Sand Cake

 Playing in the sand is a favorite activity & 

one of our best playgrounds

 is in the shade.

The grand-girls like to play outside the box much more than inside it!

Their favorite thing to make is sand cake. 

The "carrot cake" was delicious. 

I was thrilled that the afternoon temperature was only 90 degrees 

and

we enjoyed a breeze too. 

They made sand cakes, climbed on jungle gyms,

slid on the slide, and went on a bear hunt.

We always take big water bottles along.

"I don't want to leave!" "Wahhhhh!"

That's music to my ears, 

knowing they'll be so happy to go back to play again.

 I used CTMH's "Cherry-O" papers that coordinated
with B's cherry summer sundress.
I inked the Irresistable Letters in Garden Green and Tulip
for the layout's title.

The photo on the left side is 8 x 10 inches,
and I gave all the sandbox photos a vintage effect
by using PhotoShop.
Photos on the right side are 4 x 6 inches.

StickEase makes embellishing a layout so super easy and pretty!

I put Liquid Glass on the StickEase and also on the cherries 

in the printed paper.

It can't get any easier or more fun.

Using Flip Flaps on top of the Memory Protector 

(right side, vertical photos)

is a great way to add extra photos and tell the story too--

I always include a journaled section to tell about the activity.

Happy memory-making!

A Miracle Birthday

A very special lady will be celebrating her 95th birthday soon, God willing. Alma was my long-time alto-singing friend in our church choir, and though we don't sing side by side now, I'm always so happy to see her at church events and around town. She's a ball of energy and always has good news to share! Flowers and butterflies are two of her favorite things in God's creation.  And she'll be the first to tell anyone that she wakes up saying, "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!" She's just full of rejoicing!

My card recipe -- CTMH products:

Miracle papers
Stamps: Celebrate Life; From Me to You
Inks: Sweet Leaf; Olive; Crystal Blue
Miracle kit Irresistable Die Cut Flower
Foam squares

I stamped the butterfly in Crystal Blue, then I stamp-rolled its edges in Olive.
(Some days I just don't trust myself with the X-acto knife, so I didn't cut the space between the antennas--it would look better if I had!)

Other: Green sparkles; sheer ribbon; Verve Scripture stamp

So glad you stopped by! I hope I've inspired you even a teeny tiny bit! Blessings!

Baby Steps

Sophia papers are one of my favorite designs from Close To My Heart so far, and they really showcase my photos from the August day when Beatrice wanted to walk and walk and walk in the yard!

The new papers, along with the new Pear and Smoothie ink colors and all the coordinating embellishments are so simple, fast, and fun to use.

I used the white side of the new Kraft borders to continue the "dots" theme on these pages.

If you haven't tried the Irresistible Eclectic Die Cut letters yet, they are so fun! Ink them and watch the patterns pop!

The square scalloped A-Door-Able frame fit into the upper right corner to hide a small photo of Beatrice sitting and feeling the texture of the grass.

I punched three large Marvy scalloped flowers and layered them with Liquid Glass, and then added a button and mini-brads for the center.

Thanks for visiting and leaving your comment!

Only 31 days until Spring! Whoo-hoo!

For now, the Sophia colors take me to a wonderful spring place!

I used all CTMH products:

Sophia Papers Level 2

Kraft Borders (white side)

Irresistible Eclectic Die Cut Alphabet

Stamp Set: Classmate Alphabet

Pear, Colonial White, and Blush Ink Pads

Colonial White Waxy Flax

Spring Buttons & Hollyhock

Spring Sheer Ribbon

My Creations A-Door-Ables

Corner Rounder for scallops

White mini-brads

Liquid Glass

Yum!

Inspired by a one-page layout in the new Spring-Summer Idea Book from Close To My Heart (p. 48), I put this layout together while watching the snow fall today. I included hidden journaling on cardstock that slides behind the photo.

Last August Ella enjoyed many slurpy pieces of watermelon on our deck. She ate and ate, until she nearly turned into a little watermelon.
I used all CTMH products:
New Sophia and Wings paper packets
New Kraft paper and Kraft border
New Irresistibles Eclectic Die-Cut Letters
New Pear Ink
Hollyhock, Sweet Leaf, Clover Meadow, and Black Ink
Hollyhock Marker
Colonial White ribbon (sweet leaf)
Stamp Sets: Summer Sweetness, Today's Date
Foam squares
Gold staples
Liquid Glass

Thanks for looking!