Wish Big with a Big Flower

Hello again. Well, I think I jinxed my recovery in my last post Sunday being so optimistic! Woke up Monday with the most horrific searing pain coming from my lower spine and my left abdomen. I called Tuesday and my doc finally decided it was a either an irritated, pinched or impacted nerve in my lower spine that has been fusing due to my Ankylosing Spondylitis arthritis. My doctor said it probably would happen in time. It has taken me two days to get my pain meds and creams to work effectively on it for any length of time. I've also been stretching and moving, when not sleeping from the pain thoroughly exhausting me. I see doctor visits and tests in my future, but for right now my meds were bumped up and I'm told to tough it out to see if it resolves itself. I do agree and realize it's the best course, but still...Ugh. In the meantime, it's almost impossible to spend much time at my desktop or in my craft room except for minutes at a time before having to move around, lay down, etc. I always thought I'd at least be able to sit on my bum ok, so this has greatly shaken me. One day (minute? hour?) at a time is my new motto, but I am beginning to slowly learn how to manage with it.

So, anyway, I made this card last week but got busy with my design team work and my pinched nerve and forgot to post it. It's another one of those cards using the humongo Heidi Swapp flower, which I have several of so this is not the last time you will see it. Perhaps I should use several at a time from now on, lol.

I used papers from the SEI Sunny Day 6x6 collection and once again cut them in an inlaid pattern using Spellbinders 6x6 Art Deco Fairmont Labels dies. I used a Gecko Galz image from their By The Sea collage sheet, cut with a Spellbinders Classic Circle die and matted on another one a tad larger using some black gold metallic shimmer card in my stash. I also cut another circle from this same card using a Spellbinders Scalloped Circle die. I layered the matted image on a Prima paper flower, the scallop circle and then the humongo pink flower.

I love this nymph-like women's graceful pose, but at the same time summoning up something big, calling out to the heavens, the Gods.

I figured it could be a great big wish, right? I stamped the sentiment from Uniko with Versafine Clair ink and then adhered some little gold diamond-shaped waste from another diecut. I hate to throw away anything metallic, even candy wrappers. :-) The 6x6 card base is textured Bazzil and I rounded the corners with my Crop A Dile Corner Chomper.

I won this Uniko Birthday Wishes stamp set and have used it quite a bit.

I used the out cuts of the die cuts from the card front for the back of the card, plus a few scrap strips and a Stamp Magick siggie stamped on a white card stock scrap.

Love how the embossed paper in this collection looks in the light...

I want to talk about this shade of pink for a second. It's weird, isn't it? LOL I actually Googled and as close as I can tell from the following chart, it must be Pink Punch. Regardless of it's weirdness, the flower matches the papers. I about died when I found the match right off the bat.

I also wanted to show how differently it photographed in natural light. I take my pics under natural white full-spectrum light which is supposed to simulate sunlight. And it's wonderful light, I love it, but.... Here's the card with indirect sunlight shining on it (I opened the curtains in the afternoon. Our house faces south so we can get bright light). Look how much "pinker" it looks, and the black gold looks golder. Oh well, I know nothing about photography except how to snap the shutter, I'm just always interested in how light affects it.

Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate it. Please keep me in your thoughts for my pinched nerve to calm down. Thanks! XOX

MY CHALLENGES PLAYLIST:
1.   Gecko Galz May Blog Challenge: Vintage Botanicals 

2.   Gecko Galz Facebook May Challenge: Vintage in Nature

3.   More Mixed Media May Challenge: AG + Opt. Pink -- I played the option.
4.   Simply Create Too Challenge #160: Use Flowers
5.   A Vintage Journey May: Beautiful Blooms
6.   Cutie Pie Challenge #147: Pretty in Pink
7.   Time Out Challenge #162: Free 

8.   Creations in Pink #22: AG in Mainly Pink
9.   Outlawz Festive Fridays 5/16-5/28: Birthday Theme
10. Try It On Tuesdays: Cut It Out -- I used dies and punches.
11. Classic Design Challenge #5 May: AG