Summer window box

So that blasted 'daisy' sentiment stamp was still on my desk and calling out to me.  Here's the card I made using it.

My first ever square card!  It's 5.5" square so you can calculate the inset pieces yourself.  The daisy background (Hero Arts) was stamped on white card stock and water colored using distress markers that were scribbled on my craft sheet.  I used the Ranger EmbossIt dabber (love this!) over the image best I could but not solidly.  Several blue distress inks were rubbed over the whole piece.  Turned out better than I thought.  The sentiment is by My Sentiments Exactly.

I didn't want to squish the bow so I devised a template that would make a box for the card.  The flap wasn't big enough to cover so I added a decorator sheet of card stock to it and fancy cut the edge with a Fiskars punch.  From 'Wordplay' (TH Sizzix die) I cut the recipient's name from card stock.  The letters were run through the Xyron and placed on the bottom of the decorated flap.  I had a kraft gift bag but it had stuff on the front I needed to cover.  I was going to use the same card stock as the envelope flap but came up with something even better.  I punched 2 holes in the back of the envelope box and 2 more on the gift bag so that the box covers the printing.  A bit of twine run through the holes keeps it in place.  Voila!  No one would be the wiser. 

A birthday hat is mandatory when you turn 70, isn't it?  lol

 
The card will accompany this window box garden.

One side

The other side

All the dies are by Sizzix...the Window Box was designed by Eileen Hull and from Susan's Garden (how appropriate!) comes Mini Daisy, Mini Petals, Pansy/Violet, Leaves-Fern & Ivy.  Other items I used include card stock, chipboard, crinkle ribbon, Flower Soft, floral wire and tape, distress inks, Claudine Hellmuth paints, Antique Linen Distress Crackle Paint.

I cut 2 windows and 1 box from chipboard.  All were painted with CH Sable Brown paint (but don't cover the areas that get adhesive); let dry.  Cover this with the crackle paint (again, don't cover the adhesive areas - use washi tape to keep out the coloring mediums).  Assemble.  The windows were glued together then attached to the back of the window box.  I wanted to make sure this was really stable.  Inside I glued 4 1" styrofoam balls so the picks would stay in place.  Perfect fit!  On top I spread spanish moss.

Using various colors of 80# card stock I cut multiples of the flowers and leaves.  Once they were formed (see the Sizzix site for detailed videos for how-to info) they were attached to toothpicks painted green.  Shape, place and adhere the floral wire before gluing on the ivy leaves. Some of the flower centers are just markers, some are flower soft (ivory tinted with yellow distress re-inkers) and some are glue/CH acrylic paint (violets).

'Plant' the garden as you like.  The bow was actually for the daisy tag in a previous post but it turned out too yellow-green.  It's just right for this window box display. 

The finished window box is approximately 6"x4"x1 1/4".  The flowers are all less than 1 1/4".  Yes, it is fiddly and time consuming.  Yes, you will need patience and perseverance.  Yes, allow plenty of drying time.  Yes, I would do this all over again.   And most definitely will. 

I can see this being planted with the dogwood blooms and forsythia branches for spring, mums and black-eyed susans for fall, and poinsettias and pinecones for winter.  Or maybe I'll make the wheelbarrow for the fall version.  Hmmmm.....