Saturday, April 30, 2011

Apirl is almost Over

So here's my entry to this week's Shabby Tea Room challenge- Butterflies.
A little different style for me...but I've been itching to make something with bright pink and orange...so I did.
I started by taking some star confetti left over, you know the strips with all the opening where the confetti gets punched out.  I found one I had laying around in the last few days of studio cleaning, and I used it to stencil on these little orange stars on white cardstock. Then I added a swirl die cut on grungeboard and then distessed with a bit of orange ink. Then I added a die cut flower...rubebr with white Viva metallic paint and a bit of orange Stickles glitter in the middle. I then made the butterflies. I stamped 3 in bright pink ink using Hero Arts heart butterfly. I colored the open hearts with orange Copic and also with an orange gel pen. Then I outlined the butterflies inside and out with black Sharpie. I cut them out and attached them on the card and then added new antennae. Finally I stamped the sentiment which is from CHF. 

*****
So today was the official open up the screen porch day- take down the plastic (you can see it's still up in the photo below). All the yard furniture was taken out and then I cleaned it up...so its ready now-hurray!
Love that it is spring...such an exciting time of year...today my daffodils and hyacinths came into bloom and so is my weeping cherry...but the black flies are out...errrr... nasty littler buggers they are but welcome to the north woods in spring.
So I've also been cleaning up the studio...going through things and filling up my new storage boxes I got at the Container Store the other day. Finding all kinds of supplies I forgot I had or didn't know where they were...now I can use them. And yesterday...I went big time craft shopping...I was VERY VERY NAUGHTY. I went to the Creating Keepsakes Convention down in Manchester...didn't take any classes but did hit the vendors for 2 hours...was a blast...got some Technique Tuesday stamps-they were the big reason I went as they were a sponser and I wanted some stamps and they're shipping is kind of pricey...but I also found a Spellbinders booth selling sets-buy 3 get 1 free and that bought the price down to just under $15 a set which is a really GOOD price so I bought too many sets. Anyhow, I had a BLAST.I haven't been in maybe 5 or 6 years so it was a nice little change of pace. I will say though, it was an big spending week between the Container Store and then at the Convention yesterday...now its time to be frugal for awhile. Think I can handle that though.
Thanks for stopping by.

Friday, April 29, 2011

Watching the Wedding

Yes, I'm up at 5 a.m. when the coverage started (I think) to watch the Royal Wedding. I'm kind of a sucker for that kind of thing. All the pomp and circumstance, fun.
So yesterday I did a bit of cleaning and made a bunch of cards...it was a day in the studio that I really needed...I always feel better when I get that studio time. I wish people around me would get that...I don't think most of them do. I know its because most of the people around me don't get the same dep satisfaction being in the studio and creating...I must create, its like a part of me. Always have been that way, even if its not in the studio.
So what shall I show you today?
So here-s a card I made yesterday that I love! Its so mch fun. I started with a green background and used some green Adirondack ink to stamp the word Hello (Stampotique). I twice stamped te Daffodil girl (also Stampotique)- once on white paper and once on yellow designed paper-though you can't really tell. I colored both, and used the head from the plain once and the body from the printed paper one. Anyhow, I first put down some tape, then glued this great girl down. A little baker's twine, some flowers with yellow Dimensional paint centers...cute and fun. She looks like she's waving...(maybe a little royal wave-LOL)
Thanks for stopping by! 


Thursday, April 28, 2011

Artistic Outpost

Here's my April submission to the Artistic Outpost. Its a very masculine card using the new Gatsby set.
 All 4 of the sets Artistic Outpost recently put out are pretty fantastic. 
To make this card I started with some Tim Holtz cardstock,  from the new Craft Resist pad. Then I layered some paper, some 7Gypsies tape and some bronze colored German scrap. I used the Gatsby stamp on white and then I distressed the image.  I also stamped the car, the wine bottle and the words from that set too. After I cut them out I attached them, then I added a small die cut fleur de lis.
Thanks for stopping by and looking.

