Using all the pieces in a stamp set

No truly, I really do love tulips.  But what’s funny is, I used to hate them.  The first spring after we moved to Spokane, Washington everyone was so excited to see the tulips, hyacinths, and daffodils blooming. Having come from Southern California, I was used to amazing displays of Mariposa trees, Bougainvillea that blossomed in a riot of colors while climbing the sides of homes and buildings, and Hibiscus with circumference of dinner plates.  Tulips?  Spindly little things that hardly lasted a week before they were spent.  It wasn’t until later, that I realized that these bright, short-lived bulbs were happy little harbingers of spring.

My spring flower beds are now full of bulbs of all colors.  I keep a daily watch for the first fragile crocus to poke their head out of the mulch.  The bright yellow daffodils come next, along with pretty pastel  hyacinths.  But my absolute favorites are the tulips – pale-petal pink with creamy white edges, and the light pale peach.  My Hubs prefers the bolder, hardier reds and yellows.   The lives of bulbs here in the South are short-lived indeed.  This year, just as they bloomed, we had days of 80F+, making them bloom and drop their petals within just a few days.  To me, they were all the more beautiful for their brief, but brilliant appearance. 

1. Stamp stems first, in Wild Wasabi, making sure to alternate heights, plus leave room for leaves.
2. Stamp leaves in Wild Wasabi.
3. Stamp base of hyacinths with Wisteria Wonder, and stamp top layer with Fresh Fig.
4. Add sentiment in Basic Black.
5. Adhere layers and add to base.
6. Finish with small bow tied in linen thread.