Blueberry Hill

When Rainier was quite small and Sunday was even smaller, my mom and I started taking them to the little park across the street from my very first home. Blueberry Park contains hundreds of bushes loaded with berries that are free for anyone who wants to pick them... and seeing as how my family consumes a fair quantity of these anti-oxidant rich morsels throughout the year, we go! 

I love spending time here in the later day, with the setting sun piercing through the shadowed insides, searching for ripe or close to ripe berries with my family nearby. Listening to the chatter of other gleaners as they converse in multiple languages across the fields is soothing somehow. I think one of the best parts about this day was celebrating August reaching an official 6 months of gestation. And boy was it ever rewarding, bringing home that first batch of Yum like we did this afternoon.
I even had a new thrill on Blueberry Hill when I spied a ginormous dragonfly resting amongst the leaves I reached between. Lucky me, it stayed still long enough to show my whole family AND get a few cool pictures to remember the moment with.  Then off it flew, and Dad called out, "Forage on, family!"

Special Delivery: Out of the Box WriteItDesigns.com Video!

I've been using a planner religiously for the last 8 years or so... I say religiously, because, in much the same way my church attendance wavered through those years, my need to record life's upcoming and occurring events has also come and gone. I know after I quit working to stay home with Rainier, it felt really naked to not have that big hunk of bound paper journaling stuck in my oversized purse. Somehow I managed to show up on time to the places I promised to be... so stressful for me though! Just like when I forget to turn to my congregation in times of prayer need, I have a times allowed my brain to convince me that it knows how to take care of everything. To which I say, Brain, I know you're trying hard, but please allow for assistance!
These amazing planner pads were created using WriteItDesigns.com- a site that is so fun to play on, you practically forget something is coming in the mail for you (or maybe that's just me). I'm working on another video that shows the actual ordering process, because it is super easy too. With an intuitive, step by step site,  it is easy to place an order for your own customized notepads and planner pads featuring high quality papers and vivid colors. There are many different sizes to choose from, too!
As you can see in the video above, I've got a full week ahead of me- yesterday I started a project for our preschool classroom, today I'll be teaching another session at the Red Barn youth center out here, and then on Friday I'm returning to the library to guide our local Home School Association youth  through an interesting fall mixed media home décor piece! To cap off a week of work, this weekend will bring a celebration that is 10 months in the waiting- my mom's last radiation treatment!
In November she was diagnosed with stage 2 Breast Cancer. Then came surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. There is still some surgery on the horizon, but life is on it's way to resuming normalcy- hip hip hooray! I know that the prayers of our friends and family have not only been a big support during this trying time for her, but it also helps to know she is not alone. So, we are going to have a wonderful time for all of those people who want the best for her <3
Thanks for taking the time to open yesterday's mail with me! If you're interested in getting a package with completely customized pads of pretty paper, click over to WriteItDesigns.com and have a good time yourself, or leave a comment below and you could win a pretty delivery from my CraftWithAnna card stash... Have a happy, well-planned week!

Barter Fair Fare

This weekend's plans include participation in the end of summer Key Peninsula Barter Fair. This season our group is joining forces with the Barterers of Tacoma, so surely there will be amazing hand/homemade items galore to exchange for the goodies I've been making.
Not only will I have handmade greeting cards, but I even painted and adorned some nice pieces of wood collected from "out back." Looking for wood, who knew that simple act could make taking care of our turkeys so exciting lol
 

Friendly Lessons in Key Center

An Alpha Artist Attacks An Alphabet

 With my lovely assistants in tow, we returned to the Red Barn to teach some more paper crafting fun to the teens who came in. We brought along plenty of TWAA's colored cardstock, already cut to standard card size, as well as a heap of coordinating envelopes. This time, I had made the examples for class with more time to spare- at least a few hours more anyway :-)
With those samples on the table, there was an atmosphere of excitement as I described how to assemble each card with the majority of the kids. Just like adults, there were a couple who were more inclined to take creativity into their own hands- this was highly encouraged by their teacher! And just like classes I've taught to adults; when given a choice about whether to do the card everyone else was working on or venturing solo on a card they'd rather start with, there were a few takers for that too. Hey, maker's gotta make!
Even within the standard format of the design, there was plenty of room for personalization. A few of the tips shown here: if your stamp doesn't work perfectly at first, consider markering over those imperfect impressions to form an alphabet style all your own! Even if you don't have a friend in mind, make the card anyway, and by the time you're done, you may have made a friend to give your card too :-)  Personalize your card with a special sentiment inside- smiley faces share your excitement! Even if you don't consider yourself an artist, you can always surprise yourself (and your teacher)!  Embellish to your heart's content. And this was a favorite tip that I rarely implement: Take your time. Don't feel obligated to create yours the same way you've been shown, or how everyone else does theirs. Okay, that last one I don't have any trouble with at all lol.


Now, To Find A Friend to Befriend

Partay Harday Everyday- Doi!

 

 



Do I look like an Artist?! (YES!)

Take Pride In Your Creativity and Shine!

