Fort McMurray Inspired Serene Silhouettes Card

Happy Friday!

I seriously can't BELIEVE it's Friday!  This week has flown by at break-neck speed.

Let's just say Rebecca and I had a BALL in Disneyland.  It was everything I hoped for!  I wanted to see a few more smiles from My Girl but I realize, now, she was well and truly EXHAUSTED the entire time!  She hadn't had a decent sleep in WEEKS … never recovered from her birthday "sleep" over the weekend before and was just totally bagged.  Despite that she went hard every day.  We got to the park at opening every day and stayed until closing.  The second and third day we did take a 2 hour break for a swim back at the hotel but that was more ME needing the rest than her.  I needed a 10 minute power nap then we were off again.  Here are some of my favourite shots from our time together …

On the plane ...

 Day 1 - California Adventure (not-so-patiently waiting!!)

 Love this pic!

LOVE these two pics together.  I just HAD to post it on my Facebook page with the caption "What a difference a day makes!"  LMAO - cracks me up every time!

 A pic with the Mouse that started it all ...

Another EPIC pic!  Hysterical!  This was on the Cars Speedway Racers ride.  Doesn't get any better than that!!!

 … and I was trying to recreate my favourite Disney shot from 2010 … our first trip to the Magic Kingdom.  This is Rebecca when she was 7 … and now at 13.  I couldn't quite remember the angle in my head … pretty close :)

Over the last week I have chipped away at putting all my pictures into my Project Life app.  I have used it for other things but never actually printed anything.  My plan was to print out a little album for Rebecca.  I'm about 2/3 done.  Love the app!

It is so quick and easy!  I had all the pictures into layouts before I even landed back in Canada.  I have put in the journalling cards and journalling as I've been waiting at the school, waiting at singing lessons, waiting at doctors appointments … again, quick and easy.  Alas … I think I will only print out one page.  I costed it out at Costco … each 12" x 12" page is $6.99 … and I have about 15 pages … so it will cost over $100 to get them printed!  To print the 4" x 6" pictures and put them into my Project Life sleeves will cost $.70 for the pictures (and the cost of the cards and sleeves, of which I have a huge stash of downstairs already).  So … back to "old school" albums (which I DO love they are just not as easy t do "on the go").  I DO want to print out at least ONE 12" x 12" page, just to see how it looks … and then to price out any cheaper alternatives.  Truly - SO quick and easy!

Right!  You didn't come here just to hear about my trip … you want to see a project!  Well … I've got ya covered on that!

As you probably have heard, up here in Northern Alberta, the town of Fort McMurray has been on fire for over a week.  Rebecca and I left the day it started and we had constant updates from Craig while we were gone.  In a nutshell … 88,000 - 90,000 people were evacuated (the ENTIRE town … including patients at the hospital!)  No deaths, 2 births.  10% of the town was destroyed.  2,400 buildings have been destroyed … but 90% (24,000) buildings are still undamaged (or at least not touched by the fires).  

The entire country has risen to help those affected.  It truly is mind boggling to watch on the news.  The refugees are now able to access pre-loaded debit cards and there are LOTS of donations of items needed.  The entire operation and man-power required is staggering.  I have a number of friends who have Fort Mac residents staying with them.  Some of these refugees are their family/friends, some my friends had never met before.  People are opening their homes, wallets and hearts to help in any way they can.  Residents won't be able to return for weeks or MONTHS, as recovery and repair of the damage has only just begun.

ANYway …. when I came home Monday I needed to make a third card for my class Tuesday night.  I had originally planned a fun, bright card.  Alas, I was in a very sombre mood and bright and perky just wasn't in me.  Instead I wanted a soothing, neutral loving card.  I turned to pinterest for some inspiration.  I came across a few … as I started CASEing them I came across a card I loved … and coincidentally it was a card I had created a few years ago.  Remember this one?

This card was created back in October 2013.  You can check the original post out here.  To date it has had 17,296 hits on my blog.  Seriously???  It's VERY popular. I stared at it and thought it would be a lovely card to CASE … so I did.  Here is what I came up with …

Love.  I came up with about 7 different versions - one with a yellow shaded square, a smaller shaded yellow square, a Mint Macaron shaded circle, a Lost Lagoon shaded circle, no shaded circle or square … and on and on.  In the end my favourite was this one.  It just strikes me.

I used the retiring set Serene Silhouettes for the flowers and and Rose Wonder for the sentiment.

First - measurements … the base is
Whisper White - 5 1/2" x 4 1/4"
Black Layer - 5 1/4" x 4"
Smoky Slate Layer - 5" x 3 3/4"
Top Whisper White layer - 4 3/4" x 3 1/2"

First you make a mask with the (RETIRING!!) 2 1/2" circle punch.
Using a finger dauber you gently ink Smoky Slate through the circle mask, using circular motions so you don't leave any harsh lines in the shading
(Why do you do the shading first instead of the image stamping?  You do the shading first just to make sure the image doesn't smudge.)
Once you have your circle shaded you stamp the image (I like to use the Stamp-a-ma-jig to get perfect placement on this one as my Serene Silhouettes is a wood mounted set) and then stamp the sentiment (remember to use your pierce mat when stamping with your photopolymer sentiments!)

To finish the card off I used my Clear Wink of Stella for some shimmer on the black flowers.  I also added three rhinestones to the flowers for a subtle sparkle.

Love love love this card

I would send one to every Fort Mac refugee, if I could.  xoxo  Love and prayers to each and every one of my Alberta 88,000 brothers and sisters.

So that's been my week!  I hope yours was quick, that you got some crafting in and that you have an exciting weekend planned.  Whatever you get up to, I hope you have a stampy time!


Tam