O Canada!

2.5 years ago, my sweetie and I moved to Canada from California. My day job was closing the office in the location I was at and offered to relocate my sweetie and I to the Vancouver area of British Columbia. For those who don't know Canada, this is about 2 hours north of Seattle. I was thrilled by the offer since I had been born in Washington and my grandparents lived there through my childhood. No matter where I moved in the world, I longed to return to the Pacific Northwest.

Moving to Canada has been with some trials and tribulations but also with great blessings. After been renters for all of our adult lives, at the beginning of this year my sweetie and I bought a house, in Canada. We officially became Permanent Residents last October, on the weekend of Canadian Thanksgiving. We have had a lot to be thankful for.



This week's Kraftin' Kimmie Saturday Challenge is CAS, Clean and Simple. This joyful celebration is my submission for that challenge.

Supplies:
Melanie from Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps: http://goo.gl/FLjLgZ
Recollections white 65lb cardstock: Micheals
Recollections open stock specialty paper: Micheals
Chameleon pens: http://www.chameleonpens.com/

Colorbox black pigment ink: https://goo.gl/4k5QTQ
Memento tuxedo black: http://goo.gl/eCQDmc

Tombow adhesive: http://goo.gl/XMLQG6

Card base was in a Spellbinders Maker's Mart kit
Tim Holtz micro-serrated scissors: http://goo.gl/nbEO1Q

Fiskars finger-tip craft knife: http://goo.gl/CHst5C
Cutting mat: dollar store

Construction

Melanie from KKS has a Toronto skyline as her back ground and the sentiment "What a Wonderful World!"

I live on the other coast! I live near Vancouver. The hockey jersey intended by the artist, Annie Rodrigue, is probably for the Leafs. Oh no, can't do that! 

I stamped the image with ColorSnap black pigment ink and then coloured with Chameleon pens. I coloured only Melanie herself since I would be fussy cutting her out of the background. I also wasn't too worried about colouring in the lines. I decided on purple hair just to add some additional fun.

I fussy cut Melanie out of Toronto. In doing so, though, one hand got separated. While applying adhesive to her, the other had came off, too. 

While cutting her out, I decided her shoes were too light and so added a darker brown to the shoes and purse. I also added a touch of gold to the purse.

To finish the card, I added two red panels to the which card base. I positioned Melanie to the centre of the card, aiming for the leaf on her shirt to be near the exact centre to echo the red maple leaf on the Canadian flag because the people really are central to what makes Canada a wonderful place to be.

Melanie throws her arms up jubilantly, celebrating the wonderful world that is Canada. "O Canada, we stand on guard for thee!"

I gave this card to our neighbors as a thank you for being so welcoming into our new home here.