Hold on to Hope

 Wednesday, July 31, 2024

Wowsa! It's the end of the month! 

Today's card is one I made awhile back for Autumn's baptism...ummm, that would have been in March 2023. I couldn't find it on my blog and am assuming I never posted it. 

I used the Hold on to Hope bundle which is long retired but a keeper in my collection. I used Blushing Bride cardstock also long retired and I'm slowing depleting my stash of it. I used the Cane Weave EF which is current!  A simple card but I think it works nicely for a baptismal card.

I needed another baptism card and I went searching. So, here it is and I'm going to make several similar to have on hand when I need one!

And here is the adorable Autumn at 17 months old! She was at a parade! 

Happy Stamping!

Tracy

Monthly Wanderings

 Monday, July 29, 2024

Happy Monday! We are just getting back from a weeklong outing to the Northern Cascades National Park in Washington and some of the surrounding area.  It was a good week. We dodged the wildfires and the smoke from the fires the entire week.

Here are a  few of the highlights:

• We took a boat trip to Stehekin. You can only get to it by boat or plane. The wildfire was close but the wind was in our favor and we had a lovely day. Two days after our trip Stehekin went to a Level 2 evacuation...which means no visitors allowed.  Yesterday they were moved to a Level 3 which means get out. I've been praying they don't burn. It's a beautiful place. 

• We visited the Grand Coulee Dam. They weren't giving tours because of the smoke...we thought it was fine. Such a beautiful day! Safety first, I guess. Jerry enjoyed seeing some of the wheat fields along the way. The drive just put me to sleep! LOL!

• The highway through the Northern Cascades National Park had been closed the entire week due to a wildfire. It reopened the evening before we went! Diablo Lake was beautiful! The mountains are beautiful. The pictures don't do them justice. We were happy just to see them. We weren't sure what the smoke would be like but as you can see from the photos it was a beautiful day. 

So, it's back to reality this week. 

Happy Stamping!

Tracy

Bee Happy

 Monday, July 15, 2024

Happy Monday, my friends! We are halfway through the month of July. Already! 

Today's card is inspired by the one I did here. I used the same DSP and just switched up the sketch a bit.

The DSP is from SU!'s Be Mine and the stamp set I used is Choose Happy. Easy peasy and it will be off to the post. 

Happy Stamping!

Tracy

LOVE

 Monday, July 8, 2024

I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend. I made it through three memorials last week, one 50th wedding anniversary party, had Autumn for a sleepover, and still surviving a 100+ degree heatwave. Needless to say I was exhausted yesterday and even took a nap! 

Here's the card I made for the 50th wedding anniversary:

I used Copper Clay for the card base then layered gold foil and a piece of the Earthen Elegance which is in Pretty Peacock that I had ran through the Timber EF.  The couple have a sawmill so I thought that was appropriate. My wreaths were cut from the Natural Prints dies. I love that wreath. I cut three of them. One from a piece of Earthen Elegance DSP, one in Copper Foil and one in Gold Foil. I cut a few gold and copper sprigs for the inside. The sentiments are from Unbounded Love. I used a copper colored ribbon...it isn't labeled. I can't remember what it is called and am too lazy to figure it out!

Autumn was a joy to have! She is very good! She is such an independent little lady and plays great by herself! 

She loves Jake and enjoyed feeding him! 

Happy Stamping!

Tracy

Choose Hope

 Thursday, July 4, 2024

Happy Independence Day here in the USA! 🎇🎆🎇

We will be attending my cousin's memorial service today. Yep, the third, and final, memorial this week. I know it's a bit much. My cousin died in February and his family is celebrating his life today as it was his favorite holiday. I'm looking forward to seeing my cousins though and eating a barbequed hamburger! I have to look on the bright side as it has been a week of sorrow.

Today's card I made to give to my Grauer nieces and nephews whose Grandma died (my MIL).

I wanted something a bright and cheery and felt this fit that criteria. I used the SU! Bee Mine DSP (retired) on a Sweet Sorbet (retired) card base. I stamped the butterflies from the SU! Sketched Butterflies and colored them with SU! Blends. I really like this stamp set. The sentiment is from Choose Happy which I really like also!

Happy Stamping!

Tracy

Celebrate!

 Thursday, July 3, 2024

Okay, fine. I made this card again and got a better photograph of it because I wanted to play along with several challenges! Here's the card:

The card base is Starry Sky and I cut another layer and embossed it with an old SU! Stars EF. The pickup is from SU!'s Trucking Along colored with Real Red Blends. The sentiment is from the Newton Nook Designs Newton's 4th of July stamp set.

I'm entering it in this week's Paper Players. They have a Tic Tac Toe board. I used the top row across with stars/stripes, bling and blue.

Seize the Birthday's topping is add a star.

And the last challenge I'm entering is SUO Challenges where it is my favorite color combo! Red, white and blue!

Happy Stamping, my friends!

Tracy

Celebrate!

 Wednesday, July 3, 2024

I have several birthdays the first few days of July including two on the 4th. I love anything red, white and blue! 

Please pardon the photograghy. In my haste to get the cards in the mail I had just taken a quick snapshot on my work service and realized I never took a better shot! I didn't want to make another one as I have moved on to other projects! LOL!

I used Starry Sky for the cardbase and the star embossed layer. That star EF is an oldy but well loved. The pickup is from Trucking Along. I love that set. I colored it with the Sweet Sorbet Blends. The sentiment is from a Newton Nook Designs stamp set called Newton's 4th of July. The inside sentiment (sorry no pic) says "Happy Birthday! Have a blast!" I thought that was cute for the 4th of July birthday recipients.

My mother-in-law died in June and her celebration of life was Sunday. She was 91 years old, closing in on 92. She had a beautiful life but believe me it is still hard and sad. My granddaughters made me smile as they were saying goodbye to each other after the reception.

Is that the sweetest hug ever?! 

Happy Stamping and hug someone today!

Tracy

Congratulations!

 Monday, July 1, 2024

A happy Monday morning to you all! I have two cards to share today both were for high school graduates. Quick and easy cards that came together fairly quickly. I let the Designer Series Paper do the work. 

I used the Bright and Beautiful 6 x 6 paper from Stampin' Up! The congratulations sentiment is from SU!'s Bravo (retired). 

We had a wonderful 10-day trip through the Olympic National Park in Washington. The weather was fabulous. There was so much beauty to absorb. We hiked. A LOT! I am actually looking forward to scrapbooking the photos I took. Here's just a glimmer of what we saw:

The summit of Mt. Rose. This is now the hardest hike we've done. Elevation gain was crazy. We were  a bit sore and tired for a couple days afterward. 

Sunset on the Strait of Juan de Fuca. I didn't realize when I made the reservations we were on the Strait! Of the three nights we were here this was the only night with a beautiful sunset! 

Hurricane Ridge. Gorgeous views on a beautiful day. This was the day after our Mt. Rose hike so we took it easy but still saw so much!

Cape Flattery...my favorite day. Beautiful. Beautiful weather. A place I never thought I'd see. It can often be fogged in. Not this day!

The Farmer and I reveling in the beauty at Cape Flattery. 

Happy Stamping!

Tracy