Lullaby and Goodnight

Lately it seems like I'm seeing brand new bundles of joy everywhere.  Maybe it's just that my son had his first "big boy" haircut this week.  It was his own decision to get a buzz cut - a definite style choice for him.  It made me realize that the days of cuddling are slipping away.  Yes, they'll be replaced by new and fascinating reasons to be proud and love that boy even more.  But, as a mom, that dependence on me is  hard to let go.

On the other hand, there are new babies in our family, and friends who will have new additions later this year.  Which means I can cuddle and coddle without losing sleep, changing diapers, and worrying about every new irregularity in their lives.

If you have growing ones of your own, enjoy them to the fullest.  If you don't, borrow one!  Let a baby fall asleep on your lap and all the stress of the world just melts away.  It's better than Valium, I tell you!

Have a wonderful weekend.  Thanks for stopping by.

She Sells Sea Shells...

What do you think of when you think of the beach?  Sunshine?  Sandcastles?  Sunscreen?  Laughter, long walks, sand between your toes?

I'm not much of a sunbathing person, so I love the beach here in the Pacific Northwest.  It's wild and windy, and rugged.  I even love it when it rains - you get wide stretches without other people.  Free to roam and let your thoughts stretch where they will. 

It's the kind of landscape that means many things to many people...

Most of all, it's a place for us to be free, and close to Mother Nature in one of her most powerful forms.  Ah, nothing says "summer" quite like sand and surf.

Wherever you wander, be safe and be happy.  Thanks for stopping by.

Wynken, Blynken, and Nod

Wynken, Blynken and Nod one night sailed off in a wooden shoe. 
Sailed on a river of misty light into a sea of dew.
"Where are you going and what do you wish?"
the old moon asked the three.
We have come to fish for the herring fish
that live in this beautiful sea.
Nets of silver and gold have we
Said Wynken, Blynken and Nod.

Here's to daydreams, flights of fancy, and sweet imaginings of every kind...

Growing Things

I have a wonderful friend with a passion for growing things.  Her yard is a bounty of edible beauty.  Every time I see it, I'm envious of the space and the sunshine.  Something in short supply at my house!  Big trees in old neighborhoods come at a cost. 

My friend has been having some sad times the last week or so, and I wanted to make something special for her.

I hope that when my friend looks at this, she will always know that I'm thinking of her.

Enjoy the sunshine when it stops by, and remember the rain makes things grow!

Inspiration Avenue Challenge

Each week, Inspiration Avenue challenges artists of all flavors to create something around a particular theme.  This week's challenge was "wish".  I finally had a chance to play along.

What came to my mind was something from my childhood - the Disney family special that aired every Sunday evening at 7pm.  That lovely little song about wishing on a star.

Go out tonight and look at the sky,

and wish for what your heart desires,

You never know, it might come true.

Snakes and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails...

Once again I found myself stumped on cards for boys. This seems to be a common problem for my card-making colleagues everywhere.


Well, yet again the craft store bargain bin comes to the rescue. How cute is this little guy?


I've also been hoarding these cool little mosaic tiles.  They're rubber and shimmery.

All I had to add was some Rock Star paper and chip board.  And a little pastel gel pen.  Bam!  There you go.

I might even try the same theme for a rocker girrl card too.

Well, it's a long weekend, and as the lizard says "let's party!"  Have a great time with friends and family, or just chillin' with your own self :)

Simple Things

Every once in awhile, I feel inclined to try and make art that is simpler and cleaner.  Most times  I can't resist adding a bit more.  I envy people who can be minimalist in their designs.  Guess it's just the collage in me trying to get out!

These new stamps from Michelle's store made me want to try again to dial things back.

Aren't these stems great?  The flowers and leaves are different stamps so you can combine them however you like. 

The giant rick rack is hand-dyed.  I picked it up at a craft show last month and really love how the color is very subtly varied.

 I used the same colors on the next card.  The turquoise and brown look so nice.  It's one of my favorite combinations.  The sentiment is from the same stamp set, the image is StampinUp! dry embossing, and the trim I got from SCRAP.

This is about as minimalist as I'm comfortable with :)  I tried not putting the trim on, really I did!

Oh well, what girl can resist a little sparkle, right?

Hope you all have a "simply" wonderful evening.