Mermaid Anya

The mermaid Anya is the first stamp I got last year in the Anya series. Such beautiful hair, but this is the first time I've been happy with the depth of the color! I had a lot of fun with this color combo and style (V12, V15, V17, B02).

Sorry to keep this post short, but it's been a long day working on the patio garden (February in San Diego... gotta love it)! I'll have to post pictures once it's ready!

Welcome Back Tran

Oh, time, how you escape me. I've been away from the blogging world for awhile and in reflection I guess you could say that I've been busy out seeing the world (my photo files are so backed up, I had no idea where to begin). The next few months will hopefully be filled with my papercraft projects interspersed with photo stories - so stay tuned!

Recent visits to my local haunts had me picking up my copic markers and looking for new ways to improve my coloring. I wish I could say 'I've become a coloring genius'! :P However, I can say, 'I've found new colors I like'! Below is a photo of a card I recently made for a birthday friend.

This is a completely different style to what I've posted in the past - I think it took me two hours just to color! The sweetpeastamps images that I recently discovered are fantastical and fun to color. Hopefully I'll be able to post more projects from that line of stamps soon!

1,510

1,510 is the number of photographs I've taken so far this year. With all the life events and hobbies that keep me busy - I'm a little behind in posting in this area! Upon reflection, I think in the first 1/3 of this year I've become a bit of a butterfly fan. Not quite sure what it is that fascinates me - all the colorful wings in graceful motion or the challenge of catching such fanciful creatures at their best? A good macro lens is creeping it's way up on my christmas wish list... but until then, here are the photos I have to share from a little weekend excursion to the butterfly exhibit at the wild animal park.

The Butterfly Paradise


Swooping In


Blending In


Camouflage


Alfred Hitching A Ride

This last photo is of me with a butterfly that latched on the whole 2 hours we were in the hot, hot, hot greenhouse (we're experiencing a bit of a heat wave in california). So many people were asking about him and taking photos that I named him Alfred! As a pair I'm sure we're featured in the photo memories of dozens and dozens of visitors that visited the exhibit that day!

In other news, I think I will start some sort of photo journal. 365 photos of the year. Not quite sure how it's going to work yet - I'm still researching some of the options out there. I think my biggest want is to be able to do this from my mobile. Anyhow, let me know if you have any recommendations and stay tuned for a new photo feed!!

April Weddings

The last few weeks have whizzzed by as I've been spending time helping my friend LL to prepare and celebrate for her wedding. Bridal shower, bride-get-away weekend, wedding reception... filled with card and craft making opportunities galore. Below are the cards I made for the bridal shower and wedding... and at her request a thank you card kit with a punched out bride and groom! Such fun times!

For this card I used a dress punch (paper shapers) that I put a scalloped edge on and then paper pierced with a needle to get a lacy effect. Then added a little pink colored sash for some added definition to the dress. This was foam mounted on white card stock that had been stamped with a background block that was brush painted with a twinkling H2O.

This next one was literally a 5min quickie! I had spent all week working on the bride and groom thank you card kit that I forgot all about the wedding card for the happy couple! This bride and groom stamp (A Muse) is so cute! Using my versafine black ink - I only added some pink/silver glass glitter to the flowers to add a splash of color. Taking my new border punch (EK Success) to the edge of the card gave it an elegant touch and voila! I was in such a rush that day that I almost forgot to snap a picture to share until we were at the restaurant (hence the finger in the photo).

So I only just realized that I forgot to snap a photo of the sample card kit design before sending it off! Hopefully the bride will send me a completed project photo for me to share later (hint, hint LL). =)

However, I do have another tidbit to share. I'm such a night owl at times that when I take pictures of my projects I get inconsistent lighting. I'm currently borrowing a desktop studio kit to try out before buying the same one myself. This next shot is one I took with the kit showcasing the easter eggs I made this year...

Thanks for reading! This was a long post but there was just so much to catch up on! Until the next card...

Spring Poppies

Spring is here and the flowers are starting to bloom! I wish I had taken a picture while at the grocery last week. The hedges were full of those famous California poppies in white, red, gold, yellow... oh it was so pretty!

While at my LSS, I picked up the A Muse Modern Poppy stamp.. not quite the same kind by the store but beautiful nonetheless. I hope everyone is starting to notice spring where they are too!