 



 

 

The best classes I've taught have been the one's where I get to learn something too, and in this class I was fortunate to be invited to learn more about a student's home life. Our final cards were dedicated to the idea of Grandparent's Day, and M____ here lit up at the idea of a personalized, handmade thank you for his grandparents, who had just gifted him a new pair of desperately needed tennis shoes. At first, I just made the usual non-committal, non-intrusive responses that most adults give, but something about his sweet voice and the enthusiasm of his heartfelt appreciation gave me reason to pause cleaning the table and sit down to give him my full attention. How often does that happen, huh? Our sharing resulted in a nice reminder to me how important an adults attention can be; whether it is an off hand remark to our children meant to "inspire" them (sometimes the opposite is the result), or how just a simple, I Believe In Your Potential from an advisor can influence an already bright kid to continue reaching for the stars... heavy stuff for an afternoon of fun!
The next time we go back for crafting with teens at Key Center's Red Barn for Youth, we'll have our scissors and patterned papers in tow, and maybe even our gardening gloves- you never know what chef Susan's going to pluck from the garden for our taste buds to relish! If you're interested in donating your time or funding to this community treasure trove of young minds, check out their website, http://www.redbarnkp.org/

Last Minute Examples

This week I was invited to teach at our local Youth Center, Key Center's Red Barn on the Key Peninsula. This building came about as the result of a lot of hard work and community support. Out here in the boonies, there isn't a lot for a young kid to do other than get in trouble- or at least that's the way it seemed for my friends and I during those formative years.

At the Red Bard, kids from middle school through high school can come to get homework assistance during the school year, as well as hang with their buddies playing foosball, table tennis, pool, or just sitting on a cool bar stool waiting to watch the cooking show in the kitchen. During the summer, the director, Laura, has partnered with the Two Waters Art Alliance to bring art classes in on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Civic Shade Seekers

Enter Teacher Anna (and her capable assistants, Rainie and Sunny). Being a teacher of papercrafts can be so rewarding, and I was fortunate to impact other children in our area during the school year teaching at our library for the homeschooled group out here. What is so rewarding for me is that I am guiding the kids towards capturing their stories, whether its through collage, a home for their family pictures and legends, or even by exposing them to that old fashioned way of writing, snail mail.

My completed Summer Home Page

After a quick trip to the supply cabinet housed in the Civic Center, my girls and I enjoyed a picnic lunch outside on the playground. Well, they enjoyed lunch, and I put together my sample for the class I'd be teaching, My Personal Homepage Scrapbooking. Basically, this is a scrapbook style page of any size which represents where you are Right Now. Are you loving summer? Dealing with ongoing personal issues? Missing your friends or family? There are apps for that! No, really, there are lol. In this class I asked the kids (and you of course, can ask yourself), what are you loving right now. Like, what are you really in to?
After compiling a list of ideas, words that summarized what we love, we thought of icons that could represent those ideas, and searched for representations amongst the magazines, newspapers, and a donated stash of summer fun from my friends at Queen & Co. The kids had fun searching for pictures that "spoke to them."


If you search for them, images will appear...

 

We then thought a little more about the design of our home page. For instance, when you look at your Google app on your smartphone, you don't just see a link to open your browser for searching, there are often other icons included under that heading, such as your GMail, YouTube, and Google+. We did the same thing, for a subject like Sports, we would include all things sports. How did we do this? With my favorite element of fun- the FlipFlap! Take an element, add some more awesome Queen & Co. tape, and voila! You have an interactive element to contain more information/pictures/journaling on your page.

One of my students even thought of branding his page and elements with the first initial of his name: I. I love that he let his sister add her art beneath his hidden flip flap at the top left.
 

Jade and Olivia are in the middle of crafting up a storm

I also love that each student created a page that was uniquely their own- exactly the purpose of the class :-)

 One of the goals was also to allow them to decide which size project they wanted to create. I personally wondered about this because even when I attempt to create 8.5x11 inch pages for my albums, I usually end up backing that completed page with a sheet of 12x12... don't know why, but I'm working on it! WELL, the outcome was that 3 out of 4 kids decided to go with the standard, suggested size of the full sheet as a background. But then there was that ONE who decided not to. The funny part was that this young lady was probably the most experienced scrapbooker in the room- or at least she, like many of us, had all the supplies she'd ever need and had not used most of them. I know, I know, they will be used someday, right? Her example was very detailed and included some trendy items I picked up on discount from Michael's a month ago. Her page measured approximately the same size as my Samsung Note3-  Tres Chic!
Interested in attempting a project like this? Go for it! Think about your background picture/ home screen. The subjects you spend the most time with would perhaps be the largest icons. Under those icons you may have additional images to represent the deeper meaning. You may decided on fonts that represent your style, or convey the feel of your subjects. Its a fun way to explore yourself from a topical standpoint.
I hope you enjoyed this project share! I'll be back at the Barn next week to teach some awesome cardmaking to the youth who arrive, so watch for that post, and if you are at all inclined to want to help an incredible organization that serves our community's youth, consider volunteering your time (or funds) in that direction. More information can be found online at http://www.redbarnkp.org/

 

June Scrap Share

Dad's Day is Coming! 

This week, Poppop and Nana are occupying the "T" -as we call the camping trailer we keep for out of town guests. Working with the June Scrapbooking kit from EmbelliskKits.com already had me in a nostalgic, old timey car loving mood, but that feeling is always enhanced when in Bundro company. As a teenager, my older brother painted the image of Ed's truck onto the rig's air filter. Even after the truck was sold we were surprised to see it while filling up at the local "Four Corners" Texaco. One of my clearest memories of my younger brother as a toddler is of him exclaiming "Car-ee" while proudly holding up the decoration off a birthday cake. Needless to say, it was no trouble finding memories that went perfectly with the designs included in this month's kit.
 

