Wednesday, June 30, 2021

The Real Salt Life

On the 15th of June, just like every month, I posted a card I made for the Classy Card Ladies duel. (If you missed that post you can see it - HERE.) This month was a little different than usual, as Kelly came up with the theme solo and sent kits to both groups. I would normally be her host partner, so it was a big surprise for me.

Then, the kit she mailed to me decided to take its sweet time arriving - it took over two weeks to get to Illinois from Florida. Sheesh! You'd think it was going much further to take that long, wouldn't you.

Not to despair, I made an alternate card for post day and then when the kit arrived I made another Salt Life card with it... and I'm sharing it here on my blog today.


Kelly's kits contents:

Image: Photo Play Tulla and Norbert's Excellent Adventure Collection and matching paper collection and stamped onto #110 Recollections with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink.

Embellishments are from my stash: Altenew enamel dots, prima flower, brads are Making Memories, etc\ Ribbons: Hobby Lobby, misc brands

THANK YOU, Kelly!


Thank you for stopping by my blog today!

The only thing I used other than what was in Kelly's kit was CS (Cougar 110# White for the inside and SU Pumpkin Pie for the card base) and some dies (MFT Stitched Rectangles and Paper Roses Stitched Circles)

Tuesday, June 29, 2021

2021 Travel the World - Week 26

I started a 50-week series in 2019 that I called Travel the World. Each week of the series I visited a randomly-selected country, sharing bits of information about that country. I then chose one tidbit of information about that week's country as inspiration for a card. As I explored those 50 countries in 2019, I knew I would continue on until I've visited every one of the 195 countries in the world, so I continued the series in 2020 and here I am in 2021, the third year of traveling the world. 

This week's country is...

Guinea

Guinea is a country located on the western coast of AfricaIt is bordered by Guinea-Bissau to the northwest, Senegal to the north, Mali to the northeast, Ivory Coast to the southeast, Liberia, and Sierra Leone to the south and the Atlantic Ocean to the west.

Guinea is also known as Guinea-Conakry in order to distinction it from the neighboring nations of Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau, which all contain the word “Guinea” in their name.

Guinea used to be named French Guinea because it was a French colony established in 1891, and was part of French West Africa. Guinea was a French colony for nearly 70 years until it gained independence on October 2, 1958.

The official language of Guinea is French.

Conakry is the capital and largest city of Guinea. Conakry is a port city on the Atlantic Ocean and serves as the economic, financial and cultural centre of Guinea.

Guinea is known for its rich mineral resources and diverse habitats and wildlife. 

The coastline in Guinea has a length of 200 miles. 

Guinea encompasses a total land area 94,926 sq mi. Of this total, 33,793 sq mi are protected for the conservation of wildlife and forests. This area under protection translates to 35.6% of the country’s size, and includes three national parks, as well as other types of protected areas.

The Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve, which Guinea shares with Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) is rich in flora and fauna. The Reserve is home to the Nimba Range, a chain of mountains that culminate at Mount Nimba. At 5,748 feet tall, it is the highest mountain in both Guinea and Côte d’Ivoire.

It was in the Nimba Mountains of Guinea that chimpanzees were first observed using tools to chop up and reduce food into smaller bite-sized portions. In 2009, they were seen using both stone and wooden cleavers, as well as stone anvils, to process Treculia fruits.

The Niger River, the Gambia River, and the Senegal River are among the 22 West African rivers that have their origins in Guinea.

In 2017, a new species of tree called Talbotiella cheekii was discovered in Guinea. Incredibly for an undiscovered species, the tree can grow up to 78 feet high and has fruit in “exploding pods”.

Guinea's Kambadaga Falls is spectacular, 817 feet tall and 226 feet wide waterfall. The waterfalls crash over three separate falls and they’re surrounded by jungle where monkeys and a wealth of colorful birds are common.

The majority of Guineans work in the agriculture sector, which employs approximately 75% of the country.

Guinea's agriculture products include rice, coffee, pineapples, palm kernels, tapioca, bananas, sweet potatoes, cattle, sheep, goats, and timber.

While Guinea is among the poorest nations in the world, it contains significant mineral deposits. The country is known to have one-quarter of the world’s bauxite reserves, as well as more than 1.8 billion metric tons of high-quality iron ore. Guinea is also known to possess large deposits of gold, uranium, and diamonds.

