The Good Old Summertime

It's the good old summertime and over the last couple weeks there's been lots of challenges with summer themes.  Well, I'm happy to see them, I love the summer images and colors.  You wouldn't believe how many stamps I have that have beach chairs on them.  Well, if you visit here often you'll be able to see them all sooner or later.
One of my favorite designers is Joanne B, she's on the design teams for My Favorite Things and The Cat's Pajamas.  Over on her blog Just a Little Something she's having an inspiration challenge which will last for another week.  She's offered this photograph for our inspiration.

It's a lovely looking spot.  I would love to climb into that hot tub with a refreshing drink.  But for me this is just inspiration and imagination.  I don't think I've ever been to any place so quite so quiet and secluded, not sure I really want to be in that quiet a place.  I like a little noise around me.  Whenever I get away to the country I get antsy after a couple days and start thinking about going shopping or for a ride into town or to some place touristy.
I realize my card doesn't look much like this photo but the photo inspired me to think of the beach, which made me think of this stamp which hasn't been inky probably since last summer. 
I used the sketch from Crazy for Challenges.  I moved the ribbon element to the bottom of the card so that you could see the punched border on the card stock.  When it was in its proper spot you could only see a pail on each side, kind of a waste of cute border.  I adhered some gathered ribbon to it and tied some of twine around that.  Of course I had to hang a charm on it, the sun brad might be bit much but it's so cute I threw it on anyway.

After coloring the stamped image, I restamped the sunglasses, pail and flip flop.  Colored them, cut them out and popped them up on dimensionals over the original image.  There's lots of stickles for shimmer and some Ranger Glossy Accents for shine, and a few pearls and rhinestones cause let's face it, every card can use a little bling.
So here's all the deets:
Stamp - Outlines rubber Stamp Co 1795
Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper - card stock from Urban Oasis pad; dp Me and My Big Ideas "Ellen - Starfish"
Miscellaneous - Sun brad from Spare Parts; twine from the Cat's Pajamas; flip flop brad from acharmingplace.com; stickles; Recollections Pearl stickers; ZVA self adhesive crystals; stickles; copics;  EK Success border punch; ribbon from Stamp and Create
Here's the challenges:
Just a Little Something - inspiration photo
Crazy for Challenges C4C43 - Sketch
Stampin' B's #64 - Summer fun (I hope they don't mind a second entry)
Paper Cutz #47 - use circles, stars or squares (I think all those shapes appear in the image)
Crafty Creations #73 - We want to see you shine
Oh Alice Chapter 19 - Twinkle, Twinkle
CCEE - Summer Card include flowers or floral ribbon (another second entry, ditto the hope they don't mind)
PaperPlay Week 25 - It's Sunny Here - use sun or sunglasses on your project (there's both here)
Thanks for visiting, I hope you'll come back again.  Please click on the Pink Ribbon before you leave.

To Beach or Not to Beach

We've been in Florida since Saturday. We left New Jersey on Friday night and met up with rain for a good protion of the ride and it's been raining off and on since we've been here. Last I heard this area was in drought condition so maybe this is the end of that.
Earlier today hubby and I went to the pool and when we came back he and the Lidster went to the beach. My skin is pretty fair and I burn easily while they both have complexions that tan. They can sit in the sun much longer than I can so I decided having been in the sun at the pool I should stay home and make a beach card while they play in the sea and surf. I guess this downpour has put an end to that fun. Would you believe I just got a call from them, I figured I was going to hear how awful it was but it's beautiful at the beach. Hey, that's Florida for ya, pouring in one town, gloriously sunny in the next.
I picked up this stamp back at Scrapper's Cove in NJ. I love all the little images on it, so many coloring oppurtunities. I brought only a few stamps with me, and this is the only one mounted on wood. I have to carry my supplies back on a plane and this stuff gets heavy fast but this stamp needed to come along.
Over on I Heart to Stamp this week's The Cat's Pajama Tuesday Challenge is an inspiration challenge. Design team member Leigh picked two waverly fabrics for inspiration. One is covered with flip flops and the other is striped. I have some beautiful paper that's perfect for this cahllenge. It's from Paper Adventures, Carolyn Holt Designs, Island Lagoon Flip Flops. The bottom edge was punched with Stamping Up scalloped eyelet border punch. I paired it up with some left over striped paper from Imaginisce, For Peep's Sake, Color Me Happy. I don't have a Cat's Pajama stamp here so I am using my beach stamp, it's allowed to use another company's stamps but it is preferred to use the challenge company's product. Makes sense. The beach stamp doesn't have a name on it but it's made by Outlines Rubber Stamp Co. I stamped it with Memento black and colored it in with Prismacolor pencils. I used Close To My Heart photo turns and brads to hold it down, and CTMH ribbon and button for embellishments. I tied the button to the ribbon with Stampin' Up twine. After it was mounted I used stickles to highlight it. A little bit of sparkle makes it so pretty.
This card is also perfect for this week's CCEE stamper's challenge to create something summery. I just love it when I can combine more than one challenge. So many challenges, so little time.