"Milk and Coffee" is at Fashionista this Month!

June's blog candy is here.

This month at Fashionista Challenges we are celebrating birthdays and weddings with sponsor Milk and Coffee! For a chance to win some wonderful images, pop on over with your birthday or wedding related card and play with us!

And I also have a very special tip - 

Just for you! 

Sponsored by fumble fingers herself!

This darling little image of Charlotte with her friendly butterfly is available from Milk and Coffee images here.

In my card, the image has been flipped, and a second butterfly added.

TIP: To add the second butterfly, open your image, do a "SAVE AS" and rename this image to "butterfly only". Crop as needed and place your butterfly into the image, or print separately to fussy cut and layer on top.


Here is my special tip:

Make your pretty "button medallions" with delicate mulberry paper (it really is pretty). But then, let your fumble fingers drop the finished Medallion. Be sure you roll over it with your chair and smash it while looking on the floor for it. Then try to fix it suitably for the card. It looks especially endearing all smashed up. 

Here is how it is supposed to look:

And here it is all smashed after being rolled over (not once, but twice):

Quite an interesting look, wouldn't you say? hahaha

(I love sharing my boo-boos with you!)

Lots of glitter and glitter-fied embossing powders were used, of course!

The Happy Little Flying Bird is from the Spellbinders Presto Punch Template "Bird" Set.

Both "By The Lake" EP and "Waterfall" glitter were used on the bird

(links shown below in product grocery list)

The "wish" sentiment on the top panel is tied with tiny satin ribbon, bedecked with a heart charm, and glitter-fied on the edges using a Quickie Glue Pen.

The bottom sentiment is by Great Impressions:

The same tiny ribbon has been laced in and out of the lace edging, and finally tied in a bow. The vellum Fantastic Flourish has been "cut in half" and placed on each side of the panel. The bottom turquoise panel is also covered with VersaMark and heat set with "Sparkle" EP for a very glittery effect.

the Path of Positivity Challenge 

Have you checked out the Path of Positivity Challenge yet? This month's theme is Strength - increasing our personal strength of character. The Birthday sentiment on my card is how I usually derive Strength -

"I wish you time for joy and laughter,

peace and reflection...

but most of all, I wish you Love."

In times of hardship I require moments of peaceful reflection - regardless of where I am, what is happening, the circumstances which present themselves to me, it is remembering/reflecting that true Love will bring Peace to my soul. And my Soul flies to that Love. Strength allows me to "rise" higher than the pain and limitations of my body. Strength allows me to see the good in all people, regardless of what they may say or do. Little fears can become big fears, unless I reflect, allow Peace to pervade, and Love to bloom. For me, Love is not so much an "emotion" or something I "feel", but rather, a

State of Being

Once we realize our Strength is directly related to the Love and Peace saturating our very being, we can:

•  care deeply about all things without becoming embroiled in them; 
•  we can overcome hurdles by taking those "baby steps" rather than noticeably giant leaps; 
•  and we can grow stronger and stronger by recognizing that Strength is not always something which Shouts Itself Known, but rather, something of Beauty, which is of recognized in the quietness of soul after reflecting on what is truly within our control, and that which is not.

Check out the wonderful submissions to the Path of Positivity Challenge for a little inspiration in your day. A lovely person, blog owner Lisa shares from her heart, and has created a "space" where we can share something from our own hearts as well.

NOW...

Let's hear it for the beautiful SMASHED mulberry medallion - 

big grin 

(I am SO proud!) hahaha

Products used:

Images:
   Milk and Coffee Charlotte and Butterfly

   Stampin' Up! "Wish" image
   Great Impressions "Birthday" image

Punches and Die Cuts:
  Life Style Nesting Hearts
  Life Style Nesting Lace Hearts
  Martha Stewart Vintage Floral Punch Around the Page
  Cheery Lynn Tropical Flourish
  Cuttlebug Dotted Swiss embossing folder
  Spellbinders Curved Rectangles
  Spellbinders Shapeabilities Die D-Lites S2-010 Fantastic Flourish One
  Spellbinders BIRDS P5-006
  Stampin' Up! Oval and Scallop Oval punches
Glitters and Embossing Powders:
   Sparkle N Sprinkle "Sparkle" embossing powder
   Sparkle N Sprinkle "By the Lake" Cosmic embossing powder
   Sparkle N Sprinkle "Waterfall" G1071 Glitter
Lace, Recollections bling
Ribbons, Pearls (from my late mom' stash -smile)
Inks:

  Tumbled Glass dye ink

  Cloudy Blue dye ink

  Old Paper dye ink

  VersaMarker, VersaMark Ink

  Versafine Pigment Deep Lagoon

Copic Markers

Adhesives: Alleen's Quick Dry Tacky Glue, Sakura Quickie Glue Pen, Dimensionals
Cardstock: White, Turquoise, Coral-Pink, aqua mulberry paper, vellum

This sweet card is entered in the following fun challenges! 
(thank you, Challenge Hosts)!

1. Path of Positivity #3 - Strength (M) - please see my paragraph just above the bottom photo.
2. Die Cuttin' Divas - #121 Birthday (W) with 3 Embellishments (6 dies are listed in products used) (embellies are ribbons, Pearls, Lace, bling, charm
3. Addicted to Stamps - #59 - Gorgeous Lace (trimmed around heart and base sentiment, and also paper lace with the punch around the page.)
4. Country View Challenges - #4 - June Die Cuts (M) - (6 dies are listed in products used)
5. Really Reasonable Ribbons - #74 Seeing Dots and Ribbon - (2WP15) - tiny Satin ribbon for the charm on top panel, and woven ribbon around base - dotted swiss embossed background, dotted ink spots around image)
6. Craft Your Passion - #168 - In the Garden (image and card design are garden)
7. IncyWincy Designs - Tic Tac Toe (frame it-emboss it-2 or more stamps)
8. Shabby Tea Room - #172 Summer Breeze - (colors, nature, clean outdoors)
9. Great Impressions - "A Little Sparkle" (M)(glitter everywhere! even under the sentiment)
10. Totally Gorjuss Challenges - #189 (Happy Birthday!) sentiment is birthday wish

Always loving hugs,