Monday, February 23, 2015

Countdown to Spring

Hello, everybody!  It seems like it's been a while since I've posted, but rest assured, I have been working and playing in my Closet!  My projects have just been a little more time consuming. I have a wall hanging here for you today. When I saw that Frilly and Funkie was having a "Winter Blooms" challenge all sorts of ideas came to mind to make winter flowers--but that means camellias and pansies  to me, neither of which I know how to make--yet!


 My wall hanging was partially inspired by my friend, Kathy's store--it is her dream, and she is living her dream with passion.  There is a colorful sign out front; it is a chalkboard with a countdown of the number of days left until spring, and each day she updates it and it brings her that much closer to spring. So I thought why not make spring flowers in anticipation of this glorious season.

 Of course, my other inspiration comes from Tim Holtz' techniques and his versatile products.  I'm very excited to see the fresh, light- hearted new line of goodies he has turned out for us.  This butterfly is one of his new stamps from the Perspective set, and I''m seeing so many possibilities for it. I LOVE the butterfly!

If you REALLY  use your imagination you can see the sparkle from the Rock Candy Distress Glitter.  Need sunlight to pick that up with the camera, and we just weren't having any of that today!

A Vintage Journey  would like to see us include special numbers on our project this time. I stamped some random and subtle numbers with my new stamp (part of the Perspective set) to signify the countdown toward spring.  A few "figure" numbers to add some interest, and even some numbers stamped on one of my flowers! Not a lot; just enough to get my countdown point across.

Some subtle numbers in the corner.
                                               

Some subtle numerology can be seen under the leaves.

I started with water color paper, Distress stains and water. I still don't have the sprays yet, so I made my puddle and dragged and dipped my paper to get this gorgeous background. I held the paper just so to get some yummy drips, and spritz and flicked to get some drops. The drips were added special for Country View's challenge this month, but the drops were just for me! I watercolor stamped a few butterflies and then rolled on the accompanying numbers stamp randomly (remember the countdown to spring). When completely dry I gave a spritz with Perfect Pearls mist for some shimmer.  I used Tim's Rock Candy Distress Glitter technique with a few of the butterflies. The sentiment is from the same set, inked in Cobalt Archival. I added another Tim Holtz stamp from his Bird Feather set and a bee (Little Things--Tim Holtz) stamped on tissue in black archival.  I used gel medium to adhere and was able to get my bee to head in a different direction using this technique.  I colored him with Distress markers and blended him in with a tiny bit of Picket Fence Distress paint on a baby wipe. To finish the background, I used a Heidi Swapp stencil and Distress ink to make a trellis along the left edge, and used Picket Fence Distress Paint and the stencil to do the monoprint on the right edge, but neither is barely visible with all the flowers I've added!

 I celebrate the day they made Distress stains!  What beautiful backgrounds they make!

Some of the mono printing done with a stencil can be seen above the bee.

I mounted the water color background to a piece of white card stock adorned with ink and a Recollections trellis-like stencil and given the spritz and flick for those wonderful droplets. This was mounted to a piece of foam board.
Some of the droplet s can be seen along the left edge and some of the trellis stenciling on the card stock edge and on the water color background under the foliage.

Next came the flowers, all made with Tim's Tattered Florals Bigz die and Tatterered Floral Garland die. The yellow roses were colored with Dylusions spray and Distress ink, and after assembled and dried given a little swipe of Picket Fence Distress Paint.  The Daisy looking flower amongst the roses is made from the Bigz die and several punches from a sunburst punch for the center.  This paper was colored with Glimmer Mist. The two blue flowers on the right were made using the TF Garland die and Distress stain.  The smaller one was stamped with script from  Tim's Attic Treasures set.  I chose this image because it has numbers on it, but they are not obvious when you look at the flower--I know the numbers are there! I made the stamen out of thread and embossing powder. The greenery is cut from Tim's Springtime Greenery die and shaded using Distress stain.


More numbers on this flower, but upside down!


This was so much fun to make while I enjoyed a nice warm day indoors while we had a cold, wet day outdoors.  It really is a countdown to spring! I couldn't resist a few similar shots with different lighting! I felt like different light flattered different elements on this and found it hard to pick one favorite shot.




Thank you for stopping by and leaving your lovely comments.  I read, appreciate and comment on every one of them.  I'll be back at the end of the week with another breath of spring! Hugs and blessings!

Sara Emily

I would like to enter this into the following inspirational challenges:

Frilly and Funkie "Winter Blooms"

A Vintage Journey "Special Numbers" My numbers represent a countdown to spring.


Country View Challenges "Drips and Drops"

Artist Trading Post "Alphabet Soup" I used numbers (an option for this challenge) to represent a countdown to spring.

Artistic Stamper February's Creative Challenge "Love" I LOVE butterflies and I'm in love with my new Tim Holtz Perspective stamp set!

Inspiration Journal "Love is in the Air"  I'm in love with Tim's new Perspective stamps and I love butterflies!

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge "No Rules" Now I like anything without rules!

Craft Stamper February Challenge "Stencilling" I used 2 stencils with ink and paint, regular stencilling and monoprinting.

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge "Add a Little Texture" I love texture, both one dimensional "visual" texture and 3 dimensional "tactile' texture and I've included both.

Open Minded Crafting Challenge #30 "Up in the Air" How could I not enter in a challenge blog called "Open Minded"?!






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38 comments:

  1. Loving your fab layers Sara ! I have also become your latest blog follower !

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  2. Gorgeous wall hanging Sara! You are getting all soft, sweet and shabby chic!!! I am loving it!

