Happy 4th of July!

Don't you just love the 4th of July? I do...all the fireworks, parties, friends, food! But we tend to forget why we are celebrating! It's a day to remember how we gained our independence. I try to instill this knowledge into my students every year when we discuss the Declaration of Independence, the Revolutionary War, Civil War, and all the other wars fought for our country's independence. My parents have always loved the flag. One of the first things my dad did when they built their home was to put in a huge flagpole and fly the flag daily. I think we were the only ones on the street to do this! So when I saw this Thomas Kinkade stamp, Hometown Pride, I had to purchase it so I could make a card for my mom. I think she's really going to appreciate this one!

I found instructions for coloring this stamp on Sherrie Siemens blog. They were a life saver for doing this the first time! I think I'll be able to get through another T. Kinkade stamp on my own next time (I hope so, cause I have another one to ink up with no instructions from Sherrie to help me!). She said to lay the greens down first (dark then light), then do the flowers, the cement, the tree bark, the house, the flag, the windows, then the sky (I think that's the order). Anyway, there were a BUNCH of copic markers used on this one! When I colored the red stripes on the flag, I got a little heavy-handed, so I took my white gel pen to get back some of the white stripes. Worked wonderfully! Then in Sherrie's instructions, it said to use the white gel pen to put in some white flowers...it made the flower bed pop like crazy! What a great tip and great little tool that pen is! I wasn't sure how to mount this, because of its size. I decided to off-center it and put the God Bless America sentiment (from SU's retired Land that I Love) on rectangular nestabilities in the bottom corner. I did not know what to do with the rest of the space. I tried primas of various shades, but it was too much. So, I went with the good ol' brads! They always come to bat for me! I decorated the inside as well with the flag from Land that I Love stamped in Sahara Sand, another sentiment over that in brown, then ruby red stars down the sides. It looks festive inside! Well, thanks for stopping by and.....

Recipe
Stamps: CHF Hometown Pride, SU Land that I Love
Paper: Ruby red, chocolate chip, PTI white
Ink: Adirondack espresso, copic markers
Accessories: brads, dimensionals, cuttlebug, nestabilities