Already Vacation Thursday

How can it already be Thursday of my vacation week? It is NOT possible. Why is it vacation weeks just FLY right by?
So today is a LOW KEY day for me. I might do some cleaning-that I want to do-and want to play in the studio, read some more (I woke up and read for an hour and a half this morning-LOVE IT!) , and since its cloudy (but awfully warm) take a nap. I just feel LAZY and its great to feel that way and be able to be that way. I need a low key day after doing all kinds of going and driving in the last 3. First to Mom's and back (2 1/2 hours away) and yesterday out shopping in Natick, MA outside of Boston which was a good 2 hours each way. But it was a fantastic adventure day yesterday, lots of good chatting, a great lunch at the Cheesecake Factory, shopping at Crate and Barrel and at the Container store where I bought some cool storage bins that I want to fill up-hence my cleaning today. Fun cleaning-if such a thing can exist-but I love going though and organizing my craft supplied.
So today I am posting a few recent scrap pages from my Road Trip in a Huyndai California summer of 2009 trip journal that I am still working on. I do love to scrapbook/journal my pages...but one thing I find about doing that is that after a bit I need to put it aside because everything starts to look similar. Then I make some cards, do some other projects, and get back to it, eventually.
In all 3 of these pages we are in Northern California. This one of me, with the big head that someone snapped while I was driving (most likely Katie but it could have been Dave too) is while in Stout Grove in Redwood National Park. I stamped some Basic Grey stamps in green to make the backrgound and mounted the photo on some 7Gypsies paper (trimmed to make a small mount) and added some stamped and die cut images- I know the explore your world stamp is from Autumn Leaves and the other, I think, are from kaiser Craft.
The photo of Katie is mounted on some other 7Gypsies paper and then decorated with die cuts and a deer which I cut out of a piece of Martha Stewart paper. Dave's page is made by stamping a bunch of Tim Holtz background stamps in various colors and then a bit of 7Gypsies tape added along with soem scrap paper and also the words which are from MSE.
Finally the top scenery page is made by stamping a checkerboard background stamp rather grungily on the page and then a piece of Basic Grey paper put down. There's a die-cut tag which is distressed and some brown starfish stickers (I colored in the spaces) and some old seagull stickers I found. I also added a bunch of Dimensional Paint dots, some brown wave stickers (those and the starfish are from Hot Off the Press) and some 7Gypsies photo corners.
So there you go...I suppose I should get up off the couch and get moving...maybe take the dog for a walk and get myself into action mode...
Enjoy your day and thanks for visiting.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Vacation Wednesday

I'm home from Mom's-came in last night-and today I'm off with a good friend to go shopping down in the burbs of Boston. We're going to the Container Store- her to office shop and me to studio shop. Whether I find anything or not doesn't matter-I'm just off to have a fun day out chatting and laughing with Vicky.
And its suppose to be in the 70's, just cloudy. Got to LOVE that.
So my visit with Mom was great- spent some time with her and my brother Monday afternoon doing some cleaning out of boxes in the basement. Had a nice visits and yesterday she and I went out for a nice yummy lunch at Val's. Plus at Mom's in Central Massachusetts the sun came out and was in the 70's. Hard to leave since as I drove closer to the coast and then home it was cloudy/foggy/raw and only in the 50's. What a difference.
So while at Mom's I made this version of a glue book- I had the inkling to try one and had this board style tag book sitting around...and I have this little metal lunchbox filled with the main supplies...I use this little box when I travel so I can do my travel journal when I'm on the road. So I brought it to Mom's, along with the board bool and also a couple of stamps, and made this fun little glue book. Check it out.


Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Less is More

Here's my OFF CENTER entry to this week's Less is More Challenge. All stamps are from Crafty Secrets, and I just love this Wizard of Oz set that just came out earlier this year. I colored the Tin Man and the heart with Copics and used the same red marker to outline the words, just so they stand out a bit more.
Thanks for looking!

Monday, April 25, 2011

Vacation Monday

Another birdcage to show you. This one has a Steampunk style with gears and a metal number 3. I love how the gears came out...I used brown stain and some iron rub from Viva paints. I added a heart die cut on grungeboard-shiny red with Viva metallic paint and also a shiny white die cut star. On the back side there's no 3 but some cool little springs.
FUN.
So I had a great Easter...a nice meal with my mother-in-law...I made pork roast and some parmesian potatoes-YUMMY. And even better, when I woke up a 8:30 it was sunny and 50 degrees and all that nasty snow was GONE!
I'm off this afternoon to visit my Mom in Massachusetts for the evening- will be home later tomorrow. This morning Harl and Leo need their annual vet visit...they are going to HATE that! But Harl gets to go with me to visit his grammie...he'll LOVE that.
Have a great day!!! I'm going to enjoy mine.

