Stampin! with Jaydee

HI Everyone.  Happy Tuesday.

Hope you are all having a great week.   I have a quick card for you tonight based on the challenge across at one of my favorite challenge sites - Inkspirational.  I'm just sorry that I don't get to play along more often these days!

Now.... I have VERY few small stamps, but remembered that I had a set from the Hero Arts Monthly card kit that would be perfect.  It comprises of many multiple small stamps that I was able to group together to create a scene.

There's a story behind this card :-)  I wanted to make a card for my bestie - Pammie.  When I was living in South Africa, Pam and John came out to visit us and we spent an amazing 3 weeks traveling around and that included a wonderful few days in the Kruger National Park on Safari.  I think that's the only time that I have known Pam get up - willingly - at 3.30 in the morning.  But it really was the best time to rise and shine and get out and try to catch the animals as they were active in the earlier, cooler, hours of the day.  We had an amazing trip.  The first night we arrived into camp - we choose the perfect time of day - just as the sun was starting to set.  We had booked a rondavel right on the edge of the escarpment and the huge sun was setting across the expansive veldt.  It was breathtaking.   That memory is what inspired this card.

I die-cut and blended the sun and the inlaid it into the card base.  I then stamped the trees and the animal silhouettes.  I finished up with the grass and stamped the bird silhouette stamp twice to make the image feel as though it was bigger than it actually is, and helped to balance out the scene at the bottom of the sun.

Here's a closeup of the sun:

I love the little collection of lion - the mother and her two babies under the umbrella trees, nestled in the grass.  I've seen them just like that in real life so often and they are memories I will never lose!

The hardest thing about this card, was knowing where to put the sentiment.  In the end, I decided to nestle it up against the scene I had created.  It just didn't fit anywhere else and detracted from the scene.

Of course, I had to decorate the envelope!

I loved incorporating the little meerkat on his antihill.  Well, actually I think it is supposed to be a cloud stamp - but it worked just as well for my purposes!

I really enjoyed playing around with my small stamps - something I generally never do.  I also appreciated the memories that making this card evoked and I hope they evoke those same memories for Pammie when she receives this card in the post.

On a personal note:

It has rained.  Rained.  Rained. Rained for the better part of the last week.  So, I was amazed when I noticed that a lot of activity had been going on under the roof of our front porch.   Look what appeared:

This is definitely a first for us.  The parents chose the ideal time to create a mud nest - as there certainly was lots of mud around!  We have never had Barn Swallows visit us and nest.  We presume that they had seen the Tree Swallows that nest in the box at the front and maybe felt our front porch was safer than any of the neighbors' front porches.    I managed to get out and take a photo of one of them tonight and was surprised how well he matched our new roof colors!

Isn't that gorgeous?!!!  We can't wait to see the babies.

I also took a couple of shots of what's growing in the front garden.  The butterfly weed has expanded all across the front yard and we are thrilled that it has self-seeded.

I love how the softness of the butterfly weed is backed up by the thorny, strength of the cactus!

I'll be back tomorrow with another card - and some more photographs.  In the meantime, warm hugs and prayers for those of you who need a little lift tonight.

Hugs

Jaydee

Card recipe:

• Stamps:  All Hero Arts - from the Hearo Arts Monthly card kit
• Cardstock:  Neenah Solar White 80# and 110#
• Inks:  Altenew