Birthday singer

I made another card for my daughter's roommate, Rachael and since she is an opera singer I thought this would be appropriate.  I have seen this punch art mouse at Christmas time and thought it would be a great idea for a birthday card.  Check out JC Mickey card, which is one of the cards that I saw recently.  The mouse is used with the SU ornament, word window, small oval and butterfly punches.  I used spellbinders rectangle for the book and the ornament punch for the tail.  The nose is just a small round punch which I think is about 1/2 inch.  The background on the card to the left is sizzix EF and the card on the right is a rubber stamp Composer's Dream from Stampabilities. I used Tim Holtz distress ink to give them both some more contrast. I did the same with the title, "Happy Birthday to you". Such a cute mouse, I just love it and I hope Rachael will too!  Happy Birthday Rachael!!!

Strawberry Picking in Maine

Entrance to the Strawberry Fields

Yesterday was a gorgeous day in southern Maine especially for strawberry picking.  Last week was the start of Strawberry Season in Maine and my sister, Connie and her husband Russ and I went to Fairwinds Farm in Bowdoinham for some red berries. It didn't take long before we picked about 8 lbs of strawberries each. At that point it was hard to stop because I kept finding some that were bigger than the ones I had already picked.  Now I am ready for the 4th of July and desert will be Strawberry Shortcake!!  Yum!

Beautiful Red

Better than the supermarkets!

More fields

I might have to go back at the end of the week to pick some more to freeze for the winter.  Can't have too many strawberries!!

Another Just For You

This is just a quick little birthday card that I made for my daughter's roommate, Rachel.   Her birthday is July 1st and she loves pastels especially pink!  What girl doesn't like pink?!!!  The flowers are prima flowers and the leaves are Marianne creatables.  Tilda is colored with copic markers. The paper is a DP from one of the big box stores, probably Michael's.  I love this Tilda stamp and have used it many times. It  looks like she is just handing the little tulip to you.  Love Tilda!!!

Wells, Maine

My husband and I  took a little road trip today to pick up some summer furniture at Lowery's in Berwick and then down to York to a friend's campground called Dixon's Campground.  Great place if you want to do some camping, right on Route 1 in York.  My husband, Mark, wants to do some kayaking this summer and his friend, Mike, does kayak excursions.  We ended up at Mike's Clam Shack for lunch in Wells on Route 1.  We haven't been on Route 1 in Wells/Ogunquit/York for many years especially this time of year because of the traffic!!!

I love scallops

But today, it wasn't too bad. The food at Mike's was great, scallops, clams, shrimp, lobster!  You name it, they had it!!  There are so many places to choose but  this was recommended by Mike and Roberta. Excellent recommendation!

Little Waterfall to Mike's Entrance

Route 1 Wells

Sea Mist Entrance

Mark and I stopped to take a picture of the Sea Mist Resort Hotel.  We have a timeshare here but we have never actually stayed here.  We always trade it for another place. We have stayed in Florida, California, Virginia and this summer we are going  back to California to visit my son.  Although, the Sea Mist is a nice place to stay and it is not far from Wells Beach.  Even though the weather wasn't the best today, people in the area were making the best of it. Tomorrow, I hear will be better for all those tourists!

Good-bye Kolkins

The doctor that I work for is closing his practice of neurology and moving to Vermont.  He is a great guy and his wife is so nice.  They are both going to be missed. I wanted to make something a little different and Stampersuzz's card gave me the idea. Check out  stampersuzz's card   The balloon paper is Bo Bunny.  I wanted something that would stand out like hot air balloons do in the sky.  The balloon is a nestabilities round circle with a rectangle.  The rectangle has rounded corners.  The basket is also the same rectangle with rounded corners. Also the basket is embossed with sizzix EF from Stampin up.  (the name of it escapes me)   I just attached it with some jute that I had but inked it brown first. I used lace and ribbon to decorate the balloon. Stampin up's cupcake punch was used for the clouds in the sky.  It is hard to see but I embossed the blue sky with cuttlebug EF as well as on the side.  The inside of the card reads:  Best Wishes for a smooth landing.  The funky fold card seemed just right to display this card.

