Easter Blessings 2011

Springtime ... I find there is no other time of the year that renews my spirits and lifts me up quite like springtime.  The Easter story, along with the accompanying blooms and blossoms reminds me of the circle of life and of the hope that it promises.  Although spring officially started in March, here in the Northeast, we are finally seeing our first signs of it.  As the robins, mourning doves, chickadees and cardinals start to sing I can feel that spring is in the air.  The leaves of my daffodils have emerged and soon beautiful flowers will adorn them.

If you haven’t already, try to make a point to take notice of the first signs of spring and your appreciation of nature’s wonders will grow.  Remember, each day is a special gift.

Today I have an Easter card using The Gifts of Spring set by Stampin’ Up.  Time seemed to slip away from me and I ended up creating these at the last minute.  I always need to factor in a week for mailing.

I stamped the focal image on watercolor paper in StazOn Black then used a blender pen and the following ink colors - Creamy Caramel, Pretty in Pink, Certainly Celery, Old Olive, Apricot Appeal & Barely Banana.  I added a little sparkle to the butterflies with a lemon Spica pen.

The sentiment was inked with VersaMark then Groovy Guava and embossed with clear embossing powder and a heat gun.  The designer paper is from the Graphic 45 Once Upon a Springtime pack.  I finished the card with some yellow pearls from Recollections and 3/8” Taffeta Ribbon in Kraft.

Wishing all of you a blessed Easter!

A close up of the bunnies.

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  The Gifts of Spring, Sprinkles, Happy Easter by A Muse

Paper:  Natural White Linen, Certainly Celery, Graphic 45 Once Upon a Springtime Designer Paper, Watercolor 
Ink:  Image - StazOn Black; Bunnies - Creamy Caramel & Pretty in Pink Marker; Grass - Certainly Celery & Old Olive; Butterfly - Apricot Appeal & Barely Banana; Sentiment - Groovy Guava with VersaMark and Clear EP 
Accessories:  3/8" Taffeta Ribbon in Kraft, Recollections Pearls in Yellow, Lemon Spica Pen, Melon Spica Pen, Star Dust Stickles, Nesties Small Classic Squares #7, Large Classic Squares #7, Labels Ten #1, SU Oval Punch, Ticket Corner Punch 
Techniques:  Embossing, Blender Pen, Aqua Painter, Watercoloring