Sunday, August 2, 2009

CCEE Birds and Bees and Hot Air Ballooning photos

Wow, it's been so long since I've written a blog post, I'm hoping I remember how. I just got home after 8 days of camping, and I got to go hot air ballooning over Lake Tahoe. I'll share some photos with you in a bit.

It's a new month, and that means a new challenge host for our CCEE (Cheers and Challenges Eager Eight- a group of eight friends that have been challenging each other for over 2 years) group. This month Cindy Motherway is our challenge hostess. I admit a bit of trepidation when she's in charge, cause she likes to be very creative. And sometimes we really have to step out of our boxes. But this month she's been pretty easy on us, and at the same time, pretty creative too. This week we had to make a card with Birds and Bees on it. No problemo...I have many direction choices I could have taken with that one.

I chose this sweet Whiff of Joy image called Willow with Strawberry Basket. I thought it would be charming to add the Whiff of Joy Fall Grass image, and a little bird from the Hero Arts Sparkle Clear: Hello Birdie set. The images were colored with copics.

I added some Kaisercraft Curls Wood flourishes to the bg, some gorgeous Ivory Silk Ribbon (May Arts), and a sweet little bee charm to complete my requirement. I'm sorry, but I don't remember where I got the bee from. Finally, I added a touch of Ultrafine Transparent Glitter with my trusty Quickie Glue Pen. The yummy decorative paper is Vagabond by Kaisercraft.

Too complete the card, I sewed around the edges and Ink distressed them with Frayed Burlap (Ranger Distress Ink).

We'd love it if you'd play along!! All you have to do is head on over to the CCEE Stamper's Blog for the details, and of course to see what the other gals have come up with this week.

Stamps: Willow and Strawberry Basket and Fall Grass (Whiff of Joy), Hello Birdie (Hero Arts)
Paper: Island Mist Dark (Prismatics), Neenah Solar and Natural White, Vagabond dp (Kaisercraft)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), Frayed Burlap (Ranger Distress)
Accessories: Copics, Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Glitter (JudiKins), Quickie Glue Pen, Wood Flourishes (Kaisercraft), Ivory Silk Ribbon (May Arts), Bee Charm, Dimensional Tape, Sewing Machine

Now for the hot air balloon photos. They are all unedited. The colors are exactly as we saw them. It just depended on the sun's location. You can click on the photos for a better view.

First of all, the sunrise as we were leaving the dock:



The four brave souls: My daughter, me, nephew and son



Looking up underneath the balloon right before it landed on the boat to pick us up. (we were the second group to go. The basket holds 12 passengers)



One of the gorgeous views we had of Lake Tahoe and Fallen Leaf Lake from the balloon:



The balloon's reflection in the water as they were airing it up: (the white specs in the photo are shells on the lake floor. The water is that clear.)


The boat where they air up the balloon, launch it, and deflate it from:



Looking straight up inside the balloon as they air it up:




I have many, many photos of our ballooning experience (airing it up, taking it down, and gorgeous scenery), but I won't bore you with all of them. These were some of my favorites. If you ever have the opportunity to hot air balloon over Lake Tahoe, CA, I highly recommend it. This was my second flight (I went up 7 years ago with my son), and I'd do it again in a second.

Happy Stamping my friends!!!

21 comments:

Cindy Haffner said...

Oh what fun Tosh!! ..and I love your card, so sweet.

StampOwl said...

Gorgeous card Tosh ... looks like you were checking to see what it is like to be a bit like a bird way up there in that hot air balloon

Sabrina said...

You could bore me with a lot more of those balloon photos -they are just AMAZING.
I think I had some bee charms like that, but I think I sent them to Anne Ryan reckoning she would be more likely to use them than me!

Jeanne Forsyth said...

Tosh, these are just beautiful! I have always wanted to do this... maybe someday~

Unknown said...

Your card is just beautiful, Tosh! And I am SO loving that Vagabond paper!

Great air balloon photos!!!

Leslie Miller said...

What a sweet card! I like how you managed to work in both the birds and the bees. Your balloon photos are professional quality. My absolute favorite is the reflection in the water. What a great experience!

Mothermark said...

Wowee Tosh! What wonderful pictures! So colorful and in focus! How did you do that? Hee!
What fun you must have had....I love to see you all together having fun.....

You card is precious and no buzzer for you except the buzzing bee hanging from your bow! Your coloring and cards are also such perfection! Welcome home! Bet you need a few days to relax....and do laundry! Snort!

Linda Carson said...

What a FUN & BEAUTIFUL ride!!

Sandra MacLean said...

Oh Tosh! Those photos are breathtaking!! I LOVE the brilliant colors! This card is also very beautiful, but then again, you made it, so it's always going to be a beautiful card! :) I must check out those wood flourishes. Thank you again for the inspiration Tosh. ((hugs))

Denise Marzec said...

Okay, EVERYTHING about this post is just BREATHTAKING!! Looooove the card with the soft/elegant DP and the vibrant colors you chose for the image. All your vacation photos....again, breathtaking!!! Looks like you had a lot of fun!

Joanne (jojot) said...

first...your card is soooooo YOU....just fabulous

And....those pics of Lake Tahoe and your balloon ride are fabulous....so happy you had a great time

Laura (scrapnextras) said...

Adorable card, and you were brave to ride a hot air balloon...again!!! Being afraid of heights...mostly vertigo with looking down, I would consider that suicidal, but your pictures are fabulous!! You go girl!!

Joan Ervin said...

Your card is sooo gorgeous, Tosh, with that beautiful image and the wood flourishes!!! I will be using some of those this week, too!!! I actually got goose bumps looking at your amazing pictures...WOW, girl...what a dream to be able to go up in that awesome balloon!!!! Great picture of your wonderful family, too!!!

Suzanne J Dean said...

Beautiful card Tosh--love the dp! And WOW--you're a brave girl (unlike me)-the ride looks fabulous & your pics are beautiful!

hugz,
Suzanne

Silke Ledlow said...

Your SK card is gorgoeus - Tosh!!! Your coloring is really awesome!!!

OMG - look at you...LOL...you are brave!!! I bet it was amazing!?!
Thanks for sharing your photos!!!

dpkennedy said...

Your card is so sweet and beautiful! Your layout is wonderful and I love that tiny bee charm!

Your pictures are great! Looked like a beautiful day and a beautiful view! Thanks for sharing!

And Happy Anniversary! 20 years?!! Woo hoo! Sorry I forgot to say the in the previous comment!!

Ida said...

What an adorable and sweet card. Super pretty.

Loved your balloon photo's. My favorite was the reflection of the balloon in the water.

Lorraine said...

What a beautiful card. I love bluebirds and this little scene is so precious.

I am amazed at your balloon ride. I've never heard of a balloon taking off from and landing on a boat! Your pictures are wonderful. I'm so glad I came to take a look!

Dawn said...

OMWord! how awesome the balloon pics!! you are sooooo brave!

and, yes, there are bees on my card, you didn't read did you...LOL

oh yeah...nice card too *wink*

and what a hunk Justin*e* is!!

Rose Ann said...

Your card is so sweet, Tosh! I love your layout, stitching, and swirls!! Your bow is perfect as well!!

How exciting and amazing to go in a hot air balloon! Your pictures are fabulous and wonderful!! We attend a local Balloon Festival almost every year...and it's exciting just to watch them all take off!! I can't imagine what it must be like to ride!!

deb mills said...

it sounds and looks like you had a wonderful vacation. i would love to go up in a hot air balloon, but don't know if i'd be brave enough to. i have a thing with heights. you go, girl!!

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