Gracie is our hostess for the Tickle a Teapotter challenge, which you can find HERE. I bet it was hard to guess where she was going to take us from just that beautiful teapot and the challenge title.
My card reflects the last 8 months that I have been cycling to work - towards the end of March, it came down to cycle or don't work, since getting a lift wasn't an option for me. We may now use public transport, but since it's still limited in capacity I have kept on cycling. But I admit, when I started, I did NOT expect to be still doing it 7 1/2 months later. But I'm blessed that half my route lies through one of Europe's largest city parks - one day the herd of deer were right in the field next to the road. It's been a comfort to keep on smelling things too as well as seeing the trees change from bare to bud to full leaf and now changing colour and leaf fall. In the early Spring there was the scent of the chestnuts, and decorative wallflower beds near the entrance, followed by the lime (linden) in summer, and now they have been cutting the long grass for hay to feed the deer later on. The two little mallard ducklings made there way onto the card because during the first weeks of lockdown, we were restricted to a 3km (about 2 mile) radius of the home for exercise. Obviously I was getting mine travelling into work, but for DH that pretty much meant up or down the canal. Up is a better track, down was where all the ducklings were and in the heaviness of those first couple of months, it was heart-lifting to see those little balls of fluff appear and grow. I love the way they almost seem to scoot along the surface of the water when they are tiny.
I'll fill in the fields later, but all details are below.
This is a sort of pull-tab slider card, but I had to make it square to fit to my seasonal trees. The tab (photo in the challenge thread) is an old stamping with embossing folders piece of watercolour paper done in gelatos, on which I stamped an old Verve "One day at a time" sentiment.
For the front, I cut a curvy line in some DP adhered to thin card for strength, and I cut two parallel slits for my slider.
Free Spirits from Purple Onion was stamped on card, coloured with Polychromos and fussy-cut. I also stamped the wheels on some of the foreground DP, and pieced them in.
I used a scalloped circle and a couple of blues to sponge a cloudy sky.
The two trees on the left are both Impression Obsession. The bare one has some blossom on it - Flower Soft. The leafy one in the centre has two colours of Liquid Pearls on the leaves. The autumn leaves on the right is Creative Expressions Family Tree, cut from some kraft DP, and the leaves behind are from a failed piece of drunken acrylic reveal.
I wrapped two narrow strips of paper around the centre of my sliding strip, and carefully stuck the bicycle wheels to them from the front of the card. At the back, I glued them to the pull tab panel, so that when you pull it out, the bicycle moves along. DH has a higher expectation of my paper engineering, he was expecting the wheels to actually spin round. True and Blue are also from Purple Onion and were coloured as close to mallard chicks as I could get, with Glossy Accents on their beaks and feet.
The finished card is 6" square, I think.
Date: Tuesday, October 27, 2020 GMT Views: 765
Favorited:2
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Registered: June 3, 2016 Location: France Posts: 60538
Tue, Oct 27, 2020 @ 12:50 AM
Sabrina, your card depicts your cycling so well, with the trees changing in every new season, love to read the positive side from the cycling to work but I know you've got often bad weather and come home washed by the rain, you are very brave!! Beautiful slider card and the cycling fox is so cute!!
Splitcoast Dirty Dozen Splitcoast Challenge Host Proud Fan Club Member
Registered: April 11, 2016 Location: Posts: 30054
Tue, Oct 27, 2020 @ 4:21 AM
Wow Sabrina this is amazing. I loved reading your story and your card depicts your journey during this year perfectly. Love that you did a slider card for your bike to move along and those animals are so cute. Your trees are gorgeous and I love that you chose to do all seasons. TFS. Happy day and cycling
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Registered: August 15, 2007 Location: Twin Cities MN Posts: 50743
Tue, Oct 27, 2020 @ 4:23 AM
What a darling card..your little cyclist is so cute! The trees are awesome depicting different seasons. It's interesting to hear how the pandemic effects each of us....thanks for sharing your daily commute story.
Registered: February 16, 2004 Location: Western Suburbs of Chicago Posts: 30976
Tue, Oct 27, 2020 @ 7:06 AM
Your journey through the 2020 pandemic sounds as though it has not been so bad- nice that you can focus on the positive and enjoying all of this nature! Love your card- and the cool design!
Registered: August 30, 2006 Location: in the sunny south Posts: 9834
Tue, Oct 27, 2020 @ 7:32 AM
I have been thinking about you cycling to work a lot. I have even considered buying a bicycle like my sister did. I might buy one if I had such a nice place to ride. I live in a neighborhood in the suburbs. Not much to see except houses, dogs, the golf course, and occasionally Sandhill cranes and peacocks. Love this card and the way you used the slider.
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Registered: July 4, 2014 Location: Modesto, CA Posts: 5909
Tue, Oct 27, 2020 @ 7:48 AM
Can't take my eyes off your beautiful trees. Loved your story of the bicycle adventures. No wonder you have been more tired lately. All takes more time and energy to accomplish the work arounds this pandemic requires. I love that you engineered the bicycle to move across the park scene. you always go the "extra mile" when sharing yourself and your art.
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Registered: January 11, 2017 Location: Wisconsin summer and Arizona winter Posts: 19740
Tue, Oct 27, 2020 @ 9:02 AM
Sabrina, amazing creation! i had to laugh when your DH expected the wheels of the bike to turn too! You've put so much heart and thought into this fabulous card! It's amazing what we experience and see when we are pushed outside our normal comfort zone! How wonderful that you get to cycle through that park and see all the seasonal changes and the wildlife. Nature is so beautiful and inspiring, just like your charming card...which I hope ends up in my mailbox! Hugs!
------------------------------ Judy aka Gracie "Be a rainbow in someone else's cloud." Maya Angelou
Registered: February 19, 2011 Location: Fullerton, CA Posts: 15375
Tue, Oct 27, 2020 @ 12:00 PM
I don't which I love more -- the card or your story. The card is adorable and I love that the trees reflect the seasons just as you described along with the cute critters. But I really love that you were able to witness beauty and changing seasons and growing ducklings and constant reminders that the world is a beautiful place in the midst of sadness and hardship. Thanks for that reminder and this beauty.
Registered: May 26, 2015 Location: Oregon Posts: 5534
Tue, Oct 27, 2020 @ 12:47 PM
I agree with all the above comments. Thanks for sharing your story, heart and art. Lucky is the teapotter who gets this sweet and detailed beauty. I hope Susan, aka one4joy, pedals by.
Registered: March 12, 2008 Location: stamping or writing Posts: 9974
Tue, Oct 27, 2020 @ 1:15 PM
This card is just wonderful (even if the wheels don't turn). I loved your story and how the trees show you moving from spring to summer to fall. (I hope you'll be able to ride the bus by winter, I expect it's quite cold in winter in Dublin.) Riding to work sounds like a nice option on pleasant days, but not so much when it's rainy or cold.
I love to ride but my bike was a victim of the move/pandemic. I sold my old one at a garage sale planning to buy a new one after the move, since our new house is very close to a really good bike trail. Then everyone decided to ride during the lockdown, and there's a serious shortage of new bicycles.
Registered: March 13, 2011 Location: Langley, B.C. Canada Posts: 32126
Tue, Oct 27, 2020 @ 5:28 PM
I have so got to go shopping at Purple Onion if one can still buy these adorable images. Your trees are awesome and this is a pure delight to see the little fox on the bike. I too, have thought of you peddaling to work these days. This card is pure magic to look at!
Wow! Your trees are amazing! I love how you made each one of them different. Your scene is gorgeous and I love how it represents your 2020. You must be in amazing shape! Hugs!