This is a card for Less is More and I love the little journey I took myself on during the design process.  The small botanical images originally were stamped over the entire card front.  I decided it looked too busy and disconnected so I cut the card front in half vertically.  Boom!  Card just became a YES that's what I'm looking for!  Have you had those design moments?  Pretty cool when they happen, right?

Here's what I created with the other half of the card front.

The challenge was to use cactus and I really didn't know if I even had cactus stamps, but I looked through my plentiful A Must Studio stash and sure enough, there was the stamp set Grow.  The best part is I've not use this set until now.  

I had this background dot piece and decided to use it for this card.  I stamped the cactus planter image and the sentiment and colored the planter using chalks and water!  This is such a cool medium to use on regular cardstock!  To finish the card front, I used a striped stencil and chalks to add vertical lines and further background interest.  Glitter Glue added to the heart on the sentiment was my personal favorite touch.

I recently received a sweet card from Jane Henderson.  She said she used the paper piecing (not piercing) technique and it is still a favorite of hers. 

If you'd like a refresher on paper piecing, click on Jane's card for a search I did on You Tube.  There are so many videos, I thought you'd enjoy choosing what to read!

It's been quite awhile since I've invented "garage art" and for those of you who don't know what that is, it is 12x12 canvas paintings that adorn an entrance to your home from the garage!  Now, not everyone hangs this art in their garage, but I do and love seeing it as I enter my home whether it's in New York or Florida.  Obviously, this piece is Florida garage art! 

The story of this piece is that I printed a reference photo awhile ago. I had this cool medium that I painted over the canvas that creates a watercolor surface.  I had my doubts, but it worked fantastically well.  The medium is called Watercolor Cold Press Ground by Golden Artist Colors and here's the LINK.  It's a marvelous medium and I'm sold on it to convert a canvas surface to accept watercolor.

I ended up painting over the letters with a yellow/orange color as I felt it reminded me too much of snow and didn't contrast enough with the rest of the painting.

Color correction of the letters and a little more shading at the bottom of the pillars.

Have a Pleasant Week!

XOXO

LYN