Hi friends! Happy Sunday! Hope you are enjoying a wonderful Sunday afternoon.... Today is so peaceful at my house! We got up and went to early church because of the heat and got some yummy breakfast.... Now everyone is hanging out quietly and peacefully. Oh, and having ice cream too! My husband was in Los Angeles all last week for his work, and he got home late last night. Lucky is so happy to see him! (Me too!) Our little family is back together and all is right with the world again. I got some much needed time to myself last week to think and read and study and rest, and NO news or emails. I'm sure lots of you can relate - the hubs and I have been together in our house 24/7 for two and a half years!! Like not even one day apart. I needed a moment shall we say. Hahaha. Twenty Nine years and counting, and we're still best friends! I'm very fortunate to have such a good husband! (I'm the weird one for sure!)
When we came home from church today I came in the craft room and just started playing with no plan in mind. Well, I ended up making something pretty and thought I would share it with you, and maybe some stories too. I live in Sacramento California, which lately is as hot as the surface of the sun for lord knows how many days in a row. I'm delirious and my brain is melting. Whenever we get a heat wave like this all I can think of is OCEANNNNNNNN. I am an ocean person through and through. I started thinking about it, why do I have such an attachment to the ocean?? I guess lots of reasons. Everything good for me in my life happened at the ocean! I was born on the ocean to a dad who was in the Navy (Norfolk, Virginia). My family is from Carmel, California and I started my school years there. I got married (twice) at the ocean (One Pacific - Carmel, and one Atlantic - Cape Cod). I lived in Half Moon Bay for a while and saw the ocean every single day.... I went to college near the ocean... I worked in San Francisco for several years... When we go on vacation we always end up at the ocean or on a boat!! So many good times! My childhood got kind of wonky when my mom left for a new life, but I always had my grandmother's house in Monterey. Every good and pure childhood memory I have came from there and it was always misty and foggy and salty at her house... and I can easily conjure up the most wonderful scent in the world: Fog + Eucalyptus Trees. I wish I could bottle that scent and share it with you!! If I ever win lotto, I'm buying a big beach house and you can all come and craft with me! Doesn't that sound amazing!? Anyhoo, I'm rambling and sharing, probably over sharing. But dang it, it's hot, and like I said all I can think about is the ocean!!! We are only about 75 miles from the ocean here, a day trip really, but it's been hot there too! I keep checking the weather for a good 50 degree foggy day and I'm outta here! LOLZ.
Where do you feel the happiest? The Lake? The Desert? The Mountains? Ocean? Leave a comment and let me know what your favorite place is!! I'd love to know!
Which finally leads me to my project! Ha! Last week I received the most wonderful and generous package of goodies from my friends at Honey Bee Stamps and guess what? It was full of Ocean-y Things! It's like they read my mind! Honey Bee has wax seals and wax melts now!! And Layered Dies of Seashells! OH YEAH! Everything is so pretty and I'll be making some more projects. But here's the first one! I have always loved wax seals. I have acquired a pretty good collection over the years and I have maybe 25 or so. I really love the look of them and the pretty designs and the details you can put on your projects... I created a plain card with a pretty vellum and paper wrapped envelope....sealed with a kiss shell. I used the new Wax Melts and Wax Stamper along with the new papers and dies. All the supplies are listed at the bottom of my post.
This is an A6 envelope in Kraft from Paper Source. I splattered on some white paint and let that dry. I cut an A6 notecard (my letter is on the other side). I wrapped the envelope with the new Vitamin Sea Paper and also some vellum. I wrapped twine around it. This part is like a belly band. It comes all the way off. I just have it like this for the photo. I die cut some sea grass from the new die set and then made my wax seal...
The sea grass is cut from green paper and then gently inked with Green Distress Inks. Here's a close up of that gorgeous seal and the paper. I'M IN LOVE.
I made three different wax seals in different colors.
I used the Vitamin Sea Wax Melts! Have you ever done a wax seal before? It's so easy! These little melts are so much easier than using the stick kind that has a wick. I put 3-4 of these little pieces into my melting spoon and hold it over a small tea light candle. They melt nice and evenly and you can see they make such a nice appearance. I encourage you to try it sometime! It's fancy!
