Very Special Card for a Challenge

Awww.....This is sweet!  

"Perhaps a child, like a cat, is so much inside of himself that he does not see himself in the mirror."
                                                                             ----------------Anais Nin

Hi, Friends.....

I am here today with a special card for someone who is ailing and could use some encouragement.  Her name is Edith and I found out about her through Donna Ellis' wonderful blog:  Creative Smiles.  You can learn more about Edith's struggle with cancer HERE.  Perhaps, you would also like to send her a card.

I already had in my stash this lovely butterfly image I had heat embossed in white on vellum.  I do try to stamp a few extras when I have my sets out.  It is nice to have them on hand and often is just what I need to inspire an entire card! 

I put the vellum over the aqua polka-dot paper (yes, it really is aqua, not sky blue....darn camera!!), added a scrap of doily beneath, and mounted it on kraft.
  
I serendipitously made sort of a wood-grain looking background with some lined DCWV paper.  I used my HA Pattern Stripes background stamp inked with SSS Khaki.  I'm positive this paper wasn't supposed to be wood, but I think it kind of looks that way with my subtle stamping.  LOVE when something like that happens!!  :)

 
I clustered some Prima and Petaloo flowers together and glued on beads for the center of one.  



Then I got this wild idea of gluing beads on the stems of the side panel.  I probably should have quit before my brain got this far....

Actually, I really like this effect, but it is hard to keep the glue where you want it.  I laid down a line of Alene's Jewel-It and set on the beads.  It looks hard and tedious, but what I use is the tip of an unfolded paper clip that has a bit of sticky on it from the glue.  I touch it to the bead, which picks up easily, and then set it in place, oriented in all the same direction (in theory).  After they are all lined up to my satisfaction, I lay a line of glue over the top of them for additional security.  The glue dries clear, so you can't tell it's there.....except where I got some smears of glue on the paper.  Please don't look too closely!!  The process is actually quite easy......otherwise you wouldn't be seeing it on my blog!  Ha.

I once again used some of Joanna's lovely color palette from HERE.  There's only a day or two left on this color challenge and I will be so sorry to put those papers away.  It has been such an awesome combination to work with!!

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Also, I got totally brave and decided to participate in the Taylored Expressions - Sketch, Selfie, Share Challenge.  Did you notice that there is a $250 TE Gift Voucher Random Draw Prize up for grabs????  Wowza!!!  I am soooooooooo in!!!

Here's the sketch she provided: 

One of the requirements of this challenge is to post a selfie of you and your card!  EEEEEEK!!!!!

I couldn't get one of my cats to pose with the card (the ingrates, after all I do for them!), so.........at the risk of being the sole cause of the entire world wide web crashing, here is my selfie with my card: 

Arrrrrrrrghhhh.....I can never get a decent selfie!!  (cringe)

Edith, if you are feeling up to reading this, please know you are in my thoughts and prayers!!  Peace, strength, and comfort be yours.  

Thanks, everyone, for stopping by.  Hope your weekend is lovely!!!

<3
Janis


Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Taylored Expressions - Sketch, Selfie, Share Challenge
2. Inspired by Stamping - IBSIC #85 - Color Challenge
3. DL.ART September Linky Challenge - Anything Goes
4. Stamp and Create - September Challenge - Circles or Dots
5. Butterfly Spot Challenge - Ugly Bug Ball - Use any Winged Insect