Seize the Birthday #295 - Focal One - Ashwini

The first challenge in November at STB is hosted by Ashwini.   She would like us to use one Focal Point on our cards.  

I used PF's Butterflies stencil and Embossed in Silver using Gina K's inks.  An EF from my stash for the background, not sure of the name.  Sentiment from PF's Ribbons and Balloons.

What this means is, in your card, for the focal image, use only one stamp and stamp it only once. No more stamping is allowed on the focal image. However, you are free to color it and free to do anything else with the rest of the card.

If you're not a toppings kinda person, well...you can just
stick with our usual "Anything Goes" Birthday!

The choice is yours!

Surprise Party Guests

Fran Wing

Thanks for stopping by.

Seize the Birthday #294 Feather - Vicki

The second challenge this month is hosted by Vicki who would like us to use a feather on our card.  Come and join us and build up your Birthday stash.  There is lots of inspiration created by our talented DT's.

I used PTI's Feather Finery another oldie, Gina K's Poly Glaze Tiny Dots in Silver, Master Layouts #1 & #3.  GK's Big Birthday and her inks.

Our Surprist Party Guest for October and November is Fran Wing

Thanks for stopping by.

Seize the Birthday #293 Dots - Shirley

Our host for the first week of October at STB is Shirley and she would like us to use dots on our cards.

Please come and join us and build up your birthday stash.  The team has lots of inspiration for you to look at. 

I used Gina K.'s Radiant Roses, Poly Glaze in Gold Foil, Stencils with Gina's Inks

If you're not a toppings kinda person, well...you can just
stick with our usual "Anything Goes" Birthday!

The choice is yours!

Surprise Party Guest

Fran Wing

Thanks for stopping by.

Seize the Birthday #292 Use the Word Celebrate - Nancy

Today's challenge on STB, Nancy would like us to use the word celebrate on our cards.

  

This was a background I created after watching the video from Gina K, stamping with plastic wrap. You just wadded the wrap up and dipped it into the ink and used that as your stamp.  Easy, peasy...Then I had to figure out what to do with the background.  I used a Gina K circle for the sentiment. The Celebrate is from an old PTI Ever So Much stamp set, and the rest is from SSS Birthday Balloons.  The butterflies were some I had in my stash from Pinkfresh's Small Butterflies

    

Our "Topping" option this time is...

If you're not a toppings kinda person, well...you can just
stick with our usual "Anything Goes" Birthday!

The choice is yours!

Our Surprise Party Guest is Karen Rogers

Thanks for stopping by.

Seize the Birthday #291 Stripes - Linda

I am very excited to be your host for this month's, 1st challenge at STB.

Come see all of the amazing cards created by the DT's. 

We would love to have you join us in our gallery.

I used Altenew's Classy Stripes Stencil to create a light background of stripes to showcase my flowers.

I don't remember what stamp set I used, but it was one I used at Darnell's when visiting her in June.  She helped me watercolor these with her Ziggies.  Water coloring is something I always struggle with but was happy with how these came out.

If you're not a toppings kinda person, well...you can just
stick with our usual "Anything Goes" Birthday!

The choice is yours!

Karen Rogers is our Surprise Party Guest

Thanks for stopping by.

Seize the Birthday #290 Retro - Jules

Jules is our host for this STB challenge, and she would like us to make a retro card.  Come and see all of the inspiration by our DT's, play along and add birthday cards to your stash. 

 I actually made two cards.

The first is PTI's Simply Jane (an oldie for sure) with some Echo Park pattern paper and a piece of Vintage Hues Vellum by Stamp on It, given to me by one of my favorite stamping friends, Darnell.  This is definitely out of my comfort zone, but I like how it turned out.

The second is Sugar Pea You're My Type.  I used Prisma Pencils and Gamsol.  

Our "Topping" option this time is...

If you're not a toppings kinda person, well...you can just
stick with our usual "Anything Goes" Birthday!

The choice is yours!

Thanks for stopping by.

Seize the Birthday #289 Cute Critters - JoAnn

For our first challenge in August for STB, JoAnn would like us to use Cute Critters on our cards.

This is a bit of a challenge for me as I don't have many critter stamps and have a tough time making a cute card with them.  But please come by the blog and see all of the amazing cards created by our DT's.

I used MFT's Friends with Fins, colored with Prisma pencils and Gamsol.  The panel was one I had in my stash blended with Gina K's inks.

If you're not a toppings kinda person, well...you can just
stick with our usual "Anything Goes" Birthday!

The choice is yours!

 Karen Rogers is our Surprise Party Guest for August and September.  
Welcome Karen

Thanks for stopping by.

Color Hues #92 Pink & Brown

It's been a while since I have entered a card in the Color Hues Challenge.   For some reason, I have not been motivated to create.  Not sure why. 

  Pink and brown are not a color combination I would normally come up with but remember using this combination years ago and really liking it.  So here is my card.

I used Gina K.'s Fizzy Stencil & Wishful Florals, last month's kit with Gina's inks.  The sentiment may be a PF, but I'm not certain.  I used the Poly-glaze foiling sheet from Wishful Florals, and it is so pretty in real life.  Then stenciled to color.  The embellishments are PF Clear with Gold Dust.

Thanks for stopping by.

