Stamping Again!!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!!  We had a very sweet Christmas at our house...the time with my daughter and son-in-law passed by too quickly, though, but was sweet!!  I LOVE Christmas, but am ready to put all the decorations away and begin the new year... I am REALLY ready for Spring...my son-in-law informed me that Winter had just begun the day before I proclaimed this to everyone...oh well...I'm still ready for it anyway...and with Christmas over, we're on our way to it!!
With my sister home in Miami and my children home in Nashville, the craft room is once again mine...but will admit that getting the mojo back is slow going...what fun being able to spend time with my stamps and paper again, though!!!
Had need of a guy birthday card, and he has a love of music(has an incredible voice), so had to have music on it somewhere. My husband puts the Beatle's Birthday song on other's Facebook pages for their birthdays, so thought the sentiment was PERFECT!!

So nice to have so many star dies...used Stampin Up and Papertrey Ink's dies, along with a Fiskar star punch. Here's what I did:  Used a 2" strip of bazzill java paper.  The top cut out is the punch, the bottom two are Papertrey Ink die cuts.  I used dotted red bazzill paper and thin chip board for the stars, the top and bottom are the 2 smallest Stampin Up die cut stars, the middle one is the star punch.  The sentiment is Hero Arts, the score is Stampendous.  Yeah!!... it's good being back...hope to visit you all soon!!!!
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Merry Christmas!!

I just wanted to say Merry Christmas to all you who visit, read, and comment on my blog!  I hope you all have a wonderfully blessed and very happy Christmas!!

After starting this blog at the end of March this year, I have had the most amazing time not only sharing my cards and life with others, but of  meeting and getting to know SO many wonderful women...inspired by their lives and artistry!!  I am so thankful for all you who take the time to leave comments...you have been such an encouragement to me in so many ways!!  It has been a fantastic year, can hardly wait to start the new one...see you soon!!  Hugs!! xx-oo  Lisa:

Less is More...Let it Snow and One Layer...a Little Late.

This has been a crazy wonderful week for my son and family...my son was given a van on Tuesday...a TOTAL surprise and our Christmas miracle!!!!  I have been out with Noah for the last couple days, today he had his first haircut at the barbershop in a year(I had been trying to keep his hair trimmed, but getting him there had been too challenging so I took to cutting it).  I have been crying and crying (in a good way), what an INCREDIBLE BLESSING!!  You can read more on Noah's Wheels the site my sister Rebecca began earlier this year to raise money for our Noah...she is incredible....our Thanks to the We Promise Foundation and all who were a part of our son's gifts...what an incredible BUNCH of people...we are so loved and love them so!!!
All that to say, with my sister here, and all this going on, making cards and getting to other's blogs was not on the radar.  I made a card for the Less is More Let it Snow challenge just now, but it is 6pm and I am too late because going by the time in the UK, it is 11pm and the challenge closed an hour ago, their time....but I am going to put it up anyway!

The image stamps are Darcie's and the sentiment from Penny Black. Stamped and colored with SU inks, water and paint brush(pretty in pink, regal rose and crumb cake)...kind of watercoloring, but on bazzill paper.  Added light pink rhinestones in centers of each snowflake....hope you have a great weekend....One week until Christmas...EEK...still so much to do!!!
Hugs to you, thanks for visiting!!! Lisa

A Thank You in Pink and Olive

My sister is visiting, so...stamping's on hold until Thursday...BUT...I stamped this image before her arrival, cut it out while we were talking the other night, colored(while talking to my mom) and put it on a card all while she was in the shower this morning....I just HAD to make a card...I AM funny, huh....lol!!

This is a stamp from Inkadinkado, the sentiment, as well.  I stamped, cut out and colored with Old Olive, Certainly Celery, Regal Rose and Melon Mambo for the pinks.  layered on textured old olive and white bazzill paper.  See you Thursday or Friday!
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

A Pink Get Well

This card was a departure from all the "Christmas Red and Green"...

Super simple...a Penny Black stamp colored with old olive and certainly celery...dotted with pink Liquid Pearls, with Hero Arts sentiment and layered on old olive and textured pink pirouette, with pink ribbon. I don't know what it was, but this card made me happy?!  Maybe it was the pink...BUT...it's already in the mail as I'm writing...what joy to actually send a card I've just made....lol!!
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

More Poinsettias

I had been intrigued with how my paper looked when I would die cut a poinsettia to make a layered flower for recent cards.  I decided that I would attempt to make a card with the cut outs being the card in lieu of a layered flower.  I also remembered Jenny's CARD(one of my forever favorites!!)...so this was a card of many inspirations!!

