Stamp Act: Memory Box Challenge ~ Thanks a Bunch!

Hi Again!
Yes, it is STILL dreary here. Makes me want to take a nap and I would except I have millions of things to do!!! My in-laws are coming Thursday and I must make my house and yard look as though I do do (not doo doo!!! LOL!!!) other things besides stamp!!! I haven't been able to mow because it has been raining for days and you know, I don't get really excited about mowing when I have to wear my winter clothes so hopefully tomorrow it will warm up, otherwise, maybe I'll let the horse out and he can start eating around the house!!! LOL!!! This homeownership really cuts in to my stampin' time! I did get this card done yesterday and it is for a Memory Box challenge that Rachel ~ Hope Stamps Eternal is having on her blog. Here it is ~

This card is simple looking enough huh??? Well, it took me a loooonnnnggg time to finish it but if you decide to CASE it, it won't take you long at all!!! LOL!!! I cut the scallop mat from my rectangle Nestabilities and I had this brilliant idea in my head that I was going to make it look like it was matched up with the bottom mat, which is the same decorative paper. I did, somewhat, achieve that but then I was lost on what to put at the bottom. Out of the 5,000 different ribbons I have, none of them worked!!! That's just wrong! LOL!!!

The base of this card is Close to Cocoa with a mat of Chocolate Chip and then the floral piece from the Memory Box ~ Aerial collection. I did cut the scalloped rectangle using my Nestabilities and the same paper. I also matted the scalloped piece with a small piece of Chocolate Chip cardstock that I used so the focal image would pop a little bit. I thought without it, the image was washed out. The focal image stamps are also from Memory Box and are from their Vintage Garden set. I images were all stamped on Shimmery White cardstock using Old Olive, Ruby Red and Close to Cocoa ink pads. The flowers were first inked up with Ruby Red ink and then I took my Close to Cocoa marker and added some brown to the edges of the petals. The "grass" and stem were stamped using Old Olive and the "butterflies" were stamped using Close to Cocoa. I am not completely sure if the stamps I used for the grass are actually grass stamps but they looked really good!!! I know the "butterflies" are actually flower petals that I stamped to look like a butterfly. I then added some clear Heidi Swapp crystals in two different sizes for the butterfly body! You are going to be AMAZED and YES, I did draw the antennas myself!!! I know, I know, you are in awe of my free hand drawing skills.... Maybe, just maybe, if you practice enough, you too can draw antennas for your bugs.... If you need instructions, please don't hesitate to ask!!! I used my Close to Cocoa marker to do it but I am sure, another marker MIGHT be OK to use. I cannot guarantee it though.....

The thanks a bunch is from one of the SU! rubon packs and is brown. I added another butterfly because I didn't know what else to put there and there was an empty space and I couldn't just leave it like that!!! LOL!!! Oh, I almost forgot! I colored the butterflies using my Ruby Red and Close to Cocoa ink pads and a blender pen.

Thanks again for stopping by!

~Lynda