Life is a Circus....

so you might as well Live with Zest!

I'm playing with the new Graphic 45 Le Cirque Papers and Stamp sets. These papers are so vibrant and so wonderfully vintage, I had to get out the distress inks and get really inky.

I stamped the background with the Le Cirque 3 set using Walnut Stain, Chipped Sapphire, Wild Honey and Barn Door Distress inks. Then I blended more Wild Honey and Vintage Photo to age the white cs. Next I over-stamped using Hero Arts Envelope Pattern with Vintage Photo and Raindrops Background in Stormy Sky. I finished the background by using a piece of lace as a mask and spritzing on some Perfect Pearls and then Bright Gold Memories Mist. For the button I stamped one of the images from the set on frosted Shrinky Dink plastic using Azure Stazon ink, then hitting it with my heat tool.  The sentiment is done with Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type letter stickers. Here's a close up of the lace detail.....

This card took forever...I just didn't know where I wanted to end up with it so I meandered about for a few days until I finally got a clue. I made 6 different versions of the stamped elephant that I rejected until this one told me it was the one. The Hero Arts sentiment is a favorite of mine from the Life is Not Perfect clear set. I think "Live with Zest" should be my sister's life theme...she squeezes the most out of every day.
Here's a closer view of the canopy and rosette....

The rosette is actually only half a rosette, it fits perfectly under the canopy that I stamped with the Stripes Pattern HA cling background.
If your life is a circus....enjoy every minute of it!!

~ Psalm 119: 33-35 ~ 

Teach me Your decrees, O Lord;

I will keep them to the end.

Give me understanding and I will obey Your instructions;

I will put them into practice with all my heart.

Make me walk along the path of Your commands,

for that is where my happiness is found.

~ Matthew 22:37-40 ~

Jesus replied, "'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart,

all your soul, and all your mind.'

This is the first and greatest commandment.

A second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'

The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments."

Have a blessed weekend,

nancy