Summer Scenes

To me, this is the quintessential summer scene:

The new challenge at Crafty Creations Challenges today is to create a summer scene on your card or other paper-crafted project. Growing up near Georgian Bay meant many summer days spent on the water. So for me, this IS summer. You can't see from the photo, but through some fortuitous alchemy, the combination of black ink, clear embossing powder and Twinkling H2Os gives the trees a perfect greenish tinge when the light strikes them the right way. I made this for a friend who recently discovered he has cancer. I thought the serenity of the image struck the right tone. I'm linking this card up to the latest CASology challenge -- the cue word is "relax". 

My second card is a less literal interpretation, but I think still makes a summery scene. Being out in the garden (or among the container plants on the deck!) is also a big part of summer for me. That little butterfly was punched from some random flyer, and just happened to work perfectly with the blue chalk ink of the watering can and tools. I'm going to link this card to Moxie Fab World's movement challenge, because I like the way the eye moves along the different elements of this card. (As usual, I'm sure it's the 'innovative' part of the challenge that will do me in. :P) 
Our generous sponsor this week at Crafty Creations Challenges is Whimsy Stamps. I'm just glad it's a challenge that lets me hang on to summer a bit longer! Why not link up your summer scene? 
P.S. We're introducing some terrific new design team members today! Come check out their beautiful creations! 

Supplies: (shore scene) white & blue cardstock, watercolour paper, Stampscapes lakeside cove stamp, Versafine onyx black ink, clear embossing powder, Twinkling H2Os, watercolour paint; (garden friends) white & red cardstock, Papertrey Ink Garden Variety stamps, Versamagic Aegean blue, red magic & Spanish olive chalk inks, Martha Stewart butterfly punch, Marvy Uchida corner-rounding punch