Seize the Birthday with Glenda #288 Tic Tac Toe

Glenda has a fun challenge for us on STB.  I chose Stripes, Clean & Simple, Sentiment without the word birthday.

I used PF Cherry Blossoms Stencil & Die with Gina K. inks and gems

Altenew Classy Stripes Stencil

If you're not a toppings kinda person, well...you can just
stick with our usual "Anything Goes" Birthday!

The choice is yours!

Surprise Party Guest

Julia

Thanks for stopping by.

Seize the Birthday #287 - Fruits - Colleen

My card for STB hosted by my Bff, Colleen.  She would like to see fruit on our cards. 

Come see the gallery and look at all of the fantastic inspiration by our team.

This is PinkFresh's Berries and Blossoms, stamp and stencil set, using Gina K's inks.  I used a technique by Gina on a recent video from her You tube Channel.  It's called Fancy Fold. When the card is closed it looks like a one-layer card, but then you open, and it has a stenciled piece inside.  Fun and very easy.  Not as easy to photograph.  

If you're not a toppings kinda person, well...you can just
stick with our usual "Anything Goes" Birthday!

The choice is yours!

Surprise Party Guest

is Julia

Thanks for stopping by.

June, Month of Blogging Friends, Family Vacation and My 75th Birthday

The first part of June, Colleen and I traveled to see our good Blogging Friend, Darnell, who you all know and love.  Colleen thought since I was having a milestone birthday later in June that we should go somewhere fun.  And since all 3 of us will be turning 75 on our next birthday, we went to see Darnell.  The Mister was on a motorcycle trip, so it was perfect timing.  We had fun playing, laughing (as you can imagine) and relaxing in her backyard.  We even got to see the infamous "Playhouse and Hammy" and it is so cute.

Darnell

Lin & Col

Darnell and Col

And then 5 days after getting home from Darnell's, we had a planned Family trip to Lake Chelan, in Eastern Washington.  We stayed in Manson.  The older girls were invited also.  Kailey and her boyfriend, P-nut and Avery came but we are missing Maddie.

View from our balcony.

The kids have to get a new stuffy everywhere they go and of course some ice cream.

Connor, Justin, Anna

We went to breakfast at Blueberry Hills.  This is a cinnamon roll that we split between all of us and still had some left over.  Brad thought we needed this before breakfast.

Blueberry Hills Restaurant

A surprise Graduation Party for Avery 

Avery, Kailey, Justin, Connor and Anna

Grandma and Justin

Avery and Kailey out tubing.  Kailey fell off and eventually Avery did too.  The water is fed by snow melt so is very cold.  It was about 57 degrees.  The first weekend was only in the low 60's but finally warmed up to the 70's.  Still cool for Chelan.

We rented a Pontoon boat.  Brad and Rhonda's son, Shawn

Justin.  And of course, it wouldn't be a vacation without one of the triplets or more is sick.

Justin was sick, throwing up a few days before we left, then Anna came down with it the next night and then Ramie was feeling puny the first couple of days.  Brad and Connor were fine.
However, Justin kept running a slight fever and so we don't know if he had a sinus infection or allergies, but they took him into the ER.  He would be fine on and off.  While waiting he said he felt fine and so they left not seeing the doctor also because the pharmacy was closed so they couldn't get a prescription anyway.  He seems to be fine now.  And now they are off on another vacation to Black Butte with Ramie's sister's family.

On the boat trip, some of the brave ones, jumped into the freezing water and of course our little dare devil was one of them.  Here she is jumping.

Avery, Dad and Anna

Nona, Connor and Grandma

Cousins, Brad and Shawn

All of the kids went for a hike one morning.  Rhonda and I declined.  We walked into Manson and took a look around.

Rhonda & Shawn

Avery, Kailey and P-nut

Justin

Anna trying to warm up after her plunge.

Anna, Connor, Justin, Nona and Grandma

The kids playing on the grass while Brad, Ramie and Shawn were Wine Tasting

Connor and Mom take a walk into Manson.

So, our little dare devil Anna was the first one to go on a jet ski with dad.  The boys were a little hesitant and need coaxing. HaHa....  Ramie told them to just get on and they could decide if they wanted to go for a ride or not and they could control the speed.  They both finally agreed to go for a ride and alternated between fast and slow.   Of course, Anna and dad were jumping waves.  

Justin and Mom

Connor and Mom

Avery

P-nut and Kailey

Another day we spent the day playing Put-put golf

Connor taking his turn.

Grandma and Anna wait our turn.

Justin taking a shot

Dad helping Connor get across the strip.

Justin 

After the golf game, Brad, Avery, Kaily and me.

June 24th, My 75th Birthday

My older son, Kelly and his wife flew up here from AZ to surprise me on the weekend before my birthday.  It's been a while since I have had both of my boys with me on my birthday.  I had such a wonderful birthday.  So blessed.

Out for Dinner on Friday Night

Petrina, Kelly and me

Ramie, Me, Brad

Justin, Connor & Anna

Rhonda and I

Petrina, Kelly, me, Rhonda, Brad, Ramie, Anna, Connor and Justin

Saturday - Portland Spirit, lunch cruise, perfect weather and great food.

Petrina & Kelly

Connor, Anna, Justin and Grandma

All of us before the cruise.

The weekend could not have been any better.  Nothing like family to celebrate with....

Thanks for stopping by.