Blast Off!

  I really like this design (if I don't say so myself, LOL!).  I used my circle Sizzix flip it die and some of my favorite Denami Design stamps.

  The picture does not capture some of the detail that I wish it did.  For example, for the moon, I used charcoal color glitter to make the "craters" and then used a lighter color silver glitter for the rest...it is just a 2" circle punch on 2-sided sticker sheet.  I used a strip of the navy color paper and weaved it to use under the rocket ship so that it "bobbles" on the front of the card.  I also used crystal lacquer on Space Chickie's helmet to give it dimension and look  like it is made of glass.

Front

Inside

  


  I've also gotten some feedback on the cards I post and people have requested that I show the supplies I used and a brief description of how I made the card.  Here is a picture of the supplies.

Birthday Card

  Here is a flip card I made for my card making partner's birthday.  She gave me the stamp set for my birthday last year. 
  As you can tell I LOVE my flip cards and glitter!   I used an Asian design embossing folder for the background with glitter borders on each side.  I also used crystal lacquer for the little Asian girl's hair to give it a shiny look. 

Happy Birthday to my Hubby!

 As you all know, my hubby loves lizards.  Here is a card I made for his birthday.  I used the watercolor technique I learned from Art Impressions to color in the chameleon.  I also kept the UCLA color scheme...blue and gold.  Go Bruins!

Scrapbook Expo in Anaheim, CA

  Went to the Scrapbook Expo this weekend.  I went a little crazy at The Stamps of Life.  LOL! 

Stephanie Barnard from The Stamps of Life.  "Hello, My Friends!"

  I also got to meet Bonnie Krebs.  She is the creator of "Watercolor...the Art Impressions way".  I met Bonnie's daughter at the Carson rubber stamping show a few weeks ago who taught me the watercolor technique.  They are both soooooo nice!!!

  I had a lot of fun, but definitely missed my card making partner!!!  I am also missing Denami Designs at the rubber stamping/scrapbooking shows this year.

"Watercolor" technique

  I couldn't wait to try out this new "watercolor" technique I learned at The Rubber Stamp Convention.  It is done by using water based pens to stamp, then using a wet paintbrush to make the watercolor look.  The best part is that you don't have to stamp perfectly.

Rubber Stamp Convention

  Went to the Rubber Stamp Convention in Carson, CA this morning.  I learned a new "watercolor" technique that I can't wait to try out!

Here is my loot!

  I was so glad that I organized my supplies before going to the show!  I found an embossing folder that I liked, but realized I already had it when I checked my notebook.  I know, I know;  it's sad that I have so much stuff that I can't even remember what I have.  :-)

Organizer

    I often buy duplicate supplies when I go to a craft show or store, so I thought that it is about time that I get more organized.  I bought an Arc notebook from Staples.  With this notebook, I can rearrange pages as I expand my inventory.  You crafters out there know exactly what I mean...no matter how much you use, your inventory just keeps growing and growing!  It drives my husband crazy!  I say we just need a bigger house.  LOL!  Here is my new organizer...

Punches

Embossing Folders

Cupcake flip card

  I tried cupcake frosting with seed beads and like the look much better.  The card and cupcake die is from The Paper Cut.  This was so quick and easy to make.  I used an embossing folder for the front, cut the cupcake out with a die, and glued the seed beads for the frosting.  Add a quick ribbon and Voila!

40th Birthday card

  My cousin celebrated her 40th birthday.  Here is the card I made for her.  

  I don't like the way the frosting turned out.  I just used glitter and crystal lacquer.  Next time, I am going to try something different...I think it needs more dimension.  I'm thinking that gluing seed beads for frosting might look cute...

1st Birthday card

  Note:  As you can see, I am catching up with my posts to this blog.  Some of this stuff is made last year... 

  My niece celebrated her 1st birthday last year.  Here is the card I made for her.

  I used my Sizzix flip it die and some new double sided card stock...I LOVE my flip it dies!!!