 Layered with Poppy Parade paper and used Doodlebug chunky brads(cool how they come in 3 different sizes) and used Martha Stewart holly punch with red rhinestones and a sentiment from Hero Arts.  I then took the cut out dies and made this card:

Used some ribbon I bought at Michael's, bazzill silver paper,  and used the idea for the yellow middle from another stamper's card(but can't remember where...but WONDERFUL idea for a poinsettia middle) a die from Sizzix(flowers and branch) and a sentiment from Hero Arts which I stamped in versamark and white embossed. I put foam dots of different layers underneath the petals for added dimension(might not do well mailed, but will be sending to my mom and dad in a box with their presents:)!!  Just liked how it looked puffed up a bit...
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Less is More 44...GREEN

The challenge for Less is More this week is to use the color green.  My daughter had a party with friends here last night, so Noah and I took to my craft room and watched Polar Express and Home Alone 2...and I made cards!!  What fun!!  Here's what I came up with...fast and easy(the cards AND post)!

 The first one uses a single stamp from Inkadinkado.  I stamped in Old Olive, colored letters of sentiment in Old Olive and flourish in Certainly Celery.  I dotted with 5 celery colored rhinestones and popped up on Old Olive card

 Stamped this flourish...what can I say, it was a flourish kinda night.... from Papertrey Ink's Silent Night in Always Artichoke, the sentiment (from the same set) also in Artichoke and dotted with silver pearls

This third one has blue in it...couldn't escape the sky.  The trees are two stamps from Heartfelt Creations.  Stamped both stamps in Artichoke(loving that green!!)...sponged with bashful blue, masking a bit for the clouds and under the trees...added Hero Arts sentiment and dotted with white gel pen for snow in sky and on trees...I PROMISE there's snow...you need to click on the picture to look closer!  Initially was  a bit stumped by the green, but once I started thinking about things other than trees, it became fun!!
Must run...have to brush up on chapter 3 of Algebra before my tutee gets here (yes, I looked it up, one who is tutored is a tutee...I won't tell him that!!)....have a great day!!!
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Yet Another Christmas Card

I made the holly panel for this card weeks ago...decided I HAD to finish it...so made the poinsettia today and have yet another card for Christmas!  It may seem funny, and I don't know how many other stampers are like me, but I don't really send many cards out at Christmas.  My daughters, and their friends  are enjoying many of my Christmas cards this year...I simply enjoy making them:):):)!!!

I made the panel with the holly using a sizzix stamp and die combo.  You stamp the image, then emboss it with the matching folder.  I put some sand colored ink on the inside of the folder before running it through...a technique that  Jennifer McGuire showed us in the Christmas Boot Camp Class some weeks ago.  I then used the layered die from Spellbinders for the poinsettia and Martha Stewart holly punch for the leaves.  The sentiment is from Hero Arts, versamarked and white embossed and the swirled background on the red card is a stamp I bought on ebay...it says JRL Designs on the side of the very large background stamp(all this time I had thought it was Stampin Up...go figure...lol!!) stamped with versamark for added dimension.  Put a glittery red stick on dot in the center of the flower...have some more cards to show you tomorrow, when the sun is out and I can once again take decent pictures:)!!
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

FTL169

I made this card for Clean and Simple's FTL169 challenge sketch...my card and the sketch:

                   

I used a stamp set and die from Papertrey Ink(Sweet Baby).  I cut out the giraffe and attached her to a die cut piece of chip board for stability.  The paper I used for this card was from Close to My Heart.  I also used the lacey nestie from Spellbinders and dotted embossing folder from Sizzix.  Added brown pearls around the circle and ribbon around the giraffe's neck.  What I thought was SO neat was that, UNINTENTIONALLY, the giraffe has an EYE...AND a flower atop her head...toooooooo funny!!!  I think, because of the patterns, my card looks a little complex, but clean and simple it really is:)!!!
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

