Botanical Branch with a Masked Background

I hope for all of you who celebrated, that you had a very Merry Christmas!  I had a wonderful Christmas spent with my children...it was a blend of beautiful but crazy chaos, mixed with quiet, tender moments and all covered with lots of love...yes, a wonderful Christmas!!  Happy New Year to you all, too...I am believing that 2019 is going to be a great year! 

I have been absent from stamping as my craft room is my guest bedroom.  After everyone went home, Noah and I got sick.  We have spent the last five days getting better.  I am rarely sick, and I'm so thankful for that, but oh how I hate being sick!!  I finally got back into the craftroom, and made and threw away my first number of cards...I WANTED to create, but "it" just wasn't coming to me.  I pulled out my scraps, and found some of the Pink Fresh Studio Botanical Branch die cuts that I had die cut a while back, but hadn't used.  They were white, and although I didn't use the scraps, the branches did inspire me...

The total die cut contains a frame around the branch, but I opted to cut the branch from the frame and use only the branch.  I layered it in two colors of olive green card stock, and used orange enamel accents to make berries(the most intense and solid orange colored product I have).  I then dotted each berry with glossy accents, to make sure they were really shiny.  I was inspired by the Pyracantha bushes I am seeing everywhere around where I live.  Here's a picture of what they look like, I think they're so pretty...

After I had the branch put together, I chose to give it a background before adhering to the card. I chose the Simon Says Stamp You Matter Background stamp...the words so fit being grateful for someone! I stamped the sentiment onto the card panel, then masked it, so it would not be a part of the worded background...

I stamped the sentiment onto a piece of copy paper, and cut out with scissors.  I put a tiny dot of tombow runner on the cut out, and put it over the stamped sentiment.  

 The below is my pattern, having been stamped a bunch of times before I took the picture, so the print is ALL OVER the paper, but hopefully you get the idea. I tore a piece of printer paper in a shape that went with the shape of the branch, centered it on the card, and then flipped both papers over onto the inked background stamp.  

Here's a close up of the branch and sentiment...

I am so very grateful for wonderful family and friends in my life, and I am so grateful for you!...

thanks so much for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Botanical Branch

I recently got the Pink Fresh Studio Botanical Branch die...I think it's so pretty...

I was inspired by the thought of the pretty purple Beauty Berries that are near our house in summer. 

I layered the die cut three times, each time coloring the leaves with a green marker.  I used a purple marker for the berries(although they look a little blue).  I adhered the die cuts together with some glossy accents and added glossy accents to the berries for berry shine:)!!  Here's a close up...

I have other ideas for this pretty die already on my desk, but my sister is in town for a number of days, so it will have to wait, but wanted to show you this first one:)!!  Such fun!!!  Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa