Pretty Dogwood Branch

Do you love dogwood flowers?  I think they are so pretty.  I planted a dogwood tree four years ago and so far it has not bloomed.  I am really hoping it will this year.  Our weather is still very cool and our trees are just starting to get leaves.  I'm so anxious to see if I get those beautiful flowers this year!

Today I used a new Memory Box stamp I just received from Joan's Gardens.  It is the "Dogwood Branch".  I stamped the image using green ink on green card stock then stamped it again with pink ink on white card stock.  I cut the green image out so I could layer it over my window. The leaves were shaped using the self-closing tweezers from the Flower Tool Kit.   The "white" flower was cut away from the branch so I could shape it.  The edges were sponged with pink ink then shaped and attached over the flower on the green branch.  I used some tiny green and yellow beads to form the stamen.

This is a 6"x5.5" card.  I used the inside design on the new Spellbinders "Elite" M-Bossabilities (EL-001) for my embossed background.  These embossing folders are larger and the whole front fit inside the folder.   The window is  the Poppy Stamps "Grand Madison Window" (815); the new "Grand Madison Window Shutter" (832); and the "Grand Flower Box".   I tried something new today with the window.  When you die cut the window, it die cuts the four rectangles that fit inside the window panes.  I saved these and sponged them yellow then placed them back inside the window.    I lightly sponged some light gray ink around the edges of the window to help make it stand out from the background.

I wanted to use real small flowers in the flower box because I wanted my focal point to be the pretty dogwood branch.  I used the two Cheery Lynn "Olive Branches" (B147) for the green foliage.  These small leaves work great in the flower box.  I pulled out some of the very small flowers from my "stash".  I decided to use the cat from the Cheery Lynn "Screen Door w/Cat" (A2 164) die to sit on the box.  I die cut him using white card stock and sponged on gray ink, and drew on an eye and nose.

All products I use can be purchased from Joan's Gardens.

509353