Summer Lovin' Challenge

Flourishes is having a Summer Lovin' Challenge. If you'd like to play along, make a card inspired by the photo above or inspired simply by SUMMER. You have until Friday, April 12 at 5 pm EST to enter your card, and please make a card only for this challenge. You'll have an opportunity to win the entire Flourishes April Release! If you use Flourishes stamps, your card counts as two entries -- this is what I have done (stamp set is Flourishes Sweet Days of Summer) and here's my card that is inspired by summer.......

Does this stamp ever make me think of summers of my childhood! I don't remember a sprinkler but we definitely had a water hose and that provided hours of fun during hot Mississippi summers! Thank goodness I had a sister -- we'd take turns squirting each other!! And how much fun was it to hold that hose straight up and have the water fall back down on you. (we also had lots of fun playing out in the rain too when it was hot outside!)

Since my card has a red color scheme going on, I thought I'd share a picture of a little red visitor to our yard. This is a Vermilion Flycatcher and is the most beautiful red and black -- it's hard to miss them when they are perched outside on the fence or utility line because their color is so brilliant!

Adios for now,
Betty

Collage Card

I tried a new technique today after watching Papertrey Ink's Make It Monday challenge featuring Dawn McVey. She challenged us to use different stamps to create a collage effect on a card.

The stamps I used are Papertrey Ink (sentiment and gingham background), Stampin' Up (green foliage), Clear Art Stamps (birds), Autumn Leaves (lace), and Martha Stewart (scallop flower).

Mine didn't turn out nearly as good as Dawn's example or many of the other gorgeous cards posted for this challenge, but, hey -- I gave it a try and the winner is chosen by a random draw so I'll still have a chance to win!!!! A couple of things I really do like about my card is how the largest bird looks like it is saying "Happy Birthday" and the fact that I went out of my comfort zone in order to create it!

Speaking of going out of my comfort zone, we had lunch with friends today and I had a chance to try something new -- cactus salad! I have to admit that it wasn't my favorite but I did enjoy the homemade cactus tortillas we had with the chicken fajitas!! Here's a picture of my (mostly) delicious lunch......

Trying new things is a good thing!
Betty

Single Layer Card

I normally don't have lots of luck with single layer cards -- it always seems to me like there is a little something missing! But I made this card yesterday and was very pleased with how it turned out. It's difficult to see in the photo but I first embossed a scalloped circle onto the white layer. Next I stamped the flowers from Gina K. Designs Elegant Flowers inside the circle and used colored pencils and baby oil to color and blend. The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink, Gracious Vases; two corners were rounded off from the white panel and the card base and after adhering the white panel to the base, the card was done! Very simple and sweet!!

Wanted to share another photo with you today. We had a wonderful Easter service with inspiring music and sermon. To close out this fabulous Easter service we had some lively picking and singing of the old gospel song I'll Fly Away. Loved it!!

Hope your week is going well!
Betty

Masculine Birthday

This is my card for the Seize the Birthday challenge this week to make a masculine card with the following sketch.

Hoping you all have a wonderful day!
Betty

Watercolor Embossing

My card was made using the technique from Make It Monday with Papertrey Ink, which involves watercolor stamping and embossing. The flowers are from a Martha Stewart two step stamping set. The sentiment stamp is from Papertrey Ink, Gracious Vases and the background for the sentiment is a gingham background stamp from PTI. The watercolor technique was a little bit messy but sometimes messy can be fun!

Check out the link and perhaps you'll want to give this technique a try too!

Betty

Alter Something

This is my card for the challenge at Joan's Gardens this week.

Here are the requirements:

• Use a square
• Alter something...even if it is a card
• Use flower paper...you can make it 
• You must use something sold at Joan's Gardens on your card.

My 2 inch square frame has rounded corners. The frame and the flower are a purchased embellishment.

The flowered paper is from an old Colorbok 12x12 paper book designed by Tracy Porter.

The thing I used that is sold at Joan's Gardens is a Cuttlebug folder. The folder that I used (Checkerboard) is no longer produced but Joan has plenty of embossing folders for sale. If you don't see what you want, just let her know and she'll be able to get it for you. One good thing (there are many) about Joan's Gardens is that she only charges you for the actual mailing costs -- no price gouging on shipping!! By the way, this embossing folder also features squares!!

My altered something is a card. Here is a picture of the card that I chose to alter.

Hope you have time to play in this challenge too  -- let's see what you come up with to alter!

Betty

A Challenge at Joan's Gardens

My cardmaking style is layered, clean and simple, but I think I've managed to capture all of the requirements for the challenge at Joan's Gardens, which are:

• Use black and white
• Use an embossing folder
• Use flowers, pearls and lace
• Use something sold at Joan's Gardens

As you can tell right away, I've used black and white. Also used a favorite embossing folder from Stampin' Up, Square Lattice. For many years my favorite has been Swiss Dots; guess now I have two favorites!

Got two requirements done with one swoop -- my Memory Box Prim Poppy die was purchased from Joan's Gardens. I have a flourish of lace and the pearls are quite subtle (meaning you have to hunt to find them!!). I've put a pearl at the center of the flower on the lace and at the left side of the sentiment frame. The stamps are from the set Wedding by Inkadinkado, which I purchased on my last trip to the States in June of last year.

By the way, I won't be traveling back to the States this summer; instead my daughter is coming to see me!! I'm so excited -- I've been here in Mexico for two years (can it really be????) and this will be the first time she's come -- can't wait to show her around "my town"!

Bye for now,
Betty