One Layer Wednesday72...Variations on a Sentiment

I haven't been a part of a One Layer Wednesday challenge in FOREVER...and as difficult and super challenging as this week's challenge was, I was super intrigued!!  The challenge was:
1) use ONLY a sentiment stamp on your card...no other stamps or embellishments allowed!
2) use a NON-STANDARD size for your card
3) make at least two cards using the same stamp that vary something (color, type of ink, technique, placement of the stamp, size of card)
Susan's words, following her cards were what made this challenge possible for me:
Some of you may find this challenge particularly difficult because a single sentiment looks so excruciatingly clean and simple. Look for really interesting sentiments in your stash, and then think how you could make it even more interesting with colors, placement, shape of card. If you must, consider embossing lines to frame your sentiment, masking and sponging, using resist techniques, etc. Just don't use any other stamps or embellishments.
I started out not fully reading the challenge and made two standard sized cards, then cut one and left the other one...they will be at the end...here's what I made last night:

The Thinking Of You stamp is from Hero Arts.  The first one, I stamped with versamark and clear embossed.  I then masked above and below with Eclipse tape and sponged Black Soot distress ink over the sentiment.  I then scored two lines on top and bottom with Martha Stewart Score Board. This card and the next are 4"x 8"

 This one I stamped sentiment at same line of gridded acrylic block on card ...starting with middle sentiment and then placed part of same on either side.  Stamped with Taken With Teal and clear embossed each separately.  Dotted with black marker in between sentiments and scored on top and bottom.

This one was the one that I cut down...lol!! It is 4" x 5".  I stamped with versamark and embossed with black.  Then I punched 5 hearts with SU punch on typing paper, and placed over the sentiment....Susan did say we could sponge and mask???!!...No stamps were used in the making of these hearts...here is my scrap paper after I crumpled it and threw it away...retrieved it and unraveled to show you my methology...I'm funny!!!

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This blue one is simply versamarked, white embossed and scored on standard sized textured bazzill card.

 Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Less is More 43... a Bit of BLING!!

This week's challenge at Less is More is to make a  card with some bling on it!  I made 3 cards...ALL TREES...ALL CHRISTMAS...go figure...that's the extent of my creativity this week...lol!!

I made this first one with a stamp that was given to me...I believe the co. name is Alias Smith and Rowe( small filagree tree).  Stamped both tree and sentiment with versamark and embossed in silver. Dotted  tree with rhinestones.  Sentiment is Hero Arts and used an embossing folder for the card.  Framed image with silver paper, too.

 This second one was made with a Stampin Up tree(Snow Swirled).  I stamped in Real Red, clear embossed and added some silver dots with Pen Touch silver pen and added a red rhinestone in center of each large snowflake.  I made the tree base by cutting a square, cutting an end off at a slant and using that cut piece to cut the opposite side(so their angle matched each other.  I stamped the card with Hero Arts Magical Background and clear embossed.  On a fluke, I decided to try to sponge some Stazon Silver Metallic ink over the embossed swirls....and I got a silver looking embossed card...kinda like it:)!!  Ran out of room for sentiment...will put a Merry Christmas on inside. Here's a close up of the tree and it's silver dots and bling.(my daughter said she could hardly see the bling on this card...so thus the close up:)!!

 This 3rd one I went CRAZY with Bling:)!!!!!  I stamped these trees from A Muse(Avian Notes) and couldn't stop dotting with red and green rhinestones!!  Added a sentiment from Hero Arts.  Popped up on poppy parade card....the ribbon...funny...I bought yesterday at Walmart for wrapping Christmas gifts...pulled it out of the bag remembering it was red and green...love that it has green dots...funny how things work, sometimes!!...another fun challenge:)!!!

Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Let It Snow!

I used a Penny Black snowman and a Hero Arts background stamp(Majical Background).  I LOVE snowmen!!

I versamarked both the white and bashful blue papers and embossed with white powder.  I stamped and cut out the snowman and paper pieced all his pieces(SU design paper, soft suede and pumpkin pie). The sentiment is Penny Black, as well...used a Martha Stewart punch for the snowflake.  Popped up the snowman, the snow and then the whole blue panel.  Just a touch...colored above his head and the curls of his scarf with bashful blue and a blending pen, so the cut out was not obvious...a bit of obsessive detailing....lol!!
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Snowflakes and....the Rest of the Stamping Room

I made this card after I bought this ribbon at Mike's last week...big, textured ribbon that was just Shouting for a white snowflake...lol:

