CHALLENGE REMINDER

Donna's By the Sea LI Template #L1042.

Good morning everyone.  Just a reminder to check back on Wednesday as we begin our July Challenge of summer ideas!  Today, in San Diego, it is actually drizzling a bit and much cooler than it has been most of June.  It's actually kinda nice and my tomato bushes are loving the attention.  I hope you all are having an amazing day and if you have any summer ideas, please send them to me!

Embossing joys, :-) Donna

JULY TEMPLATE CHALLENGE ARRIVING SOON!

Barbara's Summer Ice Cream using L.I. Templates
#S711, #S474, and #S440.

Oh my goodness, where did June go?  We did have the normal June gloom most mornings but the rest of the days were beautiful.  July is on its way and so is the next template challenge ... anything summer.  My friend Barbara is usually the last one to send her projects and trust me, I wait on pins and needles for them to arrive.  She surprised me yesterday by sending two adorable cards ... the one above and one I will post later.  I love the sun she used and that smiling guy is truly one of my favorites.  Great layering technique and look at those tiny flip flops!  And the ice cream?  Well, that just makes me hungry for some!  I hope this card will inspire you to bring on your own summer fun.

Happy Embossing, :-) Donna

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

Donna's Parents

Good morning everyone.  The picture above is of my parents on their wedding day in October 1944.  My dad was in the Navy and my mom was a civilian working on the base where my dad was stationed here in San Diego.  I was born a year later and my sister was born two years after me.  We lived in Southern California most of the time but often visited Texas where my dad's family lived.  I've since lived all over and my parents are both gone.  I'd like to take this opportunity, however, to wish all dads a Happy Father's Day ... including the love of my life ... Happy Father's Day Dick!
XO  :-)  Donna

FOREVER FRIENDS

Lidia's Zoo Birthday Card using LI Template #L9214.

Good morning everyone.  During my crafting adventures, I have  met some wonderful people who  have become life long friends. When I started embossing, I joined two embossing Yahoo Groups:  The Bossy Group and Embossing Exchange.  For years we sent embossed cards and projects to one another living all over the U.S., Canada, England, Australia and even Brazil!  While both of those two groups have long gone, the friendships I've made are still very strong.  I recently heard from my friend Lidia who lives in Brazil.  She decided to join June's Challenge with these cards:

Lidia's Sand Castle using LI Templates #L9216, #L1042 and #M10.

Lidia's Surf's Up using LI Template #M10.  I love the tiny buttons
she used on the shirt.  :-)

Lidia's Surf's Up2 using LI Template @M10.

To Lidia and all my crafting friends, over the years, thank you so much for always supporting me and for all of your wonderful cards and projects.  I look forward to sharing with you in July!  I am always looking for new ideas and if you have any with a summer theme, please email me.  I would love to have you join us.  Happy embossing, :-) Donna.

LET THE SUMMER FUN BEGIN!

Donna's Surf's Up LI Template #M10.

Today in San Diego it will be 97 degrees and definitely ... summer is well on its way!  I thought I would post a few of my old summer cards and suggest that July's Template Challenge be all about summer!  If you care to join the challenge, please send me any ideas you have using a summer-like image from Lasting Impressions.  Here are a few older ideas to get you started:

Donna's By the Beach LI Template #L9215 Shaker Card
.

Donna's Bikini LI Template #L9307

Donna's Flip Flops LI Template #L9113

Donna's Happy Birthday Hot Dog LI Template #L9305.

Donna's Watermelon LI Template #L9309

Donna's Ice Cream LI Template #L8485

Donna's Ice Cream2 LI Template #S440

I fear this blog post just made me hungry for Ice Cream.  LOL  While we wait for the July 1st Template Challenge, please feel free to send me any cards or projects at dndlane@aol.com or Luv2Emboss@aol.com, in the meantime, that you would like to see on the blog.  It can be embossed or stamped, summer or not, just enjoyed this gorgeous weather and create something wonderful.  Happy Embossing, :-)  Donna

MY UTAH SISTER!

Good morning everyone!  Have I mentioned that my "Utah Sister" -- from another mother -- is nuts!  Yep ... absolutely and the easiest person to tease and make her laugh.  Our normal phone calls last an hour or more and trust me, we are laughing the whole time.  Isn't laughter wonderful ... especially when laughter has been hard to come by with this pandemic!   Anyway, what I wanted to tell you, that I forgot in my last post, the reason Kaye was delayed in sending me her June Challenge card was because she was busy playing with her real sister, Debbie, and her niece Nicole.  This is what they were making:

She says, the gnome was at the beach, enjoying the sun and the flamingo, and notice the gnome has white sun screen on his nose, and he has sharks over his shoulder.  I'm not sure the sun screen will protect him from the sharks but, he does look like he is having a good time and I know Kaye had fun.  I hope you all are doing something fun too!  Happy embossing.  :-) Donna

NEED A VACATION?