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Happy Easter

Happy Easter everyone!
This is what Easter is suppose to be like, warm, bright and with the Earth back in bloom. Especially when Easter is so late in the spring.
And today it is GORGEOUS! Sunny with some light clouds, in the 50's by 9 a.m.
LOVE IT!
But look at what Mother Nature gave us yesterday before it turned over to straight rain:
That's spring in New Hampshire for you...some years winter just can't let go.
GRRR.
But today...we're warming right back up.
For Easter...chocolate eggs and jelly beans.
So yesterday ended up being a kind of relaxing day...some scrap pages, going to Wild Willy's for a coffee frap and a burger for lunch, watched the King's Speech and of course Dr. Who in America, took a nap. Today we're having a nice dinner with my Mother-in-law coming down.
Day 2 of my spring vacation.
Enjoy your jelly beans and chocolate eggs.

Saturday, April 23, 2011

VACATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Its Saturday morning- the first of my spring vacation. Its a grey and supposedly rainy morning-but right now its a mix of rain and SNOW- and come one, what is this? My February vacation? Not that I'm worried, its not suppose to really accumulate and its going to be nice tomorrow again- for Easter.
So here's one of my latest projects...birdcages to hang off my diningroom lamp. Not the greatest photos, but you can get a good view of these Wendy Vicchi-ish designs, but I think I went a bit more mixed media. You'll see on the others when I post them.
So to make this I started with the Tim Holtz birdcage die-cut. I used the new Distress stain (I really like that- its ink with a paintable top!!) and some Viva metallic rub and some plain old white craft paint. The bird is stained, stamped, colored with Copics, a bit of Dimensional Pearls added for an eye. The cage is stained and distressed with some Viva metallic rub. The flower is a Sizzix die which is stained and stamped, painted, dotted with Dimensional Pearls and a button added. I actually made 2 of the flowers and backed them up to each other. I did the same with bird cage but not with the bird inside the cage-the bird is just done up on both sides since these hang and twist a bit on my diningroom light. Anyhow, as you can see both sides here-on one side a put a 7Gypsies fork and on the other side a 7Gypsies spoon (Do they still make these great old serviette sets?) . I stained some white lace with walnut distress stain. then I added one old metal button on each side. I'm very happy with how they came out.
Later on I'll show you some of the others-they're all a bit different-which made them so much fun to make.
So no big plans for today...might be a bit lazy...play in the studio. Kind of tired actually, in this wake up at 4 a.m. mode and never really sleeping very well afterwards...read quite awhile this morning...also kind of worried about going to my mom's Monday...I always stress before I go visit my mom-she and aren't aweful with each other but she's not always the kindest loving mom to me and I nevere know quite when to expect her wrath about something usually silly...we're just 2 VERY different women, and its hard. She is my mom after all.
Plus I'm finding my week is filling up a bit more than I want...at least the begining of it is, but I will survive and I have to stop this pre-happening panic.Its not as full as my mind is playing it up to be.
Anyhow, and a good note, tomorrow is Easter. My mother-in-law is coming for a little dinner...nothing big, Katie's home...tonight is the new Dr. Who and the previews look great. Plus I bought the King's Speech dvd and I'm going to watch it this weekend.
YAHOO for vacation!

Friday, April 22, 2011

YAHOO-Just about Vacation!

Sew beautiful...eh? This card is my latest sewing card. I used an Oxford Impression stamp for the background, which I stamped in dark brown and then distressed it. The three fabric scraps are not actually fabric- they're from an older set of Hero Arts that stamp fabric scraps...love them...and I stamped them in red, dark pink and light pink and then cut them with pinking scissors. The stitches on the card are not real stitches either but some Autumn Leaves stamps. So should I call this the fake sewing card?  Anyhow...the girl is from Hero Arts and the sawing is from Cornish Heritage Farms. Add some buttons, a snap pin which is from older set...then I pinked the top and bottom edge of the card.
So its Friday, the last day of work before vacation...I am SOOOOOOO excited. Easter weekend too...my tooth is feeling a little funky right now....it better not be an infection brewing to wreck my vacation...though I wish I was going away and I also so excited not to be not doing anything and being able to be home...play in my studio, clean my studio a bit...work in the yard...walk...read...find some interesting things to do.
YAHOO!
VACATION is almost here! 

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Catch Up Issue-Published!!!