I used a Martha Stewart snowflake punch and the set Peace Be Still by Papertrey Ink. I FIRST stamped the sentiment(PTI Signature Christmas) with versamark and white embossed. I bunched the snowflake stamps together on one acrylic block and stamped the grouping randomly with versamark on the sentimented olive cardstock.  I learned by MUCH trial and error that to put the sentiment on AFTER the snowflakes DID NOT WORK!!  With the snowflakes stamped, no matter how dry or how long I waited, when I stamped the sentiment and put the white embossing powder on the sentiment, the powder remained on the nearby snowflakes....EVERY TIME!!  What a learning experience!!!
   I wanted to show you a couple more pics of my "room":

 Again...here's my space:

This is my closet punch holder:

I got an over-the-door shoe tree at Target and use it for my shaped punches.  I have my border punches in a drawer.  I used black paper and punched  one of each shape and stapled it to the pocket so I know what's in each pocket and makes it easier to find punches.  Here's a close up:

Inside the closet I have a tall set of drawers that I keep just about all my staples...above is xtra paper and MORE ribbon(so funny...I don't use much ribbon but have a TON of it....lol):

 I am not showing you the insides of my drawers...my room may be tidy, but my drawers...well that's a different story!!

 This is an akward space for stamps, but it's really the only place I have to store all these stamps.  I would love, someday, to have all these stamps in a more accessable space, but for now it's the way it is.  I have all my Stampin Up and random stamps on the shelves and in the drawers.  I was just given a whole bunch of stamp sets from a friend.  I had just "thinned the herd" by getting rid of ALOT of stamp sets, myself,  and had that whole top shelf empty...oh well...who doesn't love some new stamps?  I put big bold name tags on each set, with older eyes and being in this closet, it makes them so much easier to find than the SU tags that the stamps come with...the top shelf have yet to be tagged:

I recently bought this shelving unit from WalMart(I DO love WalMart) and it houses a WHOLE BUNCH of stuff:

 I labeled all my boxes and crates so you could "see" what they store...this is a great unit for storage!!  I have a monitor to watch my Noah while I stamp and he sleeps...just in case I am and he's not...lol!!  If you have any ideas or suggestions...something your eyes may see that mine do not...please let me know...thanks!!
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

My Craft Room/Space

I LOVE to see other stampers' spaces...love to see the rooms where card creativity happens.  Some spaces are huge, some not so much...but whatever size or condition, it's just cool to be invited in to other's creative spaces.  I love new ideas and actually just ordered some $5.99 dvd shelfs from IKEA from looking at Mary Fish's website and seeing her AMAZING space!(my daughter will be driving them from TN when she comes at Christmas, so will have to show you then. We don't have an IKEA anywhere near where I live, but a  company where Hannah lives in Nashville lets you order things from IKEA through THEM, they GET them at IKEA and you pick them up when they bring them back)  So...my space isn't that big, but it' mine!!  Thought you might be curious to see where I love to hang!

This is my space.  My craft room is a part of my daughter Hannah's bedroom.  We had her room built from part of the garage, so it's not big but it was her own space  She got married last September and moved with hubby to Nashville TN.  I took a corner of her room...and her closet...and her desk, and made a space for my stamping.  When she and Nic visit, they stay here...so it's still her room, but mine, too:)!!

She and her best friend painted a mural on the wall behind the bed, which she said we are NEVER allowed to paint over...here's the rest of her room.  Notice my pockets full of punches on the inside of the closet door...lol!!

She has always wanted to be a makeup artist...here's the other side of her closet door, these have stayed put, too:

Here is my desk:

 and our dog, Lucy...she is ALWAYS with me!!

I made the stamp pad holder for all my SU pads from THIS free template...yes about $6...alot better than  $60 or more.  I have my most used paper colors in the slotted spaces, the two boxes to the left of  the desk hold all the other colors.

I bought this little tower of drawers from WalMart...perfect to hold a whole bunch of little things, and sits perfectly in this space:

There is no other way to show these little basket shelves...they ALWAYS look this way...my chaos close at hand.  These tiered baskets hold scissors, clear ep, adhesives, corner punches, some twine and floss, my essential Enamel Accents, TWO pairs of reading glasses(in case one gets lost under a creative mess), postage stamps, some glues, bone folder and lots of other miscellaneous things:

 I found this at WalMart in the bath section...here's a side view, so you see it's shelves are arranged at a slight angle...notice the Dove chocolates on the top shelf...A MUST HAVE.lol!!!  The rubber feet keep it in place wonderfully, NEVER MOVES!!

I'll show you the closet and my shelving unit tomorrow...I've inundated you with enough pictures for one day:)!!  Hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful, for those of you who celebrated the day...hope you are having a great start to your weekend today!!

Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Thankful...

Happy Thanksgiving!!!  On this day of feasting and football games...just a moment to say I am thankful!!  I am so thankful for the Lord in my life...He is the reason I have true happiness, and have the hope in my heart that I do...the reason I can still dream and dream big, no matter what happens in this life...and that this life will not have the last word! Thankful for my handsome husband, David...my other rock and my beautiful children Hannah, Emma and Noah...and my son in law, Nic...I am blessed!!! Wonderful parents ... wonderful sisters...amazing church and church family...my SWEET stamping friends...wow...the list is long and seemingly unending...suffice it to say I have MUCH to be thankful for!!!!
Yesterday, I celebrated my 27th year being married to my darling David...still the love of my life!!  I made him a card with the staple sentiment from "our song"  first popular in 1969 from Spiral Staircase, " More Today Than Yesterday" from Verve and those birds I have come to just love:

Used a background stamp from Inkadinkado for the design on the birds...the black stamped with versamark and white embossed on black paper...the red was stamped with versamark on white paper, clear embossed and swiped with distress ink(Fired Brick).
My daughter is visting, and my stamp room is her bedroom, so my card making is on hold until next week, BUT...I DID clean my stamping space and TOOK PICTURES!!  SO....I will be showing you pictures of my stamp room for the next couple days...oh boy...it's not so big, but I have much in my small space,  I do think that my space is pretty cool..it works for me...and I've made it work!  Just want to share my space with you...maybe an idea for you or YOU might have some ideas for me:)!!  See you then!!
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

FTL 167...It's Christmas!!

I made these cards for Clean and Simple's challenge 167 and for Splitcoaststamper's CAS challenge 145 anything Christmas...

 I made this one with a Memory Box die for the wreath and a Spellbinders(layered poinsettias) for the flower.  I used a Martha Stewart punch for the leaves and a Hero Arts sentiment.  Dotted the flower with a sparkled red stick on dot and 2 olive pearls along sides of sentiment.

This one I made with Martha Stewart snowflake punch and Spellbinder circle and Lacey circle dies.  Used a piece of vellum(didn't want to cover up the snowflake so much) and put the Papertrey sentiment(Christmas Blessings) directly over the center rather than lower so that the center of my snowflake was covered.  Added white Enamel Accents around the scalloped circle as well as on each side of the sentiment.  The sentiment was stamped in versamark and embossed with white embossing powder.

Cool sketch!!

Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Less is More 42...Silhouettes

A quick post...I made this card for Less is More's challenge of Silhouettes. Thought of this punch I have that I thought would be perfect for this challenge:

Used a Martha Stewart punch, a Cuttlebug embossing folder(raindrops/snowflakes) and a Papertrey Ink senitment(Christmas Blessings).  I dotted each of the snowflakes with white Enamel Accents(took a couple minutes) and on the birds' wire(had to let it dry before removing it from my work mat).  Popped up on Bashful Blue cardstock.
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Less is More 41...One Layer...LEAVES

One layer cards have become the most difficult and challenging of all kinds of cards I make...but it IS called a Challenge...lol!!  I was really stumped when I read the Less is More challenge was... LEAVES...I have used most of my leaf stamps throughout this Fall season, and the ones that are left...well they are too much of a challenge for a one layer card.  I really wish I had some of those really pretty skeleton type leaves like I have seen so many beautiful cards made with...will have to look now for NEXT Fall!  I took out a couple Papertrey Ink sets that had some leaves.  It was when I looked at the sentiments in Falling Leaves that I had an idea!!  I decided to put three of the similiar sentiments together on a long block, and because they are clear, bend them a bit to make one long WAVY sentiment.  I added leaves from Fall Elegance and here's what I got:

I inked the leaf stamp with Riding Hood Red, Pumpkin Pie, More Mustard and Cajun Craze.  The sentiments are Chocolate Chip.  I dotted with brown pearls and done!
Thanks to Mandi and Chrissie for Showcasing my Star card from the Star challenge!!!   I am honored beyond belief and I appreciate your acknowledgement SO VERY MUCH!!!  I have not found a challenge that I can say I feel like I "belong" to more than this, or one that I LOVE as much...THANK YOU, Mandi and Chrissie and all those who have encouraged me and made me feel such a part of this challenge from "across the pond", beyond and all over!!
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

