Life's Gifts ....

.... Good morning from a very cold and wintery Northville.  We had lots of snow on Saturday (not as much as some, but more than enough for me!).  Yesterday was absolutely beautiful - the whole area looked like a picture postcard with blue skies, sunshine and lots of white, sparkly snow! Photos at the end of the post! Oh, it was very cold too.  So, after I cleared the drive and paths of all that snow, I spent the day in my craft room making cards and here's one I can share today.  This is bold, bright, clean and simple:

Stamps: Woodware - Tulip Doodle, Bold Bloom
Inks: Memento - Tuxedo Black, London Fog; Versafine - Onyx Black
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Stampin' Up! Card - Watermelon Wonder; Copic Markers; Pitt Pen - Silver; Wink of Stella - Clear

I got some new stamps last week, all from Woodware, love the bold designs that can be coloured so easily!  I've combined three of my favourite CAS challenges on this card.  I've used the colours from CAS Colours & Sketches - CASC&S#151.   I think it's really PRETTY and, as that's the cue word at CASology - CAS#173, I'm submitted there too.  The cue word at Addicted to CAS - ATCAS#77 is DIMENSION, and I've given the flowers and leaves some dimension so I'm playing along there too.

I stamped the image on the card base and also on some scrap white card.  I coloured the image with Copic markers, added silver details with a Pitt pen and used a clear Wink of Stella on the flowers for some sparkle.  I cut out the leaves, flowers and butterfly, edged them with a black marker and adhered them to the card.  The smallest leaf was glued flat, and I used dimensional gel on the larger leaves, the flowers and the butterfly (see photo below).  On the inside I cut a mat layer of red card and stamped another flower on the white panel.  I've left lots of space for my message.

Here's a close-up of the flowers showing the dimension:

I had my camera out yesterday to capture some images of the first snowfall of the season.  I don't mind it much at the moment - it's a change from the rich colours of autumn and the heat of summer.

I took this one on my cell phone and through the upstairs window.  Even though it's was only about 7.00am when I took it, you can see that the roads have already been cleared!

Another one on my cell phone - this time at the back of the house - showing the sun coming up - I think sunrise was about 7.30am on Sunday (and getting later by the day!!).

After I'd cleared the drive and paths, I got out my "real" camera and took this one of our house - so pretty!

As the weather has been so nice, I haven't taken in my garden ornaments yet.  This is a photo of one in the back garden - love the way the sun catches it and you can just about see the sparkle of frost on it too!

See those footprints - they are from our noctural visitors.  There are deer in the woods that surround the estate and it's only when we have snow that you can see evidence of them!

Finally, a view of the houses behind our house - this is exactly as it came from the camera - no messing with colours or applying filters - it really was this pretty!

And that's all for today - do drop by again tomorrow!  See you soon.