Let's get SCRAPPY!

One thing about memories, though, is that they don't always have tangible photos readily available. That didn't stop me from using up all but 3 die cuts, a few inches of twine, and roughly 4 x 0.5 inches of the papers Shelby assembled for our two, double page scrapbook layouts! The stickers were harder for me to find homes for, just because personally I'm not inspired by "son" stuff- SUN stuff, yes though lol.

Add caption

My daughter's have taken practically every class I've taught, and being the mimics that kids are, a mini cardmaking class was taught to Poppop in the front yard next to our newly created firepit.
Using a group of similiar themed items is a great way to embellish a card or even a scrapbook page. Put them in a grid as my family of crafters chose, or group them with some fibers, brads, and or bling to create a whimsical banner as I did on our second layout created from this month's kit!










 



Throwback Thursday

My brother's birthday being this week, there was plenty of inspiration for those car themed items. One of my annual goals is to use supplies in my stash that are collecting dust, and acrylic of any sort seems to be the product I can never think to include. I've always liked the look of acrylic cards and decided that a little birthday card/mini album for my bro would be the perfect way to give him photos from that trip we took to Lake Cushman last weekend.

Inside features awesome family camping trip pics

 

Back Cover closes with a Smile

I love having a pre made album prepped before an event... knowing which shots and even which orientation I need photos for not only makes for a terrific finished product, but helps me seek those shots that make it so. And then, sometimes those candid moments come completely un-staged, like the ones I included of us climbing into photo shoot position and of Ed flexing his guns for his visibly unimpressed son.
For the second layout feaured in the June Scrapbooking kit from EmbellishKits.com, I was really stumped for pictures. I considered doing a layout about my own dad, with a focal/main photo of him holding my girls, and an accompanying page of him through the years with each of my brothers and myself. Alas, as mentioned before in this post, sometimes the images of memory aren't readily available in tangible photo form. Instead, I crafted up a couple lovely cards perfect for Father's Day.
Then, inspiration hit! That title of This Is What Handsome Looks Like brought to mind the hilarious photo Rainies dad sent me of her one day while I was still working full time (at being a part time employee). Our little chub-a-lub was decked out in an ill fitting polo shirt with an accompanying caption of "Isn't he handsome?" We have two daughters, folks!
Anyway, I still crack up thinking about it and decided to give Sunday a few more reasons to resent my scrap-a-licious ways by dedicating that "handsome" decree to images of her first haircut. See how I layered icons that fit my theme to create a banner similar to the one shown in this month's design? This is a super fun way to use a lot of products to create a wow embellishment.

Second layout from this month's EmbellishKits.com scrapbooking kit.

By continuing those same icons in embellishment clusters across the two pages, we can easily create a coherent layout! Considering the amount of pictures I had on hand, I could even spread those themes of time, barbershop, and camera across a couple more pages. The top two photos on my page flip up to reveal an additional layer of cute, as well as my personal musings about why in the world I get so emotional about a few snips with the scissors. For now I've housed the remaining photos from this sentimental snapshot in pocket pages. If I forget to come back and scrap them, they will still be on show for viewing, and I can always add a few patterned papers or project life cards and call the story told.

 
I couldn't help but reflect on how much I ended up enjoying working with both the May card kit and this June scrapbooking kit, both of which featured patterned papers and embellishments from the Jack and Jill collection from Echo Park. Shelby included so much product with each shipment, that I had enough left overs to create over ten additional projects! And, having those smaller patterns left over to add to this kit made it possible for some more wood veneer fun, like the "hello" I adhered with mini glue dots next Sunday smiling with her new hair-do. Hey, justifying an addition to your club membership is certainly something I'm qualified and happy to do! You can find more subscription details at EmbellishKits.com.
So what's next for creativity this week? I've got my CraftWithAnna team registered for this weekend's Relay For Life at Peninsula High School where my crafty friends will guide participants through a quick but cute thank you card to send out their supporters. We'll also be creating mini memorial albums, so a lot of fun and memory sharing will be bound to fill my heart with happy. I'll be spreading the word out about my upcoming craft cruises, too- wouldn't want to deny any crafties the vacation of their dreams don'tcha know!

Another card just waiting to happen

Aside from that hub-bub of fab, I've got just a few more scraps to, well, scrap, including this pile which just happened to fall into a card design on it's own... gotta love it when THAT happens! Watch my instagram account @AnnaBradshw to see how it turns out and to catch highlights from this weekend's event.
Now, GO GET CRAFTY!

 

 

National Scrapbooking Day Video and Challenge!

Happy National Scrapbooking Day!

Isn't it awesome that around the world, crafters just like us are celebrating with more than a bit of glee at having a valid reason to be making today... after all, it is a National holiday! And I've got a new EmbellishKits.com video to share- check out the new, 2015, May scrapbooking two double page layout kit!

If you've ever thought about hopping into a kit club, I can speak from experience that you will find oodles of goodies and inspiration, as well as technique tips, in each package that comes your way from EmbellishKits.com and embellishonline.com  I really enjoyed the direction these layouts took, but I still have some left overs I'll use to create a bonus project, so be sure to subscribe to the CraftWithAnna YouTube channel, and next week's share videos will show up in your watch list auto-matic-ally. "I AM" excited (can't believe I just used that adjective) to work up a project that turns the scrapbooking eye introspectively; my what I'm doing now mental list is turning into a tiny mind novella!

