Build a Rose and Sweet Rose Bouquet - thanks

 

Hi Everyone.  Happy Thursday.

I have the second card that I created from the Muse class across at Altenew.  I really enjoyed this class.  You can check out the first card that I made at this link.  

When I was looking through the inspiration photos that Carissa shared - I fell in love with this amazing cake.  Now.... my regular blog readers will know that pink... and purple.... are NOT colors that I generally gravitate to.  However, there was something about this particular photograph that had me enraptured! 

I love the ombre from the deep rich purple/brown to the palest pink and the addition of the gold really makes it pop.  I also loved the fact that the flowers at the top echoed the colors throughout the cake.  I really was inspired by this photo and they really are colors that I would not normally use.

I began with the ombre card base.  I started with the darkest color - including a little black at the very bottom and then used the coral reds/pinks for the rest of the card base.  (My favorite all time Altenew colors!

Here's a small closeup of the ombre background:

I had to take photos of the card on a rainy day - and I really couldn't capture the rich depth of the colors. 

Once I had the card base finished, I worked on the flowers.  I used the same colors for the flowers that I had used for the card base, beginning with the build a flower - Rose.  My favorite all-time Altenew stamp set :-)

I added some gold gel pen to areas of the rose- here's a closeup

I added some smaller roses from the Sweet Rose Bouquet set.  I adhered some of them smaller roses directly to the base, but layered up the main rose and some of the other elements with foam squares.

Here's a closer look at the flowers - you can see how the colors of the flowers echo the colors in the base of the card.

I love the richness of the corals with the deep purples and the touch of brighter green.  To bring in the gold elements more strongly, I stamped the sentiment in versamark and superfine gold embossing powder.  Here's my full card front:

Of course, I had to complete the inside of the card:

and the envelope:

I really do recommend this class.  Some of the suggestions that Carissa has for fighting the creative doldrums are really creative - and really work :-)  You can find the class here

On a personal note:

OK.... winter was a long time going... but summer came in with a bang.   5+ days in the high 90s!  Some of our summer birds have returned, but sadly our red-headed woodpecker does not seem to have followed suit.  We were so excited to have them return for two summers, but we haven't seen a feather of them this year.  I have been lucky to sit and watch the antics of the catbird and the orioles, but our Rosebreasted Grosbeaks flew the coop when we took a few days off.  I miss them, too!

The Orioles and the Grosbeaks tend to travel together and when one arrives, the others follow pretty quickly.  We also had these cuties visit for a couple of days...they had obviously traveled with the others - but, once satiated, moved on to their breeding grounds.   The are so much smaller and less vividly colored than the Baltimores.  They also move pretty quickly, so I wasn't able to get a good photo - but we definitely had a pair of them for the two days.

You can read more about the Orchard Oriole here

One day I am going to get a good photo of this guy!  he's incredibly shy and skittish and there is no way he will stay around if he even senses my presence.  So I'm sorry I can't share a good shot with you - but check out the amazing array of colors in his feathers.  he really is gorgeous.

This weekend, I'm hoping to get some more cards made for the last of my Altenew classes.  Oh.. and I also have some challenge cards to make :-)  My craft room is a nice cool place to be in the heat and I am looking forward to just spending some quality time with inks and paper!  I'll be back on Saturday with my Paper Players card.

In the meantime, warm hugs and prayers for those of you who need a little lift tonight.

Hugs

Jaydee

card recipe:

• Stamps:  Build a Flower - Rose; Sweet Rose Bouquet - Altenew
• Inks:Tea Party; Shades of Purple; Green Meadows
• Cardstock:  Neenah Soalr White #80 and 110#

Comments

[Nancy S.]

Love seeing the birds. Living on the third floor of a senior apartment, I really do not get to see many and we can ot have a feeder for fear of what furry little creaturs it might bring. One of the prettiest birds I had ever seen had apparently fallen out of a tree on our property and the poor thing had died. I took a photo to show the office manager. She sent the maintennce man who buried it kindly in our garden. I am 71 and have lived in the Philadelphia area most of my life but has hd never seen this little visitor before. It was almost a light olive green. Turns out it was a Philadelphia vireo. Sweet thing. Many years ago while still married, I looked out the kitchen window to see what apoeared to be a reverse robin. I dug out my bird book and discovered it was a rufous-sided towhee - another of which I has never heard but a lovely and welcome visitor. One day even a magnificent luna moth visited. Exquisite.

Okay, your card. I LOVE Altenew stamps. My first set came as a gift with a cardmaking magazine from the UK. It was a Christmas rose and I was overjoyed as I had been unable to find such a stamp before that. I am an independent demonstrator for a well-known company but that does not limit my live of their stamps. Cardmaking may be off the calendar for a few weeks while I heal from a broken ankle (I did something stupid for my age and orthopedic state and went down with my lower leg under me. I am in a walking boot which helps but my knee is horribly painful. I hope I did not tear something there too. You can be sure I will not try that move again. Thank you for sharing this beautiful card with us. It is great inspiration.

[Virginia Lu]

BEAUTIFULLY stamped! Love the depth and color contrast that you have achieved. Also, the embossing details really enhances this card! I am so glad that you enter your beautiful work in Altenew AECP assignment Gallery. Awesome details and design! Super work!

[Jaydee]

Georgia, the only way we can co trip them.... remove all food and only feed safflower.. they generally leave within a few days when we do that and the “good” birds generally will eat the safflower.... good luck :-)
Hugs
Jaydee

[Georgia]

Love reading your bird reports! We r keeping a close eye on ours, too, but this year the starlings are ruling the roost. 😡