Romance - Tag Tuesday and Lilybean Style

 

Yesterday I had the luxury of surfing around some of my very favorite blogs and soaking up tons of inspiration.  I also sneaked away to my craft room for a while in the wee hours and had some fun.  My inspiration came from many sources: the Chestnut Challenge at Gingersnap Creations is "Romance" - some fabulous artwork is posted over there, featuring some wonderful stamps from The Artistic Stamper (blog candy, anyone?).  I'll have some creations using their luscious new sets in the coming days.
  

At Kard Krazy this week, the Tag Tuesday challenge is "A Touch of Red."  I am just loving the color combo of cream, brown, and red, so I had a go at that one.
 

And finally, Melissa at Lilybean Paperie posted this fabulous photo as an inspiration challenge. I was off and running!

For the Lilybean inspir- ation challenge, I made a postcard using my favorite Cornish Heritage Farms single, Tree Swallows.  I added some Making Memories vintage findings, some old K and Co. rub-ons, a vintage button, a Stampin' Up! stamp.  I sanded the red heart in the background to make it more shabby.

For the Tag Tuesday Touch of Red Challenge, I used the same Tree Swallows stamp, this time on a tag that had been stamped first with Vintage Chintz in Tattered Rose Distress Ink, then with the French Script backgrounder in red. For the script, I lightly tapped a Memento Rhubarb Stalk dew drop ink pad over the backgrounder, making sure I did NOT have full coverage of the stamp. I then placed the tag face down onto the stamp, and pressed it with my fingers in random spots (again, not all over). This gave the script a very faded and shabby appearance. I added some vintage buttons, a LOVE stamp from Stampington, a label from Making Memories, and a tiny chipboard heart.

The kids are home from school again tomorrow.... it's going to be 51 degrees outside, but the district is afraid there might be some ice.  I tell ya, things are just so different here in the south!  It wouldn't be so bad, but my kids go to a year-round calendar school, which means we are now looking at 3 Saturdays of make-up days.  That is NOT fun.... we miss so many activities.  Ah well.  They're happy, for now. :)