REMEMBERING WITH GRATITUDE

Greetings Junkies!!!  

This date is the official Memorial Day here in the USA.  Once called "Decoration Day", it's day set aside to remember those who died in the service or our country.  It started after the Civil War and continues today.  Back in the 1971, an act of congress changed the date to be the last Monday in May.  

Growing up, I remember Memorial Day was a day when members of the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) passed out red poppies and took donations to help maintain a fund to buy flags to place at the graves of deceased veterans.  

The story of the red poppies being a symbol of Memorial Day has two parts, it was inspired from a poem "In Flanders Field" written by a Canadian, Lieutenant Colonel John McCrea in 1915.  Inspired by this poem, an American Moina Michael wrote her own poem and conceived the idea to wear the red poppy as a symbol to remember those who gave their lives in war.    

The card I made today is honoring those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for world freedoms.  

When I saw the poppy stamp in the Technique Junkies store, I knew I wanted to have it in my collection.  It's simplicity is stunning and can be easily colored with whatever medium you choose.  I used Copic Markers here.  

I first stamped the poppy on a card layer, colored it and masked it.  I then inked the poppy again with Pumice Stone Distress Ink and stamped some more images around the mask.  For additional texture, I used Herringbone Tweed background stamp inked with the same DI ink in Pumice Stone.  That gave it a "linen" look.  

I couldn't stop there, so keeping the mask in place, I mixed up some black acrylic paint and water and splattered it across the layer for even more texture.  The sentiment was made with my old label maker.  (That puppy comes in handy so often.) 

If you'd like a little discount for some awesome Technique Junkies Stamps, here's a discount code to help with that.  

I hope you didn't mind the history lesson and I pray we never forget those who sacrificed everything defending freedom.  It's a precious gift.  

Woohooo!!! Only two more days and it will be the first of the month and time for a new release from Technique Junkies!!!!  We'll be hopping with all the new stamps on Thursday, June 1.  You don't want to miss it!  

Thanks for stopping by today.  See you Thursday!