Rolling Waves are a great analogy for life sometimes – you just need to roll with things! Today’s post should have posted yesterday but for anyone that has been following me – you know this week was a busy and hard one that eventually everyone needs to deal with. Late in January we lost my mother unexpectedly and Saturday was her Memorial Mass. I stayed in Northern Virginia for a few extra days to work on things at her home and drove back late Tuesday night with the intention of getting everything I needed to do done on Wednesday! I almost succeeded – I just didn’t get this post typed up and finished in time so it is here for you today.
One of the special things about stamping is that it is my ME time, my solace, my saving grace – it is how I pamper and “take care” of myself – truely – it is something I have loved and enjoyed for 25 years now!

It is so important to have time to recoup and regenerate especially when you are taking care of children and parents and are in that middle space. This is my comfort zone and if you know me I gravitate towards summer, sun and water! This card combines all of that into a fun and whimsical birthday card!

Measurements:
BASE: Crumb Cake CS: 4 1/4″ x 11″
scored at 5 1/2″
Basic White CS: 2 1/2″ x 3″, scraps for
umbrellas, sentiment, shells and foam dies
Summer Splash CS: scrap for water and
umbrella dies

Die cut the shells out of a scrap of Basic White CS.

Using blending brushes and Summer Splash, Flirty Flamingo and Crumb Cake ink, I colored the shells and starfish.

I cut a corner out of a scrap of Basic White CS about 3″ on the bottom side and about 2 1/4″ up the side. I stamped it with the large water stamp in Balmy Blue and blended the color with a blending brush as well.

I adhered it to the card front corner.

I die cut the foamy water die out of Summer Splash CS and set it on the card corner above the Balmy Blue stamped piece.

I die cut the foam out of a scrap of Basic White CS tucked it under the Summer Splash die.

I stamped the Crumb Cake CS with the sand image in Crumb Cake ink and then adhered the foamy water dies down over the corner piece.

I adhered some of the shells at the water line.

I die cut two umbrellas out of scraps of Basic White CS and then one of each design in Flirty Flamingo and Summer Splash. I adhered them in alternating patterns.

I adhered the Flirty Flamingo and White umbrella to the card.

I popped up the Summer Splash and White umbrella on Stampin’ Dimensionals over the lower left-hand edge of the Flirty Flamingo and White umbrella.

I stamped the Happy Birthday sentiment from the Rolling Waves stamp set in Summer Splash on a long 1/2″ strip of Basic White CS and slid it back and forth until I decided on the location of the wording and adhered it down to the card.

I adhered the last two shells to the left-hand side of the Happy Birthday sentiment.

I added three Pearlized faceted Circles from the Lovely and Beautiful Suite of products to finish off this fun card that did my soul good!

Take time out each day to do something you love and take care of yourself so you can be good for others! Now go and create something beautiful – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

Remember since this is a sneak peak and not available until March 3rd to customers the rolling waves stamps, dies and bundle will not appear below in the photo clickables.