Lemon Love

I was smitten with this Life, Love, Lemons set from the first time I saw it. I ordered it right away then was too intimated to stamp anything with it - until today that is - and I've got to tell you, I don't know what I was waiting for because it was easy as pie. The base is So Saffron and the DP is from SU. The sentiment tag was inked directly from the Wild Wasabi ink pad. The top of the topiary is popped up on adhesive foam tape for a little dimension. I considered popping up the lemons individually but gave up. Three clear dew drops were added at the top right for interest and balance.

Thanks for dropping in. I hope you have a great day.

Gabriela

Happy Independence Day!

Yes, I went to town with this long retired Star-Spangled set. The stamped image was stamped in Versamark and then Night of Navy ink before being embossed with the heat gun. The edges have been distressed with that little distressing tool and then sponged with Ranger's Antique Linen distress ink. The image has been popped up with foam tape and that was basically it!

I want to wish my domestic (U.S.) readers a wonderful and Happy 4th of July as we celebrate Independence Day today. Enjoy!

Gabriela

Land That I Love

I wish you could see the shiny embossing on the main image but for some unknown reason I was unable to photograph it. I stamped in in Versamark and then immediately inked the stamp on the Night of Navy ink pad. Only the recipients of this card will be able to tell (yes, I mass produced this one). The base is Night of Navy with a layer of Sahara Sand and then the patriotic DP. I was shooting for a shabby distressed look and I don't think I achieved it. Perhaps the culprit was my choice in DP that wasn't exactly shabby.

Thanks for stopping in today. I want to wish you and yours a very happy and safe 4th of July celebration.

Gabriela

Celebrate!

There's something about the simplicity of this stamp from Stampendous that caught my attention and convinced me to give it a good home. Card stock is Real Red, Whisper White, and Night of Navy. The image is gold embossed and colored with my Prismacolor pencils. A little double sided ribbon and gold cord to coordinate with the gold embossing and it was finished. The image is popped up on adhesive foam tape for a little added dimension and it's still under the USPS weight and thickness requirements for a .44 cent stamp.

Gabriela

More Laundry on the Line

...this time with a little added piercing with my trusty Ornare piercing template.

Gabriela

Visiting the Science Museum of VA

We were recently treated to a visit from Minime's best friend from Kindergarten (E) and her younger brother (J) who have since moved to SC. We get to see these kids just about every time they come to DC, but even then it's not nearly enough. Yes, we love these kids THAT much!

During their recent visit we took them to see the Science Museum of VA located in Richmond, VA and is housed in Richmond's bautiful old Union Station building. While Minime was already familiar with this museum, our guests were not. This museum offers numerous live demonstrations and an abundance of inter-active exhibits in which the kids participated and thoroughly enjoyed. Well, why don't I just show you the pictures?Mesmerized by the Foucault pendulum...

Hair standing on end at the static electricity demonstration...
Waiting for the basketball playing rats demo...
At the DNA molecules exhibit...

Rotating the giant floating granite kugel (ball) sculpture supported by a very thin film of water that flows beneath this very heavy, perfectly spherical rock, from a spherical concave base with the exact same curvature. The granite sphere is able to spin with the lubrication provided by the thin film of water beneath it.Gabriela

Dining Al Fresco

Ever had a hankerin' for something other than the usual grilled salmon, chicken, or pot roast? Well I did and my sweet DH came to my rescue and made shish-ka-bobs. I wondered what he was up to chopping the red peppers, pineapple, and sweet Vidalia onions. I continued to wonder what those disgusting looking pieces were marinating in a large Ziploc bag on the second shelf of the refrigerator, but didn't dare ask. They turned out to be chicken. My first clue came when I saw him soak a bunch or wooden skewers (we have the metal kind too, but he prefers the wooden variety).
It was another glorious day here in northern VA with comfortably warm temperatures and no humidity - a rarity for the end of June when it's usually so miserably hot and steamy, you don't dare leave the air conditioned house. The weather was so nice that it occurred to Minime to have a picnic. Well I wasn't about to risk getting bit up by mosquitoes while picnic-ing under the shade of our 100' tall trees, but I did acquiesce her desire to dine outdoors and opted for dining al fresco on the deck. We had a marvelous time, just the three of us, four if you count the begging dog, but he didn't really beg and spent the time running in the back yard, chasing squirrels back into the forest.
DH fixed my favorite Greek salad, sweet and tender locally grown corn on the cob, and even surprised me with a gorgeous fresh fruit salad that included sweet juicy strawberries, enormous blueberries, mouthwatering raspberries, and fresh sliced pineapple. It was lovely I tell you.Here's a shot of DH blowing bubbles with Minime after indulging in that wonderful meal.

