Take Me Home, Country Roads

I've been up to my eyeballs in paperwork while getting prepared for a meeting I'm having tonight with the parents of the girls in a new Daisy troop I'm helping to lead. (Side note: from that sentence, would you ever guess I was once an editor? "Could I buy a comma, please?") What I also used to be was a Girl Scout, many, many years ago. But this will be my first experience as a leader - wish me luck!

Anyway, it seems like my family and I have all picked up quite a few more extracurriculars this year, which is seriously cutting into my stamping time (I know ... WHAT?! LOL.) So today I thought I'd dip into my "rainy day fund" of projects not yet shown here. This, one of my all-time favorite cards ever, is a card that I made for the Splitcoast Dirty Dozen gallery last October (2008). Our theme that month was "For A Song," and our projects were all related to, or inspired by, music.

Here's what I wrote at the time:

Almost heaven, West Virginia,
Blue Ridge Mountain, Shenandoah River,
Life is old there, older than the trees,
Younger than the mountains,
blowing like a breeze

Country Roads, take me home
To the place I
belong,
West Virginia,
Mountain mama, take me home
Country roads

~Take Me Home, Country Roads by John Denver~

I grew up in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, very close to the Shenandoah River and nearby Blue Ridge Mountains, so this song speaks of home and brings back so many childhood memories. This image from Art Impressions seemed like a perfect fit for the song. The barn, rolling hills, and barbed-wire fence look just like a scene you'd expect to find along an old, country road.The image is stamped on watercolor paper and watercolored with various Stampin' Up reinkers. I embellished with burlap ribbon, buttons, and twine for an outdoorsy, country look.This month, each of the DD designers has selected a favorite project to feature. I'm choosing this one for two reasons. The first is the emotional connection to the scene in the image and to the song lyrics that inspired the card. Second, so many of my favorite things are incorporated into the design -- watercoloring, distressing, earth tones, and lots of texture and dimension. I hope you like it too!

Speaking of the Dirty Dozen, on the 20th of each month, some of the current dirty girls and DD alumni participate in a group challenge. This month's challenge is "You Want a {Paper} Piece of Me." The challenge is to paper piece and the required element is to use fall or Christmas colors. I wasn't able to play along this month, but you can check out all the fabulous entries throughout the day at keyword DCPOM1009 on Splitcoast.

Hope your week is off to a great start! Thanks for visiting!



Stamps: M-3180 Farm Window (Art Impressions)
Paper: True Thyme, Really Rust card stock (SU!); watercolor paper (Canson); "Simple Pleasures" dp (Close To My Heart)
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black (Tsukineko); various dye reinkers (SU!)
Accessories: aqua painter, edge distressing tool, sponge daubers, dimensionals (SU!); Garden Green buttons (Close to My Heart); burlap ribbon (SEI); branch punch (Martha Stewart); thin twine, sewing machine, thread
Size: 5 1/2" square