So how will I be spending a day that seems to have been custom-created just for me? Alas, as has happened in years gone by, I have booked myself for involvement in a no-less attention worthy cause; the Etta's Project auction in Lakewood, WA tonight. I first learned of the effervescent young Etta when I started working for the bank. One of my coworkers had a daughter who'd been a schoolmate of her's, and shared lots of stories about what a wonderful girl she was; how her smile would light up a room, how all of her friends loved to have her around because they felt so good in her presence. Unfortunately, I have only met this community outreach angel via word of mouth. While traveling on a Rotary trip through Boliva towards the end of high school, she was in a fatal bus accident that left her family and friends stunned and heartbroken. Her mom channeled some of that grief into doing god in Etta's name, created this organization, Etta's Projects, and in doing so built a legacy that does amazing works of good, all in Etta's name and spirit.

Etta has friends who continue to carry her energetic spirit into rural Bolivia, furnishing villagers there with skills such as nutrition management, small business loans, and most importantly in my Western eyes, compostable latrines. Tonight is one of their biggest fundraisers, and an event of this emotional significance has come to be one I look forward to almost before the night is over. I look forward to seeing what is out on the auction tables, sipping my custom, brother-blended Etta-tini, all while overseeing the check in and bid packet pick up process. I'm also looking forward to dishing on current events with my bestie who graciously volunteered her pleasant attitude and 10-key skills to work alongside me gathering credit card info.

So what will you be doing today? Might I plant the not-so-subtle suggestion that you try out this Scrapbooking Playlist? Or perhaps you need a stronger challenge: Pin or Instagram a project with the #CraftWithAnna and I'll enter your name into a drawing for a custom set of scrapbooking embellishments (one of my latest crafting endeavors in preparation for the two cruises I'm teaching on next year)!
1. Try testing out that "I Am..." journaling prompt to include a list of your currents; breakfast foods, wardrobe favorites, job responsibilities- whatever comes out of the pen or pencil, that's what you're using on your layout.
2. Create a page about a lost loved one... consider including details like, when you think of that person most often, surprising times you miss them, or even just about how much fun you had (or didn't have) when they were nearby. This could be a rather touchy subject, and frankly, we tend to over think projects like this, so take it right on into challenge number
3. Let it go. Just Do It. We are different, but same-same...same-same, but different! Whatever movie quote or commercial mantra you can latch on to, use it to create something. Heck, use it as a title for your page! Please, don't let fear of doing it right, or perfectly interfere any longer with expressing yourself in either of these areas through the magic of pretty paper and shiny bling- after all, it's a Holiday!

Hoping you know how not alone you are in your obsession to make your pictures into stories (that can be told long after you can remember the details), and for the scrap-God's sake, get a bit of your YouTube on!

Zipping Around the Honduras

I wasn't the only one awake at this hour...

Rising at around fifteen past dawn to run with the sun rising in the distance over the island of Roataan, Honduras was certainly an invigorating start to another memorable day. I had mentioned my desire to do so the night before, but saying you want to watch the sun rise can be easily excused away in the morning from the comfort of the unbelievably just right down blanket! Just before my eyes opened, I had been dreaming of doing some folk dancing, so I figured, Hey, if I've got enough energy to dance in my sleep, then I can get out of bed and get up on deck! What, you don't dream of folk dancing...?

Here on board there are many ways the boat resembles a floating city whose inhabitants come from all walks of life and yet cohabitate in their different roles . From the Impatients to the Complainers, the Young and Old, Rich and Poor both monetarily and in spirit or health, we're all experiencing the vacation in our own way, and yet, together! The smiles of my fellow walkers and joggers reminded me of the atmosphere of my neighboring city Gig Harbor, where people delight in the community of early risers, go outsiders, those of us choosing to greet the day on our own terms...with souls we love...  but there weren't any dogs up top of the ship lol.

One of the observations I couldn't help but notice was the wide variety of cameras being used to capture the amazing view as it unfolded before us. I helped a fellow scrapper with her huge Ipad, and there were a lot of the smaller point and shoot cameras out there too, but I was envious of the big, long lensed, old fashioned focus-with-your-hand-instead-of-a-button versions. Alas, I didn't bring mine; I just couldn't picture myself as being willing to heft it around on our adventures. And, no I didn't bring my camera up top either, but that helped me to really concentrate on the task at hand- enjoying myself!
And not slipping on the running track, which got hosed off with a heavy wash of water each morning. Just before sunrise. So it was extremely wet and slippery. Every morning. Did any of you readers hear about the time I catapulted myself down the stairs here at the house? Or how I have fallen hard enough to knock my glasses off? Dropped a vase on my face just before a trip to see my sisters a couple years ago... Trust me, I slowed down on the hard parts haha. Of the track people!

Back in time for a shower before room service delivered our fresh fruit and bacon heavy breakfast, which of course we chose to eat on our balcony. Don't think it will be possible to tire of that! The pineapple was a perfectly golden tangy this morning, as were the grapes, kiwi, and strawberry. I've kind of surprised myself with the amount of fruit I've been seeking; never high on my list of favorites, it has been a struggle to find a balance of the fruits I love with the stomach uneasiness that can sometimes follow the ingestion of large quantities of God's gift- especially the citruses. The addition of a banana seems to help. And bacon! I must've eaten about 6 pieces. BECAUSE I COULD.

