hair, don't give me to dad cause your the nuturing one, just sit still or I'll scream some more !" I am sitting in my robe, hair still wet and unbrushed. I know she is as frustrated as I am because she can't communicate her needs yet (only 16 mos and only a few words) and I want to hold and comfort her, I know she wants me in the moringing, but I need to get ready or my husband is going to be late. I try to sit her down to eat again, bad move, screaming. My husband wants to give her the other half of the waffle and I say, "don't give in, consistency counts!" He frowns and relieves me by picking her up and the screaming continues. He finally gets her to calm down by sitting on our bed in a dark room and just holding her and talking quitely. What a good dad. I am finally ready by 6:20 in the morning, we're in the car and she's quiet. We go to daycare and she is happy to be there with the other kids, it is good to see her happy. Back in the car, I silently sob because I don't actually feel like a "good mother" despite my attempts to be. But again, some people say it is exactly that, thinking about what to do better and how to do it, that makes me "good". I hope they are right!!

Here is the *mostly" sweet girl :) on the Oregon Beach for the first time.

Hope you have a Beachy Birthday & Blog Candy!

Earlier this week it was my mom's birthday. She is so wonderful and one of my closest friends. Ever since I was little, we have made summer trips to the beach or to California to visit my grandparents. Most often, and my favorite, were trips to Cannon Beach, Oregon to see the Sand Castle Fesivals. I have wonderful, wonderful memories of this. I remember one time on the way home (to Spokane mind you- LONG drive) from one of these trips, we were about 15 minutes from home, my mom had a headache, I was sick and I think my brother and I were fighting and the car ran out of gas! Only 15 minutes away, she was just trying to get us there- poor mom!
Since 2000, little towns around Lincoln City, Oregon have been glass blowing floats. Floats are glass balls they used to use to hold up fishing nets a long time ago, that were glass, blown in blue or green and made in Japan and are quite the find if they wash up on a US beach- you can find them in antique stores, etc. So since the millenium they started blowing these in wonderful color combos and hide them on the beach- like easter eggs! So we have gone every year since to look for these. Sometimes, I get a little grumpy at my mom, like "lets just enjoy the beach" but mostly I let her go with her obsession. I have to admit she has found 5 or 6 floats over those years, one of which I supposedly found..."keep looking Katie, I bet you'll find one!" This is what she tells me as I circle the same driftwood log again and again. But if you ask her, she swears she didn't help me find it. ;) That's a good mom for you.
Anyway, you are probably wondering what my point it, well it is that I wanted to make her this word album because I knew it would be really special to her. So I did and this last weekend, we went to the beach for our annual trip and I gave it to her. She loved it. :)

I have to admit, this was tricky to do. You have to make the paper a little smaller than the letters and use special glue. Then you sand and ink up the edges and embellish. The hardest parts were getting the paper just right and inking up the corners. I have some inking boo-boos, but I tried to blend it in so you couldn't tell and I think it was fairly sucessful.

Here is my beautiful mom below- can you believe she is 61?! Isn't the paper perfect.

Here we are on one of several trips combing the beach. That woman has a whole beach/shell/float room even though she lives in Coeur'd Alene, ID (aka inland).

The picture on the left is her and her boyfriend at a dinner. It is hard to see but says, "have fun &..." the next page says, "build a sandcastle." This is a picture of my mom, me and my husband. I journaled about how the trips to the sandcastle festivals are some of my favorite memories.

These next two pages were a little difficult for me for some reason. First I had a hard time with the paper, but finally settled on pink. I sponged the clouds on. The page on the left initially had some other things on the top, but I ripped it off and this is what I have. My mom, loves the beach and with that come galloshes, so it says, "oh my gallosh, its raining!" The page on the right is a picture of us cut out with the SU top note die. I journaled around it about how much I love spending her birthday's with her on the beach. The kites were actually paper I was going to use but decided against, so ended up cutting them out. That was a LOT of work, but worth it. Two more closer pics below.

OK, now this last page is my favorite, first because I love pirates and it is a treasure map. Second, because I love that my daughter is in it. :0 Third because it is about family. This was my daughter's first trip to the beach (we didn't go last year because she was so little) and she loved it. I know my mom comes to look for floats, but the sentiment says, "Family, the best kind of treasure." And it is true and my mom agreed, she loves every minute with Sophie.

Oh and ps- my husband wanted me to put an eye patch on my mom's boyfriend's eye as a joke, but I decided against it. :) Technically they have been together for about 20 years, so not really her boyfriend, but they aren't married, so whatever.

Anyway, I really enjoyed doing this for my mom and as I said she really loved it. I hope you enjoy it too!

One final thing.- Char from So Cal commented on my last post and mentioned she was my 1000th visitor. I think that deserves a little blog candy, don't you?! Char email me or leave your email in the comments and I will send you some Stampin' Up! DSP and ribbon. :)