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Brave Wings


Happy Friday Friends!!

I hope you all had a good week this week. I made this dragonfly tag and it comes with a wee story behind it. My inspiration came from a real life dragonfly.  I have been feeling kinda blah this week. No real reason I have just been feeling a bit run down and not myself. I have not been feeling too crafty at all either which is really unlike me.

So this all started when I decided to take a dip in the pool. It was not even that warm and the water was cold but I wanted to go in anyway. I was enjoying the water and looking up at the sky daydreaming. Then I looked down saw a little dragonfly in the pool. I thought it was dead at first. Then I looked again and saw it struggling in the water. It was drowning! So I scooped it up in my hand and got it out of the water. I tried to get it on to the side of the pool to dry off, but it would not leave my hand. Just when I got it on the concrete it climbed back on to my hand.

 Now I have never really paid much attention to dragonflies. You know I am a butterfly girl. But they are seriously the cutest little creatures with huge big eyes. I have never seen one up this close before.  Those iridescent wings are just amazing. I watched it swipe water off itself and dry off in the breeze. I noticed that it had a broken wing. The wing was clipped pretty low so I was not even sure it would be able to fly, but it did have three other wings. I kept trying to get this wee insect off my hand it would not leave me so I let it just sit there. It must have stayed on my hand for about 20 minutes.  My arm was getting sore hanging outside the pool so I shouted for my husband to come and take it from me. He grabbed leaf to to let it walk on to. Before he got the chance to put the leaf down to my hand it opened it's wings and flew away. Amazing!!

 I was kind of in awe of that little dragonfly. It was practically drowning and had a broken wing but still it survived. I was reminded that when we feel like we are drowning God steps in and scoops us up and we are taken to a place of safety. He lets us stay a while, as long as we need to dry off. Then when we are ready we can fly away. Even when we feel insignificant and incomplete. We can still fly and we can still make it despite what has happened to us. We don't need to be prefect to fly we just have to be brave enough to do it. Wow that was deep!  I will never see dragonflies in he same light again. I learned so many lessons just by rescuing that little dragonfly.


So the next day I dug out my one and only dragonfly stamp and made this tag. All inspired by my little wounded insect.  The colours were totally inspired by the wings on my  dragonfly they had little turquoise and purple flecks through the wings. I can do them no justice but this is my version.  I used the embossing resist technique on the tag with distress inks then stamped some broken script on top. On the dragonfly I used copper embossing powder on the body and distressed the wings with inks. I typed my sentiment  then cut and pasted the words. Finally I dyed some ribbon to match the tag and added some rhinestones.

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog have a great weekend.
 
Mandi xox

Supplies Stamps - Dragonfly of Beauty, Imagine It & Key To My Heart, Distress Inks - Mowed Lawn, Peacock Feathers & Concord Grape.Embossing Powder Copper & White. VersaMark Ink. Crinkle Ribbon. Rhinestones

Challenges
Friends With Flair 
Word Art Wednesday 
Simon Says Stamp Monday
Craft Stamper Take it Make it  Embossing Resist By Anna- Karin Evaldsson. August Issue.
Artistic Inspirations
613 Avenue Create
Eureka Stamps
Sparkle & Sprinkle 
Love to Scrap - Anything Goes



Comments

  1. Mandi I love the story of the dragonfly. I am glad that you were able to help it fly. Love the tag. What great inspiration from the dragonfly. You never know when inspiration hits you. The tag is really pretty.

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  2. Love how you added a bit of embossing powder on the dragonfly - so lovely

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  3. This is beautiful--love the colors and sparkle.

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  4. wow just love and very pretty.

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  5. How beautifully delicate this tag is! So pretty!
    Ingrid xx

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  6. This is so very pretty! Your watercolour resist background is gorgeous, as is the dragonfly.

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  7. Gorgeous colours. Great tag. So pretty

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  8. Your tag is stunning and I love your amazing story behind it! How wonderful that you were able to have that quiet moment and make such a difference to one little dragonfly!

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  9. What a wonderful, inspiring story! Your tag is a gorgeous tribute to your new friend!

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  10. Loved your story and your tag is gorgeous. Colours and bling are perfect for dragonfly. Thank you for joining Artistic Inspirations, good luck.

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  11. I love this tag & you have taken very bright clear photos! Wow.

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  12. Love the tag and the story behind it!

