Happy 4th and Botanical Butterfly

 Happy 4th of July!  I have to say, I'm not feeling very "patriotic" this year. At all.  I'm very disappointed in our country, in our poor excuses for leaders, and it's just really hard to celebrate being an American. So just know that if you're from another country wondering what the Hell is happening over here - most of us who are still sane (or have hearts) are wondering the same damn thing.  I try to keep politics out of my blog but today just screams for me to be able to voice my opinion. So that's that. I'm having a cookout today - my first real "party" since my baby grandson passed away unexpectedly in March, so I'm keeping it small and hoping I can get through it without crying. Too much. The girls will be with their dad this weekend so that makes it harder - they make everything better, or at least they keep me busy enough that I don't have time to sit around crying or feeling sorry for myself! I hope you all have a wonderful holiday weekend!

I'd like to enter the card below into the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Monday - Red, White, and/or Blue

Wednesday's Creative Inspiration - Stars and/or Stripes

I Love ProMarkers - Anything Goes/Optional Magical

Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes

Shopping Our Stash - Red, White, and Blue

(my "stash" item is the paper - I tend to hoard my Doodlebug Designs papers!)

Color Dare #659

I find that Doodlebug Designs papers go so perfectly with images from The Greeting Farm. I combined images from 2 digi sets - 4th of July and Birthday Girls, colored with Copics and paper pieced. I had fun creating this. I used a heart die cut for the sentiment and layered another one behind it.

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And then I have one more that I'd like to enter into these challenges:

A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything Goes

Dragonfly Dreams - One or More Butterflies

Triple B - Birds, Butterflies, or Blooms

Sunday Stamps - Colors (choose at least 3)

For this one, I ink smooshed the oranges, green, and light blue onto watercolor paper, leaving a pastel-type look for the background. I then stamped the large stamp from Woodware Craft Co. called Paper Nib Butterfly with Chipped Sapphire Distress Oxide Ink and embossed with clear embossing powder. Simple but effective. Peace.