CAS804 Cowboy and Cowgirls

Each Monday there is a new CAS Challenge on SCS. It's always fun to see what others create using the CAS theme.

This week's theme is...

Cowboy & Cowgirls

Here's my card:

I hope you'll check out the challenge - HERE - and play along, too.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Stamps: Nellie Snellen Jippie Yeah and There She Goes Giddy Up stamped with Hero Arts Intense Black Ink and colored with Copic and Olo Markers

Papers: Accent Opaque 120# White and SU Blueberry Bushel and Real Red CS 

Dies: Honey Bee Sweet Stack Rectangles and MFT Stitched Rectangles

Embellishments: Amazon Diamond Dots

Travel the World - Seychelles

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. By the end of 2021, I'd virtually traveled to 145 countries and plan to complete my journey to all 195 countries by visiting the last 50 this year.

This week's country is...

Seychelles

Seychelles is an island nation in Africa, located in the Indian Ocean, east of Kenya and northeast of Madagascar.The Seychelles islands are located in the Indian Ocean over 932 miles to the east of the African continent. 

Seychelles isn't a single land mass, but rather an archipelago consisting of 115 islands scattered over 177 square miles of Indian Ocean. These dots of lands hold the distinction of being the world's only mid-ocean islands composed of granite, as most islands tend to be remnants of volcanic lava flows. Despite their hard as...well, granite...surface, the islands are by and large carpeted in lush jungles, which are home to a diversity of life. Only 33 of the islands are actually inhabited, with Mahe, Praslin, and La Digue being the largest, most populous, and most hospitable.

Seychelles is the smallest African country in terms of both area and population.

The Seychelles are made up of 155 islands of which 44 belong to the Inner islands and house over 98% of the population. The other islands are coral islands and belong to 5 coral atolls and the reefs of the Outer islands. 

They are the only granite islands in the world.  

Seychelles’ inner islands are made of granite, making them the world’s only islands without coral or volcanic elements. 

Most of the Seychelles islands are covered with lush jungle and there are many nature reserves on the islands.

It is believed that Moyenne Island has a buried treasure, but no one dares to approach it because they think the island is haunted by a spirit that is guarding it.

There are three official languages in Seychelles - French, Creole and English.

Seychelles is over 99% water. Officially Sechelles is over 620,000 square miles but only 285 square miles is actually made of land across 115 islands. As a result, one of the main draws of Seychelles lies beneath the waves.

As beautiful as the islands themselves are, they have stiff competition from their neighboring terrain beneath the waves. The underwater portion of Seychelles is nothing short of magical, and an adventure worthy of even the most traveled diving enthusiast. Endless coral reefs, mysterious caverns and tunnels, sunken ship wrecks, and a diversity of life equal to any jungle make the undersea-side of the Indian Ocean a treasure trove of exploration and unforgettable experiences.

The Seychelles Ocean Festival is an underwater festival organized every year in December. The festival comprises photographic competitions, school events, diving and snorkeling. It is celebrated primarily to remind the Seychellois of their rich underwater reserves and a need to protect and preserve them.

Crowned as the world's most photographic beach by National Geographic, Anse Source d'Argent is the most beautiful beach of La Digue islands. The pink sand, granite boulders, and surrounding coral reef render this place as one of the best snorkeling beaches in Seychelles.

Almost half of all of the land area of Seychelles has protected status. The magpie robin, which was facing extinction 30 years ago with only 14 individuals existing is now steadily increasing in numbers and other rarities include the Seychelles white eagle and the Seychelles warbler. The Aldabra giant tortoise roams free in many areas.

Most of the islands are uninhabited with 90% of the population living on Mahe island. The next two most populated islands are Praslin and La Digue.

Victoria, the capital of the Seychelles, is the smallest capital in the world and can be easily explored on foot in less than a day. Bordered on one side by steep mountain slopes, the city is made up of just two dozen streets and has only two sets of traffic lights.

The majority of Seychelles’ roadways are paved, most of which are on the islands of Mahé and Praslin; there are no railroads.

Ferry services operate between the islands.

Air service is centered on Seychelles International Airport, located near Victoria on Mahé, and the smaller airports and airstrips found on several islands. 

The Coco de Mer found in Seychelles is the largest nut in the world, thought to weigh up to 44 pounds and is from the Coco de Mer palms. The palm trees themselves can grow up to 100 feet high.

For many, the Seychelles are a typical tropical island paradise. There are splendid sandy beaches, people lead a more relaxed lifestyle and the weather is always summery warm. There are many attractions tourists can explore when visiting the beautiful Indian Ocean islands.