Good morning everyone.  Apparently, Ms. Kaye needs a vacation and sent me this adorable card to post.  It's her June Challenge Card and mighty cute:

Kaye's Vacation June Challenge using LI
Template #M10.

Kaye's Card Inside LI Template #M10 Vacation.

In case you can't tell, this poor girl needs a vacation from the stay-cation at home!  :-)   I think everyone is pretty tired of staying home and some things are opening up but, I'm not sure things will get back to "normal" any time soon.  In the meantime, perhaps I can entertain you with this quick story about my vacation with Kaye in late 2018:

Unbeknownst to Kaye, McDonald's is not my favorite place to eat for reasons I will not bore you with here.  Bottomline, I was so excited to visit Kaye; she picked me up at the airport; and, took me to dinner ... at McDonald's.  OMG, now mind you, I did not say a word.  She ordered us burgers, cokes, and fries and one burger for the cutest little dog, who sat perched between us with unavoidable eye contact.  Hmmmmmm, that would be one eye because Scooter only has one eye!  :-)  A couple of days later, I finally got the nerve up to tell Kaye that while I love "fine dining," McDonald's would  not be my first choice for our first dinner together in Utah.  OMG, we have laughed about this for years and I tease her, unmercifully, every chance I get.  "Give me Chick-Fil-A"  ... but not McDonald's!  LOL  She did make up for that first meal by going out for dessert and a photo sometimes just says it all:

I love ya, my Utah sister and thanks for all the laughter and your very cute card!  Happy embossing everyone ... and go eat something wonderful like the blueberry/rhubarb pie I just took out of the oven.  It is heavenly ... with ice cream of course!  :-)  Donna

JUNE IDEAS CONTINUE

Donna's Feelin' cooped up chicken -- stamp by Woodware.

Good morning everyone.  Feelin' a little cooped up?  I sure am and it seems like this pandemic has brought along some small problems with it that I did not anticipate.  For example, my husband's much needed knee surgery was postponed; our home telephone line into the house broke; our wonderful TV of some 20 years finally died; our oven broiler is no longer working; and now I'm sitting at my computer just waiting for the next egg to fall ... or is it shoe?  :-)  Here are some more ideas using the June Challenge Template.  So cute!

Barbara's Zoo Train using LI Template #L9214.

Julie's Zoo Birthday using LI Template #L9214 with faux stitching!

Karie's Father's Day Card using LI Templates #M10 (Surf's Up),
#L9413 (Truck), #L9700 (Monkey) and #L9215 (Sun).

Donna's Zoo Window Flaps.  This is the "closed" look of
LI Template #L9214.

Donna's Zoo Window Flaps opened.

Donna's Zoo Window Flaps Card inside.

Donna's Easel Card using LI Template #L9214 (Zoo).  The inside
reads, "Happy Father's Day."

I hope you will come back often for more ideas coming this month.  Please stay safe and healthy as we make our way through this pandemic.  Happy embossing, :-)  Donna

COWABUNGA!

Donna's Surf's Up Step-Up Frame using  LI Templates #M10 (Surf's Up) and #L9826 (Gnome).

Cowabunga is right ... June has arrived and this silly gnome has surfed his way to San Diego and on my Blog!  OMG ... you won't believe all the fun ideas he has brought with him.  Take a look at these cards and projects.  You are going to love them!

Barbara's Zoo Truck using LI Templates #L9413 (Truck) and #L9214 (Zoo).

Julie's Happy Birthday Zoo using LI Template #L9214 (Zoo).

Karie's Step Card using LI Templates #M10 (Surf's Up), #L951 (wave),
#L9215 (By the Beach), #L9216 (Sand Castle), #L9260 (Summer Fun),
#L9533 (Hi Sign), and #s472 (three stars).

Jan's Step Card using LI Templates #M10 (Surf's Up) and #L9214 (Zoo).  Jan used Colored
Impressions' Software and did some fun faux stitching.

Nettie's Surf's Up using LI Templates #M10 and #S711 (Sun).

I have a few more to show you tomorrow but, I will end today with a really cute idea I pinched from Pinterest.  It put a smile on my face and I hope my version will make you smile too! 

Happy Embossing, :-)  Donna

Donna's "Thanks a Ton" TP Humor using LI Templates #L9214 (Zoo) and #L9190 (tag).