FTL166

I made this card for Clean and Simple's sketch challenge #166 ...my card and the sketch:

           
I KNOW that my card doesn't seem clean and simple, but I have to say, this sketch was a bit involved...compared to many of the Clean and Simple challenges...and it really IS a simple card...just lots of patterns.  OR, maybe it just looks a bit involved to ME...LOL!
It is funny, though, how some cards come to be...like this one...it was a real evolution.  The sketch really shows a tag kind of piece in the center, but I took liberty and used the set from Papertrey Ink(Mat Stack 3 Collection) for the middle element with a bow on top.  The winter berries(going for mistletoe with the upside down thing going on) started off with Jesus, Mary and Joseph...but just didn't look right, no matter how many colors I tried(and I tried A LOT)...and then I thought of the Round and Round set with these berries and leaves, and thought....PERFECT with the bow from the sketch on top if I put the stem's end on the top!!!!  I used a Hero Arts background stamp(Large Fabric Design)  for the red and green stamped pieces....the riding hood red stamped in Versamark the Olive stamped with more Olive(made it darker than with just versamark...I tried it both ways:)!!).  The sentiment is also Hero Arts(Holiday Sayings)...dotted with red rhinestones like the berries.  Added ribbon and popped up white panel on red.
Card making is such fun!!
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

CAS143

Splitcoaststampers' Clean and Simple challenge 143 is a sketch based on a card of another stamper you can find it by clicking on the challenge...here is my card:

                                                                 

I made my card with a set from W Plus 9 Design Studio(Woodgrain Silhouettes Addition) and sentiment from Hero Arts(Holiday Sayings).  I stamped the leaves with Versamark and clear embossed.  I then covered the paper with Antique Linen distress ink and then sponged with Frayed Burlap distress ink, mostly over the leaves, leaving it a bit lighter in the middle.  Added the sentiment and red rhinestones.  I put the panel on light chipboard for stability after covering with so much ink...it was slightly warped without the added adhesive and bulk. I know the colors are not traditional Christmas...I know it's "different"...but I like "different"...lol!!

Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

"LOVE" Birds

I went to a bridal shower last Saturday and wanted to make a card for the bride-to-be(I have known her since she was a little girl:)!!).  I had made a couple, and with each card, my DD would only slightly approve(she is my "cool" card barometer).  Then, she suggested I make a modified one from a few weeks back.  You can see the card HERE. I KNOW this is definitely NOT traditional shower material...not that kinda card, but I thought this was a GREAT idea, soooo,,, a very simplified version of the first, but great for a wedding...or in this case shower...:

Used bird template from a techniques class found HERE...stamped in chocolate chip on Hero Arts flower, clear embossed and swiped with distress ink.  The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink(Mega Mixed Messages)...also stamped in chocolate chip and clear embossed.

Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Less is More 40...Color Challenge...Orange and Red!

This week's challenge at Simply Less is More is to make a card with Red and Orange  in commemoration of Guy Fawkes Night...a night of fireworks and bonfires in the the UK remembering the night that Guy Fawkes put barrels of gunpowder in the cellars of the  Houses of Parliment to blow it up.  He was caught, found guilty and put to death for his treason.  It is celebrated every November 5th in the UK...just in case you were wondering:)!!  I made one card two ways...here they are:

 I made the red card one first, but then thought...lots of white....lots of white...lots of white...and made another framed in white ON white:

I know that less is more means SIMPLY that...and color as long as not cluttered and is open is cool, but I really LIKE the white one:)!!  Although I would love to claim  the idea of the butterfly, I got the idea from a SU demo whose work I think is AMAZING...Mary Fish!!   I made them with a piece of Stampin Up Vellum and the stamp below(Fine Flourish).  I used an A Muse butterfly die(I think they are the most "fancy" of the butterfly dies I have and I was going for a little more than plain).  I used Stazon black and stamped the vellum and clear embossed. I then took the die and positioned it over the stamped vellum .  The cool thing with this stamp is that it mirrors itself, like a butterfly...so I positioned it so that it looked even in respect to the middle and the sides.

 Here's a close up of what it looked like after embossing, but before coloring.

Colored with Tangerine Tango and Cherry Cobbler...layered on Bazzill white and bazzill red paper and used a beautiful verse stamp from Verve that I thought was perfect to speak of how God makes a caterpillar a beautiful butterfly in its time...so cool!! I added a dark red rhinestone over the circle in the middle of the butterfly.
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa