by the seashore-fms #130

hi tracey, momma, and anyone who stopped by to visit!

i have had this wonderful set from stampin up, by the seashore, for such a long time and it was collecting dust!  i was so happy to be able to put it to paper using linda's fun sketch from freshly made sketches #130.

as i mentioned before, the stamp set i used is called by the seashore.  the cardstock i used is vanilla, pool party, marina mist and chocolate chip.  i used pool party, marina mist, chocolate chip and crumb cake inks.  i know it's hard to see, but i stamped doubles of the conch shell and the sand dollar and layered the top pieces using stampin dimensionals.  i sponged the shapes with crumbcake ink and a sponge.  the background paper is vanilla card sponged with pool party, marina mist and crumb cake.  i splashed a bit of water from a paintbrush and dried the paper with my heat gun.  i then ran it through the sellabration's decorative dots embossing folder.  i finished it off with pool party seam binding ribbon and...tadaaa!  i have a feeling it is not clean and simple, but i really like the look.  as my sister said, it's me!

speaking of...it was about a month ago when my sister and dear friend, laura, went down to my woman cave to stamp.  it was the kind of sweatpants-wearing-hair-in-a-headband-no-bra-chocolate-eating-wine-drinking-make-the-card-up-as-you-go-along kind of stamping night.  it was fun.  we got to talking about how much i really wanted to win a challenge.  (i guess i need to play to win...but that's not the point!) all of a sudden, laura put the last little rhinestone on her card, smiled a crazy grin and clapped with glee.  she's not five.  the point is, she felt like a five year old...at christmas!  she was ready to burst-because SHE made such a beautiful card.  she didn't know she could make such a beautiful card.

all of a sudden-GAH!  mental head slap!  that's why i do what i do...it isn't about how many people comment on my work, or not comment.  it's not about whether i win a challenge or not.  it's about helping my friends create little pieces of love they can't wait to send to someone special! that's not to say the day i actually win a challenge i will be sad...nooo, i will be overjoyed.  until then, though, i need to realize my stamping is much more important. i think i AM making the world a happier place, one card at a time!

dr. roopleen, a motivational speaker, said, "listen to that little voice inside you.  sometimes it can whisper meaningful words of wisdom and make more sense than the deafening noise of opinions and judgements outside."  i need to spend more time listening to my little voice.  i love what i do.  i do what i do with great love.  i really want that little voice to calm the deafening noise with a quiet, "shhhh! i'm working here!"

until i write again-
peace be with you