Moutia which is a traditional dance of Seychelles. With deep roots in the history of African slavery, Moutia is the centre of attraction in all the celebrations and festivities of Seychelles. Moutia is basically swaying your hips to and fro to the beats of African music in a light-hearted fashion.

Esmeralda, who is actually male, is the world’s largest tortoise at almost 670 pounds. He is an Aldabra Giant Tortoise, indigenous to Seychelles. At 170 years old, he is also thought to be the second oldest tortoise in the world.

The world's largest crabs are also fo9und in Seychelles. The Coconut Crab, also known as the Palm Thief and Robber Crab, is the world’s largest terrestrial arthropod. The coconut crab can weigh up to 9lbs and grow up to 40-inches from leg tip to leg tip. The monstrous crab has ten legs and a huge abdomen. 

There are many mammals, butterflies, fish, plants and more that are endemic to the Seychelles.

Seychelles was once home to crocodiles. 

When settlers first arrived, one of the biggest problems they faced was an abundance of saltwater crocodiles. It’s thought they became extinct by around 1819, although there are still are reported sightings of them from time to time.

Seychelles is the only home of the jellyfish tree. The jellyfish tree was assumed to be extinct but was rediscovered on Mahe Island in the 1970s. Today there are less than 100 mature jellyfish trees in existence,e all of which are in Seychelles. Efforts to regrow this tree in other parts of the world have been unsuccessful.

Breadfruit is very popular on the Seychelles and can be eaten in a variety of ways from fried to boiled. Legend has it that anyone who eats it while on the islands will return someday.

Breadfruit is a starchy plant and smells like freshly baked bread when cooked. The versatile plant can be prepared in many ways, such as boiling, frying, and cooking it in coconut oil to make Seychelles traditional dessert Ladob.  Legend says anyone who eats breadfruit while visiting Seychelles will return to the islands someday. 

Coconuts, cinnamon, sweet potatoes and exotic fruits are the main agricultural products in the Seychelles. 

Seychellois main dishes contain: fish and seafood, fresh vegetables and fruits as well as rice. The cuisine is well known for its freshness, exotic spices and tropical fruits.

Just some of the colorful birds found on the Seychelles islands are the beautiful Seychelles bird called 'Paradise Flycatcher', the black parrots and blue pigeons.

The Black Parrot is the national bird.

More than 250 bird species have been observed on the islands. There are many unique land birds and important seabird colonies that are home to various vagrants and migrants. 

The White Shark can be seen in the Seychelles in August or between October and January, keep your eyes peeled and you might just see a Whale Shark

The 'flying foxes' are the only wild animals on the islands.

Arable land is limited in Seychelles and the soil is generally poor—and the country remains dependent upon imported foodstuffs—but copra (from coconuts), cinnamon bark, vanilla, tea, limes, and essential oils are exported. 

Because of the exorbitant expense of the large and lavish wedding receptions that are part of Seychellois tradition, many couples never marry; instead, they may choose to live en ménage, achieving a de facto union by cohabitating without marriage. There is little or no social stigma related to living en ménage, and the arrangement is recognized by the couple’s family and friends. The instance of couples living en ménage increases particularly among lower income groups.

Seychelles is one of the safest places to visit and the people and warm, friendly and helpful.

Known for its beaches, marine life and luxury holidays, over 350,000 tourists travel to Seychelles every year.

My inspiration for this week's card is based on this fact about Seychelles... The Seychelles was once a pirate hideout. It is believed that famous pirate Olivier Levasseur hid a treasure worth more than $160,000 that remains unfound.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Stamp: Nellie Snellen Treasure stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers

Paper: Hammermill 110# White, Recollections Black, and SU River Rock CS and DP from my scrap file

Dies: Gina K Master Layouts 2 and MFT Stitched Rectangles

Embellishments: Eyelet Outlet Matte Finish Enamel Dots

Travel the World - Hungary

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. By the end of 2021, I'd virtually traveled to 145 countries and plan to complete my journey to all 195 countries by visiting the last 50 this year.

This week's country is...

Hungary

Hungary is one of Central Europe's landlocked countries. It is bordered to the north by Slovakia, northeast by Ukraine, southeast by Romania, Serbia and Croatia, southwest by Slovenia, and to the west by Austria.

Hungary was founded in 895, making it one of the oldest countries in Europe.

The country was formerly a part of the Roman Empire, after the fall of which, ‘the Huns’ – people of the country at that time – gave the country their name – Hungary.

About 2.5 million native Hungarian people do not live in Hungary. Rather, they live in Romania and other countries in western Europe as well as in North America.