Dressed, in what I considered to be somewhat Ginger and Mary-Annie outfits, slathered with Off!, our bags packed with sunscreen (and credit cards) in tow, we set off giddy with expectation for our first port and pre-booked excursion. The colorful stucco buildings echoed with the beats of a welcoming group of Honduran dancers. Since I plan to end the day with a little booty shakin' myself, it was with a keener eye I tried to observe how the heck they move so fluidly. I feel like a stick doing the robot, and these women were twerking in the streets, so I figured, hey free lesson! Thank goodness their skirts left a lot to the imagination, the way the tourist guys were ogling them. Heck the way their band members were gawking! Girls had the moves. 

Zip N Dip! I forgot about the dip, whoopee!

Down the street we went, easily locating our tour's hut using the information on our printed from home excursion directions. Wrists extended for some lime green bracelets printed with "Zip and Dip!" With friendly smiles we were advised to "wait over there please." Hmmm, OK... where? "Just right there, ma'am." Here? "Yes, ma'am." Realizing there weren't bound to be swarms of bugs attacking within the confines of the restricted access parking lot, off went my long sleeve shirt and I soaked up the 9'oclock sun. Then I realized all the men around us were now ogling me... back on went the shirt!
The addition of sunglasses allowed me the viewing pleasure of watching all the tour guides and taxi van drivers- one in particular captured my attention with his long lean physique and dark glistening skin, accented by a few heavy white gold chains. And then it happened: not only did the object of my interest begin to pick his nose with those elegantly long fingers I'd been admiring, but another much less attractive man nearby hawked a huge loogie into the bushes D had just photographed... Talk about a Deal Breaker.

Joined by two other couples from our ship and our van driver, along the coast and up into the rainforest we bumped along the pot-holed streets, staring into the villagers homes with avid interest. Stilted, with huge open areas beneath, and decorated with what looked like weeks of laundry hanging in the warm wind. Palm and coconut trees in every yard, along with beautiful, long leaved, purpley- magenta plants, sprinkled with coral blossoms bunched in hedges of what looked lot like the invasive vines that grow around our yard.                                                                

 Winding our way up the mountain side, we passed a construction crew, hard at work repairing the dilapidated roadway. While a few men shoveled dirt onto screens leaning against trees, others filled craters in the road with the finely sifted results. I supposed the daily rains, coupled with abundant forest growth, would make cement or asphalt roads difficult to maintain. We noticed the workers backpacks hanging from nearby tree limbs. Guessing they don't have the luxury of company vehicles and the air conditioned lunchrooms our road crews are accustomed to!

I'd say it was about a 15 minute ride to the South Shore Zip Line and Eco Walk starting point. We were greeted by our guides, Jeffrey and Ishmael, who directed us to place our belongings in the small lockers provided for the small cost of $2. I had some trouble with the lock, and will admit to wondering, is this a scam for them to go through our bags and get our credit info while we're screaming from tree to tree? But those thoughts were quickly dismissed, as this company was recipient of a 2013 Service and Excellence award, and chosen by our travel agents Gail and Cheri at CruiseOne as their preferred Zip line excursion package in Roataan.

We eagerly watched our companions get zipped into their harnesses and then it was our turn to get rigged up. Thinking back to my girls night out the Friday before leaving... was there going to be a Fifty flashes of rainforest scene unfolding? Heavy duty leather gloves and an adorable helmet completed our new ensembles, and it was off to the first platform. Anticipation was felt all around as Ishmael performed the proper placement we'd need for our hands during the ride and how to operate the hand brake. Literally, it would be our hand braking us... D and I look at each other cross eyed and burst into giggles as we have no idea what we are in for!

Exhilarating, surreal, awesome, breathtaking... just a few of the thousand adjectives we could have (and did) use to describe the incredible feeling of flying through the canopy 20-50 feet off the ground. I actually have no idea how high the zip lines were, but the platforms were a comfortable 10-15 feet or so high, with a large net surrounding the exit and landing zones. 

I've been afraid of heights for so long I could hardly believe how comfortable I was, enough so that when Ishmael asked if I wanted to go upside down on the 2nd zip, I agreed without a second's hesitation. "Just trust me Anna, and don't use your hands, I will do it all for you and you will just concentrate on the enjoying, all right?"
The result?

For the first time since I can remember, I wasn't so afraid of falling that I wasn't able to experience with my heart the thrill of zooming over the rain forest tree tops with arms out stretched,  mega watt smile ready to catch any bugs I encounter! A few zips later I was advised  "Just let go and fly, don't even put your hand up until the end okay, Anna, now you're  gonna see why the birds fly all day," and I was suddenly propelled across the valley at an outrageously delightful speed. Already, I was comfortable enough in the harness that I really could just open my arms and enjoy the sensations, lean back and experience that soaring joy without fear. Well, a little fear. Some added bouncing of the lines let me add my whoops and shrieks to the cacophony of wildlife that lay below.

My helmet doesn't look like it's on right...among other things.
Check out my cool vacation water shoes- Aqua Sox with socks Rocks! #RockGirl #PanteraRules

^^^   Safety First!