I'm so excited! Yesterday I received my complimentary copy of The Catch Up issue and I have two cards published in it! I'm so excited and surprised...wasn't expecting that...but very grateful to be included with lots of great cards. I think this is one of the best Catch Up Issues yet!
Thanks Stampington.
Check it out-its due out May 1. I think you'll find some great ideas for cards.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Ice Out

Ice went out on Lake Winnipesaukee today-Tuesday, April 19th .(Did I spell that right? I don't think so. You'd think after living over 23 years within 15 minutes of the lake I'd know how to spell its name right.) Its almost a month later than last year-but probably closer to normal this year than last- its just that we had such a fantastic spring last year.
These photos were taken out on the lake last May 2cd, when we took our boat's shake down cruise. Wow, May 2cd is only a couple weeks away and we are so far behind this year...granted things can change a lot in 2 weeks, especially if we get some warm sunny weather...but everything right now is only begining to show some green...but some of the buds on the trees are getting bigger...
So tonight I've been working on my latest project...has to do with die cuts and hanging decorations, thought I might finish them...yes...its more than 1...but just wasn't going to happen . Reaches a point where you're just not getting to where you want to be...when its just starting to not look like anything that remotely makes you happy....and I'm tired...so its time to quit.
Anyhow, you're reading all this on Wednesday not Tuesday night when I wrote this.
So today I am going to my fav. craft store after work and then book club. I am excited about that since the store is over an hour away from home-about a half an hour away from work so it just makes sense with the cost of gas right now (like $3.73-$3.77) to go when I have time to kill down around work before an evening book club-rather than driving down all the way from home. Haven't been there in almost 2 months either.
That's exciting. Plus I'm looking forward to getting together with all the ladies in bookclub.
Hope you have something exciting in your day...big or small...or trivial...like mine...but then is anything really trivial? Woe- that's way too deep for my brain right now.
TTFN

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

An Oldie But a Goodie

Here's a card I made quite awhile back
 Its rather simple, and I really like it...A plain white card stamped first with an Acey Deucy/Stampington stamp. Then I dabbed a little brown ink with a stenciling brush. I used watercolor markers to color the flowe stamp, by Hero Arts and stem overstamped it. I added the dragonflies- Hero Arts, as well as the saying. That was it...quite simple.
Want to hear something silly? I guess I made 2 of these cards and mailed on to Katie at college a few weeks ago. Guess I forgot  did that and mailed her another one of the same card today. She's gonna think I'm NUTS for sure. Good thing I really love how this card came out...I can come up with some kind of story to answer her.
OK, that means its really time for a vacation. Good thing there's only 4 more days until I'm on vacation...counting today that is since school hasn't started yet. Maybe it means I really need a haircut and that my hair is length is putting too much force on my brain and I can't think straight-LOL- don't think she'll buy that one though.
Anyhow...hope you enjoy this card as much as I do.

Monday, April 18, 2011

Monday Rolls Around

Monday seems to roll around very quickly, but this week we're counting down to VACATION. And not only vacation, but spring vacation-April vacation...means when I do go back to school its May and very close to the end of the year. Well, maybe not close enough but close enough. And the snow if finally totally gone from my yard-HURRAY!
So this cute little card with the Easter/spring chick (and the eyes are not weird, somehow one of them isn't fully showing in the photo) is a good way to make Monday cheery. I made the card with pink cardstock...and with a seperate piece I die cut the scallops. I then glued the scallops edging down and covered the seam with some white lace. The chick, egg and flowers are all from a Sizzix die. I colored the flowers a bit distressed  and added a small dot of Dimensional Pearls to those flowers. I colored the chick too. The words are from Cornish Heritage Farms- an Easter chick set they have.
Hope you're Monday is a good day and you're taxes are ready to fill or already filled  (mine are now). Yahoo!