Using Sizzix Framelits as a card template

  In this card, I used my Sizzix Framelits (Labels, Majestic #2) to cut out my actual card.  I folded some double sided card stock in half, placed my Sizzix Framelits so that the folded edge does not get cut out, and Voila!  I have a really cute shaped card.  I also used the smaller sizes to layer the front and place a blank (for writing) on the inside.

2014 Caribbean Cruise - NCL cards and pins

  Remember, they had crafts on the NCL Getaway?  Here are 2 cards I made from the card kit they gave us. 

   NCL gives away ship pins for Latitudes members.  On our cruise, met four sisters who collect the pins...and they've inspired me to do the same.  We told "The Sisters" (what we called them every time we saw them on the ship) that when we were on the Breakaway last October, the Room Steward kept leaving us Breakaway pins every day and we ended up with 6 of them.  The Sisters asked if we would send them some, so we did with one of the NCL cards I made.
  On NCL, the passengers can write in about staff members who were very helpful or stood out.  NCL calls these people Vacation Heros.  The Vacation Heros all get to wear a pin recognizing them for this achievement.  The Sisters all had a Vacation Hero pin in their collection.  Of course, I was "eyeing out" their Vacation Hero pins, now that I decided I was going to start collecting these pins as well.  Well, one of the sisters was able to snag a Vacation Hero pin for me!  LOL!!!

Here is my pin collection so far.

  We were on the Star for Alaska in 2007 and then again Western Caribbean in 2013;  Jade for Western Mediterranean in 2010 and then the Greek Isles in 2012;   Epic  for Western Caribbean in 2011 and then Eastern Caribbean in 2012;  Breakaway for Bahamas in 2013;  Getaway for Eastern Caribbean in 2014.  The only pin I am missing is the Gem for Bermuda in 2011.  The little red pin is from True North, our Canadian America's Cup Regatta ship.

2014 Caribbean Cruise - Nassau

  On our fourth trip to Nassau, we didn't really plan on doing very much.  Atlantis is fun to see a few times, but we are so over it now.  We are just spoiled...who gets sick of the Bahamas?!?!  LOL!   I just wanted to get some last minute souvenirs and we just walked around.

Guess who had to stop and take pictures of the lizards!!!

  We are glad to be back home now, but sad to have to go back to work!  It was a great trip and we are already looking forward to our next vacation!!!

2014 Caribbean Cruise - St. Thomas/St. John

  The last time we were in St. Thomas, we did a kayaking/hiking/snorkeling excursion.  This time, we decided to just go on our own and make our way to St. John...where we heard has the most beautiful beaches.  One of the Cruise Staff told us that it is even better than the beaches in Maui...then he found out that I grew up on Maui and felt bad.  LOL!
  
  First, here are pictures of St. Thomas from our room balcony:

  To get to St. John from St. Thomas, we had to take a taxi, then take a ferry, then take another taxi to the beach.  It took us about an hour to finally get there.  The beach we went to is called Trunk Bay.

Trunk Bay
Kinda reminds me of Waimea Bay.

 

  On this cruise, we bought a new underwater camera.  We had a blast using it!

 After the beach, we had to do the return trip...taxi, ferry, taxi again.  Here I am on the ferry, leaving St. John.  What a great day!

  When our ship left port, a US Coast Guard boat was riding up and down the side of our ship. Not sure why, but they had some big guns!  On the plane ride over from Los Angeles to Miami, I watched the movie Captain Phillips about the Somali pirates, so it kind of freaked me out.  I had to keep reminding myself that we were in a US Territory and this was the United States Coast Guard.  LOL!

  So the verdict on the beach at St. John?  Not sure if it was the BEST beach ever, but it was one of my top 5.  And growing up in Hawaii, I am a total beach snob!  Can't wait to come back!

