My Creative Stretch Part One

There is still time to enter 

May's Challenge and the 500 follower goal is closer....

so spread the word.

Hello Everyone! Are you watching my count of followers? I surely am and can't believe that I am almost at my goal.  This is very exciting for me so to all my followers I send out a big YIPEE YA YEAH.

I've been busy surfing the net as usual and visiting folks along the way when at one stop point I was introduced to the most talented lady by the name of Debbie.  Her work is beyond amazing and there is so much to learn from just looking at her work.  Her work will inspire you to stretch beyond the norm.

So today is a card I created that is just a bit outside the norm and although it is simple enough, I think it has that little bit of extra that adds the wow so as to grab your attention.

I decided to use Sunshine Orange and White.  This combination is happy and yet not to bright to be considered yellow, although I do love those yellow canaries.  There's also an inspiration photo over at "For Your Inspiration" that has a beautiful golden scenery to spark up the old mojo.

Y'all let me know what you think...okie dokie?  Oh BTW, my photos came out rather dark and I tried to fix them in PhotoShop so forgive me for the funky coloring in the backgrounds.

Supplies:

Cardstock: Recollections

Spellbinders: Botanical Die

K&Company: 3-D Sticker

Sizzix: Embossing Folder

Challenges I Want to Enter:

Sister Act Card - Challenge #8 - Anything Goes (5/29)

Sweet Pea Stampers - May Challenge - Birds of a Feather

As you Like it - Challenge #2 -Favorite Two Colour Combo

For Your Inspiration - Challenge #46

Have a Safe, Happy

and Creative

Day

Hugs ~Lesia

Southern Belle

Don't forget there is still time to enter 

May's Challenge and the 500 follower goal is closer....

so please spread the word.

Wow it has been over a week since my last post and so much has happened in that week.  First of all I spent time dodging the multiple tornadoes that touched down here in Texas...and then, managed to survive the wind, rain and hail that lasted for hours.  But after hours of watching and waiting it all died down and the earth stood still again.  I peeked outside and it appeared to be okay with a few branches thrown here and there...decided to clean up the yard after the sun came up.

When the sun appeared, I took time to clean up a few branches before getting back into my routine which including fighting traffic to get to work.  But later when I returned home I had a pleasant surprise...new stuff sitting at my door waiting to be opened.

As usual when I get something new, I have to play and test it out therefore I spent time just cutting different things with my new Marianne and Spellbinder dies.  So now I have a basket full of die cuts that I hope will at some point find their way to a card or page layout.

Today I am going to share a card where I used a couple of my new dies.   Hope you like it or find it interesting.

Title: Southern Belle
3 Layers, 2 dies, 1 image

Supplies:
Card-stock: Bazzill
Spellbinders:  5x7 Elegant Labels 4
Marianne Designs:  Parasol
Flowers:  Wild Orchid
Recollection Pearls

Entering in the following challenges:
Crafty Catz - Challenge #183 "3-2-1"
Digi Haven - Challenge "Mother's Day/Floral" (5/22)
Inspire Me Fridays - Challenge #103 "Anything Goes" (5/22)
Simply Create Too - Challenge#37 - "Anything Goes" (5/23)
Sister Act - Challenge #7 - "Anything Goes"
Wags and Whiskers - Challenge #104 - "Anything Goes" (5/29)
Penny Black Saturday - Challenge "Anything Goes"
Kraftyhands Challenge - "Anything Goes"
My Sheri Crafts - Challenge "Flower Power"
One Stop Craft - Challenge 229 "Anything Goes"

Card For Mom

I hope everyone had an opportunity to celebrate their moms, in a very special way.  My mom passed a way years ago and yet I confess to her my love and explain how much I miss the cooking lessons over the phone and our Sunday calls to discuss the week and all our activities.

I celebrate my mom by being the woman she raised me to be, and making sure that I buy and plant begonias in multiple colors to represent her flower garden which I complained about having to work when I was younger.  I still hear my mom telling me that life wasn't easy and neither was it going to be what I wanted it to be all the time.

She told me that

"Life is like a flower, 

every bloom is different in every way 

but each holds its own beauty, 

if we just take time to look beyond the flaws".

My mom was a strict, firm, God-fearing woman that had a heart filled with love for God and family (in that order).  Anyway to move this post along I would like to announce that we have our first winner in May's Challenge.  Click the Monthly Winners Tab above to see if you're a winner.

Here is a quick and simple Mother's Day card I'd like to share with everyone.   My grand-daughter made it for her mom and her mom was really pleased to know that her daughter stayed with Mema for the sole purpose of creating what she referred to as a masterpiece.

The paper she used is from DCWV and Recollections.  The verse on the inside she typed using Word and then printed them out on Neenah paper along with the image.

SB Deckled Rectangles and Lacy Circles were used and WOC flowers.  On the inside she used a doily to take up space and then added a small circle to add the sentiment.  Lastly she made the envelope using MS Scoring Board and hand-crafted the flower for the closing flap.

She was proud and so were her mother and I.  Leave a comment and let her know what you think.

Don't forget to check the Winners Tab above to see if you're a winner and if you haven't entered May's Challenge there is still time before our second draw.

Until we meet again

Stay Healthy, Be Safe, and Create Create Create

Hugs from Texas ~Lesia

Sharing My Demos

Looking For May's Challenge 

Click the Challenge Tab Above or Click Here

Well I finally got to the post office so my winners will be getting their packages within the next 3 days.  When you work long hours you tend to miss things before they close, so making it there today was a blessing.

So to my blog candy winners...."the packages are on their way."

As usual I am always looking for new techniques or folds and this time I found a cute little card and decided to give it a try.  Keep in mind that both cards are demo's therefore they aren't the best I could do but you can get the idea.

Well let's get started.

The newest card I found is called a "Block Card" and it is the cutest thing with lots of potential.  The best part is you can use up all your scraps.

For this one I used some scraps left from my Graphic 45 "Birdsong Collection."  I adore this little block card and can't wait to do more and decorate them all up.

One thing I need to warn you about is if you decide to make this card make sure you use some heavy card-stock,  like the paper from Stampin Up or even some DCWV.

This card I created to be a display, which is why it is sitting on a base.  I added the tag for a sentiment and then if I can find a few lightweight birds I can set them on the steps.

Although the card has lots of folds it can still be folded flat to fit inside an envelope.

Here I am showing a block envelope that you can make for your card.  It will accommodate any decorations you may want to add, to include bulky items like charms or flowers.

Like the card, the envelope is really easy to make and can be decorated to match the card.

When you create these type cards you will need to decorate both sides with 1.5 inch pieces of scrap.  I didn't mat my pieces on these demos but I will when I create one to actually give to someone.

And I will definitely use Stampin' Up card-stock for my base.






Well I just thought I would share these demos with you and maybe inspire you to give it a try.

If you want to try, watch the videos below (hope they work).

If the video does not activate click the words beneath the video.  This should link you directly to Youtube.

Tutorial for the Block Card

Tutorial for the Block Card Envelope

Well my lovely friends...I must call it a day because tomorrow will come forth early bringing with a whole slew of things I must get done.

So until another day, take care, live well and play hard.

Hugs ~Lesia