The Open Sea Expedition - Masculine Birthday

The new Summer Mini from Stampin' Up! has some really, really awesome masculine stamps and designer papers.  I finally got around to mounting my new stamp sets and got right at making a card. 

I love how these stamp sets go together to create a really fun masculine birthday card.  It is hard to find stamps, DSP and ribbon that create a non-feminine feeling on a card.  These 3 items do that quite well, I think.
Stamps:  The Open Sea, Swirls and Curls Verses
Ink:  Not Quite Navy, Cherry Cobbler, Bashful Blue
Paper:  Nautical Expedition DSP
Cardstock:  Not Quite Navy, Cherry Cobbler, Whisper White
Other:  Cherry Cobbler/White Baker's Twine
We have finally had a couple of days of spring like weather.  It has been a long time coming.  I keep seeing all the pictures from California of the flowers in bloom on other blogs, and when we were down there I got to see them in real life.  Now I hope our flowers will struggle through the cold winds and produce some blossoms.  Right now the Lilacs are in full bloom and while walking around our neighbourhood all you have to do is breath in as you walk by and the smells are so awesome.  Much, much nicer than the Skunk Cabbages that bloom in March!
Bye for now, Happy Stampin' . . . . . .

Strength and Hope card share

Yesterday was the most beautiful day of the year so far. Hubby did not have to work until 2 pm so we did some touristing in Sicamous. We went to the golf club restaurant and had their Sunday Buffet, then we did a round of golf. The temperature was in the mid teens, there was not a cloud in the sky anywhere. We had such fun golfing, the course here is great for a relaxing round. Here is a picture of our trailer parked beside the golf course. In front of the trailer is hole no. 4, and behind the trailer about 15 feet runs the Eagle River. There are only 4 trailers here and two are unoccupied at the moment. Talk about pure bliss!

Today I decided to create another Strength and Hope card for my June Stamp-A-Stack. I got out the pinks to keep with the Breast Cancer theme of this very versatile set.

I used the Eyelette Border Punch on the bottom of the Pretty In Pink layer, then used it again to create the strip flower embellishment. I cut a piece of Pretty in Pink cardstock 1-1/8`wide and punched it on both sides. Then I added some Basic Pearls in the middle to finish it off. I also did a LOT of spritzing with Champagne Mist Shimmer Spritz on most of the layers of this card. The bling IRL is quite amazing!
Here is the butterfly up closer ....

and the twine and punch embellies ....

Stamps: Strength And Hope
Ink: Pink Pirouette, Pretty In Pink, Regal Rose
Paper: Presto Patterns Specialty DSP
Cardstock: Whisper White, Pretty In Pink, Regal Rose
Other: Basic Pearls, White Baker`s Twine, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, Eyelette Border Punch, Champagne Mist Shimmer Spritz
I hope you were able to get out yesterday and enjoy the outdoors. We move tomorrow to Kelowna, BC which is in the sunny Okanagan Valley. We will be camped alongside Okanagan Lake. Don`t think it will be swimmable at this time of the year, but I hope to at least dunk my toes in the water!

Happy Stampin` . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Awash With Flowers Birthday Card

My very talented downline, Shanna, had a card that used this image from Awash With Flowers, and she had coloured the center of the flower with a yellow marker so it looks like a daisy.  I absolutely love her card, and decided I would use the idea of the image on a card as well.  Here is what I came up with....

I used one of the new products from the upcoming Summer Mini Catalogue that goes live on May 1st.  It is the Early Espresso Baker's Twine.
Stamps:  Awash With Flowers, Create A Cupcake (sentiment)
Ink:  Early Espresso, Always Artichoke, Daffodil Delight Stampin' Write Marker
Cardstock:  Whisper White, Early Espresso
Other:  Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder, Modern Label and Word Window punches, Early Espresso Baker's Twine
Happy Stampin'    ~ ~ ~ ~