Budapest is the capital of Hungary and the largest city, by far. Over 1.7 million people live in Budapest – roughly one-fifth of the total population of Hungary (9.7 million).

The beautiful city of Budapest is made up of two parts which are separated by the Danube river. The areas – known as Buda and Pest, are connected by a series of bridges. The beautiful Hungarian Parliament building is on the Pest side of the river.

Hungary is among the thirty most popular tourist destinations in the world.

Calling someone by their first name before being invited to do so is considered rude in Hungary.

Many Hungarians find whistling, humming, or singing in public impolite.

Hungary is home to 1,000 lakes.

Hungary might be a land-locked country without an ocean, but it’s home to the largest lake in Central Europe, named Balaton Lake.

White storks are found in the Balaton Lake area.

The animals of Hungary include deer, foxes, hares, and squirrels. Wild boars, wolves, jackals, lynxes, and beavers are also found.

Water Polo is a national sport in Hungary.

The world-famous escape artist Harry Houdini was also born in Budapest, Hungary.

Back in 1988, shortly before the fall of communism in 1989, McDonald’s became the first foreign fast-food restaurant to be established in Hungary. However, it wasn’t the first fast-food restaurant in the country because there was also a local fast-food chain called City Grill and another one called the Paprika.

Hungarians love Paprika so much, it is their National Spice. There are eight grades of Hungarian paprika, ranging from mild to sweet to spicy hot. The love of Paprika is so great, there are actually two museums dedicated to the wonderful spice.

Hungary’s Budapest Metro remains the oldest underground electrified railway system in Europe and the third oldest underground railway globally.

The wheeled multi-passenger vehicle was invented in Hungary in 1500.

The person who discovered Vitamin C, Albert Szent-Gyorgyi, was born In Budapest, Hungary in 1893.

The ballpoint pen was invented by a Hungarian names Laszlo Biro.

A Hungarian engineer, Béla Barényi, created the first Volkswagen Beetle in 1938.

Soccer remains the most popular game in Hungary, and Hungarians still remember the 1953 match of the century where Hungary won over England at Wembley Stadium, England.

There are more than 1500 spas in Hungary, but the capital takes the prize when it comes to the number of thermal springs. In fact, Budapest has the highest number of thermal springs of anywhere in the world.

Hungary hosts the largest cultural and musical festival in Europe – the Sziget Festival. The Budapest Spring Festival is another such festival, attracting musicians and artists from all over the world.

There is a list of pre-approved names that you can name your child in Hungary, but if you want to name your child with a name that’s not on the list, you’ll have to submit an application.

The Rubik's Cube is an Hungarian invention.

The helicopter and ballpoint pen were also invented by Hungarians.

Hungarians pride themselves on winning gold medals every time they have participated in the Olympic Games. Considering the population size, they are ranked second just behind Finland in the number of golds won.

Hungarians are reputed to be the only people who can enter a revolving door behind you and emerge ahead. (Hmmmmm... I'm shaking my head at that one.)

Most people in Hungary use their last name when they are writing or when introducing themselves to the public.

Coffee is considered the national drink of Hungary.

When drinking beer with friends, Hungarians have vowed not to clink glasses after their generals were executed by Austrians, who later celebrated by drinking beers and clinking their mugs.

The national dish for Hungary is gulyas (goulash). Cooked with peppers, carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, diced beef, and paprika, traditional goulash is a thick soup or stew. It dates back to the 9th century when it was eaten by shepherds from the Magyar tribes.

Hungarians are very fond of red pepper powder.

Some Hungarians may be offended if you season your food with salt/pepper.

It is considered impolite to leave food on one's plate.

To indicate that you have finished eating, place your knife and fork parallel across the plate.

Hungarians consider punctuality to be important. 

It takes eight years for a person to complete basic education in Hungary, which is divided into two four years stages.

The literacy rate in Hungary is 99%.

My inspiration for this week's card is based on this fact about Hungary... Horsemanship has a long history in Hungary, going back to the first Hungarians who rode horseback from Central Asia to settle in present day Hungary. Cowboys can still be seen in the plains of Hungary. 

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Stamp: Nellie Snellen Jippie Yeah stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers

Paper: Accent Opaque 120# White and SU Balmy Blue CS and DP from my scrap file

Dies: MFT Stitched Rectangles and MFT Stitched Tag-Corner Squares

Embellishments: Ribbon from an unknown vendor

Travel the World - Saint Lucia

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. By the end of 2021, I'd virtually traveled to 145 countries and plan to complete my journey to all 195 countries by visiting the last 50 this year.

This week's country is...

