Cards? What are those?

Yes, I do remember what cards are - I know I haven't posted any for a while, but with summer here, our schedule is not a norm.  I don't find that I have as much time in the evenings to stamp - I'm either too exhausted by the day's events or I still have too much to do around the house.  With the kids home all day, I don't get as much done so it creeps into the evening.  But, I have been stamping lately - especially with the release of the new catalog!


This card is one I made for my July 16 birthdays - my grandmother who turned 97 and my sister in law (I'll keep her age quiet!)  It features a new paper released in the Stampin UP! catalog called Greenhouse Gala.  I love the colors of this new paper collection!  It will be one that I can use all summer and even into the fall.

I also used the new extra large scallop circle and adorned it with some dew drops.  The sentiment is from the butterfly set "Flight of the Butterfly" (#111564).  The ribbon is a retired ribbon from several catalog releases ago - but it accented this card really well!

Here's another card I made as a thank you for a friend's kind words and support at church.  Being the president of our council has been a challenge and it is wonderful to have people that let you know that they appreciate you - it seems so thankless some times!  I wanted it to have a "fruits of the spirit" theme, so I used "Tart and Tangy" (#111514) as a focal point with the background being more paper from Greenhouse Gala collection.  I also incorporated some paper from the free hostess 6x6 pack from last catalog.  Trying to use up the retired stuff!  Nice that it coordinates with the current paper!

I will post more cards in the upcoming days, but I have not completed our vacation collection nor some more recent events, so I want to give them some attention as well.

So, when I left off of my vacation review we were beginning to head north out of the Keys.  We wanted to give the kids one day of true BEACH fun - sandcastles, boogie boarding etc....that you don't get at the Keys since they don't have many waves.  So, we stopped for a night on Singer Island in West Palm Beach.  It was a really nice beach - very fancy hotels!  Ours was an old Hilton - and we weren't very pleased with the accommodations in comparison to the Marriott we had just left behind, but since we were there for beach it was fine.

 As we left the Keys, we took a quick side trip into the Florida Everglades to get a stamp in our National Park passport books.  I wasn't sure that we would see much - I've always heard that the best time to go to the Everglades is in the winter but we had a great time.  Lauren really lucked out this trip - first a sea turtle while snorkeling and then the first thing we see in the Everglades is this Florida loggerhead turtle.  He was moseying back to the waterway. 

 I posted this photo onto my Facebook page while we were gone with the comment that this is not something we see everyday back home!  I still can't get over the shock of seeing that they have panther crossings the way we have deer crossings!

 The beauty of the Everglades, while not what we usually prefer (mountains) cannot be denied.  I think the most fascinating attraction is the biosphere that you find here - we saw more birds, alligators, turtles, bugs....in just a very short walk.  But it was oppressively HOT and humid!

 We were talking about the animals that are not indigenous that are now causing problems to the ecosystem in the everglades - monkeys and boa constrictors that have been released by people who can no longer manage their pets.   It's so sad that folks have no sense of responsibility!   We didn't see any - but thought it would be funny to take a picture of Lauren with Jason's snake!  He brings it along in the car to give back support in the seat.

Now on to West Palm Beach.  We drove through Miami and up I-95.....

This is the beach as you approach it from the boardwalk on the back of the hotel.  There was a restaurant right on the beach that we ate dinner in the night we stayed there.

We were able to find all kinds of shells on the beach - especially after the big storm that came through that night!  Mostly clam shells, but I did find a few others, including a small conch shell.

Hmmm....not sure I really want to post this one, but Dave likes it!  I sure look lonely - no one else on the beach.  My glowing white skin must have blinded them all away!

This is a good place to insert some "Wipeout" music.

Dave is really fond of the taste of sea water.

Last day of beaching.  Before we left we went shell hunting from the storm.  It was such a lovely day we hated the thought of climbing into the car for one of our longest days of the trip - 10 hours into the pan handle of Florida on our way to New Orleans.....but that will have to be an update for another day!

Hope you are all enjoying your own vacation days!

Smiles,

Susan