Die Cut Inlays

I went a little crazy last month ordering dies and figured I'd better do something with them.  The card above features three dies, Memory Box Flutter Vine and Large Sitting Cat and also the rose on the cat's neck was made from a die also.  

I inlaid the flutter vine by using the die on both the background sheet and a contrasting color.  The cat is added afterward, but I was thinking later that I probably could have inlaid the cat also making this a simple two layer card.  But then I went and added the dimensional rose.  The rolled rose is made using a spiral die and I've added a little pearl in the center.

This black cat reminded me that a couple weeks ago we had a single session at school and shortly before dismissal the police sent out a notification that there had been a black bear sighting in the neighborhood.  Of all days, it had to be on a day that the students were getting out early and the weather was beautiful.  We sent an e-mail notification to the parents to warn them and didn't allow any classes to go out, including the gym class, but that didn't stop the afterschool program from asking whether we thought it was safe to let the kids go out afterschool.  I suggested that if they were wanting to use them as appetizers, they should send them out one at a time.  Seriously, I would not wish harm to any of them, I just was a little taken aback by the question.  I wish sometimes that we could figure out how to bottle common sense and market it, because there are a lot of people out there who could use a dose now and then.  I figure though that those that need it the most wouldn't know how to get the bottle opened.  But back to the cards.......     

The card below is very minimalist and for some reason reminds me of a nun's habit.  I used the cut pieces in the opposite color pattern.  I think I was aiming at something that looked like Wedgewood, but it didn't quite make it.  

I am enjoying working with these dies lately (I think I said that in a previous post, sorry!), and I would recommend getting a metal adaptor plate to use as a shim.  It really helps make those intricate cuts come out cleanly.  

And sadly, that poor little bear - they said it was a cub about 150 pounds - was struck by a car on the highway later that day and died.  We had another report of a bear nearby again yesterday.  This area is not really known for bears but you never know what Mother Nature has in store and what will show up.