A Partridge in a Pear Tree

Hello, sweet friends, and I trust that you have had a good weekend. It's so nice to share another card for you in November.

It's the 15th of the month, and I am so excited about this month's new Instant Garden digital release from Power Poppy by Marcella Hawley called Partridge in a Pear Tree. It is an absolutely beautiful pear tree with ornaments and a sweet partridge - all "growing" out of a darling teapot. Just look at this amazing new Instant Garden digital. Is this the sweetest??

Oh my, this set is special because it comes with two main images - one with the words on the teapot and one without for versatility. There are also two wonderful sentiments.

I found several beautiful images that inspired me, and I used the main image without the sentiment in the teapot. I wanted to make a card that I could use to send several people and used one of the sentiments from Cozy Cupfuls. But I definitely plan to use the other image along with the sentiments in this set (you must see the whole digital release, Partridge in a Pear Tree).

I simply opened Microsoft Word, dragged in the main image, resized it, and then made another copy so I could print two. (Please see last week's post for details about how to do this so that your images will move and stay where you want them.) So then the fun began as I started to color (after finding some wonderful inspiration photos). Once colored, I die cut it using a stitched die, and then off to my MISTI to add my sentiment from Cozy Cupfuls. It still was missing something, so I dared to use BG70 to color in the entire background while it was still in the die. Next, I decided to use my gold Krylon pen to gild the edges (very carefully so some of the white inside would show). It just seemed to call for a traditional feel to me. Wanting to pull out the red from the sweet "ornaments," I used Pure Poppy to border it using a small scalloped die. Then I adhered it to the white card base, and it was done! What do you think? I know it will mail well, and I will make more of these. (Hint: I photocopied the original before coloring the background using "Best Quality" on Neenah, and then I Copic enhanced it followed by doing the BG70 coloring.) So try it with your printer to see whether it works. I was delighted, and my dear husband could not tell the difference (good test, eh?). And it will help me to make more cards. (I send out a fair number of cards to family and friends who don't live nearby to stay in touch.)

After finishing my card, I realized just how much I am looking forward to Christmas. (And I  must admit that this image had me singing the "Twelve Days of Christmas!" What fun!) But what true joy to celebrate the birth of our Savior. He came to this earth to live as a man and to die so that we might have eternal life with Him. That's the true gift of Christmas.

Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call His name Immanuel
(which means God with us).
Matthew 1:23

Now it's time to visit the Power Poppy blog and see what Marcella has to share with us, and be sure to visit Broni Holcombe and Debbie Olson to see their beautiful cards. 

Then hop on over to visit Power Poppy to get this new digital release to use today. While you are there, don't forget to check out the entire digital collection! Have you seen how many digital stamp sets they have? And I love them all!

Thanks so much for visiting and sharing a comment, thought, or question. I love hearing from you and am always happy to answer questions, so don't hesitate to email me. (I am entering this in this week's Word Art Wednesday challenge.)

Blessings,

Stamps:  Partridge in a Pear Tree,  Cozy Cupfuls (Power Poppy) 

Paper: Solar White (Neenah), Pure Poppy and White (PTI)

Ink: None - Printer
Tools/Accessories: Copic markers, Stitched Rectangles dies (Simon Says Stamps), Blueprints 20 dies (My Favorite Things Stamps), MISTI, gold Krylon pen
Techniques: Digital images using Microsoft Word

Card Size:  A-2