Beside the Sea ~ NBUS #142

Greetings!

I was going to welcome you to a fresh new Monday, but Monday has already slipped its way into Tuesday for many of you, so may I just say I hope your week has started off well and stays well throughout!

We had a busy weekend of household mediocrity followed by the exciting arrival of company in the form of long-time-old-timey-friends. We're at that age where conversation consists of half-present-day and half-bygone-day dialogue. It's a nice balance, but without saying so in so many words, we all feel the pull into Geezerville. It didn't help when I asked the nice young waitress if they could turn down the music.

And that's how it begins. We four looked at each other in horror, Mister called me a cranky old bag, and then we burst into raucous laughter. You see how I purposely used the word raucous there because in common dalliance the word is usually followed by "youths." I'm a rebel like that. A delusional one.

I had a full calendar lined up this week, but today's activities were cancelled at the last minute so I enjoyed an unexpected play in a couple four challenges. In honor of summer, I made this:

The vision for this card was born from the current sketch at Case This Sketch where the spectacular Kay Miller (My Joyful Moments) is the Guest Designer:

I immediately pictured this awesome deck chair as my card focus pocus, with two loops of wave on each side. Then, since I'm trying to excavate Mt. NBUS, I had Hammy go through the embossing folder binders and let me know if the card needed a little embossing interest. 

And here is where the hamster shines. He hands me this NBUS embossing folder which is meant to be long grass. I cocked my eyebrow and he laid flat out on his tummy with his paws stretching out front and back. Ah ha. I turned the folder sideways and saw what he saw.

Ripples in the sand left by receding waves. 

Do you see it now? I have to say I thought it was pretty cleaver myself.

The deck chair is made by Technique Tuesday and the NBUS little wave is from a Paper Smooches set called "Surf and Turf." As it happens there is an "Anything Goes" challenge happening at Paper Smooches Sparks challenge blog. I admit it's stretching things a bit to enter with just this wee itty-bitty wave stamp, but hey, it's a stamp and I'm happy to let you know about this fun set which includes an ocean wave, just when you need one.

Paper Smooches Stamps website

I'm also playing in the current ColourQ Challenge which is a photo inspiration challenge. We are to use black and white and one of the featured colors or all five of the featured colors. Check out this outstanding dress. My alter ego looks mighty fine in this dress. (Yes, there are more characters besides the hamster up there in the party in my head.)

And over at Simon Says Stamps Monday Challenge, the brief is "A Mid-Summer's Challenge."

And, finally, the current theme at Addicted to Stamps and More is CAS (clean and simple), which I love.

I hope you can join in some or all of these challenges! The links will take you to the challenge headquarters where you will find all the information regarding rules, sponsors, and prizes.

Edited to add: So a few of my eagle-eyed crafty friends told me that the "grass" e/f is really supposed to be horizontal and it is supposed to be "branches," not grass. Apparently we were vertically challenged while looking at the e/f and not even paying attention to the direction it was going when running it through the BS! Oh, well. We thought we were really cleaver there for a minute! But we still think the branches make great looking ocean ripples in the sand!

And, my friend Diane of 1 Card Creator has invited me to join in the Craft Hoarders Anonymous challenge, "Who's the Boss?" Thank you, Diane! It's my first time joining in this fun challenge!

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New Friends Corner

I am so happy to welcome five more new friends today! I'm especially delighted because three out of four of the blogs being introduced today are all brand new bloggers!! So I do hope you will take some time and pop in to leave some love for these newbies. We never forget how scary it is to start up a blog!

Laura Jane of After-Hours Ink and Flowers. What a fun name! LauraJane is from Missouri and she only started sharing her creations on her blog this past April, but she is already an award winner! She's an excellent card artist and challenge participant who has lots of inspiration to share with you. I would love to have you take a few minutes to visit LauraJane and make her feel welcome!

Colleen. Welcome, Colleen! There is no link from your name in my follower thumbnails to a blog and I don't see an email comment from you, and with only your first name, I can't find you on Google. If you have a blog that you would like me to share, please email me to let me know. If any of you recognize Colleen's smiling face and have any information, please let me know. My email address is on my profile page which you can access via a link following the text under the photo of the Playhouse.

Riette of Red's Card Corner. Riette has been blogging and amazing the stamping community since 2011! She is a designer and award winner and I love the designs she creates from the challenge briefs. She also has a thoughtful page regarding getting started with card making. I think you will enjoy your visit and return again and again!

Sandy Iverson of Sandra's Creations. Sandy gets the prize for newest of the newest bloggers today as she just started her blog in May ~ only eight posts ago! I may be closing in on my 700th post, but I still remember my first few posts like it was yesterday! Sandy is an Australian transplanted to Texas and the mother of two adult children. She and her husband are transitioning to empty-nesters and this is a great opportunity for Sandy to become immersed in this fulfilling hobby!

Janis Woolbright of Her Peaceful Garden. Janis is also a newcomer who has only been blogging since February of this year, so your encouragement would be terrific! Janis lives in Idaho and loves making cards and cats. I mean, she doesn't make cats, but you know what I mean! I think you will enjoy your visit to Janis and she will make you feel most welcome there!

Thank you for joining, ladies, and welcome to the Playhouse!

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Enjoy your day! No, seriously, enjoy.  LITS!* 

As always, thank you for coming by to visit the Playhouse and special thanks to you if you take the time to leave a comment and/or join as a follower! Please let me know you came by, so I can be sure and return the flavor!

  

 

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