Memorial Day in U.S. ,Cherry Blossoms & Japanese History

I took artistic liberty ( no pun intended,really) by putting cherries on my trees for this project even though there are no cherries on the Japanese Ornamental trees in D C. I've posted some interesting facts about cherry trees & U.S. history.
Maybe we should pay it forward & give the Japanese some trees as a gift to help them rebuild after the tsunami:

In 1912, the people of Japan sent 3,020 cherry trees to the United States as a gift of friendship. First Lady Taft and the Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese Ambassador, planted the first two cherry trees on the northern bank of the Tidal Basin. These two original trees are still standing today near the John Paul Jones statue at the south end of 17th Street. Workmen planted the remainder of the trees around the Tidal Basin and East Potomac Park.

George Washington and the Cherry Tree Story

When George was about six years old (1738 , he was made the wealthy master of a hatchet of which, like most little boys, he was extremely fond. He went about chopping everything that came his way.

One day, as he wandered about the garden amusing himself by hacking his mother's pea sticks, he found a beautiful, young English cherry tree, of which his father was most proud. He tried the edge of his hatchet on the trunk of the tree and barked it so that it died.

Some time after this, his father discovered what had happened to his favorite tree. He came into the house in great anger, and demanded to know who the mischievous person was who had cut away the bark. Nobody could tell him anything about it.

Just then George, with his little hatchet, came into the room.

"George,'' said his father, "do you know who has killed my beautiful little cherry tree yonder in the garden? I would not have taken five guineas for it!''

This was a hard question to answer, and for a moment George was staggered by it, but quickly recovering himself he cried:

"I cannot tell a lie, father, you know I cannot tell a lie! I did cut it with my little hatchet.''

The anger died out of his father's face, and taking the boy tenderly in his arms, he said:

"My son, that you should not be afraid to tell the truth is more to me than a thousand trees! Yes - though they were blossomed with silver and had leaves of the purest gold!''

I cheated a bit on this project.  I printed a picture of the Jefferson Memorial, I cut out the building on SCAL with a file I created.  I put foam tape on the dome and the steps to give it dimension.  I cut out branches from one of my files. I glued Michael's dollar bin flowers on top of which I glued pink Flower Soft to create centers.  I used a free file called Sweet Treats cherries from SVG Cuts to cut out the cherries and stems.  I put Triple Thick on the cherries and let dry over night. The leaves are my file. I cut two size leaves in two shades. The bushes have a pastel green Flower Soft with darker green card stock as the base.
I think that's it. 

If you would like the SVG file for the Jefferson  Memorial let me know in the comment section below.
The branches are in this post as well as the files from last week.

THANKS FOR LOOKING AND I ENJOY HEARING FROM YOU!

Below are the SVG's  for last weeks post.
     Leafy Plant Vertical SVG       Store Front with Awning and Sign Post SVG 
Branch SVG

Sweet Shop

I made this for my Daughter-In-Law's upcoming Birthday.

I got a bit carried away with the size lol.

I started with an SVG CUTS 

"Moonlight Garden Party"

I just thought the chairs were too cute. 

Hard to believe what I'm inspired by isn't it?  lol

The background is a textured light pink from the bin at Hobby Lobby.

The branch is my file.  The flowers on the branch are from Michael's dollar bin embellished with pearls.

The awning is my file,scored on the two ends. The building is just a rectangle with a rectangle window.

I put about 1/4" of foam tape on the back of the building to raise it up enough for the bakery shelf

The shelf I scored with Scor Pal. The treats are from "An Afternoon at Auntie Elaine's" by SVG CUTS.

layered with triple thick on the stand of the cake. The sundae's are from a free file from SVG CUTS

called "Cheryl's Sweet Treats", I have triple thick on the glasses, the ice cream is liquid applique & glitter, the spoons are from "An Afternoon at Auntie Elaine's" take out the swirl on the spoon for such a small cut.

The table is the cake stand manipulated in SCAL.  The wrought iron on the table is a sizzix die. 

The sign is a cuttlebug embossing plus cutting die with a embellishment from the dollar bin @ Michael's

  The building is textured with a Fiskars texture plate.

The umbrella pole is a brush from my dental job. (perks-ha ha).  The umbrella is my file with an extra horizontal fold to fit on the page without sticking out too far.

The bird is from a free file from "Cheryl's Sweet Treats" which I drew in the beak and eye and chalked.

The plant on the side of the building is my file.  

The boots that I used as a planter

are from Cricut "Paisley" cart.

The plants inside boots and on table are a punch which is one I use often.

If you would like the files for the awning, the plant or the branch just let me know by commenting in the tab below this post and I will add them next week.

Thanks for Looking!!!

I LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!!

Cindy Loo Cartridge

This is a fairly easy card to make.  

I cut the deer and tree out of plain white card stock.

The background is SU Sage Shadow. The water is Su Bashful Blue. 

The eye is black with triple thick on it. The ears and hoofs are pink Sulyn glitter,

its kind of like a glittery flower soft. 

The tree is embellished with blue rhinestones. 

I chalked the water, tree, and deer. 

I drew in the inner ears, chest and the speckles on his back 

before adding snow to the white parts. 

The leaves are a fern punch.  The flowers are also a punch

ENJOY!! I LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!!

The Butterfly Project & Pumpkin Carriage for Embossing Folder SVG

I thought it appropriate to revisit this project during 

Holocaust rememberance week.

The Houston Holocaust Museum 

is doing a project for the 

1,500,000

children that died in the Holocaust.  

They are having people send in enough butterflies 

to have one represent each child. 

They will display in 2013.

Here is the link for the details The Butterfly Project

I got this link from Dan @ My Crafty Life (Really interesting blog)

I started with black card stock for for the girl then used 

water color paper to cut out

top layers.  I chalked the skin tone and used 

colored pencils for the lips & outlines.

I used triple thick to form a tear coming out of her eye.

I used a pink vellum to line the wings and cut out a star of David for each wing.

I think I powder embossed the stars and then inked them.

I cut the skirt out with "Me & My Big Ideas" card stock tablet.

I embellished with pearls and rhinestones.

Tied a ribbon on back so it could hang.

If you would like the file let me know in the comment section.

ENJOY! I LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU

Here is the link to the pumpkin carriage for embossing folder svg
Pumpkin Carriage for Embossing Folder

In Honor of William & Kate Princess Carriage and First Holy Communion Dress File

I posted this to honor William & Kate!  What a cute couple aren't they?

I made this for my Granddaughter Olivia. I created the SVG file for the Cuttlebug embossing folder.

I created a square bottom with scor pal to connect the two sides.  I scored a long narrow piece to attach to the bottom and the two pumpkin sides.  I put Diamond Dust from AC Moore on the horses and underneath their feet.  I put a piece of black where the upper half of the door should be and attached Olivia's picture to that.The parts and horses are from the Happily Ever After Cartridge.  The pink diamond is from Hobby Lobby.  I embellished carriage and Olivia's crown with pearls and rhinestones.  I used pink pearl dust and a swirl rubber stamp on the piece that's between the pumpkins.  I attached the horses with ribbon and put a bow on the back of the carriage. 

I attached everything to a big oval from the shapes library in SCAL.

 I cut the letters out from SCAL

If you would like the file for the pumpkin carriage let me know in the comment section below and I will post it next week.  I created it to fit around the embossing folder.

ENJOY!  I LOVE HEARING FROM YOU!!

Here is the dress file from last weeks post First Holy Communion 

 I also use this for a Christening dress just elongate it and 

shorten the length to make it look like it is for an older girl.

Here's the file for  Pumpkin Carriage and Horses Files