Seriously, Ish and Jeff were extremely courteous, even when sending our group into fits of giggles at comical lines they must feed every tourist. We asked about how much they work, and sometimes it can be as few as two groups in a day that they lead screaming through the trees. There is a rotation amongst the staff, and they take their livelihood seriously, securing each of us with practiced care, and explaining exactly what not to do- i.e. don't put your hand on the cable in front of the rigging... advice I literally heard booming through my head as my hand attempted to do just that. Shared that little scare with D and thank goodness she then heard MY voice in her head and instead reached behind her, just before her hand attempted to separate from her body through the same method mine had. 

Mega Watt Glad We Stall Have Our Hands Selfie

Laughing at our breathless enjoyment, our group was not only soaring through the air, but we were all literally high as kites as the constant surges of adrenaline flushed our cheeks a high pink and a sparkle to our eyes. D commented that my mega-watt smile could probably power the ship! And yes, it felt like my face might break from smiling so hard. We each took amazing photos of the adventure, and a video showing of our gliding through towards the camera with arms not just outstretched but flapping like the black and red butterflies that surrounded us will be one of the most convincing displays of how safe we felt with the rigging, guides, and I guess being able to make fools of ourselves. But man was it fun!

Stepping out of the harness was a relief; one can only discreetly try to dig a rope out of ones nether regions so many times on one excursion. About 4 flights of stairs took us to an inclining hill where a bench invited a quick rest before the pick up vehicle arrived to transport us the rest of the way up the mountain side where our belongs, and of course the gift shop, were waiting undisturbed. There really was dust on some of the reasonably priced items we could collect as proof that we really had done the unbelievable.

My Precious

Did I mention I'm a Survivor Fan-atic and that Wednesday is the new Thursday in my world? Seriously, we do at home Survivor challenges in our house. Tasks as simple as cleaning the yard become much more intense when There's A MILLION Dollars On the Line! I even have my purple Survivor: Samoa buff with me for flaunting at the beach to come! Would I take home the Oh My Gosh, I want to buy this so bad, but it's not going to get worn "I Survived" shirt? Of course not, I chose a black V-neck with, "Zip Chick" in hot pink emblazoned on the front. D tried to pick out a hat, but none really looked perfect, and finally settled for a cute crew neck tee featuring a lizard a top "Gettin' Zipped," and she picked up the $10 DVD with their photographers pics of our fun for our home printing enjoyment. What a deal!

What I didn't figure on dealing with was a credit card malfunction that may have spelled a quick end to my MasterCard shopping availability for the rest of the trip... apparently the little gift shop's machine is somewhat temperamental, and my cashier had to run my card twice. That in itself wouldn't have sent any red flags to the Capital One security team, however, I then impulse-bought a souvenir hat as well, which was the third transaction in one day, in a foreign country, on a card without a travel alert on it. And I work for a bank... Whoopsie! 

Have a similar story to share about adventuring? Facing your fears? A shopping trip halting all future expenditures?  Comment below and come back tomorrow for a long awaited trip to the beach!

 

Houston, We Have Landed: Saturdays Sinnings

This morning we were awake long before the 7:35 alarm on my phone went off. What with the emotional send off of my kids the day before, and the week of not sleeping leading up to said departure,  I had guessed that I'd be up long before that with the time changes and indeed, after promptly passing out, I had a few tosses in the night, but for the most part I slept solidly. Every time I woke up I was drenched in sweat from the weight of the deliciously warm down blanket, but with no one to share the bed with, I didn't allow that to keep me from falling back asleep!
I love the Hilton hotel lines, and our Doubletree suite featured all the beautiful granite countertops and dark wood furnishings that we see on our trips to Bellevue each November. What a lovely experience to be in such a familiar setting with someone in whose company I completely thrive in.
Our plane ride here was a perfect example of one of the many character traits I love about my friend. Despite my having been awake for nearly 40 of the last 48 hours, I could never let my eyes close because I was simply enjoying our conversation too much. She is an experienced world traveler, certified scuba girl, and has a way of telling each story that includes beautiful details that paints vivid pictures in my mind of the many places she's traveled to. Tales of encounters with people of all sorts bring tears of laughter to my eyes, as well as the occasional throwing up of hands in the air as we exclaim, "some people!"
Our driver John picked us up with a few others from the airport and told us all about the amenities of the hotel, including that we'd be receiving a warm cookie upon check-in... now, most of my friends know how much I love cookies. So how much did I love hearing that info previously from my DF, then seeing a giant 3 foot cookie emblazoned on the side of the shuttle van, followed by John's announcement? Well, almost as much as I appreciated the actual consumption of promised warm melted chocolate oatmeal cookie happiness!
I discovered two of our fellow passengers would be joining us not just on the cruise but in the conference room cropping the week away as well! Nancy and Lani are from the beautifully forested seaside area of Sequim, WA. Their friendliness brought to mind the realization that although most scrap bookers are very friendly, not all are interested in more than just the casual, " Hi there, where are you from, what are you working on, can I borrow your scissors!" These two treated me to the casual greeting, a follow-up hallway shout out, elevator conversation... wow, what a difference they made to the beginning of our adventure! I commented to D that its the first time I've met croppers who seemed interested in a lasting friendship. Of course I'm drawn to friendlies so I'm really looking forward to spending more time with them.
After cookie consumption destination: long looked forward to wine shopping! A quick Google search showed some intriguing options, including a place boasting the best fried chicken (and wine), the Wine Dive. At fifteen taxi-driven miles, it was a little farther away than we had planned, but a call to the front desk informed us that there was a liquor store within walking distance. It didn't take us but a minute to head over to peruse and purchase a few bottles of vino for our cruise, and a penny from heaven even fell onto our path over.  We do so love angelic approval! After our initial sticker shock at seeing the Cupcake brand on the top shelf for about $26/bottle. What?! I can get that at our local Fred Meyers for the low price of about $12... so that was a no go. A Heavenly Sweet Riesling, and a Stark Raving Muscato will perfectly compliment our dinners. Can we say, no corking fee?
Going to pay for our selections, D asked me if I'd like to purchase any Pu**y (rhymes with Wussy) ... um, no, not really! It's actually an energy drink lol. And the cashier informed us that it's locally sourced, all natural, pink, and sold out, BUTT (get it?) there's a shipment on it's way! Apparently it's a pretty hot commodity (go figure) and they sell out frequently.
With hilarity at the retelling of this story already setting our gigglers off, D turns to me and says, did you see they have miniature Bailey's, and Kahlua in there? Well, yes, I did actually, but hadn't thought to mention it to her because frankly I didn't want to scare her off our decade+ friendship by exhibiting my ability for mass consumption of all things inebriating! At the slightly hesitantly suggested idea of including some in our coffee, I headed right back in to grab a couple "creamers."
The cashier again regaled us with a new beverage consumption opportunity; this time she told us that not only could she sell us alcohol in a plastic bag (for getting past cruise security), but empty shampoo bottles for the same purpose. It just goes to show, where there's a will, there's a way! I was pretty proud of myself, not just for resisting the urge to fill my purse with plastic bagged liquors samples, but also the ability to corrupt my friend so quickly lol.  