Guinea is one of just four countries in the world that doesn’t have any telephone fixed lines.

The most dangerous animals in Guinea include the African Buffalo, Hippopotamus, West African Lion, African Puffer Adder, Anopheles Mosquito and Elephant.

Endangered animals in Guinea include the African Forest Elephant, West African Lion, Pygmy Hippopotamus, Western Giant Eland, and Western Chimpanzee.

As of 2017, the adult literacy rate in Guinea was 41%, causing the country to be ranked as having the 9th lowest adult illiteracy rate in the world. In Guinea, primary education is compulsory for only 6 years, after which point students may choose to continue school or drop out. Unfortunately, most students do not even reach the required 6 years of school. A primary reason for the low literacy rate in Guinea is the country's high poverty rate. 

Football is the most popular sport in Guinea. Their national football team is called Syli Nationale which literally means National Elephants.

The Centre d’Art Acrobatique Keita Fodeba in Conakry (Guinea's capital) is famed for training some of Africa’s greatest acrobats and contortionists who go on to perform all around the world.

Rice is the staple food of Guinea. However, other traditional West African dishes are commonly consumed in Guinea. These include jollof rice, fufu, tapalapa bread, and maafe. Fried plantain, Boille (made of rice and corn), boiled mango, and konkoe (smoked fish) are other popular dishes. Boiled cassava leaf sauce is normally served as an accompaniment. 

Africa's fourth largest mosque is located in Guinea.

Guinea suffers from some of the world’s worst air pollution. A recent analysis suggests it has the world’s seventh-highest death rate from air pollution.

My inspiration for this week's card is based on this fact about Guinea... Where electricity to its capital city has electricity for only a few hours a day - early morning and evening, while other cities might be without electricity for half of the year until the rainy season starts and hydropower begins to operate.



Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Stamp Set: MFT A La Mode Lightbulb Moment stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers

Paper: Cougar 110# White and SU Daffodil Delight CS and DP from my scrap file

Dies: MFT Stitched Mod Rectangles, MFT Stitched Rectangles, and Spellbinders Rectangles

Embellishments: Echo Park Enamel Dots and a Lightbulb Brad from an unknown vendor

Monday, June 28, 2021

I Love You Fiercely

One of my favorite challenge groups is the Challenge Your Stash group on SCS, under the capable and organized leadership of my friend Barb. The idea is we can't shop for anything when making our monthly challenge card (which we post on the 28th of each month). 

We take turns choosing the theme. This month it was Lola's turn and she challenged us to make a card with a lion (or any wild cat) on it. I chose to go with a leopard because I wanted to use a stamp set that I've owned for a long time, yet never used before - the My Favorite Things Lovable Leopards stamp set.



I hope Lola, Barb, and the other Challenge Your Stash gals like my card.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Stamp Set: MFT Lovable Leopards stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers

Papers: Cougar 110# White and SU More Mustard CS and DP from my scrap file

Dies: MFT Stitched Rectangle and Simon Says Sentiment Labels

Embellishments: Michael's Enamel Dots 

Sunday, June 27, 2021

VSN Fantasy World Samples, Post 3

I managed to make sample cards for every one of the main VSN challenges this time. That is a first for me. Sometimes I just like to stretch myself. I will be sharing a few of them on three different blog posts (I don't want to bog down any single post with too many pictures) so today is the third of three posts. The first one can be seen HERE and the second one can be seen HERE.

Kim's Forest of Fangorn Challenge

(include at least 3 trees on your card)

Stamps - Unity No Better Words and Taylored Expressions Simple Strips Background

Time to Make Card - 45 minutes



Janet's Unicorns! Challenge

(slimline fancy fold with Unicorn - mine is a gatefold)

Stamp - La La Land What's the Scoop

Time to Make Card - 1 hour



Sonja's Gilded Gardens

Stamp - Rubbernecker Brushed Flower 13

Time to Make Card - 35 minutes



Pam's Shimmery Wings Challenge

Stamps - Spellbinders This Is the Day and Unity Free Your Dreams

Time to Make Card - 50 minutes



Nichole's Magical Mermaids Challenge 

Image - Freebie online

Time to Make Card - 55 minutes



Lee's Unique Rainbows Challenge

Stamp - Reverse Confetti Dream in Color

Time to Make Card - 45 minutes



Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Saturday, June 26, 2021

A Lovely Birthday

I've been a member of the Technique Tuesday Greenhouse Society for a long time now... receiving the club flower stamp set each month. I hoarded them for a while, then started a series on my blog, committing to using them. 

