By the Sea

We're having a heat wave, which for Québec City, located on the St. Lawrence River, means lots of crushing humidity; 61% at this moment, and it's been higher. So I'm consuming lots of iced drinks, keeping the fans going--no air-conditioning, high heat doesn't last long enough--and as the sun comes around to peer through my NorthWest facing windows and balcony door, I close the blinds.

When I'm tempted to complain of the heat, I think of  winter snowbanks that reach my shoulder, and winds straight from the arctic. Doesn't make me feel cooler, but it puts things in perspective.

In addition to cool drinks, and appreciation of the moment,  I take virtual seaside vacations, via cards I make. Nothing relaxes me like the sound of waves rolling onto a beach, the sound of seagulls, and the remembered feeling of some days spent long ago on a beach in Corpus Christi, Texas, where I waded into the Gulf waters, forgetting sunscreen.

I can still feel fish brushing my legs, and see clearly the Ray flying past in the water ahead of me. I laugh again, thinking of waves crashing over me as I tried in vain to bodysurf. I also have a sharp memory of the pain of a never-again sunburn.

Every summer, I get out my favourite water-themed Stampin' Up stamp sets: Summer by the Sea, and Seaside Sketches, from which the images in today's cards are taken. I hope they help you relax a little, and think kindly of the fleeting summer days.

A Little Love Story

The third issue of the e-zine, Art With No Boundaries, Chris Stern, editor, came out yesterday. If you have had the experience of coming home with a new magazine or book and settling in with it and a cup of tea or coffee--or a glass of wine--feeling like a child on Christmas morning with a new toy, you know what it's like to dip into an issue of AWNB.  You'll find tutorials, inspiration, art by Chris Stern and her special guests.

Ah, did I mention that I'm in this issue! Talk about feeling like a child on Christmas morning! Here's a sneak peek, but you'll have to go here for a full view: http://artwithnoboundaries.blogspot.ca/

Tales from the Sea

Seashell, seashell, whisper to me,
What lies beneath
The tight-lipped sea?

Seashell, seashell, sing to me,
What kingdoms hide
In the depths below?

             Kathleen Chabot
             23 Nov. 1956

My entry in the Art With No Boundaries challenge, Rhythm of the Sea, has got me in the mood for sea themed cards. Not that I need much encouragement.

Follow the link in my previous post to see what the AWNB team and other artists have done with this challenge; it might inspire you, too. The challenge ends 17 August, so don't wait to check it out.

As the poem above indicates, my fascination with the sea is not recent.  The sea is challenging, mysterious fiercely beautiful, and hardly explored. The shadows and colours of the sea are mine.
Details of the card:
Cardstock, SU (Stampin' Up)
Sentiment, SU Seaside Sketches (retired)
Little crabs, SU On the Beach (retired)
Focal image, Stamps Happen, #50031 Collecting Sea Shells
Background uses two Cuttlebug embossing folders; Tiny Bubbles and D'vine Swirls
Used SU Framelits Labels Collection, 3rd largest
I know, I know, the crabs should be red. My crabs were bored with red, so I let them be blue.

Challenged!

I finally made cards this week! The one featuring Tigger is for the ink-stains July Challenge, and the other is for this week's challenge, for ink-stains.