2014 Caribbean Cruise - St. Maarten

  Our first stop of our Caribbean cruise was St. Maarten.  Last time we were there, we went to the famous "airport beach".  This beach is located at the end of an airport runway where the planes swoop down REALLY low to land and blast sand all over the beachgoers.  Sound like fun?!?!  It definitely was a unique experience!
  This time in St. Maarten, we did an excursion with the America's Cup Regatta.  On this excursion, we get assigned a job to do and then got to race another ship.  I worked the wench and my husband was a Main Grinder.  The two ships were the Stars and Stripes (USA) and True North (Canada).  We got assigned to True North and were disappointed at first, but True North won the regatta and I am now officially a fan of Canada!
  
  Here is a picture of our True North "crew".

  See how hard I am working the wench?  One had on the rope, and a beer in the other hand!  But I am intently listening to Captain Sean, waiting for my next instruction.  :-)

  The Main and Primary Grinder jobs were the most difficult.  See my husband's injury.

  This excursion was so much fun!!!  I would definitely recommend it if you visit St. Maarten.
  

2014 Caribbean Cruise - NCL Getaway

Hello Friends!

  We just got back from a Caribbean cruise...our fourth, I think.  However, this one was the inaugural sailing of the Norwegian Cruise Line's (NCL) Getaway.  I know, were we crazy in taking the maiden voyage of a ship (remember the Titanic)??? LOL!
  The Getaway sailed out of Miami and our port stops were St. Maarten, St. Thomas, and Nassau (Bahamas).  We had done this same tour a few years ago with some friends on the NCL Epic, but did it again to see The Getaway.  And, we did different things at the port stops this time.
  In the next few days, I'll post about our port stops.  Today, I'll just show you all the things to do on the beautiful NCL Getaway.  We love cruising (thank you Total Rewards) and definitely try to take advantage of all the activities there are to do.

The NCL Getaway:

See how "ginormous" this ship is! 

  
  On the Getaway, they have a water slide called the Free Fall.  You stand on this platform and hear a recording counting down, "3 - 2 - 1", and then the platform suddenly falls and you literally plunge down into the slide.  It is really fun, but the worst part is the anticipation when you hear the countdown.

  There is also a ropes course that has a zip line and this thing called The Plank.  The Plank is a very slim balance beam that goes out over the ocean.  When you see The Plank from the deck of the ship, it doesn't look too bad.  However, when you get up there and the ship is going full blast and it is very windy, it is the scariest thing EVER!!!  Although you have a harness, there is no crew or anything around.  If you fell, you would be free hanging over the ocean for a long time...praying the harness holds up.

 
  We always take advantage of the other activities on all the ships we cruise on.  Like the food...I always gain at least an average of 5 lbs every cruise!  I also ALWAYS enter the slot tournament, but NEVER win!  >:-(

The lobster dinner!  I had 4 tails, and my husband had 9!
The cioppino is also the best...even better than I've had in San Francisco!

Slot Tourney...I am in 9th place (out of 9).  :-(

Enjoying journal and card making.
My husband is very patient and will come with me, but see his packet still sealed.

  On the Getaway, they had a show called "The Wine Lover's Musical" where you get 6 wines to taste.  At this lunch, the waitress spilled an entire glass of red wine on me, so they gave me free laundry service.  If you know us, we love anything free!  Although, I wish it were a free bottle of wine.

  We were so fortunate to have the best weather on this cruise!  Sorry, to our friends who are freezing their butts off in other parts of the country.

  One last thing, a few years ago, there was a contest to name the 2 newest ships from NCL.  The winning names were The Breakaway (the ship we went on last October) and The Getaway.  My husband entered a few names, one of them being Escape.  Guess what the next ship in 2015 will be named???  Escape!!!  My husband is so upset that NCL stole his idea and he made sure everyone on The Getaway knew.  The Cruise Consultant kept calling him "The Guy Who Named the New Ship".  LOL!

  After this cruise, we made Platinum status...the highest frequent cruiser status for NCL.  Yes, it's us and all the other 80+ year old frequent cruisers...  Ha ha!!!