I thoroughly enjoy this series because flowers are my favorite thing to color. 

This month's Greenhouse Society stamp set is Marigold Flower.



Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Stamp Set: Technique Tuesday Marigold Flower stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers

Papers: Cougar 110# White and SU Daffodil Delight CS and DP from my scrap file

Dies/Punches: MFT Stitched Mini Scallop Rectangle Die, MFT Stitched Rectangle Die, and SU Oval Punch

Embellishments: Michael's Enamel Dots

Friday, June 25, 2021

Poinsettia Sketch

I discovered the Dirty Dozen Christmas (Sketch) Challenges on SCS this year and have enjoyed making a card each month. Yes, I know (now) that these challenges have been going on for ten years, but I had no clue. Sometimes I think I have my head in the sand. But I digress. This being June, it's my sixth time to participate.


This month's sketch:


You will notice I took some creative liberty with my card. For one thing, the sketch looks square, but I rarely make square cards, since most of my cards get mailed and square ones require extra postage. Another difference with my card is the smaller square/rectangle on the sketch is the poinsettia on my card.


I really wish the layers of the poinsettia showed up in the photo. There are three of them, each popped up with foam to give the flower some wonderful depth.



Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Stamp/Die: Hero Arts Poinsettia and Taylored Expressions Simple Strips Christmas stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers

Papers: Cougar 110# White and Recollections Black and Kraft CS and DP from my scrap file

Die/Punch: MFT Stitched Rectangle and SU Circle

Embellishments: Gina Marie Clear Dots

Thursday, June 24, 2021

VSN Fantasy World Samples, Post 2

I managed to make sample cards for every one of the main VSN challenges this time. That is a first for me. Sometimes I just like to stretch myself. I will be sharing a few of them on three different blog posts (I don't want to bog down any single post with too many pictures) so today is the second of three posts. The first one can be seen HERE and the final one will be on the 27th.

Rita's You Say Witch Like It's a Bad Thing Challenge

Stamp - CC Designs Swiss Pixies Halloween

Time to Make Card - 45 minutes



Melody's Horse Fantasy Challenge

Stamp - Unity Cuddlebug Horse

Time to Make Card - 45 minutes


Lisa's Fire It Up Challenge

Stamp - Dreamerland Crafts Campfire Comfort

Time to Make Card - 45 minutes


Kelly's Merlin's Black Magic Card

Stamp - Deep Red Wild Sunflowers 

Time to Make Card - 45 minutes


Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Wednesday, June 23, 2021

2021 Travel the World - Week 25

I started a 50-week series in 2019 that I called Travel the World. Each week of the series I visited a randomly-selected country, sharing bits of information about that country. I then chose one tidbit of information about that week's country as inspiration for a card. As I explored those 50 countries in 2019, I knew I would continue on until I've visited every one of the 195 countries in the world, so I continued the series in 2020 and here I am in 2021, the third year of traveling the world. 

This week's country is...

Finland

Finland is a Nordic country found in Northern Europe.

It shares land borders with Sweden to the west, Russia to the east, Norway to the north, and is defined by the Gulf of Bothnia to the west, and the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea across Estonia to the south.

Finland is the eighth largest country in Europe yet it is the European Union’s most sparsely populated country.

In June and July the sun doesn't drop below the horizon in Finland. In the winter, the sun never reaches the horizon.

There are exactly 179,584 islands in and around Finland, a world record.

There are 187,888 lakes in Finland. It is known as the land of a thousand lakes. Yet in actual fact, the number is more than 187 times that!

Finland has more forest than any other European country. Forest covers 74% of the entire country.

Outdoor activities in Finland include skiing, fishing, lake cruises, hiking, golf, husky and reindeer safaris, and elk hunting.

The coldest temperature measured in the country was back in 1999 in Kittilä where the temperature went all the way down to −60.7 °F. Finland can be considered as one of the coldest countries in the world.

The Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) are seen regularly in every season but summer in Lapland and other parts of Finland. You can even spend the night in an glass igloo to enjoy watching them.

Kerri’s Snow Hotel is a world-famous luxury destination in Finland. Built every year entirely of snow and ice, it includes a snow castle, snow hotel, snow restaurant, and snow chapel.

