Fabulous Friday: Barn Swallow Card

Hi girls! It's another Fabulous Friday - here at home and certainly over at Sugar Creek Hollow! Part of the fun is a free digital image that Tracy posts each week. This weeks is a really cute image perfect for summer! Be sure to go over and pick it up!

I have used the sketch for tomorrow for today's card --- and I have to say that I went a little overboard on this card. It's also one of my favorite cards ever! I really love how it turned out!

Yep - look at all those rhinestones. And I edged my flower in stickles. And some rhinestone swirls. And lace. And flowers - TWO of them!

I used the Barn Swallow image from Sugar Creek Hollow, one of my favorite images. I flipped it in Photoshop before printing it out so that my little birdie was facing the direction I wanted for my card.

Before I sat down to create this card, I went to the Daily Dare and decided to see if I could find any other challenges that I could incorporate into my card. I had a basic idea of what I was going to use. I found an old hymnal at a thrift store earlier in the week and knew that would factor in. As I explored each challenge, my card began to take shape --- and amazingly, I actually remembered each little thought that I had!!!!

Another look at my card -- this one all fancied up with a background and stuff. Which do you prefer, a blank background or the "styled" background?

Okay, here are all the challenges that I incorporated into my card!
Sugar Creek Hollow - sketch - it will post tomorrow on the store blog, but you can get a jump start today!

SCS Ways to Use It: Mixing Patterns
SCS Free for All: Take a Vacation - for the last few summers, my family has gone to the mountains. I love the peace and quiet. I love the less hurried pace. I LOVE waking up in the morning to a cool, crisp morning and hearing the birds sing. Watching the through the mountains....hence the hymn I chose - Behold the Dawn.
Something Completely Different: H - I knew I was going to use a humn in my sketch - that counts, right?
Dare U 2 Digi: Use Flowers
Clearly iStamp: Use ribbon - I used lace, that's the same, right?
S2G - Use flowers
The ABC Challenge: S is for Sparkle - I don't know if you can see in the photo, but the paper I pieced my bird on -- has a shimmer to it. It's really cool! It's from a GCD stack I got at Hobby Lobby.
The Belli Challenge: Use Die Cuts - my little branch for my birdie. I trimmed him off the branch he's drawn on and mounted him to this instead.
Fab 'n Funky: Get it All Out - use a guilty stash item. The stickpin is mine. It's a Making Memories that I bought forever and ever ago. It's one of those things that I find hard to use --- because then what if I don't have it in the future? Crazy, huh? I did add a little rhinestone to it as well.
Little Red Wagon: Ruffles -- this is the first time I've done this I think. Wow. That took some time! Worth it though, don't you think!?!
The Pixie Cottage: Make a card for Mother's Day or a Special Lady
Stampotique: Make a girly girl card. It's not pink but I think it's pretty girly!
Tellen's Place: Ink Distressing I did quite a bit of that on this one. The gingham in the background was black and white - I just smeared it with Antique Linen ink. Inked the edges of the decorative left panel and the hymn block. The gingham flower was also white and I inked it with a copic marker to darken it so it would match.
Wild Flower Patch - use paper piecing. Can you resist a polka dot bird? I sure can't!

Thanks so much for stopping by today ladies! I just love seeing that you swing by for a look-see. Don't foget to head over to Sugar Creek Hollow and pick up today's free image (click on the Fabulous Friday tag on the left). You can also shop for lots of digital images, including my barn swallow from today. For just a few dollars**, you can have instant gratification. We'd love to see you join in the sketch challenge too!
**Did you know that Sugar Creek Hollow funds a ministry at Tracy's church that feeds the hungry in her community? That's pretty cool in my opinion!

You should also go see what the other designers have for you today!

 Cheri ♥ Dani ♥ Donna ♥ Joan
Joseline ♥ Kristina ♥ Linda ♥ Loretta 

Marsha ♥ Nancy ♥ Sarah 

Stephanie ♥ Tracy ♥ Kelly

April Guest Designer
Martha