Summer Begins with Free Photo Printables

For many, this weekend marks the beginning of summer.  It feels like summer, too, because it's the first hot weekend of the year in our area. It is also the time when people start heading to the beach areas again (a blessing and a curse to those living there throughout the year). Growing up in Jersey, we would say we were going "down the shore". Bruce Springsteen even references it in "Jersey Girl".
I miss being near the beach & I'm unable to get there anytime soon. So, with the beach on my mind, I am sharing some free photo printables with you. Both are pictures I took at the Jersey Shore. Click on the links and save to your computer. Let me know if you have any problems downloading.

For the artsy craftsy folks who want more, these pictures are part of my digital paper kit and collage sheets in my etsy shop SummerfallDesigns

Sand & Shells print

Down the Shore

Bridal Shower card and gift

I can't believe a year has gone by since I made this card and gift for my niece-to-be's bridal shower. It's now almost time for their 1st Anniversary!  Anyway, I thought I might share it for inspiration. 

I used some glittered pink paper for the card front and cut out the wedding dress from the Cricut Cartridge Sweethearts. I layered this over some swirl patterned vellum and added a few pearl heart stickers. Then I attached it onto a blank card and put the pearly heart on the envelope to match. Quick, pretty & I used a little more of my stash!

As part of the gift for the bride-to-be, I created a personalized decorative plate with their names, last initial and wedding date. I found the charger plate in Michael's and it was the perfect color for the wedding theme. I was fairly new to vinyl projects at the time, so now when I look at it I wish the placement was different and that I added something to the rim. I do love that M monogram, though!

I still have most of the personalized gifts I received for my bridal shower and appreciate the time and effort put into them. The framed, cross-stitched name & wedding date with a pearl border and a hand painted slate of a bride & groom with our name & date are both proudly hung in our home. 

What are some of the memorable handcrafted gifts you have received? I'd love to hear your comments!