The Buzz About Bees
Hello stampers! Happy Friday to you. Have you noticed the buzz about bees? Lately bees have been very popular and also a bit controversial. People are worried about the environment and the dwindling bee population. One of the happy results about that is that there are a lot of backyard beekeepers. My niece Jennifer and her husband Joash are also novice beekeepers. Check out their Facebook page, they live one street over from me! Today I am also incorporating bees into my cards and you will see how adorable they are!
Copper Bees
Have you seen the pretty copper bees that are included in the Botanical Prints Product Medley? They are so pretty and they really make such a beautiful accent on a card. I am happy that so many are included in this product medley, that way I don’t have to hoard them. Every time I create with them I look forward to sharing them with everyone who is coming to my winter retreat in beautiful Muskoka. How does relaxing in a cozy cabin with a woodstove sound to you? Making cards, eating warm biscuits fresh from the oven with homemade raspberry preserves and whipping cream? Hot chocolate and a movie? Skating in the woods?
Oops. I got distracted! I am supposed to be talking about bees! Would you like to see the card?
The Card
I had started making this card during my Facebook live on Tuesday where I showed you how I had cut out the two triangle framelits side by side in the mossy meadow piece. This left a very narrow strip between the two openings. I decided to utilize that and filled the space with two crushed curry detailed triangles.
Unfortunately I had taken no embossing folders with me but I wanted to add interest to the background. What to do? Why, tone on tone stamping of course. This look reminds me of toile. I used the same technique on the crushed curry strip on the bottom and added some foliage to the sentiment to add depth and richness to the card. My original card had only one bee, but I decided to live lavishly and add three bees to my card. The recipient will hopefully feel the love!
Up Close and Personal
Since I have been crowing about these bees, I thought I should give you a nice closeup shot so you can see how pretty they are. I am really loving how all the elements from the Botanical Prints Product Medley work together. I find that playing extensively with one group of products really unleashes your creativity. That is one thing that my presentation at #OnStage2019 taught me.
Just so you know, there are 12 copper bees in the Botanical Prints Product Medley. I am getting excited for the pdf I am going to make with all the beautiful cards you can make with this medley. I hope to get it done before Christmas. Here’s hoping!! It is good to set goals. I think I will make a card using the free bee paper that you can get during saleabration, that can be a part of my goal.
Travel Notes
I thought you might enjoy a few personal notes on my time in Holland. You can see lots more pictures on my Instagram account and on my Pampered Stamper Facebook page but I thought I would share a little here as well. You may know that my boyfriend Gerard is an amaryllis grower. He works all year tending the bulbs and fighting the bugs and it all comes to a climax in December when the bulk of his flowers are sold on the flower auctions in Holland. It is quite an amazing thing to witness and be a part of.
I have helped stack the boxes of cut flowers on the carts that are to be picked up by the trucker and taken to the auction. Several nights it was after midnight before we were done! I also stapled identification tags on the flower boxes and marked the different batches. It felt good to contribute in a practical way other than emotional support. All his hard work is then dependent on supply and demand and the market prices. Almost a million stems are produced in his greenhouses. We were very thankful that the last few days finally had great prices. That sure makes it easier to get up early in the morning and go to work.
Last night we were finally able to get away for a bit of together time and we headed to den Haag to the Royal Winter Fair which is their Christmas Market. It was so magical. I loved all the live music, a gospel choir, an old fashioned caroling group dressed up in olde English garb and a small choir singing in German. There were also lots of treats to sample and of course hot mulled wine and pretty lights and baubles everywhere. The city itself is also stunning. Here are a few photos. I also forgot to tell you that den Haag is The Hague in English. If you are interested in learning more about this city of international peace, here is a link for you!
Thanks!
Thanks so much for joining me today. I hope you are enjoying the days leading up to Christmas as well. If you have had loss in your life, my prayers are with you and I hope that you will be surrounded with people who love and support you. Never forget that you are loved with an everlasting love by the One who made you and knows you by name.
Product List