Saint Lucia

Saint Lucia is an island located in the Caribbean Sea. In fact, St Lucia is one of more than 7,000 individual islands found in a region of the Americas called the Caribbean.

It is the second largest island of the Windward Islands.

Saint Lucia is located northeast of the island of Saint Vincent, northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique (France).

There are breathtaking mountains, lush rainforests, volcanic sand beaches and colorful coral reefs in this small island country. This makes St Lucia a popular place for tourists to visit from all around the world – especially people who love to dive and snorkel!

Saint Lucia was named after Saint Lucy of Syracuse by the French, the island’s first European settlers, and the only country in the world named after a woman.

English is the official language of Saint Lucia, although 95% of the population speak Saint Lucian French or Patois. Furthermore, it is thought that roughly 20% of the population doesn’t speak English at all.

St. Lucia is just over 238 square miles – 27 miles long and 14 miles wide. It has 98 miles of coastline.

Saint Lucia is three and a half times the size of Washington, DC. 

Mount Gimie is Saint Lucia’s highest mountain, standing over 3,000 feet tall. Saint Lucia has more mountains than most other Caribbean islands, and was formed as a result of volcanic activity.

St. Lucia is home to the world's only drive-in volcano. Sulphur Springs—or as advertised in St. Lucia the ‘’world’s only drive-in volcano’’—is an active volcanic pit that spews mud and sulfur, creating impressive natural hot spring baths. As the nickname suggests, visitors are able to drive all the way up to the edge of the springs for an astonishing view. 

The year-round temperature in St. Lucia is 80 degrees Fahrenheit. 

The country is 70% covered in rainforest.

There are 180 species of birds on the island.

St. Lucia is the only country where one will find the Jacquot (St. Lucia Parrot). Not surprisingly, it is the national bird.

St. Lucia boasts a very diverse indigenous wildlife. Among other species, the island is also home to several kinds of snakes, lizards and reptiles. Their presence is so evident that some of the earliest settlers of the island called it ‘’the island of iguanas”.

St Lucia is home to lots of incredible marine life, such as dolphins, whales and sea turtles. In fact, three species of sea turtles swim off the coast of this beautiful island – leatherback turtles, hawksbill turtles and green sea turtles.

Some surprising and quirky wildlife species live on the island, too – including the agouti (a member of the rodent family), as well as mongooses, opossum, bats and wild pigs.

The Diamond Falls are consistently described as one of the natural wonders of St Lucia. The Diamond Falls offers three popular attractions: well-conceived gardens, a beautiful waterfall colored by mineral deposits, and healing mineral hot spring baths originally built for the troops of King Louis the XVI of France.

Saint Lucia attracts around 350,000 tourists per year, and has a booming fishing industry which benefits the locals.

Hewanorra Airport is the only airport in Saint Lucia which accepts commercial airlines, so many tourists arrive from other destinations by cruise ship.

The capital city of Saint Lucia is Castries. This is the most popular city for tourism and where all the cruise ships come into port.

Saint Lucia's main economy is tourism but agriculture is also a large part of its economy with bananas, avocados, and mangos being main crops. Clothing and electronic goods are also exported too, but on a smaller scale. 

Chocolate has been produced on the island of St Lucia since the 1700s, thanks to the island's ideal growing circumstances, which include volcanic soil, sunlight, and rain. Today, visitors and their locals can make their own chocolate bars through some of the famous chocolate factories and the touring industry in St. Lucia.

Many Saint Lucians do not get married until they are middle aged.

Saint Lucia’s cuisine includes flavors from West Africa, Great Britain, France and East India. Hearty fish soups, macaroni pie, and stewed chicken are popular dishes. Common ingredients include potatoes, onions, celery, thyme, coconut milk, spicy scotch bonnet peppers, flour and cornmeal.

The island is also home to fried or baked dough referred to as ‘Johnny Cake’ and often served with salt fish sauteed with peppers and onions.

Every October, the island celebrates Creole Heritage Month, a mix of colorful street parties, art exhibitions, music, theatre, talks, and delicious food.

The Saint Lucia Jazz Festival each May draws visitors and musicians from around the world. The Festival’s grand finale takes place on Pigeon Island, located north of the main island of St. Lucia.

My inspiration for this week's card is based on this fact about Saint Lucia... Once a hideout for pirates, it is believed that Blackbeard himself stashed his treasures in St. Lucia.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Stamp Set: Nellie Snellen Treasure and Frantic Stamper You're a Treasure stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers

Paper: Accent Opaque 120# White and SU Soft Suede CS and DP from my scrap file

Dies: MFT Stitched Rectangle and Paper Roses Stitched Circles

Embellishments: American Crafts Ribbon and a Pirate Flag Brad from an unknown vendor

VSN Fantasy World Samples, Post 1

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 first of three posts. There will be another one on the 24th and finally on the 27th.