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Sunday Book Talk

I haven't really talked books recently, mainly because my reading time seems to be so much less than it was...why, I don't know. Maybe more studio time or more tv/computer time...April is a big month for doing outside work for me...getting my gardens in shape for when they really green up and blossom... but you would think being empty nesting I would have more time. But anyhow, reading has come upon me lately...mostly travel books, yes, I admit, but I just want to READ. So here we go.
 So here's my present read, I showed you this before. I have since gotten into it...the sections in Asia are so much more about the place than the travel (which is what the Europe part was) and its fascinating.
I am so ready to go some place or what? Plus I like Charlie Boorman, he reminds me of my hubby a lot.
Here's a book I picked up at Costco yesterday, themed roadtrips...right up my alley. There's a literary New England trip which would be fun to do...starting over vacation next week  (giggle with joy) or during the summer...the beauty about New England for me is I live here and can break up the trips. Wish I could do some of the big trips, like down the continental divide, but it won't be this summer. But dreaming is the first step of getting there, isn't it?
 I also bought this above book yesterday at Costco since its now out in paperbak and I've been eyeing it ever since lasts fall when it was out in hardcover. I'm curious...the biologist in me...and it got great reviews.
I've had this book for a bit...bought it used...and I LOVE this series...so fascinating about a medieval female dr. and her lover and some other interesting characters in England. Hoping to read it next week when I'm on vacation (giggle, giggle some more).
So that's my book talk. I have bookclub on Wednesday, though I haven't even gotten that book. Something about a dog...well...won't be the first time I didn't read the book before we met.
Have a great Sunday all- I am off to do my (gulp and gag) taxes since they're due out in the mail tomorrow at the latest.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Shabby Chick Easter Card

Here's my addition to this week's Shabby Tea Room Challenge-Doileys and Lace. I made this card for my mom for Easter, its very her. I distressed some pink cardstock and then die cut the flowery background paper. I then texturized some creamy white paper, die cut it and added it over the flower paper. The little girl with the egg basket and the chick came from a Dover set of vintage holiday images which I copied and cut out. Before glueing her down on the card, I first added some white lace trim, then added the girl to my card. I also die cut the small piece with the Happy Easter saying- its actually cut from the same set of Nestabilities but I flipped it on its side and colored the edges of it with a marker that matched my ink for the saying. I used the same creamy white paper  I used for the plain background piece but I left it without any texture. The 3 eggs are die cut and colored. Lastly, I used some pearl colored Viva dots on the corners of the flowered background paper.
****
More "spring" news. The spring peepers are back out...I heard them Thursday night. Tonight's  quite chilly...this whole day was quite chilly. Dave and I walked for MS down in Portsmouth this morning- it was a 5 mile walk and it felt good to do it both physically and emotionally, on many levels. Some of the NHS kids at school volunteered at the event so one of the other advisors and  myself (with my great hubby in tow) went to check up on them and decided that since we had to go, we  should walk. Afterwards Dave and I went to Costco and Trader Joe's and had a little lunch out...it was a great day, something different. Though I must say- it was an expensive day...needed to STOCK up at Costco...always costs a bit of cash to do that. I did get this interesting book which I have been looking through tonight-USA Best Trips-99 themes itineraries across America. Not that I am travelling far right now...but see an idea or 2 for my vacation in 1 week...maybe...if not a couple of great ideas for summer roadtrips...which I plan on doing once again this summer. You know me...I'me VERY sick with the travel bug. Its chronic with me...LOL!

Friday, April 15, 2011

Love this Bunny!

I made this card the other day in my Easter card making eggstavaganza (not a misspelling...just my play on words...). I absolutely love this bunny...I have a book from Dover publications with vintage holiday images and he was in there. I made a copy and cut him out. I used yellow cardstock which I sanded and then die cut the center diamond printed piece, outlined it in yellow just to give it a stronger edge. The pink scallops are left overs from some pink sanded cardstock I die cut, but it fits perfectly. Then I added my Mr. Bunny and punched out a little heart from the same pink cardstock as the scallops to place in his hat. The heart pearls are by Hero Arts and the saying-which is great-is from Cornish Heritage Farms.. Simple yet it works-I think at least.
So it is Friday- about time. This hasn't been a long week but I've been thinking its been Friday ever since Wednesday. The snow is just about gone in my yard- one miniscule little pile is still hanging on, which will be gone by this afternoon, no doubt about it. I came home yesterday hoping to do some more raking, but the wind decided to blow up and so that put the raking idea to bed. Oh well. I could have gone into the studio I guess but decided reading on the couch and relaxing a bit was more my speed. Sometimes your brain is into creating but the body would just rather not get that motivated. Right now I am in countdown to vacation mode...starts in 1 week and I cannot wait!!!!!!!! I am not going to do any BIG cleaning jobs, but want studio time. I also want to hopefully get my gardens squared away before the growth really comes up... an adventure day out with a girlfriend...visit my mom...get some walking in...read a couple of books...this will be my first vacation home without Katie around...my first vacation to myself...WOW...what a concept. I WISH I was going away again...but there didn't seem to be any cheap deals...probably because of Easter on one end...and in a way that's ok...I want to be home to get some minor chores done and relax...but in another way...me and my travel-itis which I have in a major major way. Knowing I'm going to North Carolina this summer helps...but wouldn't I love to be going back to the desert or back to Europe or someplace? Guess I will just need to some find some local adventure to visit...which is a great thing too actually. And do some baking...
Well...time to go get ready for my last day of work this week...all this thinking about vacation is making me not want to go to work today. But I must, and I shall, and so
Happy day to you.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Simply April Showers-Less is More

