Guest Post and Free Printables

Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, where rain and grey clouds make up about 90% of our daily weather, basically guarantees a love affair with summertime- it's a rare beautiful event that brings adventures and laughter, salt air and starry nights and the most magical of memories.

I grew up an avid camper. From as far back as I can remember, when the summer sun finally came out and stayed out, we'd pack our car full of gear- barely enough room in the back for me (worse if I brought a friend along)- and off we'd go for a week or two or three. From the mountains to the desert to the ocean to the lake. As long as there was a campsite available in a State Park with "nice bathrooms," we were on the road. We spent a lot of time in a lot of different places, but one of my favorite destinations to camp was along the Oregon Coast, where I'd bake in the hot sand and boy watch with blissful abandon. 

Now that I am a parent, I love having the opportunity to carry on the summer tradition of the outdoor life. We're putting a bit of money away and keeping our eyes open for a potential RV to pack our little family into when we camp with my parents in Lake Chelan, WA; and I've got my Accuweather iPhone app programmed to give me quick access to weather forecasts in Belfair, WA along the Hood Canal where my husband's family shares a beach house, so we can pack up at a moment's notice to escape for a few days of salty sea swimming and sunshine. 

It was during one of those extended sea side trips last summer when I sat down and started sketching some ideas for prints and designs inspired by our summer life- and today I wanted to share some of those with you.