071613 CKC July 2013 Challenge #3 - inspired by a Favorite Place - HOME

Over at the Counterfeit Kit Challenge blog this month our 3rd challenge is to be inspired by your favorite place.

My home, of course, but there is something new~

We are creating a little oasis on our own front porch,

where we can finally enjoy our yard with NO BUGS.

It's been really fun completing the final phase of our exterior rehab.

We've come a loooooong way, baby:

After removing the ant-filled tree on the right, and the roof-destroying tree on the left,
we were left with no landscaping, a really ugly house, and most of the budget 

made up of sweat.  But we had a vision of what might be possible...

...and made it happen.

I'm so grateful for my dear husband, 

who makes my dreams come true!

My Up Tempo kit has yielded a surprising amount of pages, considering that my papers were all 6x6,

presenting me with the unique challenge of a lot of white space to deal with in creative ways.

I remembered this tag punch from last month's kit that never got used, plus the b/w baker's twine popped the colors.

Okay, I confess! It was 2am & I just could NOT stop layering on this little flower cluster!

 

This was a take on the chalkboard letters in the inspiration kit using one of my kit stamps.

And that adorable bluebird of happiness washi just plain makes me happy <3