Hello Adventure!

Happy Thursday, everyone! It's hard to believe we're so close to the weekend once again; harder still to believe that last week today I was climbing the grand dune at Cape Kiwanda in Pacific City, Oregon, supping 'til sunset at the ocean's edge, and gazing at a billion stars in the pre-dawn dark.  Yesterday heralded my return to work prepping for a full summer of teaching.  You know you've had a pretty good vacation (despite a few bumps and bruises along the way) when you return to work excited to get back down to business and catch up with, in my case, the kids!

I am equally excited to share with you the mini-journal I created, partly inspired by our current Challenge that began yesterday!  Check it out and play along!  If you need some more inspiration (as if that were possible!), check out what I have to offer below!

I have been making mini-albums for about a year.  You can check out my first here (you'll notice a couple of familiar faces from this DT!) and a recent one for my student over at my Instagram @pinnednpenned #absolutelywonderfulalbum

I have featured a stamp set I adore, Whale of a Tail, by Carta Bella, which is available in the store.

I have also kept with the colors and theme of our current challenge throughout the journal--pinks, limes, tropical.  I suppose this mini would be much better suited for my Hawaii trip, but hey, who really needs pineapples and humidity, and what's a little wind, when you have sun and sand stretching forever before you?!

I stamped the whale on vellum and heat embossed, then fussy cut.  We were lucky enough to see a grey whale very close up at the Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area, and later ate (well, attempted to eat before a migraine took me down) at a gorgeous new restaurant Albatross in Astoria.  I totally fell in love with Astoria on this trip--its restaurants, coffee, boutiques, seafaring history, and beer culture.  I can't wait to go back! 

You can see the little flap pocket I made (on the right in above photo) which I have stuffed with some Carpe Diem Bits and Pieces.

This little mini within my mini has been embellished with Simple Stories Carpe Diem products (anchor, sentiment sticker) also found in the store.

Here's the inside embellished with the Carta Bella stamps; Delicata Gold embossed on vellum for the lighthouse and adventure sentiment stamped with Hero Arts Ombre Pink.  All available in the store.

Here's what's fun about this little book-- see the epoxy button flair?  I cut out one of the Simple Stories Carpe Diem Insta Quote stickers and adhered a clear epoxy button.  Voila, flair!

The papers you see are a combination of digitally printed papers from The Lilypad and some old Michael's kraft 12x12 which has a combo of journaling cards and papers.  Perfect for minis!

What adventure are you ready for?

It's so hard to come to the end of  a journey!

Here are the Carpe Diem stickers I plan to use with photos and journal pages, and a few more flair buttons I made from the collection.

I'll leave you with a few favorite pics from the trip, soon to grace the pages of my album!

At Devils Punchbowl

Foyer of the Commodore Hotel in Astoria

Street 14 Coffee attached to the Commodore.

Thanks so much for indulging me and reliving a bit of a wonderful trip with me today!

Happy trails and crafting to you!