Make it Monday #146 - Angled Backgrounds

Good morning friends.  Happy New Year and welcome to my first post of 2014!  A new year and new beginnings.  Do any of you make resolutions and actually stick to them?  I'm terrible at it (usually try for the weight loss one and fail miserably every year!), but this year I'm trying something different.  Be more kind and loving to everyone and less negativity.  Sounds simple, but being positive in this day and age can be a real challenge!  But since there is so much negativity in this world, I've decided that I'm not going to add to it, and that maybe my kindness and positive words will help others to be more positive too. :0)  And on that thought, I am going to show you a bright and cheery card.  Take a look:

 
Ashley Cannon Newell over at Papertrey Ink has a great video and card on making "Angled Backgrounds" for this weeks Make it Monday Challenge.  Her card was SO bright and cheery, it inspired me to do the same!  I know it will be a loooooong time before I see these colors outside my windows again, but I can think positive thoughts about what is to come!!  For my background I chose to use scraps of green and blue (mimicking the grass & sky) with a pop of yellow sunshine at the top.  After trimming the edges, I got to thinking that I could even use those scraps to paper piece the little scene from PTI's "Summer Hills" stamp set so that it would coordinate with my background.  Took a little bit of time to do this, but I like fussy cutting and thought the result was well worth the time spent.  I also really liked Ashley's idea of the white tree against the colored background and used PTI's Polka Dot Parade #6 die to add a tree to my little scene.  I also added glitter to the leaves to make them seem like they were sparkling in the sunshine.  I finished with a seam binding bow and button and a little banner made from vellum at the top.  Here's a closer up view of the paper piecing:

Lots of other great takes on this challenge over at Nichole's blog here  That's all for me today, but make sure to stop back tomorrow as I have a non card idea to share with you using a $1 wooden frame from Michael's.  Thanks so much for stopping by today and have a wonderful Thursday! :0)