Jen's Narnia Challenge

My card was inspired by the title of the book The Horse and His Boy.

Stamp - Nellie Snellen Hippie Yeah

Time to Make Card - 45 minutes

Misti's Floral Fantasy Challenge

Stamp/Die - Catherine Pooler Grace in Bloom

Time to Make Card - 55 minutes

Brenda's The Dragons of PERN Challenge

Stamp - Newton's Nook Knight's Quest

Time to Make Card - 50 minutes

Holly's Bursts of ColorChallenge

I used Nuvo Shimmer Powders to create the background

Stamps - Whipper Snapper Alien and Planet and coordinating sentiment

Time to Make Card - 50 minutes

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

2020 Travel the World - Week 15

I started a Travel the World Series last year. (It should be noted that I did a similar thing in 2018, only it was the 50 states.) For 50 weeks in 2019, I visited a different country (virtually) and shared facts about that country. I then selected one tidbit of information about that week's country as inspiration for a card. Fifty weeks; fifty countries... BUT there are 195 countries in the world so that was just a little over 25% of them. Of course I couldn't stop, so this year I'm continuing with fifty more countries, one per week.

This week's country is...

Somalia

Somalia is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Its official name of the country is the Federal Republic of Somalia.

It is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, the Gulf of Aden to the north, the Indian Ocean to the east, and Kenya to the southwest.

Somalia is a rather small country in comparison to other countries in Africa and around the world. If you look at the square footage of Somalia, it is a little bit less than the square footage of Texas in the United States.

The terrain of the country is mainly broken into plateaus, plains and highlands.

Somalia has the longest coastline on Africa’s mainland – 3,300 kilometers (1,879 miles).

There are mountains in northern Somalia that reach heights of 6,500 feet.

Somalia has a lot of beautiful forests and waterfalls too.

The Somalis perfume their homes when they are expecting guests. The fragrance they get by burning Frankincense (or any oil) inside a soapstone pot stays in the house for several hours. The procedure takes no more than 10 minutes.

Restaurants are popular in many cities in Somalia, however, women very rarely dined out with men until the late 1990’s.

Even though there are lots of restaurants where one can enjoy a good meal in the company of a friend, the Somalis prefer eating at home.

While dining at home, it is customary for the women to serve the men first. After the men have finished their meals, they will sit down and eat with the children.

When eating, people in Somalia scoop the food from their bowl using their first three fingers. Some will roll a banana leaf and use that for scooping. 

The Somalis are constantly short on food. About 6.9 million Somalis are malnourished or don’t know where their next meal is coming from. This is mostly due to the drought problem in the country, causing the crops to stop growing.

Ancient rock paintings, dating back 5000 years, have been found in the northern part of Somalia.

Somalia is one of the poorest countries in the world.

More than half of the residents of Somalia are self-employed. They are farmers, herders, and independent business owners.

Agriculturally Somalia produces bananas, corn, sorghum (type of grain), coconuts, cattle and also fish.

The country exports livestock, hides, fish, bananas and charcoal.

The life expectancy for Somalian men is only 53.5 years while that for women is 56.6 years one of the lowest in the world. Years of civil wars and violence, an unstable government, high levels of poverty, a harsh climate, and other factors have combined to produce a lethal environment in the country where the citizens are highly prone to death due to communicable diseases and violent crimes.

Somalia has one of the highest fertility rates in the world. An average of about 6 children are born per woman in Somalia. 

When people in Somali get married, there is not just a bond between the man and his wife, but also between the clans and the families.

When a family has a wedding, a birth, or a circumcision, it calls for a huge celebration which involves food. The family would slaughter animals, make bread, and prepare food for guests as well as for the poor who are invited to the celebration as well.

The camel is the most important animal to the Somali people. They use it for so many different things, including transportation, food, and earning money. Sometimes the status of a person is determined by whether they owned a camel too.

Somalia has a lot of different exotic animals, aside from just a camel. They have baboons, giraffes, cheetah, lions, and elephants too.

About two-thirds of the adults in Somalia do not know how to read and write. Meanwhile, there are some fortunate Somalis who are highly educated and speak as many as 5 languages.

I decided to let this Somalia fact be the inspiration for this week's card... Somalia is infamous for its pirates.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Stamp: Nellie Snellen Parrot stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers

Papers: Recollections 110# White and SU Blueberry Bushel and Real Red CS and DP from my scrap file

Embellishments: Brads from an unknown vendor