I'm going to make a post to the Less Is More Challenge, my first!
This challenge focuses on the sentiment and when I made it I somehow missed the one layer part- I think I goofed...whoops. I did use the white square on the card.
Here's the card I made. I started with yellow cardstock and texturized the stitches along the bottom. Then I cut a 2 1/2 x 2 1/2 inch square of cream cardstock and stamped the sentiment. On the bottom right corner of this square I stamped the edges of the flowers (Crafty Secrets) and colored them with Copics.  On the top left corner I stamped the raindrops with torquoise ink (Technique Tuesday) and first stamped the umbrella (also Technique Tuesday) over the rain. Then I stamped the umbrella on some white paper, cut out the top and colored it with Copics too. By doing this I was able to get the umbrella shaft and handle and give the umbrella a bit of a 3D affect. I then glued it down . The bunny is from the Tweety Jill Easter Parade stamp set. I stamped it on white, colored it and then cut it out and attached it down on the corner. I had to add the bunny not because the card actually needed it but I was making Easter cards and this little guy is just a cute little bunny. Plus, he's holding those May flowers...
We're having April showers at my house today...and since not much is in bloom yet, I'm hopeing for lots of May flowers...but maybe in April.
Thanks for looking!

Crocuses blooming and a few other little things

Look what's blooming in the garden I raked on Sunday? I LOVE it! Yesterday, although a bit cloudy early on, was another VERY nice day...got home early since exams finished up and the kids got out of school early...I went out and did some more raking and watched some more snow melt...there's very little left but its not all gone yet. I also  made some Easter cards...which I need to photograph to show you. I must say...it was very exciting. I love it when I have a productive couple of hours to play in the studio-makes me a new person- and then when I can get outside and get some fresh air and exercise...I just feel better all the way down..
Today we're in for a cold rainy one...relatively cold for April but not cold like a few weeks back. That's ok...full day of classes today and then National Honor Society is doing a dinner benefit tonight for one of our school nurses who passed away a few weeks back from breast cancer- its VERY sad actually...
And here's one of my meows- Emma...she's a tiny little one with a BIG independent streak, but loves being out in the great weather we've been having.
*****
And to celebrate the good weather not today's grey- here's some tags...blasts from the past. 

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

It was Beautiful Day Yesterday

We don't have palm trees here in New Hampshire, but our day yesterday ended up being just about as beautiful as this...we did have rain to start with but then it cleared and felt almost summery...well quite springy at 70 degrees. And today third quarter ends at school---that means tomorrow we're into the last quarter of the school year and that is very exciting. And just as exciting, with our heat yesterday we lost A LOT more snow...maybe today will be the day the yard becomes snow free...but I think it might not be for another day. But I can hope. Spring is here and summer is coming and this time of year is very exciting and full of hope and thoughts of all the good things to come.

Monday, April 11, 2011

Blogger Challenge


This week's Blogger's Challenge is based on this photo. What appealed to me was the blue-ish grey background color and the clean color palette with some added flowers, but its not overly floral if that makes sense. And then there's just a touch of green in the leaves on the tree.
So here's my take on this week's challenge:
I kept my background pretty basic with white like the photo mats and I used Hero Arts polka dot background which I stamped in red. I know there's no red in the photo, but I just needed to add a bit. The girl is from Character Constructions, and I used the background blue to color her coat. The flower girls are also from Character Constructions and I added the blue and then there's the green leaves. I added some torn edging from an old German book, the circle stamp from Stampington-Michelle Ward's tea and coffee line, and then the dream saying which is from Cats Life Press. I drew the heart on the coat and added a Hero Arts heart pearl.

Here's the link to this week's blog hop