Make a Splash with Spesch Designer Stamps!

The new release from Spesch Designer Stamps is AMAZING!  To celebrate the upcoming hot weather - hard to believe it snowed just two days ago! - I decided to create a long, narrow, fun card with a new beauty from Spesch:

I love her big huge eyes!  The blue design paper really shimmers when you tilt it:

On an angle you can really enjoy all the dimension with the folded ribbon, popped up image, and Stampin' Up! crystal effects on the tube:

Check out the rest of the new Summer beauties at Spesch - some of the guys are just too hot!

Celebration of Mom

Sorry folks, this post is card-less.  But it does contain some amazing photos and an inspiring story about my Mom. 

Growing up I would never have considered my mother any sort of athlete.  Sure, she'd worked in a fitness gym when I was in elementary school, but she'd changed careers and slowly began to gain weight like the majority of us do as we age.  Most of my life Mom has been larger than me - both height and weight. 

She changed that. 

In her late forties she started walking.  She walk/ran her first half marathon at 52 and began participating in triathlons.  She started scuba diving (that's a different story!).  And at the age of fifty-five years she biked the Golden Triangle this past long weekend.  Way to go Mom!  To all of us who believe that if we have never been athletic in our younger years, that after forty or even fifty is too late to start - meet my Mother!

The Golden Triangle Banff is a three-day bicycle tour across the Great Divide between Castle Mountain Junction in Banff and the towns of Radium and Golden in BC.  And the scenery is amazing!

My Mom is quick to point out that she ONLY biked 258 km of the 300 km.  Ha.  ONLY?!!  At 55 years old I don't think I'll be biking 25 km let alone 258 km!!!

Hopefully my Mom's story can inspire some of us (especially me) to believe in ourselves and our ability to learn to embrace our athletic (hopefully thinner) selves.  My Mom is amazing - even if she's not a card maker!  Love you Mom.

Things That Make Me Smile All Over!

This post is a celebration of a few of the things that make me smile - card making, the amazingly cute things kids' say, cats, colouring, Meljen's Designs, and even sketch challenges!  It also celebrates the fact that even I can learn a new trick or two - I'm posting a card BEFORE the last minute!  Wow. 

This card features the sketch from Tuesday Morning Sketches and the image A Girl and Her Kitty.

These sentiments from Inkadinkado make me smile!  I popped up the image with foam squares to add dimension.

Remember to check out Meljen's DT blog on Thursday to see this week's challenge for your chance to win!

Thank you for looking!

Fangs or Fur?

Paper Sundaes Challenge Blog would like you to show off your favorite book, poem, or fairy tale.  Talk about an easy pick for me!  My copy of Twilight has been seriously abused after multiple readings and we won't discuss the equally bad state of the other books in the series!  Most twi-fans are firmly entrenched in Camp Jacob or Camp Edward which is what drew me to the beautiful Spesch image Bella and Cubs.  Bella is sitting nicely between a lion and a wolf cub - symbolizing the two rivals of her affection.

Lots of dimension is created with the Wild Orchid flowers, Kaiser pearls and ribbon.

Bella and Cubs will be entered into the following challenges:

Friday Sketchers - sketch (rotated)

Papertake Weekly - Say It With Flowers

Stampavie and More - Flower Power

Charisma Cardz - 3D

I look forward to seeing your card creation on Paper Sundaes and reading about your favorite book, poem or fairy tale!

Thank you for looking!