Migration

 I made this card tor a travel challenge at IO called "Are We There  Yet".  As I looked through my IO stamps and dies, I discovered I had nothing travel related.  Then I saw these birds and the die and  I thought about birds migrating.  As I continued to look,  I saw this sentiment and I was reminded of all the traveling I have done in my lifetime. Since my husband had a career in the USAF, we were constantly traveling and moving and I remember the goodbyes that we made to places, homes and friends.  Each move was bitter sweet because it hurt to say goodbye but at the same time the idea of new and exciting adventures pulled at my imagination, I was much like the bird that "paused in its flight" and rested and grew comfortable until the boughs beneath her give way, but when they do, she does not panic because experience has taught her not to fear but to sing because she has wings.  Venturing into the unknown takes courage sometimes, but what we would miss if we never left our comfort zone. 
You can find the challenge here
 http://mitrafriant.typepad.com/impression_obsession_news/2014/06/new-impression-obsession-challenge-are-we-there-yet.html    

 The IO products used are

My Little Chickadees - C8589

Birds Die - DIE003-A

Leafy Branch - DIE055-

 Be Like the Bird - E13029

 

Summer Flowers

Lee Murphy is the hostess for the Mod Squad Challenge this week. She made it easy for us because we just have to color something and use summer colors.  I laughed at Lee because she said she needed more coloring time because it was so therapeutic.  I can relate to that!  I frequently color in the evenings when something is on my mind or when my husband is watching something ho-hum on television. A while back  I was coloring and he asked if I was stressed or bored.  That night I was bored.  A few nights ago he said he was unsettled about something but he didn't know what or why so I asked him if he wanted me to get him something to color.  He declined, but he just does not know what he is missing.  The flower on this card is a freebie from Beccy's Place.  If you have not visited her web cite, you should. She has some awesome tutorials, a fabulous store. a monthly challenge,and lots of beautiful freebies. I colored the flowers with Spectrum Noir markers.  Both the card and and the die are sponged with Memento pear tart and Bahama blue.  I put some beads on some floral wire to make my own rendition of a hat pin for embellishment and tucked in a little lace. You can see Lee's challenge and card sample along with other entries here.   http://modsquadchallenge.blogspot.com/

Happy Day

MFT has a color challenge every month.  Combining colors is one of my weakest areas so I decided that I am going to enter more color challenges.   You can see the other entries and find out about the challenge here. http://www.mftstamps.com/blog/category/color-palette-challenge/   The stars are from a Die Namics die and the flower border is  a Martha Stewart punch

Sketch 181

I made this card for the sketch challenge at MFT. http://www.mftstamps.com/blog/stamp-and-win-with-this-weeks-card-sketch-181/    It really did not come together like I envisioned it so if I have time, I might give it another try.  The stamp is from Gina K Designs and the fishnet overlay is a Die Namics  die.

Popped Flower

I found this sketch and color pallet on theViva LaVerve blog and I had to give it a try.  I entered it at STAMP TV Monday challenge and Viva La Verve.  I used Gina K Designs stamps By the Sea and Summer Blooms.

http://vlvsketches.blogspot.com/2014/06/viva-la-verve-june-2014-week-1-sketch.html

Life's Memories

I based this card on a sketch from Mojo Monday. http://mojomonday.blogspot.com/  The stamps and papers are from Gina K Designs and the flower is a Spellbinders die.  I also entered it in StampTV Monday's challenge" Pop Goes the Flowers".

http://mojomonday.blogspot.com/

Masculine Note

This was a quick and simple card to make with just an embossing folder, a stamp, and a die cut.  I started wit Kraft CS and embossed it with a Darcie embossing folder.  Love all the cat tails and grasses. I sponged it with tea die and walnut distress inks.  I stamped a sentiment from IO( CL43) and added some die cut birds (DIE078-F )also from IO.  I mounted it on some black CS and then adhered it to a Kraft card base. I will enter this in the IO Masculine challenge.
http://mitrafriant.typepad.com/impression_obsession_news/2014/06/new-impression-obsession-challenge-masculine.html