Bliss on Dalrymple Beach

I keep saying, this summer was the best one that I can remember since childhood. Clear blue sunny skies and very little rain. There were no "indoor" days whatsoever other than the weekend of the tornado in August. In June, I had decided to plan some new units of study on rainy days and had lugged home all the curriculum documents and teaching guides.  In fact, by the time school was starting, I had not  cracked a book - nor had I gone to the school at at the week prior to .Labour Day. The weather was simply too nice for me to be inside. Of course I managed nicely but paid the price the first 3 weeks of September with 3 hours work at home per night. It was sooo worth it.

Dalrymple Beach is about a 20 minute bicycle ride from my home, on Lakeshore Road near Camlachie. It is very seldom used by a handful of people so very tranquil.
The beach itself is wide and open, with a very shallow gradually sloping sandy access to Lake Huron that makes the water warm . I find it similar to the beaches at the Pinery so I go there when I want to be in nature and experience solace.
Rick and I spent a few quiet hours in the afternoon in August soaking up some bliss together under crystal clear blue skies next to the waving beach grasses. I like the photo of our feet and of the big piece of driftwood.
You can see a few of the corrugated chipboard milepost  shapes incorporated. I also had fun playing with one of my new stamp sets, Vintage Type.
It is found on page 18 here:
http://www.closetomyheart.com/en/Products/Online_Idea_Book.aspx

Relax

Time to Relax

and be leisurely in the summer , in our amazing pool

the weather was perfect this year, with only 2 days of rain

the kids and i made the most of it and enjoyed the crystal

clear waters of our backyard pool

i used 4x4 squares in this design

with an emphasis on black and grey papers

the photos are dazzling enough on their own!

Daylilies in June

Because I took so many flower photos, I had all of these gorgeous blooming daylilies and wanted to showcase them in a unique way. Inspired by Ali Edwards monthly layout design , via my ambitiously scrapping friend Julia, who takes a photo of her son each month and has them all in sequence.

I had actually seven different daylilies blooming in June, but did not have a photo of the yellow ones to add to this layout. I used irresistible make it count numbers by Close to My Heart, which I inked in 3 different colours: vineyard berry, desert sand, and twilight. I used a sponge dauber to apply the ink lightly.
I then journalled across the top of each background paper.
"Daylilies bloomed in profusion . They are the first to bloom, colourful and vigourous".

October Chalet Crop

I spent the weekend scrapbooking with 3 wonderful ladies . I am blessed to have a generous sister in law who invites me to share in this event each year at her chalet near Talisman resort. Our mutual friend Julia is a great inspiration and muse, our own version of Ali Edwards. Her influence can be seen in the first layout, SPRING . Blocked photos and paper strips ; opposing rounded tops and bottom edges; handwritten journalling.
"My garden is my joy. Every detail entices me."
There is a visual pun in the layout : Look closely and you can see some hardware "springs" on vellum paper next to the barn board and yellow print papers. thanks Leslie D for the ephemera books.

Life's good

I really like this stamp set! VERY versatile.

There are 6 of these cards altogether, which I made as a gift for a special friend who moonlights as a guardian angel.