Drum roll please.....

Here are the pictures that are the most fun to look at.  Smilin' Dawn...




Jonathan said, "your all over the place out there.  Your hands are way up here, your working too hard- what are you doing?' But he said it with an acent so it was all good!

 

If you look at these pictures compared to Alex's you can see how terrible my form is.  I need to lean more forward, weight in the front leg, relax my arms, lead with my hips, blablabla.

Today I pulled a muscle in my obliques- it hurts to take a breath.  I hope that the ice I have been putting on it and Advil from the Zachery Walmart will ease the pain and allow me to ski tomorrow.  If not I will have to write down all my ski tips and focus more on my jumping.  Josh said I should have a go!  Really everyone thinks I should try.  David has not agreed to it yet.

David having fun on Day 2

"I'm so happy to still be able to move!"

David had to beg me to take his picture, then I could only find two I thought were good enough to post.  I will get an earlier start tomorrow when he is not so sore.

Blair at Bennett's ski school Day2

Blair has taken to the wakeboard and is improving with every run.  He is getting lots of great tips from the instructors as well as another student who is doing wirlly birds and flips.  He was an instructor here before and is really good about giving advice. 

Alex at Bennett's Day 2

Alex has found his new love- slalom skiing.  The guys here -especially Brad, have discovered that Alex is a natural.  He enjoyed two hard runs today, and by the pictures you can see he has perfect form.

Day one

We have all had a run or two on the lake.  David statred us out on the wakeboard, and even though the guy before him was doing flips, this old man did a great job!

Alex went next on the knee board.  It didn't take long before he was facing backwards- I bet he will get lots of tricks under his belt before the week is out.
After Alex, Blair took his turn on the wakeboard.  He looked great!

Look closely to see Blair in the air!

Next was my turn.  The drivers changes out the boat to pull skiiers throught the slalom course.  I was a little stiff at first, but loosened up by the second pass.  Their tips were very helpful. 

We had a break for lunch which is prepared for us and waiting when the dinner bell rings.  Then we will take up to two more runs this afternoon. 
I have already had my Advil so maybe I can comb my hair tonight.  If not it won't matter- it is very laid back here and no one really cares. 

My week at ski school

This is my family's log about our stay is at Bennetts waterski school in Baton Rouge. Last summer I suggested to David that we find a waterski school for Blair to hone his skills at running the course on Smith Lake.  David said he had wanted to go to ski school since he was 16years old and if Blair went he was going too!  Here we are.  I have to admit, I am totally out of my element here.  Among our school mates there are kids (14 years or so) from Austria who are tournament skiiers.  They will be slalom, trick and jumping!  There is a family from Sweden.  I don't know much about them yet except I heard the dad say he had back trouble and wouldn't be skiing- he may be my friend for the week.  There is another guy who used to work here- back for a visit.  At the orientation meeting, they asked us to write what we can do, and our goals for the week.  This is my list:
1.  I can get up on one after a few times, and only if David, Donna or now Blair pulls me.
2.  I smile really big when I ski and usually scream with joy!
My goals:
1. To make it through the slalom course at least once.
2.  To have a cajun accent before I leave at the end of the week.
We will see how it goes!

Build a Blossom stamp set and Blossom Petal punch

Here  is a card made with the Blossom Petal Punch featured in the Stampin'Up! mini catalog.  There is a coordinating stamp set which makes building flowers a sinch!  I was inspired by a card made by Rita Wright, another SU demonstrator.  The important things I learned from this card are:

1.  Run the card stock through the Big Shot with the embossing folder first then fold in half and score.  Embossing the paper changes the size and shape just enough to throw of that clean fold.

2.  Dying the white ribbon with reinkers gives a cool variation in the ribbon.

3.  The Framed Tulips folder is beautiful, but getting a clean, centered image is a trick.  I found the best place for the paper to be in the folder then added tape to the outside of the folder so I can line up the paper each time to get a centered embossing on each card.

I hope this helps when you try using your Framed Tulips Embossing Folder.

Card Recipe: 

Build A Blossom stamp set

 Baja Blue, Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake card stock

Crumb Cake, Rose Red ink

First Edition Designer Series Paper, Pear Pizzaz DSP

Framed Tulip Embossing Folder, Blossom Petal Punch,White Taffeta ribbon, Old Olive reinker ,Pearls, dimensionals,  sponge daubers

Let me know if you have any questions.  Thanks for looking!

Dawn

Back to Baics workshop

I have been working on simple cards to teach at my workshop this week which is designed to teach new stampers how to stamp.  I had no idea it would be so hard to come up with basic stamping cards that looked great.  I was so happy to come up with this one.  It is very easy. 

To make this card: Flight of the Butterfly stamp set
Card Stock:  Whisper White, Wild Wasabi, Marina Mist
Ink:  Peach Parfait, Tangerine Tango. Wild Wasabi
pom pom trim, 1 3/8 square punch, 1 1/4 square punch, butterfly punch,Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder.

Love Ya Inlaid

 This is one of the cards we are making at our workshop this month.  It is using the inlaid method where you mesh paper together by running it through the Big Shot in an embossing folder.

To make this card, emboss the chocolate chip card stock with clear embossing powder.  Punch hearts out of card stock and decorative paper.  Lightly glue everything to the white background- here is where it gets fun!  Run the white piece with hearts and decorative paper strip through the Big Shot with the Top Note die to cut the shape.  Then run the shape through again with the Lattice embossing folder.  Your shape comes out looking like one piece of paper!  Its so cool!  I am anxious to try inlaid with other folders- let me know if you have done any interesting inlaid cards.





Nature Walk card

This is one of my  favorite set from the new Mini occasions catalog.  It took me a long time to get the card the way I wanted it.  It always amazes me how color can make or break a card.   

Nature Walk, French Script, Always Cheer stamp sets

Card Stock:  Very Vanilla, Pear Pizzazz,

Ink:  Garden Green, Pear Pizazz, Baja Blue

Accessories:  Hemp, Hodgepodge Hardware