Addicted to Stamps and More Challenge #45 Photo Inspiration {thank you so so much}

Hello friends and followers, hope you are having a great week so far.  We have enjoyed some very nice spring (almost summer) weather this past week and it seems that the trees and bushes around town suddenly awoke and just threw out their blossoms. It is so nice to see - I missed that sight after a deary winter.  My card today is for the Addicted to Stamps and More Challenge #45 Photo Inspiration challenge - take a look:
 

How lucky for me that I had purchased this window die not too long ago as it really came in handy for this challenge. I did have a hard time getting the cardstock loose from the die though so I purposely roughed it up a little and added a subtle touch of shading to make it look aged instead of almost torn - very crafty of me I think.  I had lots of pre-punched flowers and leaf stems laying on my craft desk, as well as the scroll pieces (to look like ivy) and the butterflies.  I felt quite thrifty and pleased that I was able to incorporate some of the items I had sitting around as well as a piece of retired DSP for the card base.  You have to imagine that you are looking through the window from the outside and into the opposite wall of the house as I didn't think ahead about what it would look like behind the frames - Lol. 

So what will you make from this lovely inspiration photo?  Can't you just imagine yourself sitting in that chair on the porch with the coolest and slightest of breezes every so often to keep you comfortable? Boy I sure can and I wish I was there :o)  The rest of the DT have made some really wonderful cards to share with you as well so I hope that you will go visit them.  ATS&M still has Whoopsi Daisy as the sponsor for this week's challenge who is offering a great prize to the ATS&M Top Honor this week.  Maybe it will be you!  

Til next time... hugs and happy crafting! D

Addicted to Stamps and More Challenge #40 - Photo Inspiration

Hello dear friends and blog followers hope the start of your week has gone well!  We have a new challenge for you this week at Addicted to Stamps and More - it's a photo inspiration challenge (see above). The photo inspiration challenge will now be part of our regular monthly challenges at ATS&M - we think you're going to like it! 

The fun thing about a photo inspiration challenge is that there are really no rules because you go with whatever it is about the photo that inspires you to make your creation to enter in the challenge.  It can be a part of the photo itself (the chair, the ocean, the beach, the drink, the hat), it can be a color or colors in the photo that inspired you (the blues, orange, browns, etc), it can be something else such as the texture of the hat for example (straw) or the idea that this evokes for you such as drinks with friends, relaxing, vacation, etc.  Whatever inspires you is what we want to see.  It would be fun for us when we visit to read what it is that inspired you (if it isn't obvious) and why.  

Here's my card - my inspiration was the drink and the water:

My mind immediately went to the idea of a gathering of myself and my friends enjoying some "foofoo" drinks (for those of you who don't know what that is - it would be fancy cocktails) and lots of laughs.  It would be especially wonderful if that were to take place by a beach or pool and with lots of sunshine.  It's been a long time since I've been able to enjoy that with some of my friends - maybe its about time to contact them and see what we can do?!

Here's the inside (quite simple really):

What has inspired you this week?  I can't wait to see what you come up with.  Heather Ellis is the sponsor this week for the photo inspiration challenge at ATS&M. You can win a fabulous prize from her by playing along with us this week.  The other ladies on the DT have come up with some wonderful ideas and projects to share with you as well.  Please go visit them too.

Off I go now to dream some more about warm sunshine and a cold drink with  my pals.  Well... probably more realistically to see if that last load of laundry is ready to be moved to the dryer or folded - but a girl can dream - right?! Til next time... hugs and happy crafting! D