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  13. Mandy - that is a beautiful dragonfly story! I love dragonflies - and this tag is absolutely beautiful - I love the background colors, the EP you added to the wings and especially the sentiment!
    Thank you for sharing your project & creativity at our house!
    Challenge #85 - Anything Goes
    ~ginny, DT for 613 Ave Create

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  14. Amazing story! Love how God can teach us deep things through such simple means. And amazing tag! Just love the colors and the shiny dragonfly.

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  15. This is a really lovely tag and a beautiful post to read about. I appreciated the life lesson you wrote about and think it's great when we are inspired in our art by those beautiful moments in life. Your tag is so very pretty and I really like how you made the white floral elements stand out. The background color is gorgeous (my favorite color ever) and the dragonfly is a stunning focal point. Thank you for the beautiful tag to look at and the lovely post to read. I'm so glad you shared it with us here at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog!

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  16. Gorgeous tag! Love the rich colors and the embossed floral accents are lovely!

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  17. you were meant to go in the pool to save it's life and give you a lesson your soul needed -dragonflies are soo beautiful-love the tag and beautiful colours and embossed images -thank you for joining us at Artistic Inspirations
    Carol DT x

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  18. What a wonderful story...it's amazing how strong we can be, isn't it?! Thankful you were there for that precious dragonfly and that it gave you this story to share with us along with your lovely tag!!!

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  19. Oh my, this is so touching Mandi. So happy it flew away. This tag is perfect. :)

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  20. Mandi I saw this tag on FB and it's just gorgeous! Now that I know the story, it's even more FAB!! Great job!

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  21. This is so beautiful. Thanks for joining us this week for our inspirational challenge.
    Karal DT for Eureka Stamps

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  22. What a gorgeous tag!! LOVE the firefly.

    Thanks for joining us at Eureka Stamps this week.

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  23. Thank you for joining this week at Eureka Stamps Good luck and We hope you'll join us again soon

    Zoe x
    Handmade with lots of Love

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  24. Wow! The tag is stunning. Thanks so much for sharing your dragonfly story. I loved it.

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  25. OMG! I felt like I was there with you Mandy as you saved that little creature! Great writing ! I love to take photos out in my backyard - I'm a wee bit Scottish (born and raised!) - which endeared me to your post! Your tag is gorgeous, love everything about it. So glad you joined us over at the Sparkle N Sprinkle Creative Challenge.




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  26. Hi Mandy. A great way to show off this beautiful technique. I love how you have captured the colours so beautifully.
    Thank you for joining us at the Craft Stamper Take It Make It challenge.
    Dot

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  27. That's a gorgeous make and a lovely story to go with it. We have huge Dragonflies here in Wales, they don't look real! Thanks for joining in with us at the Take It Make It Challenge. Elizabeth x

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  28. Your tag is gorgeous and the dragonfly story is amazing! I'm so glad you shared both with us for the Sparkle N Sprinkle Creative Challenge this month. Hope to see more of your beautiful creations.

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  29. I loved your dragonfly story! When I sit in my garden they come and sit on my toes and arms. They are so friendly and curious. Your tag is wonderful way to honor them. Thanks so much for joining us at the Take It Make It Challenge.

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  30. Your tag is really beautiful, Mandi. I love the deep shades of green, and the sweet dragonfly. THank you SO much for stopping by to share your time and talents in our challenge this week. I really hope that you will share with us again soon. Have a blessed week!
    Karen
    Word Art Wednesday

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  31. What a lovely story and a beautiful tag to go with it. Thank you for joining in with the Take It Make It Challenge ... good luck! Linda xx

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  32. Beautiful post Mandi along with a gorgeous tag:-) Thanks for joining us at the Take it Make it challenge xxx

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  33. So pretty! Thank you for playing along with the Craft Stamper Blog Challenge this month! xxx

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  34. Your story is amazing! I love dragonflies and think they are absolutely beautiful. I very much appreciate your paragraph about God. Your tag is absolutely stunning! Thank you for sharing your story and your tag at Love to Scrap. Hope you'll join us next time.

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  35. Beautiful tag... love the story. Dragonflies are my favs... so incredible!! Love the detail and the looks of your dragonfly on the tag! Thanks for playing along with Love To Scrap! Challenge Blog!!
    Hugs,
    Cathy DT

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