That's it for this Sunday afternoon! So nice to see ya! This week we have some fun projects coming up! A new release blog hop from Pinkfresh Studio on Wednesday and a Greetery project on Friday! I have to say that my project for Friday is in my top ten favorite things I've ever made!!! I cannot wait to share it with you!!! Have a good week and I'll see you soon! Love you guys. XOXO
if you are looking for best honey you can visit
https://www.islamichoney.com/
Posted by: islamic honey | 09/14/2022 at 11:55 AM
Wanda, thank you for sharing your heart and inspiring us with your beautiful creations and photography. Once again you enabled me to hit the buy now button. 🥰
Posted by: Michelle Gleeson | 07/26/2022 at 02:18 AM
Lovely post today, Wanda. I’m a Cali girl too but in Southern Cali. Born in Long Beach, grew up in Huntington Beach and now live one city over from Laguna Beach. So the ocean is my favorite. I did live in New Mexico for two years on a long-term work assignment there. I missed the ocean but found the dessert, mountains and much slower pace than Cali to be a nice change for awhile. I love today’s card. Heck, I love all the cards you create. If I lived closer, I’d take you to lunch to chat about all things paper and to pick your brain about your creativity. I sent you a little something today. Be on the lookout! -Kathy
Posted by: Kathy F. | 07/25/2022 at 01:55 PM
ABSOLUTELY LOVELY, Wanda! I saw those little nuggets in the store & wondered.... LOL NOW, I SEE what they are. You gave them PERFECT RECOGNITION on your card! Now you make me want some! LOL My favorite place? The mountains/woods. I HAVE TO HAVE TREES! There is something so majestic about trees! Always raising their branches high to praise our creator! And they're BEAUTIFUL-year round! Just to look at, or to hang from one of their branches! HUGS DEAR FRIEND!!! ;)<3
Posted by: Becky Green | 07/25/2022 at 09:49 AM
Beautiful post Wanda! It was a pleasure to read... something "real", something vulnerable that opens us all to better connections. Thank you. Your project is very relaxing and full of the ocean! Lol, makes me want to go buy some seals! My fav place is the woods, deciduous and pine trees with lots of deer, raccoons, chipmunks, birds, and squirrels. I grew up in Wisconsin and now live in Michigan. I get into the woods every chance I can get. I can breathe in the woods and it always clears my head and helps bring perspective. I hope it isn't too long before you get your 50 degree foggy day!
Posted by: Valerie W | 07/25/2022 at 07:54 AM
I’m not going to ramble on how fabulous your card and wrap is, or how much I adored your story about your love of the ocean. I just wish I could give you a big hug girlfriend. Be blessed today and thank you for all your inspiration and I’m looking forward to your The Greetery post. They are my favorite company!
Posted by: Jan Francis | 07/25/2022 at 07:07 AM
I think this is one of their best releases. I love the beach scene and oh yes this paper. Glad you're all back together again. It's been warm here too. Our garden is putting out some veggies and I will pick blueberries this morning. Now you have me thinking of those wax melts...so pretty!
Posted by: Anne Sturgeon | 07/25/2022 at 05:13 AM
Thank-you for sharing your story....I too have a thing for the ocean. I grew up at my grandmothers cottage that was on the lake. So many fond memories. They are something so peaceful about the water! Keep buying those lottery tickets Wanda...I just love your idea of having us all at your beach house to craft!! Oh my...a girl can dream!!
Your packaged up card is amazing! I hope you know you really inspire us all! I cannot wait until Wednesday...and FRIDAY sounds amazing. If you have it on your top ten list...oh boy!!! We are in for a treat! Have a wonderful day Wanda!
Posted by: Christine Dol | 07/25/2022 at 04:54 AM
I'm with you and love the sea. I grew up a short drive away from the ocean and just feel at peace when I can visit. Live a few hours away now in the hills and that's ok but I do love the sea. I got a wax starter kit from my son for Christmas with a lovely blue wren "stamp"
Posted by: Jean | 07/25/2022 at 03:59 AM
Very pretty card love your idea..
I love the ocean too! I am from Cal too grew up in Glendora (Mom) and San Marino (Dad). Got married and we lived on Cape Cod then the company my husband works for moved us to Maine. I loved how Cal looked when I grew up nothing but farms and orchards from Pasadena to Cucamonga. So sad that they are gone! It was beautiful I remember happy cows and so many veg and fruit stands. We had a house on Balboa Island too and it was fun there. I loved visiting Carmel and Monterey it was so beautiful up there. I hope it still is. My sister lived in Sacto when she was in Med school it was fun too. I loved all the places I have lived but Maine the best now it is so beautiful here. The Cape is too crowded now we have to avoid it in the summer. Takes hours to get there now. I love that you are a happy person you reflect happy to us.. Thank you
Posted by: Karen Jackson | 07/25/2022 at 03:51 AM
What a beautiful card! I enjoyed hearing about your love of the Ocean. I have the same overwhelming love for the mountains. I live in the desert, but my happy heart place will always be in the coolness of the high Rockies. Possibly because I grew up in Colorado. I have so many lovely memories! I adore wax seals and used to use them often when I mailed letters and cards. I think it's time to get back to brightening someone's day with a seal. You are such an inspiration!! Thank you for sharing.
Posted by: Judy Kepler | 07/25/2022 at 03:16 AM