Hello and welcome to Thursday – or should I say Thurs-yay! Friday is an obvious choice for the favorite day of the work week, but I like Thursday. It’s like Christmas Eve with the anticipation of Friday and the weekend ahead.
Today’s Happy Inkin’ Krew Blog Hop is Thank You themed. I personally don’t think Thank You is expressed enough. As a child, I wrote a thank you note for every Christmas and birthday gift (to be fair, they ARE the same day). I think I failed to teach my kids the importance of this small act. Thank you is not just for gifts. It’s for kindness, prayers, anything that someone does for you – even if it’s their job. I’m thinking mail carriers, UPS and FedEx drivers all of whom are at my house a lot! Everyone likes to know their efforts are appreciated.
I woke up one morning this week with the thought of using the cow faces as flowers. I sometimes surprise myself that I can transfer that thought to a card. I knew that I was going to use 5 flowers in my bouquet, so using the five 2023 – 2025 In Colors became my color choice. The 2023 – 2025 in colors are Wild Wheat, Moody Mauve, Boho Blue, Copper Clay and Pebbled Path. I started with a background using 2023 – 2025 In Color 6″ x 6″ Designer Series paper in the dotted Moody Mauve pattern. This paper is cut to 4″ x 5-1/4″. I adhered this to the Boho Blue card base which is cut at 5-1/2″ x 8-1/2″ and scored at 4-1/4″.
I stamped five cows using Tuxedo Black Memento ink. I colored the forelock (or is it a mane?) for each cow in one of the five 2023 – 2025 In Color Stampin’ Blends. I then stamped three sets of coordinating horns in Wild Wheat, Moody Mauve and Boho Blue. I cut them with horn spot on the cow builder punch and then adhered them to the cow with liquid glue.
For the stem, I die cut five Simply Zinnia stems using the Mini Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine. I adhered the cows to the stems with liquid glue and adhered the stems together also with liquid glue. Before I assembled everything on the front of the card, there was a little more stamping and – ahem – fussy cutting to do.
I stamped the Cutest Cows stamp set trio of flowers on Basic White with Tuxedo Black Memento ink three times. I colored the flower small center with dark Pebbled Path Stampin’ Blends and colored the outer center with light Pebbled Path Stampin’ Blends. I used the 2023 – 2025 In Color Stampin’ Blends to color each flower in a single shade of blends, so some flowers are light and some are dark. After coloring the flowers, I colored all of the leaves in Mossy Meadow. I used my paper snips to fussy cut each trio of flowers up to the bottom leaves.
I cut a piece of Pebbled Path to adhere bouquet stems under and the trio of fussy cut flower trios 🙂 on. I adhered one trio to the right and left of the Pebbled Path rectangle, leaving space in the the center for the third trio of flowers, which I adhered to the Pebbled Path rectangle. I placed the bouquet where I wanted it and added liquid glue to each stem where they crossed over each other. I added liquid glue to the back of the Pebbled Path rectangle and adhered it to the card front at the bottom of the DSP and over the bottom bouquet stems. After the bouquet was in place, I added a Stampin’ Dimensoional to the back of each cow head. I tied a bow with a piece of Natural 1/4″ Wavy Trim and adhered it to the front of the bouquet stems with a mini glue dot.
I cut another strip of Pebbled Path for the sentiment strip. I used the embossing buddy to swipe across the sentiment strip before using VersaMark Ink and the Sweetly Scripted Stamp Set – an upcoming Online Exclusive product available March 5. I’m telling you, I think you’re going to love this set of scripty sentiments. It even has a Save The Date stamp which I maaaay need to use for my daughter in 2024. Although smaller letters that are close together sometimes don’t heat emboss well, I’m very happy with my white heat embossed sentiment on the Pebbled Path card stock. After heat embossing, I tore the top of the strip.
I placed Stampin’ Dimensionals on the Pebbled Path flower base between the fussy cut stems and adhered the torn strip to the bottom of the DSP. I finished off the front with three (one large, two small) 2023 – 2025 In Color Dots in Boho Blue.
For the inside sentiment panel, I colored a piece of Natural 1/4″ Wavy Trim with a dark Moody Mauve Stampin’ Blends. I learned the hard way to allow the ribbon to dry for several minutes before placing it on the sentiment panel or it will discolor the panel. This is not a bad thing if you know where you want to place the trim, but if you’re undecided…. I adhered the colored Natural 1/4″ Wavy Trim diagonally on the sentiment panel with mini glue dots and trimmed it to the Wavy Trim with paper snips. I frayed the ends of the trim.
I stamped the rooster in the bottom right corner using Tuxedo Black Memento ink and colored it with In Color Stampin’ Blends – A Moody Mauve comb and waddle, Copper Clay beak, Boho Blue tail feathers and Wild Wheat body. I added Pebbled Path under the chicken foot and lifted some of the color with the color lifter. Then I did something I don’t usually do. I used the Cutest Cows sentiment and Cooper Clay ink and stamped the sentiment at the bottom of the sentiment panel rather than the top. Just me, shaking things up a little.
Now on to the envelope because no envelope shall leave my home nekkid. I adhered the Boho Blue hearts DSP to the envelope with liquid glue. I used the teeny, tiny chick and some Copper Clay ink to stamp five times on the front of the envelope. Make sure you put that little guy back in the stamp case – he’s so little I’m always afraid he’ll get lost.
Thank you for joining me for today’s blog hop. Amy Koenders is up next. Click the Next button or her name to go to her blog. If you missed stopping by a participant, click on her name in the list for her blog.
- Amy Koenders
- Mary Deatherage
- Jaimie Babarczy
- Karen Finkle
- Akiko Sudano
- Karen Ksenzakovic
- Tara Carpenter
- Terry Lynn Bright
- Carol Buckalew
- Nel Thames – This is me
Thank you!
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So so SOO stinkin’ cute! A bouquet of moos! I love it! 🙂
Thanks so much Mary. 🐮
So cute and clever Nel!! This card makes me smile.😊
What a creative way to use those cute cows and sunflowers. Love it!
Thanks, Karen.
How fun, what a creative idea! It’s funny how these things will just pop in our heads 😉
I’m glad you liked it. Maybe I’d been staring at the stamp set too long LOL
Cute idea! Love the little cow faces! 🙂
Thanks Amy. 🙂
Adorable, Nel!
Thanks so much, Carol.
Love these cows! TFS
Thank you Tara
Very fun card Nel!
Thank you, Terry Lynn.
Those cows are just too cute Nel. Cute card
Thanks Karen. Someone just called them a moo-quet. Lol