Our Beautiful World- Woodlands

I decided to join the picture challenge over at Our Beautiful World.  The word of the week is

Woodlands

Truthfully, I decided to join in the fun because the woodlands here in Arizona- dry old Arizona- are much different than the lush greenery that I was used to growing up in Southeastern Minnesota.  I grew up in farmland, but we had the woods outside our elementary school and the woods out behind the Foster's house.  There were little stands of trees that we considered "woodlands".  These lush, green, overgrown areas were a land of fun for pre-teenagers to run around in both day and night.

Arizona is somewhat different.  Notice, even our elk look dry and brittle (though they are not!).

When I first moved to Arizona from the lush greenery of the Midwest farming belt, I thought Arizona was ugly.  Shades of green (my favorite color) were much more appealing than shades of brown and tan.  However, over the intervening 30 years (it's really that long ago folks...) I've re-tuned my measure of beautiful.  These woods have beauty that is only theirs and so now I can look at these very different photos and still see Our Beautiful World, even here. 

Show us a picture of your part of this beautiful world or just stop by to marvel at the pictures contributed from around the world.  Join the word prompt challenge at:

A Couple of Thank You Cards

Last month when my daughter went on her Girl Scout trip I thought a lovely thank you card was needed to let the two adult leaders know how much we appreciate their willingness to put up with six teenagers for 6 days.  Thus, two of this card were made.  Here's the details:

• The background die cut was made from patterned paper using my Heartfelt Creations Decorative Lace Border die.  I use wax paper between the die and the patterned paper to make this intricate die cut pop right out of the die.  It does create quite the confetti pile, but the result is well worth the effort!
• The flowers are made by stamping with my Heartfelt Creations Tattered Blossoms stamps in brown Archival ink and then die cutting using my matching dies.  Clicking the link and then the tab on the Heartfelt Creations page will take you to videos that show you how to do this stamping and cutting technique.
• The flower centers were made using my A Penny Saved prills and I just love how they blend to add to my somewhat monochromatic look on this card.
• The green floral pieces were cut out of cardstock scraps using my Our Daily Bread Designs Fancy Foliage die. 
• The sentiment was created using Word and then die cut with my Spellbinders Labels 18 die.  A little Worn Lipstick Distress Ink around the edge ties it into the rest of the pink colors.  A piece of vintage seam binding as a ribbon/bow accent was added to the card.  

I think these ladies felt special and I was really happy with how the card turned out.  I'm going to post this card over at Word Art Wednesday's Challenge # 140: Anything Goes.  Come on over to see the amazing art posted and join in on the fun.

Our Beautiful World Week 51- One

I've kept up with Kirsty's photo posts for Our Beautiful World for a while now and they are celebrating their first blog anniversary.  I decided to join in on the word prompt this week

ONE

I went back through my card photos and there are quite a few with the number one in them.  Here's a selection:

Finally, last week in honor of the blog anniversary you were suppose to post a picture of yourself at one year of age.  This one is close to when I was one- I'm a twin.  Which one am I, do you suppose?  I guess that doesn't really count because there are two of us.  Whoopsie!

 It'd be a lot of fun to see your picture when you were one.  Come join the fun over at

Happily Ever After

This is an anniversary card I made last month for a dear couple that Dan and I have regular Bible study with.  I believe it was somewhere near 37 years of marriage that needed celebrating and so I dreamed up this soft confection so that the day would not be missed.  Here's the details:

• The paper is from Heartfelt's Raindrops on Roses paper pad.  Yikes, this stuff is so good I feel a small whiff of sadness to see it go... then I get over myself when I look at the amount of paper in the pad and on my shelves (notice the use of the plural!).
• I stamped the border on the bottom in green pigment ink using my Summer Season border stamp.  It sorta matches the preprinted border at the top of the page.  I needed it for balance- the card might not have needed it...
• I cut the lacy medallion Raindrops on Roses die out of coordinating pink paper and then cut it in half, mounting behind my stamped sentiment. 
• The sentiment frame was stamped in brown Archival Ink using my Stamping Up Apothecary Art stamp.  The sentiment stamped with my All Occasion Banners stamp in the same ink.  I colored all the leaves with Peeled Paint and Shabby Shutters Distress Markers.  
• The tiny flowers were cut out of coordinating pink patterned paper using my IO Spiral Flowers die.  The centers of the flowers were filled with a Viva Decor Pearl Pen. 

A few pearl accents on the lacy die cut and we're done!   I really do like how this turned out and it makes me smile that my two lovely friends have something beautiful to tell them how special marriage is.  I'm struggling through some life change right now (hence the week long departure from posting).  Usually crafting is my way to unwind.  I've been crafting, it's just getting to the posting with all my other commitments right now.  I'm going to make more effort to catch up and share with you.  I'll also catch up on your happenings more regularly as well.  My return to normal will be my witness how much I appreciate the online community.  See you on your blogs soon!

Hello to a Friend

Truthfully, this card made itself with that stamped image.  That and that lovely background patterned paper.  A little heavy on the distress ink, but I like the final result, though it is softer in person than the photo shows.  Here's the details:

• The image was stamped using my Heartfelt Creations Watch stamp.  The stamp is of such high quality that simple black Archival Ink provides most of the rich detail on this watch.  I simply stamped on some plain white cardstock.  The watch was carefully colored using a water pen an some copper Stamp Paint.  This was a delicate process that certainly wasn't perfect, but it did add some nice shine that these photos do not do justice.
• The image was then colored using my distress markers and inks with a water pen.  Scattered Straw, Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain were all used.  
• The background of the image was distressed using Vintage Photo, Worn Lipstick, Pine Needles, Peeled Paint and Walnut Stain. 
• The Majestic Blooms flowers were inked with some Ripe Persimmons and Worn Lipstick Distress Ink.  The centers were made with some mustard Prills.  Don't you just love the dimension they add?  The green are leaves from the SSS Leaf Background die cut.   Folded in half, they look great here.
• The sentiment was a square piece of paper stamped with the a SSS sentiment stamp in black ink.  I used my corner punch to create the lovely details on the corner of the sentiment piece and adhered it with foam squares to raise it above the image. 

So fun and another card for the stash.  Yay me!