How Beautiful...

Ok-so didn't get too much cleaning done yesterday-I got side-tracked (easy for Moi to do!) and PLAYED instead-but, isn't that what Saturday's are for, anyway?!  I saw this image of the bathing beauty here --it's a digital image (stamp) by Mo Manning-meaning you purchase the image, she e-mails it, you save it (so you can use it over and over), then print it to the size you want and color as your little heart desires.  I don't have Copics-so my coloring was limited to my Sharpies and a set of I can't even remember how old Crayola colored pencils. Sadly, they are dying but won't go there now.  I just thought this was too cute-and knew I wanted to make a stair-step card. I found measurements for a small one- *thought* I had adjusted it properly-only to find out the front half is bigger than the back half and it's too big for the envelope (usually when it's too big it's because of too many pop dots!). Poor Dr. Parks tried really hard to teach me better math skills-but that is certainly not my gift! Oh well!

The sentiment is from a Close to My Heart set and I apologize but I am not sure who the palm trees and sun is by.  I have quite a collection of beach themed stamps since we live at the beach!  You can't quite tell from my photo but she has a pink tint vs. a tan to her!  Being a natural redhead, I tend to burn and freckle. Someday all the freckles will connect and I will have a great tan! Lol! I added some "sand" to it--a mix of 2 parts gold microbeads with 1 part silver microbeads attached with  Stampin' Up's Crystal Effects works great for realistic sand! I added some of the CE to her sunglasses as well to make them look like glass.  I love the dimension the "steps" give the card and yes, there are pop dots involved! The shells I added are the real deal (my late husband used to say that the beach erosion problems would be solved if I stopped picking up all the shells!)  I have no clue where I got or who made the flip flop brads but I would suggest checking out Oriental Trading Co's scrapbooking supplies or Paper Wishes.

I didn't stop there!  When I got done with the first one of these (I made 4!), I played with the PINWHEEL die some more!  This is what I came up with:

These don't move---and while I think they are absolutely adorable (you can get yours here and, for more ideas, see Amy's post at http://pickledpaperdesigns.blogspot.com/2011/04/your-generosity-blows-me-away.html ), part of the fun with pinwheels is making them move! So that's today's play-time project. I have some things I have to get done, but I know I can tweak these and make them move.  I will be sure to share that secret when I figure it out! I think I am going to make more of these for the fall craft shows I do. The die comes with some very cute sayings and I think they would make great friend/co-worker/teacher gifts to set on a desk or table.  Small flower pots, some moss (I don't like the faky plastic grass!), a MOVING pinwheel with a sentiment tied to the stem!  Hmmm...better go get those royal pain in the potootie chores done so I can play with my pinwheels!  Until next time, happy stamping and scrapping! Blessings, Sharon