Happy Retirement and an Adventure

 Happy Sunday!! I hope you are all having a great day. It has been extra hot for a May day today. It is presently overcast and I hope it will rain. We need it so badly!!

Today I am popping in to share a few photos. I created two retirement cards. 

I created these using this weeks Freshly Made Sketches #486 as inspiration. However I flipped it and took a little liberty.

I used the Rolling Clouds Die by Taylored Expressions for the top BUT it blended in too much on my cards because I stenciled over it and then added it to a stenciled background.

On this card, I added a black strip at the bottom where I heat embossed a sentiment from Paper Trey Ink. 

The little scooter from the Enjoy the Ride is from Spellbinders. I added some balloons behind the back of the scooter from My Favorite Things.

I cut these balloons out and added some black jute as the ties.

On my second card, I had to move the sentiment to cover mistake. A glob of glue from my finger got on the cloud die cut. I could not get it off with any of the methods I know of so I had to adhere the sentiment over the top and add a black strip at the bottom to ground the scooter.

I colored in the balloons with light pink Copic's instead of dark pink. 

I am sending these out to some of the members of my union. I am the secretary and in charge of the correspondence.

On another note, I went on a little adventure with a friend yesterday. I rarely have time to do things like this so it was so fun. We went to an open house at an artist community. I did not take photos, though I wish I did. We also went to an antique warehouse. I did take some fun photos there. I love going in to these places to browse. It always reminds me of my childhood.

Did you remember pantyhose coming in this packaging? My mother used to buy these and then would give the eggs to us to play with.

What about colorful Fiestaware? I have newer stuff but I like some of the colors of these. The light green and the fun pink are dishes I would love to have.

These pins remind me of my mother. I always ache when I see pins like this. My mother had a bunch of these and I don't remember where they went. I wish I had them now because I would wear them.

Last but not least, there were a ton of vintage pocket books. Someone must have been selling their collection. They were A LOT of money!!! I just think they are exquisite.

Well, that is all from me today. I want to thank you for taking the time to stop by. I hope you have a great week!!!

A Beautiful Saturday and Cards for Some Challenges

Happy Saturday everyone!!

It is ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS today in good old CT. Sunny, in the 70's with very little humidity-a perfect day in my eyes!

Today I am popping in with some cards for some challenges. This post has a lot of photos in it so please forgive me!!

I created these cards for June's Twofer Card Challenge #28.

I decided to use circle stencils on my cards. I die cut the stencils myself using different sized circle dies and incorporated them into my card design.

The first card I created was a retirement card. I stenciled the circles in a rainbow of Distress Inks.  (Candied Apple, Carved Pumpkin, Squeezed Lemonade, Twisted Citron, Mermaid Lagoon and Wilted Violet)

I then used the Confetti Backgrounds Stencil from Honey Bee Stamps with some white Gina K. Glitz Glitter Gel to create a little more interest on my card.

The sentiment is from Waffle Flower's Happy Retirement set that I heat embossed in white on black cardstock.

This card was really fun and easy to create. I have to send this out this week to a male and I thought the color scheme was PERFECT.

My second card was inspired by two other challenges as well as the Twofer Challenge.

This weeks Freshly Made Sketch #439 was what inspired me for the layout of my card and The Card Concept #137 is what inspired me for the color scheme. I was actually drawn to the golden and brown blanket in the photo, as well as the rustic appearance of the camping stuff.

I started off by using making my flower using a heart stamp from CAS-ual Fridays Hearty Horse stamp set. I stamped these flowers using Simon Says Stamps Duckling Ink and Vintage Photo Distress Ink.

I stenciled the middles using the same circle stencils as my first card, Walnut Stain Distress Ink, and a retired stencil from Memory Box. I then distressed the entire panel using Vintage Photo Distress Ink.

The Stamplorations sentiment (retired) was heat embossed with Walnut Stain Distress Embossing Glaze onto kraft colored cardstock. I have never used this glaze before but will be buying it in other colors as I like that it was an exact match to the ink!!

The twine, the sequins and the CAS-Fridays chipboard heart were the last elements added to my card. I don't think I have had as fun creating a card like this in a long time!!

Before I go, I wanted to post some photos of my front gardens. I am NOT a gardener by any means but I love my front to have flowers blooming throughout the summer. Today was the BEST day to be out deadheading flowers and attaching my plants to different trellises I have in my yard to try to get my flowers to grow the way I would like.

I also have a small veggie garden in the back. I planted pickling cucumbers, tomatoes, one eggplant and a pepper plant that was labeled as a tomato plant. The cucumbers are my favorite but every year I get cucumber beetles so they rarely grow but I am trying once again. I hope the effort is not futile!!!

On one more note, my friend made Charlotte some cloth masks for work!! these go around her head and neck rather than her ears. Her poor little ears are so RAW!!

I know some people don't believe in them BUT it is a state mandate here right now and if this helps keep people healthy I am willing to do my part.

Have you had enough of me today? This is the end of my long post. I thank all of you for taking the time to stop by.

Have a GREAT night!!