The Teapot Tuesday story this week was wonderful and had my mind racing at a 42,000 miles an hour as I read it. It was about a lovely young Native American Indian girl and her story telling. I pictured a step card, river, teepee, dream catcher.....You can imagine my shock when I read that this weeks challenge was to be tranquil - peaceful setting - inspirational words. Added to that, extra cookies for "children" and the colour blue.
Half way through this challenge I realised that I don't do "peaceful and tranquil" very well. I punched out heaps of little bright orange and bright yellow flowers, stuck them on the back wall of the card and added liquid pearls to the centres. While they were drying I cut out the little girl and garden scene. At this point DH walked in and said, "Gee that's bright"....you guessed it, for the next half hour I plucked off the little flowers with tweezers. It was worse than dead-heading roses!!
All of the dp is Graphic45 "Secret Garden" . I cut out the little girl and background with a blade then gently inked the edges. I used a Spellbinders EF for the brick wall and planter box and roughed up all the edges with an old blade (carefully)! and swished distress ink over it. The flourish (I call it my Jack and a Bean Stalk die) was done with pearlised cardstock, so is the little wrought iron fence and trellis. The trellis is actually the fence, with the little knobs cut off. I find metallic and pearlised cardstocks very pliable and forgiving, it was easy to wrap the beanstalk around the fence and trellis.
This week our cards are going to a wonderful young lady, Jessica, who has just returned from 8 months missionary work with disadvantaged children from around the world.
Date: Tuesday, May 21, 2013 GMT Views: 3790
Favorited:11
Registered: March 15, 2012 Location: Alabama Posts: 11018
Tue, May 21, 2013 @ 6:12 PM
Oh Susie!!! This is so precious!!! LOVE your little sweet girl in the garden! How clever to use her right from the DP AND make the trellis from the fence! LOVE all the little flowers in white (worth all your efforts!!!) with their tiny centers and all the leafy folliage! Your cards always delight! Another one for my favorites!!!
Splitcoast Dirty Dozen Alumni Proud Fan Club Member
Registered: June 19, 2010 Location: SC Posts: 6005
Tue, May 21, 2013 @ 6:46 PM
Susie, you had me laughing so hard. Girlfriend I've been there! I have never been able to master "right-angle" punching, and told people I looked like the crazy cat lady at 3:00am with bits of paper stuck all over me.
Frist, let me say, I absolutely adore Graphic 45! Love it!! And when I saw this step card using the Secret Garden collection I just had to get a closer look. You can no longer say you don't do "peaceful and tranquil" cards. Susie, your card is full of beautiful detail, and I think it's the perfect welcome home for Jessica.
Registered: September 11, 2009 Location: Vancouver BC Posts: 7266
Tue, May 21, 2013 @ 6:51 PM
As always....amazing. Most of the time when people need tranquility, joy works as well. Your cards are always joyful and the tiny little bright orange and yellow flowers would have been just as wonderful as the white ones.
I love your trellis idea and you can look for me casing it in the future.
------------------------------ ELIZABETH LINCOLN Proud Fan Club Member
I design for CRAFTY SECRETS
My Blog: Paper Pass Times
Registered: May 9, 2007 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 8704
Tue, May 21, 2013 @ 6:55 PM
Susie, this is absolutely divine! Every little detail is so intricate and special. You have created a masterpiece. Jessica will adore this!
------------------------------ Mary ~~ QFTD #152, FS#514CC Guest Design Team 2012, 2013, 2017 & 2022 2014 CAS Spring Design Team MemberSC Guest Design Team 2015 & 2022 Dirty Dozen Alumni SU Consultant "Life's greatest adventure is finding your place in the Circle of Life" - Lion King
Registered: March 24, 2006 Location: Deep in the Heart of TEXAS Posts: 15980
Tue, May 21, 2013 @ 7:26 PM
Wow! Susie, you are an incredible card creator. This is just stunning - as all your cards have been! What a talent! You are just amazing putting so much work into each of these wonderful treasures!!
------------------------------ Phyllis Young at heart, slightly older in other parts. We really never grow up, we just learn how to act in public!! What if you woke up today with only what you had thanked God for yesterday??
Registered: January 8, 2011 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 40416
Tue, May 21, 2013 @ 7:44 PM
Wow, Susie, this is incredible!!! I think this is my favourite of all your cards - I love the pretty dp you used and how you cut out the little girl, the trellis going up the wall, the flowers & flourish - lovely colours and so very tranquil!! Into my favs!!
------------------------------ Sue
Fan Club Member QFTD143 FS420
Registered: October 21, 2010 Location: in the okanagan in b.c. canada Posts: 13012
Tue, May 21, 2013 @ 8:44 PM
My friend...for not doing peaceful and tranquil much...you rocked it here....the picture adn little girl is so precious...wandering in the garden....Beautiufl job...love all the layers adn details...TFS..:0)
------------------------------ We as people are raindrops of colorful ink , falling down Crisp and Clear, each a different shade more vibrant then the last, but once we realize at the bottom of an endless abyss we all fall into the same inkpot forming one color, only then can we come together as one My son.
Registered: March 17, 2011 Location: Tennessee Posts: 49
Tue, May 21, 2013 @ 8:54 PM
Susie, The Secret Garden is one of Jessica's favorite books (as well as the movie). I love the quote on the card - Frances Hodgson Burnett. This card is so precious, it has so many details, and with the pearlised card stock I bet it has a shimmer. Love the flowers, vine, trellis and the fence, the little girl...stunning! She will love it!