Hello there, sweet friends......
I wish you could come over this afternoon for a coffee and a bit of crafting. But since that's not too likely to happen, I suppose I can share this card with you that I whipped up in the studio a bit ago, and perhaps a story or two. Will that do for now? :)
Let's chat about that flower, shall we? I had a bit of fun die cutting various layers of the flower and roughing them up before stitching them all together. The raspberry fizz layer was cut with the friendly flower die, the rustic cream layer with the medium sized beautiful blooms II #1 die, and the berry sorbet scalloped circle was cut with one of the love lives here dies. I know you can't see it very well in the photo, but I stamped teensy polka dots on that berry sorbet layer. The leaves were die cut with a die from the Turning a New Leaf collection and then I stamped them with the same teensy dots from Polka Dot Basics II. I haven't pulled that set out in a long time and I must say that it made me very happy to do so today. You know I love me some polka dots. :)
Oh, and how about that crazy, sparkly button?! It's a little weird by itself, but oh my Lordy bees -- it's fabulous when stitched to a colorful layered flower, don't you think? Love it's sparkles!
Below the flower are a couple of other fun elements. I used one of those labels from my newly created stash. This one is rustic cream card stock die cut with an Angled Labels die and stamped with a coordinating image from Label Basics with ripe avocado ink. The "Sending you birthday wishes" sentiment is from the Sending You stamp set and I added a little berry sorbet button to the side of the label, stitched with a bit of rustic cream button twine.
Before the button was added though (or rather, after the button was added and after I realized the button had been added too soon, and after I peeled the button back off so I could add some stitching) I added a scalloped strip of vintage book print behind the label and stitched across them both with my sewing machine. THEN, the threaded berry sorbet button was added. Again. Just keepin' it real. :)
And how about that super pretty background? That was created with the Picnic Plaid impression plate. I love that one. Such a great, detailed impression. It really adds so much detail in real life, without being too busy or distracting. Love that.
So a couple days ago, this was the scene around our yard. Green sprouts were popping up off of just about every living plant, tree and flowering shrub in our yard. Lots and lots of green. I had a bit of fun walking around the yard and snapping photos of everything.
All of those green sprouts are something that I haven't necessarily paid a lot of attention to in the past. I usually just wait and get excited once everything is actually blooming. However, the older I get, the more I'm learning to appreciate the little things. The blooms and sprouts that will eventually become those gorgeous flowers and colors around the yard, are something to get excited about too. I'm also noticing the various birds and their bird songs a lot more these days , but that's another story.
Anyway, there was just so much green popping out everywhere. And then yesterday, this happened........
More snow. Um, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it going to be April in like 4 days? I'm pretty sure it's not supposed to be snowing still.
Plus, I've recently decided that the romance of snow is pretty much over once our pile of firewood is gone and the yard starts bursting with green. Somehow now, the snow has lost a bit of it's luster. *wink*
So this was the scene around our backyard just this morning. Thankfully this afternoon, the snow has entirely melted. However, we'll have to wait and see how all of the plants fair after being frozen and snowed on. Boo.
Hopefully they'll be able to tough it out and still put on a spectacular show later this spring.
Enjoy your evening, dearies. I've got another card or two to whip up. :)
much love,
{Birthday Wishes supplies}
Paper: berry sorbet, raspberry fizz, ripe avocado, rustic cream, vintage book print
Stamps: Label Basics, Sending You, Polka Dot Basics II
Ink: ripe avocado, berry sorbet
Other: Picnic Plaid impression plate, Beautiful Blooms II #1 die, Friendly Flower Die, Turning a New Leaf Die, Love Lives Here scalloped circle die, Angled Label Die, Small Scalloped Border die, berry sorbet buttons, rustic cream button twine
