WooHoo!! Blog Challenge #52!!!

The Bloggers' Challenge group is 1 year old today!! Can you believe it's been a whole year?!! Well, I joined just a bit late...maybe at Week 4 or so.....but, it's been so much fun. Kudos to our Challenge "Mom," Lisa, for coming up with some awesome ideas and helping to keep us all on track. It's been fun poking about to see how we can all interpret an idea so differently....and I speak only for myself when I say, that some of the Challenges have been fun and easy, but other have stretched my creative abilities....and to be honest, some were incredibly difficult. But, then, it's a "Challenge," right? I am honored to be part of a group that has truly remarkable talent.

(To my readers....I hope that you take some time each week to click on the Bloggers' Challenge icon and visit my Blog Sisters!)

OK, so now for the card this week. The theme is Masculine Cards....now, that's always difficult! So, last night, I was looking for my Lovely as a Tree set....isn't it wonderful that it is NOT being retired?!! It IS definitely a long-time favorite......but came across my Wanted set first. This poor set has not seen ink in quite some time, so it was itching to be inked up. Now, if you've been visiting here regularly, you may remember me saying at one point that the horse in this set has never seen ink...so, today is the day! When I was formulating a plan for the card, I figured "why not?!" And although I'm not really too crazy about the horse, I do LOVE the medallion style stamp...and use it frequently, so that became the background, along with Sanded...you KNOW I love those double layered backgrounds!

As you can see, the card features a fairly simple layout (I'm really a simple layout kind of gal!), but like last week, it's "dressed" up a bit! The horse was stamped repeatedly to show movement....it's just the "second generation" technique. Add in some Hodgepodge Hardware, distressing, a punch, and there you have it! So, now that it's done, I have no idea who to send it to.....after all, I don't know of any "cowboys" or ranch hand wannabees here in the "burbs" of New York City.....but, it will be a good guy thank you card sometime in my future!

Stamps: Wanted, Priceless

Inks: Chocolate Chip Classic & Craft, Close to Cocoa*

CS: River Rock, Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip

Misc: Aged Copper Hodgepodge Hardware, Spiral Punch, Cutter Kit (for distressing edges), Clear Embossing Powder (for greeting), Chocolate Chip Taffeta

*Close to Cocoa Classic Ink was used in the Direct -to-Paper method around the focal point. Because it is used directly, the intensity of color is stronger, and so, I went to the lighter shade of brown.