Garden Fun

The first character I made for this card was the cat, the fat cat!  My girlfriend has a birthday coming up and this card tells her story.  She loves her dog and cat and now that it is summer she loves her gardens!!!  I can't tell you how perfect this card is for her.  She will love it!  The cat and dog are punch art made with a lot of punches mostly circles. The fence is Tim Holtz woodgrain that I sponged with chocolate chip ink. The grass and ladybug are sizzix.  The flowers are and leaves are from Stampin up's bird punch.  The card, itself, is a double stair step.  Below is another picture from the side to show you how it was made.  Last but not least, is Magnolia's Tilda.  She is colored with copic markers.  I measured the card to mail and it will fit into a 5x7 envelope even with the little dog peaking out.  Thanks for looking!

Side view doublestair step

Get in Gear

I saw this sentiment on SC and thought it would be perfect with the new Tim Holtz dies that I bought a while back.  The gear is painted with Distress crackle paint, fired brick.  I haven't tried the crackle paint before and wanted to give a try.  It is hard to see but for the gear I used grunge paper and it does have cracks that makes it look old.  The clock is Sense of Time from Stampin up.  Love this set!  I have used it before for a masculine birthday card. Tim Holtz metal gears are used for some embellishments and the  background is Tim Holtz brick wall. Sometimes pictures just don't do a card justice.  The inside of the card says "Happy Birthday" 

Pink Lily Box

I was planting some daylilies a couple of days ago and it made me think of the paper lilies I saw on SC. Check out  lpratt card with this pretty lily.  On her blog she mentions Valita's Fresh Fold blog for a tutorial that Valita's does which shows a great job on explaining how to make the lily.  This would be fun to make different colored lilies, like my garden, but I wanted to try the white ones first.  I covered a round box that was given to me with DP from Michael's.  The lilies are on a Spellbinders pendant which is called Lotus (I think).  There is a better picture  below.  3 lilies with leaves  sit on top of the box. Lilies are made with SU wide oval punch, some cutting for the stamus, and it is hard to see but glitter on the inside to bling it up a little.  Really the glue  is to hide the glue but I liked the outcome.  I'm gonna try some different colored lilies and see how that works.  Come back and check them out!!! TFL

Glitter adds a nice touch!

A Day at the Lake

Peaceful

Shamus,  All Aboard!

Gretel looking for shells?

Gretel and I had a great day at Pequawket Lake today.  My good friend, Cindy, has a camp there and it is a beautiful spot. The lake today was so calm.  We saw a loon in the lake bathing.  Cindy says that she sees the same 2 loons very year usually early in the morning or later in the afternoon.  I think she should name them at this point since they come and visit each year.  Today Gretel and Shamus also spent the day together.  They became great friends as you can see from the pictures. The lake was a little chilly to go in but in another week I am sure it will be just the right temp.  Thanks Cindy for a great day and Gretel wants to thank Shamus for "playing" today!!!  Check out some more pictures below!

Dew Drop Inn

Love the wet dog smell! not!

Shamus, Cindy and Gretel

Top Note Thanks

Pretty blue!

Can I come in?

At the Manchester Convention this spring I bought this Spellbinders cardinal die and stamp set.  I have already made a cardinal card which you can see on my blog from an earlier post but I wanted to make this one a blue jay.  The Blue Jay is sitting on a branch of leaves with tiny little flowers. The leaves are from Marianne Creatables and MS fern punch.  The flowers are SU boho blossoms punch with blue crystals for the center.  I colored the Blue Jay with copic markers B12 and B14. The ribbon is from SU and the done with the faux ribbon technique from SU tutorials.  (I hope that is where I saw it) The sentiment "thank you" is from SU Just Believe.  My inspiration is from looking out my window this spring at my birdfeeder and watching the Blue Jays.  First time since we have had birdfeeders that we had Blue Jays!!!! Such pretty birds!

Golden Anniversary

My aunt and uncle are celebrating their 50th Wedding Anniversary next weekend so wanted to get their card all ready.  Pretty simple just gold and white with a lot of embossing. I was their "flower girl" but all I can remember was that I had a pretty dress on!  Love using the nestabilities heart and scallop heart dies.  The embossing is from sizzix and cuttlebug.  The gold paper sure does shine!  It is a surprise party for them so no telling!!!! TFL