Vintage Mixed Bunch

Wow!  It's been too, too long since I've posted an actual project.  Here's what I sat down and created over the weekend.  Boy, am I really rusty!!!  Please take it easy on me.

Originally, when I perused the Stampin' Up! Mini catalog, I told myself that I was not going to purchase the Mixed Bunch stamp set or the Blossom Punch.  No, I didn't need either of them!!!  Then I went to the Stampin' Up! Regional in Columbus, Ohio this past winter.  Well, so much for that thought. 

I'm not usually one who creates using pastel color palettes, but you can't grow unless you push yourself, right?  And, staying true to my "embellishment overload" habits, I just kept adding and adding to my card.  In my defense, I super adore the Pearl Basic Jewels.  They call to me when I'm creating.  (I think they say, "Pick me.  Oh, pick me."  They just add a little something, something to any project.  I'd hate to see them retire when Stampin' Up! reveals the retired list in a few days.

Thanks for peeking in on me and hanging in there with me during my blog absence.  I'm never sure how much to blog about my personal life.  I'm afraid it will turn some of you away.  For those wondering about my father's health, I have an update at the bottom of this post.  I'll try to keep it brief.

Update on Dad:  Where do I even begin???  My father finished chemo and radiation treatments for esophageal cancer in mid-October.  The treatments were very harsh and my dad was in and out of the hospital over the fall and winter months.  In January, he had surgery to remove his esophagus and have part of his stomach stretched and reattached into the neck region to create a make-shift esophagus.  Surgery went well, but my father's desire to live is not so strong.  It's been and continues to be an emotional roller coaster ride for us all.  In March, my older brother, who's 46, underwent triple bypass surgery.  He has always been in good health, but after some questionable symptoms and a heart catherization it was revealed that he had a condition called the widow maker.  He was very blessed that it was detected early and his recovery process is moving nicely.  Thank you for all the prayers and kind thoughts over the last several months.  They have meant so much.

BUH-BYE WINTER

This is going to be the last "winter" project I post until later this year.  I'm am so "over" the winter season.  It seems a little strange to post this card when in reality we're experiencing 60 degree weather here in Ohio.  Oh, and guess who is loving it?  Me, of course.  Don't be jealous.  This is Ohio and the weather is subject to change at any given drop of a hat.  No complaining here though.  I'll take the beautiful weather even if it's only for a little while.  I think it gives a person the hope that spring is just around the corner.

I CASed this card from Michele Zindorf.  You can view her original card here.  You just have to love this brayer technique.  It looks so difficult to achieve, but with a little patience, a brayer and a post-it note or two, you can create a beautiful landscape in virtually no time.

WILLIE WONKIE'S BIRDHOUSE

Okay, so this is not really Willie's birdhouse.  The card just looks "wonkie" in this picture for some reason.  It's slightly open and I've mini glue-dotted a gift card to the inside.  So, I'm guessing it was setting strangely in my light box.  I made this card for a wonderful neighbor of mine.  He cleared my driveway after every snow this past winter.  He's retired and he clears all the neighbors' driveways each winter.  Do you know what a blessing it is to come home after a day's work to find your driveway all cleared off?  Let me tell you, it is WONDERFUL!  He's just an all around great neighbor.  He's always ready to lend a helping hand just when you need it.  Do you have a great neighbor like that?

Okay, enough small talk.  On to the card........I've seen birdhouse cards and boxes all over blogland.  Ever since then, I've been itching to make a birdhouse card myself.  This card measures 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" and will fit in a medium size Stampin' Up! envelope.  I used the Woodgrain Background stamp on the front panel to mimic the look of tree bark and then stamped my sentiment from the Bella's Bloom stamp set.  I thought the sentiment was fitting.  The redbird was a snap to assemble.  I just punched him out in Real Red card stock with my Extra Large Two-Step Bird punch and then punched the stem out again with a scrap piece of Old Olive card stock.  The "hole" was punched out in Basic Black card stock with my 1 1/4" circle punch.  The top of my birdhouse was assembled with 1 1/2" pieces of Chocolate Chip card stock.  I punched each strip using my Scallop Edge punch and then sponged each strip for dimension.  (Let me just say that this was "mucho" time consuming.  Wow!)  I trimmed a piece of Whisper White card stock to cover the inside panel of my card and used a sponge dauber with Bashful Blue Classic Ink and a piece of scrap card stock punched with the Scallop Circle punch to make my clouds.  Whew!  Are you still with me?  I think that about covers everything. 

If you are still reading this after my windy post, bless your soul.  Thanks for peeking in on me today!  I'm heading off to Wednesday night church service.  I'm not sure if I'll have any more posts this week.  I need to pack up my supplies for a scrapbook retreat I'm attending this weekend in Wheelersburg.  I'm looking forward to getting caught up on my scrapbook.  I attended the retreat last year and had a ball!  I'm hoping this year will be just as fun!