***Swirlyhues challenge***

  Hey all! Hope everyone is doing well. I have been sick just about all month long. I'm just starting to get back on my feet from a bout with Shingles!! All I can say is nooo fun at all. My DS was my coach on getting myself back on my feet and going with this LO.. LOL I'm trying to figure out why he wanted me to enter this challenge but he was dead set that I enter it and even offered to make the flowers **still scratching head**. I did use his picture but I have done several LO with him?! He knows how much I would love to win because of the way awesome prize (Trish Ladouceur class kit). We had the this available to be purchased back in July, but funds was low so I had to let it go.. But I don't think that is really it either. I'm really thinking it is the fact if I win he will be back on the swirly blog!! I think it is his competition with his sister Hah! He wouldn't even wait for the sun to come out for me to take pictures and post! Noo it had to be done right NOW!!! I rather wait but did to appease him. Now for the details of this challenge click here. It will give ya all the info needed about this challenge and anyone can enter! Pretty cool huh? Well here is the LO and all of its details.

I hand stamped and colored just about every piece to this LO. I tried hard to stay in with the hues provided. Here are some close-ups.

The flowers was made using Lisa G.'s tute over at Swirlydoos click here for the tute. It's called Floraino Flower. I changed up the center some and used my new Cricut Cart to cut the flower out (so I could make them smaller) But for the most part its the same process. I also hand stamped and colored the feathers and peacock its a stamp set from CTMH (one of my faves!) the medallion piece I cut out with that same cartridge and colored it as well.. Was going for a patina look with it. The little bitty flowers was cut with the same cartridge. The inks used was CTMH, TH, and Lindy's. Ok next close-up...

Ok this is suppose to be a manlyish LO.. Sooo I pulled back some on the blooms and added more bling!! LOL The gems are this in this months kit over at Swirlydoos. They are Joelle's hit fix gems. I just used liquid glass to attach them. Man talking about fussy cutting wheew!! I flat did some fussy cutting and broke in my new Ingvild Bloom exacto knife which was this months tech kit as well.. Last close-up..

Last piece is the title.. This was colored and fussy cut as well.. The Paper that I cut it out of is Prima!! We got some way cool papers with this kit from Prima and Bo Bunny!!! They are super COOL! The (A) was made by cutting out the remains of a black alpha and color it in and cut it out as well. The wording is by Kand Company. The feathers are from the same CTMH stamp set and the really cool piece above the title was cut out using the same cartridge.. I really love this cartridge!!!! I haven't even touch the possiblities with it!!! More information on the cartridge is in the below post.. OK gotta go to Swirlydoos and post this challenge. Wish me err my son good luck LOL!! Goodnight and god bless.

** Serenity **

 Hello everyone! Hope everyone had a awesome holiday weekend last weekend. As for me well I was and still am sick. Better but it is still hanging on.. Went to the doc got a shot and a Zpac and well it still wants to hang on! Finally got the LO that I fully intended on having it done and posted last weekend, but this bronchitis had different plans for me! All well at least its better than it was and got the LO done now so its all good.
 I used my new cricut cartridge from "Close to My Heart" and let me tell ya it is THE BOMB!!! I really am excited about it. For one thing, it has just about everything that I want in it. It is now and will be my go to cartridge. Yay CTMH and thank you!!! Ok Just had to get that off of my chest.. Now for the LO.

My DD just loves the color Purple and the new "Sonoma" Papers from CTMH item # X7143B well it fit her to the T. I did use one sheet of TH papers in the back its a resist sheet. I sprayed some Lindy's moon shadow mist on it "Pegleg Pete Purple". I really loved the whole family heirloom feel to this LO. Yes just about every design that is cut was using that wonderful Cricut cartridge called "Art Philosophy Collection" item # Z1686. The Large piece in the center which is layered 3 times. The beatiful piece below the pic of my DD. Even the Large and one small Purple blooms was made using this cartridge. The mat behind the photo isn't just a mat. It is a card that is in the cartridge that I used to hide my journaling. I really hate my own hand writing. My DM said that I should journal it in my hand writing. So I hid it heehe..
The name of my LO is basically what the journaling is. I used the "Serenity Prayer" and titled it "Serenity" because of my DD. She has struggled hard through school and has learning disablities that really gets in her way. She hates the fact that she has trouble and has always wanted to know why she is so differnet from the other kids. Well hopefully soon we will find out the true answer to this question. Please keep us in your prayers on that one! She was and has been of late really worring over her future. I had her to read this little card I keep that has this very prayer on it. The prayer goes like this.. "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference." At this time with that subject that is the best advise that I can give. I think that it is pretty good advise. Ok more pics and close ups..

This is a close up of the small bloom I made. For its center I used the flower that comes in the "Heirloom Assortment" item # Z1635. The dangles below the pic also come in this assortment. The beautiful Cameo is one that a sweet lady at a local store gave me. The background behind it is a stamp set that also has Cameo stamps as well. The stamp set is called "Sweet Moments" item # C1467. I can't wait to use it more see sooo many possiblities with it. Next pic..

I really loved how the blooms turned out!! The Hydrangeas are from HL. I got them when I was working on a challenge over at Swirlydoos. I desided that they needed to be used and would work perfect with this LO. The leaves and butterflies are ones that Lisa G. Has for us to use over at Swirlydoos. Here is the Link. They are fun to use and I use them A LOT!! Gotta give you a really good close up of those blooms. I have lovingly named them "Mum Roses" I think they look like a cross between the two different flowers so I thought it worked pretty nice.

I used the pp that came in "Sonoma" for the center and cs that is in the pack as well for the base. I used CTMH "smokey plum" ink and my little mixture of "Create-a-Shade pearl paint" and alcohol to color them with. The Lace that I used through out the LO came from walley world. I have found a lot of cool laces there. Ooh yeah on the photo I also used some of my stash of Dusty Attic that I love VERY much!!! Used Lindy's to color those pieces as well. Well I believe that about does it for now... Gonna be using that cartridge some more and show ya some more of the things it does. Take care and God bless!