Snowbird Take Me With You

4/2/15                                                                                              I recently reconnected with an oooooold friend of mine - a hardy "Mainer" who I discovered has finally abandoned the bitter Maine winters and become a Florida snowbird.  Since I began my Pink Ink teaching "career" I have made three trips to Florida - up one side, down the other and a few treks across the middle.  I feel like I'm getting to know the state and it's loveable quirks just a little bit.  I love teaching classes to the snowbird population.  They are great students - fun, enthusiastic and very happy to be out of the deep freeze and in "the land of gentle breezes where the peaceful waters flow".  It's taken me a while (being a native of sunny California) to get around to exploring Florida, but explore it I have, from Fleming Island in the NE to Sanibel Island in the SW.  One of my favorite experiences has been criss-crossing the state on the meandering county roads (not all paper stores are on a major highway).  On these roads I look for traces of the "old" Florida - orange juice stands, baby alligator tourist traps, shell markets and neighborhoods made up of low slung bungalows, festooned with awnings and palm shaded patios  and decorated with those ubiquitous 50's yard flamingos.  I've come to love those birds.  They make me smile and think of simpler times, when communities didn't have gates and people lounged in their lawn chairs in the evening and yakked with their neighbors.  Wherever we are from, I think we all need a little "snowbird" escapism from time to time and I hope these funny fellows will remind you of sunnier times and climes.  This is a brand new stamp: Yard Flamingo No. 2250 (stamped x3) that colors up easily with just 6 Prismacolors (yeay!).  I used Black #935, Cool Grey 50% #1063, Deco Pink #1014,  Pink #929, Carmine Red #926 and Canary Yellow #916 (plus a few more for the added "doodle flags" and sun).  All decorative papers are from ©Doodlebug Designs. P.S.  Congrats to everyone who spotted that the fake green "grass" is from the local sushi stand!