Brown bagging it down the boulevard; another first for us! Decided to dine  in the hotel bar on some savory southwest chili, and a glass of vino to celebrate the start of what is sure to be a most memorable week. Our long awaited cropping cruise that we're finally going on... so surreal and yet fabulously real, and just beginning, oh boy. 

Date Night at the Lakebay Marina

Recently I had a post on here featuring a scrapbook page with photos of me dancing last summer with my daughters at our local Lakebay Marina. The Marina is full of character and characters, and last night I called in grammaD for babysitting duty and headed over there with hubby in tow.
It was a beautiful night outside and many of the patrons inside were lined up at the windows overlooking the inlet to capture with cell phone cameras the setting sun reflecting gorgeous oranges and peaches onto the fluffy clouds above.
After introducing ourselves to a gal I see at Rainier's art class often, we went searching for the wine and beer. Trillium Winery out of Home was out front serving some of their grape juice and the owner was kind enough to sample me with a Chardonnay. We ended up sharing a bottle of Silverdales Silver City Porter as we visited with our neighbors and met another couple there with their adorable baby Kariss. Isn't that a beautiful name? It means Love in Welsh!
One of the highlights of the evening was meeting Dayna, who was there premiering her latest film, Cold Light Day. It's a lovely movie featuring her choreography; two young men frolic down the pier on an average February morning. I thought the film's title was a perfect reflection of the way Washington weather plays with you- it can be a really nice day even though we don't actually see the sun, it shines brightly through our cloud cover regardless.
A perfect date night away and when we got home the kids were both sleeping soundly. Can't ask for much more than that!

Connect With Me through Social Media!

Check out my pretty new Radiant Orchid social media icons to the right!

Made Today

Sprinkles of mist behind a vellum sticker,
topped with an acetate balloon.

Well, technically, this fun birthday card (left) was made just before retiring to bed last night, but these two below were really made this morning just before I dashed the kids into the car and headed to Gig Harbor to enjoy the sunshine. My girlfriend Jen met us at Java and Clay and took the kids on a short stroller ride while I met with the owners to discuss the possibility of selling my handmade greeting cards in their shop. The meeting went well! Randy and Kelly both commented on the uniqueness of my samples... hoping of course that they weren't using that word "unique" as my DF and her hubby do... as in, wow, this dish you've made out of lettuce and eggs is unique! lol

There is limited space in their store though, so I'm looking for a smaller card rack than the behemoth double, 80 card spaces rack I brought in for show and tell, and found one online for only $25. So that's promising! No matter what their decision is, I'm proud of taking the risk to put my cards in their lap and ask, "what do you think?"

My favorite part of the meeting was when I invited Randy to open the card in his hand and see the fancy inside. Their young artist son was at the table as well, and when shown the card, he smiled. Then Kelly looked and smiled. Then Randy smiled and they all leaned in for a family hug while gazing at my card. Sigh! That is the exact kind of feeling one can hope to generate with a little labor of love :-)

Well, after walking up the street to replace some cards and oogle my future CraftWithAnna designated space at the Copy Mail It store, Rainie decided we needed to lunch at my favorite Tokyo Teriyaki. As we piled back into our jumbo Joovy stroller, Miss Kim came out with our diaper bag- whew! Yeah, cause it included our keys to the car parked about a mile away! So I quickly pulled this card out of my supply and didn't mind at all giving it to her. She saved me so many steps, and truly is an egg-stra special hostess. I've been going there for over ten years now and I feel like she's my Japanese mama!

Graphic 45 - Reads, You Are the Best
One of my favorite cards created lately!

I said I didn't mind giving her the card; well I have had so much generosity shown to me lately that my thank you list is miles long. Unfortunately I've been hoarding my cards for selling. Resolved: create or send off cards to loved ones this weekend! Preferably writing outside in the delightfully hot sun we're anticipating!

