I was working on this card for today's OCL blog hop and this week's OCL challenge (a sketch) when my friend Wendy skyped to say hi. We were discussing ideas for the Friday Free4All and she said something that immediately reminded me of Aloha Fridays.
We lived in Hawaii (on Oahu) for the first four years we were married, and I worked (as a physical therapist) at a downtown Honolulu hospital. Every Friday was Aloha Friday, when all the employees were invited to "dress down" and wear their comfy muu muus and Aloha shirts and jeans to work. Hawaii is its own little "melting pot" of people: the true Hawaiians, Japanese, Chinese, Samoans, lots of other Polynesians, the hau'oli (foreigners/newcomers...although this is a derogatory term) and so many more! I loved the multi-cultural atmosphere there, so it fits Wendy's original concept perfectly. Hope you had fun with it!
This stamp set, Shower of Blessings, illustrated by Marianne Walker, is perfect for today's challenge, and is a great Spring/Easter set that is really fun to
color!
Incidentally...I bought an authentic Hawaiian ukulele right before we moved back to the mainland, but in all these years, never learned to play it. Last year our friend took his ukulele when we went on mission to Costa Rica and we had so much fun with it! We decided to buy Matthew (ds, 17) one for his birthday last Friday. This week we have been learning to play together!
Aloha a hui hou! (until we meet again!)
Date: Friday, February 25, 2011 GMT Views: 769
Favorited:5
Stamps: Shower of Blessings, Oriental Garden (sentiment)
Paper: Kaiser Craft Lush
Ink: Memento, Tim Holtz tea dye distress ink
Accessories: Copic markers, Spellbinders' borders 2, Circle and Petite Oval Nestabilities, Tim Holtz trimmings, Copic markers, Kaiser Craft Pearls, Petaloo flower, Bow Easy
Registered: September 3, 2007 Location: native Texan living in extreme N. GA Posts: 73400
Fri, Feb 25, 2011 @ 8:36 AM
Wonderful Asian take on the challenge, Deb! You're so right about Hawaii being the Pacific melting pot. I have such wonderful memories...some silly, like being up at the Pali and how the wind turned my pockets inside out. Or the Hare Krishnas selling cookies at Hanauma Bay. Or the older (much older) Brazillian couple wearing thong bikinis on Wakikiki. I'd go back in a heartbeat, though I hope the Brazillians have gone home, lol!
Registered: April 18, 2009 Location: Boston suburbs, MA Posts: 14060
Sun, Feb 27, 2011 @ 8:51 AM
What a fun and fabulous idea for the Free For All challenge this week, Deb! So glad you were able to inspire Wendy. Your card is so sweet with wonderful Asian touches. Those bunnies are adorable.
------------------------------ ~ Emily ~ My BLOG
My kids are on SCS: ponyluvingirl (age 14) and Legoboy (age 10)
I'm a Punchkateer! ~ I design for DeNami Design Rubber Stamps