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    1. Thank you, Samra! Ha! Ha! not for long on the soft, sweet and shabby, my friend. I got down and dirty in the grunge tonight, and hope to have something a little darker in the next day or two. Saw a thumbnail of that Tim tag somewhere in my travels today, and need to visit to have a peek at YOUR other side:)! Thank you so much for your visit here today and for your lovely comment! Hugs!

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  3. Sooooo lovely. Your flowers are a breath of fresh air and your buttery yellows and vibrant blues make me long for springtime already!

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    1. Becca, thank you for stopping by and for this really sweet comment! It looks like we are still a little ways from spring--we are actually expecting SNOW tonight here in the south! I had a good laugh reading your Valentine card post!

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  4. Wow Sara, this is just gorgeous! I am so jealous that you have Tim's new butterfly stamp set, I really wanted that one, but it was out of stock when I did my shopping! Love your wonderful spring palette and you did such a spectacular job with your flowers, wow! Love the bits of stamping here and there with the numbers and that little bee, such great details! Full of life, love it! hugs :)

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    1. Sorry, I got excited and forgot to say Thank you so much for joining us at Frilly and Funkie for our 'Winter Blooms' challenge! Hugs, Pamellia DT :)

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    2. Awww...thank you so much, Pamellia! I'm so happy you like it and it brought you some spring time feelings. I love this butterfly, too, and I've been using it a lot! I even got to use it for the antennae on my next project! I'm spitting nails because I had one more Winter Blooms project I was entering that took me since the start of the challenge. Just finished the post, ready to take photos, and the power went out! There were only 6 hrs. left to enter! I'm hoping for another flower something or other challenge in the future! It's going to be a stunner, I think!

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  5. How lovely, Sara! Your flowers are magnificent, and the colors are so cheerful - eye candy for those of us stuck in a lot of snow!! Great make! xx Lynn

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    1. Hi, Lynn! I'm so happy it could bring you some feeling of spring! So sorry for those of you stuck in the snow! Right now we are stuck in ICE. Power went out yesterday, missed my last Winter Blooms entry, but it's back on today, and we have HEAT again! Yippee!

      Thank you for visiting and for your lovely comment!

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  6. Such a beautiful card Sara, lovely spring colours and beautiful blooms and a subtle background. Thanks so much for joining us at ATP Exchange. Ruth x

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    1. Thank you, Ruth! I'm so happy you liked my wall hanging! It was my pleasure to be able to join in the fun again!

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  7. This is just beautiful .... I love all the layers and the flowers are so pretty. I love Tim's new butterfly too :) Thank you for joining in with the Craft Stamper TIMI challenge ...... good luck! Linda xx

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    1. Linda, this is such a wonderful compliment! You've really made my day!

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  8. I love your countdown! Not that i love numbers (you put them in such a subtle way... Clever!) but the path towards Spring is slow but sure, your creation is the proof, with its shining colours!

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    1. Lys, it is always a pleasure when you visit and leave one of your lovely comments! I can almost hear you saying it in French! While the numbers meant something, I didn't want them to take away from the focal point. I'm sad to say, any efforts at spring coming have been thwarted with a thick coating of ice on all the budding trees and the daffodils, bent over with the weight. But also pretty to look at for now. Hugs!

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  9. Such a beautiful project Sara, loving your butterflies, flowers and adorable bumblebee. Thanks for joining in the challenge at A Vintage Journey and good luck.
    Julie xx

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    1. Julie, what a sweet compliment from you! Thank you kindly!

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  10. Gorgeous card Sara! So pretty and feminine and so many wonderful details to look at, love it.
    Thanks for joining us at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge
    hugs
    Mandy xx

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    1. Wow! Thank you, Mandy! I am so happy to receive you comment!

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  11. Gorgeous Sara, I am so loving that little bee buzzing about your beautiful flowers!

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    1. Thank you, Deb! I kind of like him, too! Thank you for stopping by!

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  12. I love butterflies too! Thank you for joining in The Artistic Stamper Challenge :)

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    1. Thank you for Fluttering by, Jennie, from one lepidopterist to another!

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  13. An absolutely gorgeous panel Sara. Your cascading flowers really capture the beauty of Spring. Thank you for joining us at Frilly and Funkie and A Vintage Journey. Jenny x

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    1. Jenny, thank you so much for your kind and thoughtful comment! Spring will be here before you know it!

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  14. Fantastic layering, beautiful colours and amazing flowers, a stunning panel :-) x

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  15. I love these stamps and love how you've used them on this gorgeous panel! Thank you so much for sharing your project and for joining us over on the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog! :)

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    1. Thank you so much, Emma, for your wonderful comment! It made my day!

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  16. Gorgeous panel Sara and so love the background you created. The flowers are stunning too. Thanks so much for joining us at ATP Exchange. Juliax

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    1. Thank you, Julia! You should just comment on one when there are so many entries by one person. I feel bad you have to keep coming back! But I do love your sweet comments!

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  17. I am loving this Sara, this is a beautiful way to represent a countdown to Spring. I love the colourful card and blooms. Thanks for linking it to A Vintage Journey.
    hugs Brenda xxx

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    1. Thank you, Brenda! It's been bringing me lot's of hope for spring in this cold, dreary month we've been having. Hugs!

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  18. Sara, this just takes my breath away! Love those beautiful spring blooms! Thank you for joining us at A Vintage Journey.

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  19. Terry, what a wonderful compliment! You have certainly made my day!

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Thank you for leaving your comments...they mean so much to me.