Stampin! with Jaydee

I had an idea for the sketch, but I needed to turn it on the vertical in order to make it work with the new stamp that I purchased for the card drive.   It's a Penny Black stamp called Bountiful and I thought it was such a happy, cheerful image and one that was pretty versatile and would work for multiple ages.

 

Coloring this image was such fun!  I put on my favorite streaming classical channel - wqxr.org - and settled down to some relaxation with my Copic markers.

 

The colors on the image determined the colors I used on my card base and it was, much to my surprise, Watermelon Wonder!  I really didn't think I would ever use this color, but I love it with this image. 

 

Here's my card:

 

 

I bet some of you are wondering where that stripe and dot paper came from?  Well, it's the new envelope DSP from Stampin' Up!   It is much lighter than the normal DSP - but works so well for this card and it is also in the new 2015-17 In colors, so was perfect for the card base.

 

Of course, I had to finish off the flowers with Wink of Stella, I just don't seem to be able to finish a card without it these days.   Marina - this is what I use on so many of my cards - and you asked me about on this card.

 

On a personal note:

 

Oh.... it has been hot, humid and stormy.  Tonight there is no rain or storms in the forecast, so it should be quiet and peaceful.  The humidity is also dropping and the temps are only in the 80s.  A nice respite from the heat and humidity over the last couple of weeks.   The one thing this weather has done is really make the flowers blossom.    We have so much Verbena Hastata in the prairie this year and it's the first year that it has really made an appearance.  It stands tall in the prairie and moves beautifully with the wind.   Here's a closeup shot

 

 

Some of the plants are close to 6 feet tall and they are loving the wet parts of the prairie and, we are discovering that we have more of that than we had originally thought! :-)

 

Along with the yellow Oxalis, the pink Swamp Milkweek, the white Yarrow and various other plants that I haven't identified yet, the prairie really is coming into it's own.  In fact, our builder came around on Friday night to check on a problem we are having and he was amazed at how the prairie and woodland have grown in - and how mature the trees are that we have planted.  

 

It's changed a lot in the 12 months since he last saw it.  He stood with us for over an hour just looking at the plants, trees and watching the wildlife come in and out of the garden.   Sometimes, it takes seeing an environment through the eyes of someone else to make you realize how incredibly blessed you are!  Well, we certainly are.   Our investment in time, money and passion for our little piece of paradise is certainly paying off.  We still don't see lots of butterflies and other pollinators, but we have drawn some new ones and even though we only see one or two of them at a time, we cherish them - and realize that what we are doing is to help them and that the enjoyment we get is a wonderful benefit!

 

We are also finding that these little guys are needing the sugar water we put out less and less.  There is an abundance of flowers for them to get food from right now, but it doesn't stop them coming for a quick little dip into the nectar :-)

 

 

Well, I'll be back with another couple of cards for you tomorrow night.  In the meantime, warm hugs and prayers for those of you who need a little lift tonight

 

Hugs

Jaydee

 

Card recipe: