Easter Joy

I had planned to be back long before now with some blog posts, but the computer had other ideas. When I sat down a few weeks ago, prepared to write a post, the monitor was a simple "blue" in color. I tried turning the computer off and back on again, but it wouldn't even shut off. Techno-challenged I am, but even I knew this was not a good sign. Dh happened to be traveling on business at the time so we discussed it over the phone. I performed some tests under his direction and he determined it was indeed the monitor vs. a video card or a loose connection. He quickly did some research and decided on the monitor he liked and called so I could measure the computer stand opening to make sure it would fit. In the time it took for me to measure, the monitor was sold out. So, another bit of time waiting for more to become available, then placing the order and waiting for it to arrive. And then of course, waiting for dh to come home to install it; he was quite certain it wasn't something I could, should, or would want to do, although I did insist that surely I could plug in a monitor. Well, then again, if history is right, maybe not...

So, although everything has been running for the last week or so, Spring has arrived and I've been working outside, playing catch up on yard work after two years of abandonment for other priorities, and too tired to write blog posts late at night. I am hoping to visit your blog posts in the very near future. My last post indicated I would be back with the rest of the 2014 Christmas projects, but now I'm going to move on to Easter and hopefully share those in a more timely manner. Then I'll see about the rest of the Christmas posts - seems kind of silly now, but I'd still like to share them. My friend tells me it's my blog and I can do whatever makes me happy - no obligations, no rules. Well, she's also been known to run with scissors, so I may just need to follow her advice!

Before we talk about today's cards, I have these to share with you.

I ran to the market last Friday after a trip to Costco and a short visit with my friend to solve her computer problem - there are some computer things I can handle! I only needed celery for the weekend Pasta Fagioli Soup and garlic bread. Ok, the garlic bread was a want. I wandered through the floral department as I always do, taking in the seasonal displays, the colors, the scents. The happy part of the market trip that makes it all worthwhile. And then these caught my eye and found their way into my basket. Oh my goodness, how this color combo sings to my spirit! Perhaps it is because I am longing for spring more than I realize, or maybe I'm hoping to find plants these exact colors to fill the front porch planter when the temperatures warm just a little more. The first spring trip to the nursery is coming soon, I can just feel it! I will admit, I never, or hardly ever, buy cut flowers for myself. But this particular day I rationalized I was only purchasing two things, hadn't bought much at the store lately, and all kinds of other affirming statements on my behalf. I wandered around the store still questioning if I really needed them. Why do we do that? I wouldn't have thought twice about giving them to a friend. I am oh so happy they came home with me. They greet me each morning as I begin opening the house for a new day, and they are the last thing I see at night as I turn on the living room table lamp before bed.

I've been creating Easter cards the last week or so. This one features the Impression Obsession stamp, "Running," which was embossed in Princess Gold. I purchased it with this design in mind, dancing in the glory of the risen Christ, but I can also envision many other designs for this stamp. The background was inked with Simon Says "Mint", "Audrey Blue", and "Sea Glass" inks. The embossed sentiment is from Paper Smooches, "Easter Blessings." The butterfly is a portion of the "Kensington Border" Memory Box die. A second butterfly was cut from vellum to add a sense of movement and accented with a bit of DMC Soft Gold thread. The Simon Says Stamp "Frame" was cut from Sea Glass metallic cardstock and adhered over the panel along with the cut away portion to add more weight to the frame.

Since I haven't inked many of these backgrounds, I prepared three panels with the embossed girl, just in case I needed extras. I decided to make another card using the same design, but with a little different twist of the gold thread and the Stitched Rectangles frame from Lil Inker Designs.

I am entering the first design in the Simon Says Stamp Flickr Group Challenge for "Springtime/Easter," the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge for "Anything Goes," and the Simon Says Stamp Work It Wednesday Challenge for stamping.

Simon Says Stamp Flickr Group Challenge

Thanks for visiting the attic today. Your visits are always so appreciated.

 

Materials Used:

Paper: Neenah Solar White; SSS Vellum; The Paper Co. Metallic Cover "Sea Glass"

Ink: SSS Mint, Audrey Blue, Sea Glass; Versamark

Stamps: Impression Obsession "Running"; Paper Smooches "Easter Blessings"

Dies: Memory Box "Kensington Border"; Lil Inker Designs Stitched Rectangles

Other: Princess Gold Embossing Powder; DMC Soft Gold Thread