February 17, 2010

Red and Yellow Tulips

I really want Spring to be here. I am itching for it. I want to see those first signs of green sprouting up in my flower beds. I want to see the tulips that don't exist anymore in my yard because Eric ran over them with the lawn mower too many times. I know he killed them on purpose because he hated to weed eat around them. Well, at least I can think about how pretty they were.

I guess I'll have to keep coloring flowers for now. I was inspired once again by these red and yellow tulips.
Today I'm using Karen Lockhart's Tulips stamp. The image has a pretty vase of tulips with a nice bold border, perfect for coloring with Copics. While I had my markers out, I decided to do a little mass production. But I shook things up a bit and colored three images three different ways, as shown below. The polka dots were made with a white gel pen.
Here's my finished cards...very much alike except for the colored images. I used polka dot papers from Cosmo Cricket to tie in with the red and yellow them. The bright green PTI ribbon adds a punch of color, representing the green leaves in the colored images.
So bright and cheery, perfect for spring. I finished up the cards with a little machine stitching around the image piece. The inside of my cards has a nice PTI sentiment stamped on more Cosmo Cricket patterned paper.
And here's the sketch I used from my idea notebook. Instead of the buttons across the top, I opted to use the tied ribbon.
And here's the lineup of Copics that I used to color my images...reds and yellows for the flowers, greens for the leaves and blues and blender for the background.
Hope you enjoy! It's been cold and actually snowing here a few days this week but nothing is sticking. Hurry up Spring!

Hey, for you all fans of flowers that are grown from bulbs....when do you plant your bulbs? I really want to plant some more tulips and daffodils and those sweet grape hyacinths this year. It's been so long though since I've planted any that I forgot when to plant them. Spring? Fall?

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love your tulips - such beautiful bright colors. You can plant them in the fall or spring. Usually bulb companies will only deliver when it is appropriate to plant. Is it possible the squirrels took off with your bulbs? That has happened to me before. They seem to think it's a tasty treat. Thanks for the beautiful inspiration of your blog. Elizabeth S. in mid-Michigan

Pat said...

Love your card with the tulips. Tulips are my very favorite flower and they have to be planted in the fall.

Catherine Couch Doucette said...

These are such sweet cards! I plant in the fall...

Gail S. said...

I always plant tulips and daffodil bulbs in the fall. They need time to get really cold before they can germinate and grow. I am from central Nebraska. Love your cards - they will brighten someone's day :)

Andrea said...

Fall unfortunately :( But you could get yourself a nice pot of them for this spring and then plant them this fall. Tulips are not as long-lasting as daffodils. They normally only last a couple of years.

jen said...

Lovely cards!
Spring blooming bulbs need to be planted in the fall. And tulips, while one of my very favorite flowers are not fabulous repeat perfomers. I've been told the Darwin varieties are longer lasting- but that hasn't proven true in my yard... :( Grape hyacinth & daffodils (especially the tete-a-tete type) repeat well & even multiply.
Summer blooming bulbs are planted in early spring- lillies, for example....
:)

Anonymous said...

Hi Mish,
I've been following your "Sketch by Mish" layouts and they are all great (love the tulips)! Have you given any thought to putting these together and selling your sketch collection via your etsy or blog?? Thanks!

Kathy McDonald, Seattle said...

Hi Mish! Oh, how I love your cards! Tulips are my absolute favorite flowers. We have problems with squirrels digging up the bulbs and eating them, so we plant our tulips in large pots and put chicken wire on top of the bulbs, and then the dirt. The squirrels can't get at the bulbs that way, and the tulips grow up through the chicken wire. . .works like a charm!

Karen said...

Thank goodness for a fun image and fun coloring to scratch an itch (until spring is actually here)!! Love those sweet polkas.....really a great way to change it up a bit! :>

Jane said...

GORGEOUS card! Love tulips! You have to plant them in the Fall.....I always remember that in the spring!! ;)

Cindy Holshouser said...

In my area (Pacific Northwest) we have to plant spring-flowering bulbs in the fall, by mid November at the latest. We have had such a mild winter they are up about 4 inches already! I bought some spendy ones this time and put them in pots - they will be beautiful, such unusual colors.
If you want to plan sweet peas the time is now. Soak your seeds overnight, and plant for summer heaven-scent blooms.

patriciad said...

Oh Mish, these tulips are so bright and cheery and purty! I love all bulb flowers - tulips, daffodils, hyacinth...spring is my favorite time of year. Unfortunately, as others have mentioned, fall is the time to plant those little devils. Something to look forward to NEXT spring???

Ami said...

Michelle, I just found you via the link on Becky's blog. I see that you have kits available (I hope) and would like to know how to find and order them. Thanks, Ami

Sarah O. said...

Yep, you're too late to plant tulips in KS for a spring show. I'd say plant bulbs around early Nov. (probably not much earlier, if the days are still staying warmish) - they need about 5 weeks in soil to grow their roots before freezing. HTH! Love your tulip cards...tulips are my absolute faves!

Loretta said...

id love to see more of your scetches...your process. like how you organize your sketches....

Tiffany Ervin said...

What a darling set of cards, sooo colorful!

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