Hi, Friends.......
You can see below what it looked like at my house here in Idaho last week. We had 2-1/2 inches of snow on May 16! I don't care what hemisphere you live in.......that is just WRONG!!!!
Here is my apple tree all in bloom with the snow covering the blossoms. Fortunately, the flowers did not seem to have been harmed. It's a little early to say, but I think they were able to set fruit and will be fine. And even if we have a smaller harvest of fruit, that will just give the tree a little bit of a rest and make for a larger harvest next year. Time will tell....
Here is a lone, shivering hummingbird bravely guarding "his" feeder. Chilly temps and snow were not going to deter this courageous little guy. He perched there on the wire hook ready to take on all comers!!! It's difficult to tell from the photo, but this is a male Rufous Hummingbird....the fiercely territorial bully of the feeders!
We have 4 species of hummingbirds in my part of Idaho: Rufous, Broad-Tailed (with their zing-zing metallic wing sounds), Black-Chinned, and the tiny Calliope. They all visit my feeders, competing for that sweet nectar and gobbling up mosquitoes and other small flying insects. They put on quite the show in the early evenings!!
So, with this spring snow.......
Was I in the mood for making Christmas cards????? Oh, yes!!!!
Besides, I knew ScrappyMo's Rudolph Days - Anything Goes Christmas Challenge was coming up. I had a bunch of layered embossed backgrounds I made months ago with leftover scraps of Christmas prints and took this opportunity to make them all into cards. I kept the design simple to show off the fun patterned paper designs. I ended up with 12 matching ones in this set!! YAY!!!
(This helps make up for the Christmas cards I did NOT get made in Feb, March and April!)
Supplies used include:
Winnie & Walter - Essentials: Katharine Cutaways die set (for blue outer pierced panel)
Winnie & Walter - Essentials: Audrey Cutaways die set (for inner scalloped panel)
Darice - Swirl Background embossing folder
Simon Says Stamp - Big Holiday Wishes stamp set [discontinued] (sentiment)
Versafine ink in Majestic Blue
Clear Sparkle embossing powder
Distress Ink in Faded Jeans (for inking edges of panels)
Sparkly glitter (on upper and lower edges of layered panel)
DCWV scraps
I hope you will join us in the Rudolph Days challenge through the end of the month. I might not have been too happy about having snow in May, but I am very glad to have a nice supply of Christmas cards beginning to accumulate. Hey, maybe I will even get them sent out this year!!! Ha!
<3
Janis
Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. May Rudolph Days at Scrappy Mo's - Anything Goes Christmas
2. ABC Christmas Challenge - J is for Jingle Bells, K is for Keep it Simple (I used a simple design)
3. Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #334 - Anything Goes Christmas w/ optional twist of Candy Canes
4. Christmas Cards All Year Round May Challenge - Precipitation
5. Tuesday Throwdown Challenge #344 - Anything Goes
6. Crafting by Designs May Get Ready for Christmas - Anything Goes Christmas
Snow??? It's been really hot here in the UK for the last few days. Love your little hummingbird.
ReplyDeleteSuper Christmas card. Sound like you've been cracking on with them this week. I need to catch up with mine as I'm so behind with them this year. Perhaps I need some snow to get me in the right mood. 😉 xx
I am in the UK too - crazily hot here for May.
DeleteWhat a great use of snippets! This is a lovely Christmas card. Perfect for Rudolph Days but also perfect for Pixies Crafty Workshop, where the theme is must use snippets.
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking part in the May Rudolph Days Challenge.
Yikes!! Seeing all that snow covering the apple tree blossoms is really surprising, and also beautiful in it's own way. I can't believe that little hummingbird is braving the cold...and am wondering if the contents of your feeder froze? Our California hummers are rather spoiled and won't even come near our feeders unless it is "just so", with no wind or lacking an oceanfront view. Your card is so festive and fun..and I love the idea of the Christmas paper strips and embossing. Add a sentiment and frame and you've got another one to add to your stack!
ReplyDeleteTree in blossom with snow looks pretty but I hope it doesn't become a trend. I need to get in the mood for Christmas cards but in the UK heat I am really not feeling it!
ReplyDeleteYour card is really pretty Janis and your choice of prints work really well also the beautiful embossing brings it all together, and I love the blue frame too. Thank you for joining in with the May Rudolph Days Challenge. x
ReplyDeleteGosh, can't believe that.
ReplyDeleteReally lovely creation, great embossing and lovely image.
Kath x
Snow ! its been so hot here in the UK this week could do with cooling down a bit. Your card is lovely and well done to make so many
ReplyDeleteFantastic Christmas card, Janis! I can see why you were in the mood with all that MAY snow ~ I agree that is just wrong! Thank you for sharing the hummer photo; they really do get nasty protecting THEIR feeder!! Have a great (warm!) Memorial Day weekend!! Hugs, Darnell
ReplyDeleteThanks for entering your lovely crafting for CHNC challenge 334 and our CCAYR May challenge – you could also enter this into my CHNC challenge extra for May - I'd love to see it there too x
ReplyDeleteyour card is so nice!
ReplyDeletePretty card. I need to get ahead on making Christmas cards but don't want the snow to inspire me right now.
ReplyDeleteThis is a lovely idea for a Christmas card! I should really try this out sometime! Thanks for inspiring me, and others too, with your pretty card! Hope to see you again soon at CCAYR! :)
ReplyDelete~Marie B -DT
Gorgeous snippets & embossing too, thanks for joining us in Mays Rudolph Days Challenge, luv Sam x
ReplyDeleteWhat a creative way to use up your bits and pieces, and how great that you made 12 for your stash!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous card and thanks for sharing with us at ABC Christmas Challenge.
Hugs
Carol x