The Päijänne Water Tunnel is a 120 km long tunnel in Southern Finland. The tunnel supplies fresh water to millions of Finns living in the region. The tunnel is the world’s second longest tunnel, after the Delaware Aqueduct in the United States.

Finns consume more coffee per capita that any other country in the world. Drinking eight cups of coffee per day would not be considered unusual in Finland.

Finland has the world’s highest annual consumption of milk per capita. That’s approximately one quart per person per day. And surprisingly, 17% of the Finns are lactose intolerant.

The brown bear is Finland's national animal.

Finland Is The Only Home Of The Endangered Saimaa Ringed Seal. This highly threatened seal species is found in Lake Saimaa, Finland. 

There is a philosophy in Finland called “freedom to roam.” This grants any and everyone public access to pretty much anywhere. Finns are able to forage as many mushrooms, berries and flowers as they like from Finnish land; and wild camping is also allowed.

Finnish nationals are perfectly comfortable with silence. When meeting an acquaintance, it's perfectly acceptable to say a quick hello and continue on your way. Finns also naturally keep their distance from other people in public areas.

Birthday parties very important for children in Finland. Many have two: one for friends and another for family. On the flip side, most adults tend only to celebrate the ‘big' birthdays, and even then they are typically informal events.

On Thursdays, many people across the country eat pea soup and pancakes. Historians are unsure of where this strange tradition comes from. Finnish people like to eat rye bread with the soup, and often top the soup with mustard.

Finland has some of the best postnatal care for families. Finnish newborns sleep in cardboard boxes provided by the state (along with clothes, toys and other necessities), mothers can stay home for a year with full benefits and salary and when parents use public transportation with children in a stroller, they can ride for free.

Finnish schools are some of the top in the world. They are unique in that children don’t go to school until they are seven years old and schools aren’t required to give students grades until the 8th grade.

Finnish athletes have won more Summer Olympic medals per capita than any other nation in the world. 

There are approximately 2.2 million saunas in Finland. That’s one sauna for every two and a half people. There are more saunas than there are cars in Finland, even one in a Burger King!

Important business meetings may be followed by a sauna, during which the business conversation is continued on a more informal basis.

While Finland is praised for its progressive “open-prison” system, it also suffers from drawbacks of the system. In Finland, prisoners are allowed to circulate in the surrounding community during the daytime. They can study, work, or shop like other free individuals. Such a system is considered to be cost-effective, and is also believed to lower reoffending rates. However, the system also makes it easy for prisoners to escape. Finland’s prisoners have an escape rate of 1,084 per 10,000 inmates, which is the highest in Europe.

One of the country's prisons has a simple yellow picket fence as its only source of keeping the prisoners inside.

Mobile Phone Throwing is an official sport in Finland. And there are absolutely NO pay phones anywhere in Finland.

Other strange sports include mosquito hunting, swamp football, rubber boot throwing, and the Air Guitar World Championship. Contestants from around the world come to compete in the Wife Carrying World Championship. First prize is your wife’s weight in beer.

It’s expensive to speed in Finland. Your ticket fine is figured on your annual income. One rich driver was once fined more than $200,000 for a single speeding offense. And keep your headlights on. Day or night, winter or summer, it’s the law to do so in Finland.

In Finland they celebrate annual day for failure. It is a day dedicated to failures that people have gone through, and the reason to celebrate is to understand the fact that success and failure go hand in hand.

They also celebrate Restaurant Day. On this day, people in the country are allowed to open  a restaurant of their choice any where in the country. Literally anywhere. In the parks, on the road side or any place of your choice.

Another day celebrated in Finland is ‘National Sleepy Head Day’, where the last person in a family to wake up is thrown into a lake or the sea by the rest of the family.

In Finland when someone earns their Ph.dD, they get a top hat and a sword

My inspiration for this week's card is based on this fact about Finland... The Finns regard their country as the home of Santa Claus, or Saint Nicholas, and he lives in the northern region of Lapland.



Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Stamp Set: Sugar Nellie Santa with Tree stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers

Paper: Cougar 110# White, Recollections Black, and SU Shaded Spruce CS and DP from my scrap file

Dies/Punch: Rubbernecker Rectangle with Pierce Dies and SU Circle Punch

Embellishments: Eyelet Outlet Enamel Dots and SU Ribbon