The Footpush

I was lucky enough to have a holiday in Mexico September, 2008.  Paul only came out for the second week, so my friends and I did a couple of days chilling and a couple of excursions.  One of these excursions was called Garrafon Discovery. 

The bus took us to Cancun and then we took a speed boat out to Isla de Mujeras.  As much as it seems a very cliched experience, I thought it was a must that I chose to go swimming with the Dolphins when I had the chance.  And it was fabulous!  I swum out to do the footpush, and had given my camera to my friend.  I didn't realise it, but he had taken this series of photos!  I regret the way I look, but I don't regret him taking the photos or the experience. 

It was the monthly house challenge at UK Scrappers - use 7 photos or more, and then using a new technique.  I used the Impressions plate and the embossing pad on my Big Shot for the first time. 

It will be the first and last time I sew on glossy cardstock - what a nightmare!  The shiny texture on the cardstock caused the machine to slip and slide - a total pain. 

Supplies:  DCWV Taj Mahal , scrap of Rouge de Garance which I embossed with dots, scrap of Fancy Pants Delight on title.  Rhonna Farrer rub-on, which reads "Great things are done by a series of small things brought together - van gogh."   The title was cut out on my Cricut using "Opposites Attract" cartridge. 

My journalling reads:

1. How did they say to stand? 2. Oh wait! I’m not ready! 3. I don’t know if I want to do this! 4. I’m not sure if this is right …. 5. Oh, I don’t like this! 6. This feels really weird! 7. They said to put your arms up and lock your knees … 8. Oh no, here I go …. 9. It feels like I am flying through the water! 10. What a rush! 11. Who would have ever thought I would have done this? 12. I’m going quite fast … 13. Hey! Look at me! 14. Coming in to land. That was fantastic!

And so it was.  An unbelievable experience. 

Tropical Cards ...

Hello viewers - I thought I'd give you a temporary break from animal matters, and thought we would try a flavour of papercrafting instead.  Some few weeks back, one of my colleagues from work left to take up a different position.  She was one of two card customers that I have at work, so I thought I would give her a small leaving gift that she could actually use. 

My friend donated some odds and ends of card blanks and envelopes.  She gave me six reddy pink envelopes of an odd size.  I got to and matched it as closely as I could to my Bazzill stash.  I ended up getting six card blanks from two bits of Bazzill, so that's really quite good, I think. 

The patterned paper is by Rhonna Farrer and has been sitting in my scraps bag for some time. I have had some of these dried flower gel stickers sitting in my stash ever since I began crafting, over six years ago!  These cards are all very simple, but effective.  Well, that was my aim! 

I have had loads of these K & Co tags sitting around also for years, trying to get used.  And then someone gave me loads of die cut squares and other shapes and after these few years, I've figured out a way of using them so they don't look too bad.  Nice font message stamps are a definite weakness of mine!                                                 

I am not adverse to using other people's scraps, especially when otherwise they would be thrown away! I taught a birthday book class last year, and one lady left all her scraps from this stack.  Far too pretty to be put in the bin! 

Much of a muchness, really but I think these cards all do stand on their own merit.  With paper as pretty as this, you don't need much else, but in the card below, I thought the alcohol ink matt goes really nicely for some colour contrast. 

                                              

This next one is probably my favourite - that paper is just gorg-e-ous .....

My friend seemed to like these little cards, so that was a good job.  Two posts in one day, but more ellies tomorrow, like it or not!