Swim at Your Own Pace

Hey, there!  More fun and frivolity today.  Can't help it, a stamp like this gives me grins and giggles as it's coming together and there's a good deal of value in that.  Whatever floats your boat, right?

It's a Stampendous stamp called Turtle Fun.  I bought it last summer (?) when I was on a mission to add to my practically nonexistent collection of nautical or beach-themed stamps.  I wasn't sure I'd use either of the two sentiments with it, but as it turns out I needed a retirement card and the sentiment expresses a favorite aspect of retirement.  Plus, she likes cute cards, so all the better.

I watercolored with Tombow markers on Fabriano Artistico Bright White 140 lb hot press WC paper.  Trimmed the top edge of the image panel with Memory Box Big Splash Border (2013), and adhered to a 4 3/4" square card which I'd covered with some sunshine yellow designer paper.

I'm off to see what kind of trouble I can get into.  You take care and have a very happy day!

Moonlight Sailing

Welcome back!  I continue to work away at the not-yet-used stamps. I've only had this one for a couple of years.  I know!

I keep stamping flowers and critters, critters and flowers, and have felt I should do something else once in a while.  I wondered what that would be, hmmm?  Well, I live close to the beach, so how about some beachy cards?  And that's how this stamp came into my collection.  More on that in a minute, but first, the card:

And here's how the stamp is depicted on the packaging:

I thought it would make good masculine cards, and I do like the stamp, but the more I looked at it, the more I puzzled over the coloring of it.  I could be wrong, but it seemed to me, whether that large orb was a vivid sunset or a full moon rising, there probably wouldn't be much color showing on the boat.  Maybe it should be more of a silhouette.  I don't know... what do you think?

At any rate, after pondering this for two years (!!) I finally decided to color it as a silhouette against a splendiferously huge, bright, other worldly kind of moon.  Just a hint of color showing on the boat.  The sentiment is from another not-yet-used stamp set.  I can see it as a retirement card.  Now, all I need is for a guy friend to retire.  However, with the right sentiment inside, it could be used for other occasions, too.

More not-yet-used supplies on the frame -- the anchor and fishing net -- which I bought for all these (ahem) beachy cards I planned to make.  The fishing net is a large square, but as you can see, I used just a corner of it.  Another corner decorates the inside of the card.

Maybe later I'll make it into a sunset.

I've been doing more than my usual volume of stamping, so I'll pop in again Friday.  I have to keep this up or I'll lose my momentum.  It's always been the case -- the more I stamp, the more I stamp.  Know what I mean?  Have a happy day!

Stamps:  CC Designs "Sailboat", Inky Antics "Moonlight Raccoon" (sentiment)  Paper:  X-Press It Blending Card (colored panel), Neenah 110 lb white (frame and seashells), Real Red, Basic Black, navy Core'dinations  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Adirondack Sandal (for sponging seashells), Copics for coloring -- blues are B60, B63, B66, B69  Accessories:  Spellbinders Grand Squares (frame), Amy Design Fishing Net, KaiserCraft Anchors, Impression Obsession Sea Shells