Fingers crossed that more store front opportunities are on the horizon!

Charisma Cardz Meets Die Cut Crazy Blog Hop

Welcome to the Charisma Cardz Meets Die Cut Crazy Special Challenge & Blog Hop. The incredible design team at UK's Charisma Cardz have this week teamed up with my peers at Die Cut Crazy to bring you some wonderful inspiration from the world of Die Cutting, as well as a fab packed April Edition which is available for download on all IOS Apple Devices via the Newstand & in PDF format from the website. We've been hard at work creating beautiful Easter and Spring projects to inspire your own crafting with your die cuts.

This week at Charisma they have an ‘ANYTHING GOES’ Challenge where you can join in by linking or emailing Charisma with your cards/designs- and of course as always there are some fabulous prizes to be won! The  winners will be announced next week on the blog, AND featured in next months issue of Die Cut Crazy. Fame awaits you!
As well as this we have a spring influenced blog hop, showcasing all the designers. You should have a look around! For each comment you leave at each stop we’ll be drawing some random winners for prizes. This could be YOU...
If you just joined our hop, be sure and go back to the Charisma Cardz Challenge Blog to start from the beginning! But first, my little Spring Fling Mini-Album!

Ah, Spring...there's just nothing like the feeling of the earth stretching towards the sun all around you, is there? There's also nothing like the feeling in your legs and back after a full day of gardening, which, lets face it, usually is just weed pulling with a nicer name!

You may have guessed, I'd much rather be creating with paper die cuts next to a window than sowing seeds out in the sun! What's a crafty girl to do? In a few months I'll drag a used bassinet outside and soak up the sun. This table is just the right height and has a bit of wind protection around the top edge, making it perfect for outdoor crafting! 

As the days get longer and the rain falls less often in our state, we approach the most beautiful weather of the year. You can see that trend reflected in many online mood boards and in our favorite YouTube crafters too.

In the spirit of following my own passions while honoring the traditions of another, I chose to create a custom seed collector for the master gardener in my life, my mom!

I found the idea for this fun mini-album on the Score-Pal blog. It was really easy to put together and even easier to customize. What really makes this mini ideal for seed collectors are the tabs that slide in and out of the pages- ideal places for envelopes holding a bounty of beauty waiting to burst from the ground!

The base of my pages is the "B" side -or maybe it's the "A" side, I can never figure out how that works- of a beautiful soft pink, DearLizzy's Neapolitan: Delightful Bouquet 12x12 sheet.

 As the name suggests, a delightful bouquet is indeed on the reverse and helped me to pull and mix in colors for my project, like Heidi Swapp's Primrose Color Shine Mist.

Here's a fun idea I recently shared here on my blog: next time you have a few extra holes punched out, cover them with some Liquid Glass or another clear-drying hard glue. Let them dry overnight, and you'll wake up to your own custom enamel dots!Sprinkle amongst ink splatters and enjoy the bling!

Me & My Big Ideas die cut notecards, some generic small manilla envelopes, layered with Graphic 45's Secret Garden die cut tags and pockets made every page pop with a little bit of unique, and then I tied on an orange ombre ribbon to close it all up.

No, I may not have a green thumb; instead, I possess have a tombow mono-ink splattered thumb that can tie a mean bow tie! Let's see your next die cut covered mini; just tag it on instagram or Twitter with #DCCMini, and you may see your creation in next month's issue!

 Thanks for stopping by the Charisma Cardz Meets Die Cut Crazy Magazine Blog Hop & Challenge! I hope seeing my project leads you to create your own Spring/Easter piece.  Please leave a comment to let me know you stopped by, I love to read those comments!
 Next up in the hop is Eemeli. Enjoy!

In case you just joined the hop at my site, here are the other bloggers to hop about for inspiration:

You are Here -->--->Anna Bradshaw - craftwithanna.blogspot.com

Going on to Eemeli's site--> –> www.eemelike.blogspot.com

Stacey – www. lasatas.blogspot.co.uk/

Natalie – http://ngcards.blogspot.co.uk

Charisma – www.charismacardz.blogspot.com
Carlyann – www.sweetncrafty.blogspot.com

Emma Pountney – http://tinyurl.com/m42q998

Sarah  – www.sarahshandmadecardsx.blogspot.co.uk

Mandy – www.mandysparkles.blogspot.com

Marie – www.cardmakingmazza.blogspot.co.uk

Jo  - www.determinedcrafter.blogspot.co.uk

Vee- www.bearykrafti.blogspot.com

Susan – www.mixamatoasties.blogspot.co.uk

Lorraine – www.travellingcolours.com

Emma – www.emgoescardmaking.blogspot.co.uk

Tina – www.tinamarie997.blogspot.co.uk

Dianne Grayson's work will be featured on Die Cut Crazy's home site! Get your copy of April's issue on your IPad. You will see MANY ways to use your die cutting equipment to produce incredible works of art. I've been inspired again and again by my peers manipulation of die cuts. Some styles are whimsical, like fairies, cartoon like stamping and paper piecing, or animals. Lacy borders and doilies seem to be another beautifully textured inclusion. "Add feathers, and voila it's Fans-chy!" As my daughter Rainie would say :-*. I love making a few little deluxe paper animals with my cricut and a lent Pooh Bear cartridge- thanks DF!
Don't forget, instagram #DCCmini to show off your die cut mini album!