Gabriela

Without Regret

"Happiness is essentially a state of going somewhere, wholeheartedly, one-directionally, without regret or reservation."
~William H. Sheldon

Gabriela

Life

"You have striven so hard, and so long, to compel life. Can't you now slowly change, and let life slowly drift into you... let the invisible life steal into you and slowly possess you."
~D.H. Lawrence

Gabriela

Just Dropping You a Line

...to wish Michelle over at Stamper's Dream a very happy birthday today!I know, I know, I probably should have used a cupcake or birthday cake stamp set for Michelle's card, but this Three Dresses stamp by Serendipity Stamps was calling my name and begging to be inked up. The card base is pomegranate Bazzill with mats in black, kraft, and a layer of Memory Box Grove DP. The image is stamped on Whisper White and again on various Memory Box and Basic Grey DPs, then trimmed, and popped up on double sided adhesive foam tape. The clothespins are colored in Creamy Carmel to resemble the old wooden clothespins. I used a piece of antique copper wire over the stamped clothesline and secured it in between the prongs of an antique copper brad at each end. The inside of the card is finished as well and trimmed with a scrap piece of the Memory Box DP and a piece of Webster's Pages vintage ivory eyelet ribbon that I distressed with a bit of Ranger's Vintage Photo distress ink.

I hope Michelle has as much fun on her birthday as I did making this card. Happy Birthday, kiddo!

Gabriela

Thinking of You Tri-Fold

I did it! I finally did it! I've been wanting to make a tri-fold card for a very long time and have never had the courage to try one. Well, I was so motivated by Tosha's beautiful tri-shutter card that I finally tried my hand at it. I think the most tedious part was doing all the measuring and trimming of the DP panels attached to the base. All panel edges have been sponged before being adhered to the base. I hadn't planned on using that little Crafty Secrets image with the roses and sentiment, but when it fell out of my scrap drawer I realized it was the right size for one of the small panels and of the "right" colors, so I convinced myself to use it on this card.Below is a top-view of the open card.

For me, the easiest part of the process is the embellishments phase.
And the best part? Well, when completely folded, the card fits perfectly into a size A2 envelope!

Gabriela

Mr. Blue Jay

You don't know how long I waited inside the French doors for a decent picture of this elusive little Blue Jay. Out of the 40 some shots I took, I couldn't get a single one of his beautiful back and tail feathers. As you can tell by this photo, he kept his good eye on me the entire time.

Gabriela

Red Breasted Woodpecker

I shot these through the French door glass panes so the resolution is pretty bad. This is one of the larger woodpeckers that likes to frequent our feeders. I would estimate his length to be about 10 inches. Pretty big for a woodpecker. What I find fascinating is that this woodpecker doesn't take any guff from the bossy Blue Jays or the pushy Starling. This guy comes around in the late afternoon and stays until dusk and is not as aggressive as the Jays, but won't be pushed around either. He just stands his ground and makes the others "take a number".

Gabriela

Random Photo

How can you tell when your child's been playing with your camera? Why, from the evidence she left on the memory card, of course! And what is up with all the farm animals, anyway?

Gabriela

Sometimes You Feel Like a Nut

...sometimes you don't.

Gabriela

French Lace

No stamps or ink were involved in the production of this card.

Here it is from an upside down view below.Gabriela

Teddy Bear Wedding

Once upon a time, not so long ago, and in a land not so far away, there was a little girl who wanted to have a teddy bear wedding for her two plush bunnies. The invitations and pastries were all hand made...

and the chapel with flowers and runner and cake

The guests were all timely and dressed to the nines.

The bride was so pretty and looking so fine

But the groom was quite nervous as grooms tend to be until he saw the Groom's Cake made especially for he. The wedding table was perfectly set
and the favors of hand made chocolate you can bet. so the little girl married her bunnies without a hint of regret.

Gabriela

Congrats Grad!

I would be remiss if I didn't post a graduation card in the month of June and since I needed a graduation card, this was the best I could do. The base is Basic Black CS with a mat layer of Whisper White and topped with Real Red. The "Class of '09" sentiment is a rub-on sticker and the mortar board and diploma are from Jolee's. The "congratulations" stamp is one of this Sale-A-Bration set called "Congrats".

The inside of the card is embellished with another rub-on sentiment from the same set I used on the front of the card. The card's simplicity belies the amount of time and thought that actually went into the planning and design of this card. I just hope the intended recipient likes it.

Gabriela

Special Report

We interrupt our regularly scheduled blog program for a very special announcement. My little Minime has won the President's Outstanding Academic Excellence award signed by President Barack Obama himself.

The purpose of this award is to recognize academic success in the classroom. To be eligible for the President's Award for Educational Excellence, students at each award level must meet straight A requirements.

Not only was Minime awarded this coveted award as she graduated from elementary school today, but she also brought home another stellar report card while scoring 600 out of a possible 600 on her 5th grade SOL tests. Minime also received various other awards, medals, and certificates, too numerous to post.

I hope you will forgive me for such indelicate bragging behavior from a very proud parent.

"Faith walks simply, childlike, between the darkness of human life and the hope of what is to come."
~ Catherine de Hueck Doherty

We now resume our regularly scheduled program.

Gabriela

Vicki's Color Palette

Are you familiar with Vicki W's work? Just check out these two color palettes she did for me. Aren't they lovely? If you'd like to see more of Vicki's work, you can always visit her at Fields of Fiber.

Thank you, Vicki! Your palettes turned out beautifully.

Gabriela