Clean Monday

Today marks the first day of Great Lent for Orthodox Christians around the world, myself and my family included. This first week of Lent is traditionally called Clean or Pure Week and forms one of the bookends of Lent (Holy Week being the other). There are many extra church services this week, stricter fasting for those who are able, and a general attitude of joyful sobriety as we set ourselves to the task of repentance and spiritual house cleaning.

I am taking a step back from creating this week, in part because of Clean Week, and in part because I do much of my creating on Mondays when I have a baby sitter for a few extra hours in the morning and I'm not feeling great today. Between my mom's great visit last week and a very long and tiring day yesterday with extra church services and driving, this pregnant lady is worn out! I do have some cards to share this week that I made in weeks past, so you won't be deprived!


Today's card was my February swap for the Philly Inkers meeting. Diana Gibbs had posted a picture a while back with some cool ceramic-ware she bought at Ross and my first thought was color challenge! The colors were Certainly Celery, Bermuda Bay and Summer Sun/Crushed Curry. I added in Soft Suede for a neutral and went from there. I got the layout idea from someone on splitcoast, but tweaked it a little to make it my own. I actually love this color combination and would never have thought to put them together! If you are wondering how I did the tree, first I colored the trunk with a Soft Suede marker, then did the leaves in Certainly Celery. I then took a Summer Sun marker and tapped it all over the leaves, but not to cover the green. I did the same thing with a Bermuda Bay marker but less, since it was a darker color. I guess it would be called thumping technique. Since I had to make 10 of these, it was a LOT of thumping!

Supplies:

Certainly Celery, Bermuda Bay, Summer Sun, Whisper White, Soft Suede cs
Itty Bitty Backgrounds, Forest Friends, Great Friend stamps
Soft Suede, Summer Sun, Certainly Celery, Bermuda Bay markers, Versamark
Certainly Celery twill ribbon (retired)