Hibiscus in Bloom

I picked a hibiscus from the yard yesterday so I could use it as a model to color this hibiscus stamp which was a gift from a friend. It was almost like I had hacked into the Sugar Creek Hollow challenge site because they asked us today to create a card inspired by a photo. Well, my cart actually came along before the horse because I just took the photo of my hibiscus this morning! Here it is:

I sponged Antique  Linen Distressed Ink to tone down the whiteness of the card stock and distressed the edges of the green mat. Used two pieces of ribbon (dots on one and dashes on the other) and added rhinestones. The Fancy Tags die cut was already laying on my desk; just sponged with Antique Linen again to tone down the white and added a sentiment from Gina K. Designs and more rhinestones! Added little seed beads to the butterfly stick pin. The background is a 12x12 piece of paper that I've had forever -- twelve by 12 collectible fine art paper -- Color Textures -- Garden Mist by Jennifer O'Meara. Love the graduated shading that had the colors of my image.

Thanks for the challenge, SCH! I promise I didn't hack into your website -- it was just great minds thinking alike!!
Betty

Layers (of Color) and a Warbler

Layers of Color is sponsoring the challenge at Play Date Cafe this week. My stamp is The Warbler by Layers of Color; the sentiment is also a Layers of Color stamp, from The Love Chapter set. Play Date Cafe set the colors of their challenge as Mauve, Egg Yolk, and Artichoke.

The warbler stamp qualifies my card to be entered into the challenges at the Pixie Dust Paperie October Challenge, which is to use a bird(s), and Stamps R Us which is "Nature's Gifts". 

Top Tip Tuesday is calling for layers and I have put a few of those on this card as well!

The ribbon looks like it's white but actually is So Saffron Grosgrain from Stampin' Up and I've put artichoke green rhinestones on the ribbon.

Speaking of Nature's Gifts, we had one of our new hibiscus to bloom today for the first time and it was spectacular -- do you want to see????? Well, here's a picture whether you want to or not! lol!

I feel so blessed to be experiencing the beauty of these flowers outside my window -- at our home in Texas we enjoyed the wildlife but because of the wildlife we weren't able to have beautiful flowers like these! I planted some irises once but the deer dug up the bulbs!!!

Hope you enjoyed my card and the flower and will come back to see me again soon!

Betty