Have you ever seen the cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin?  Every spring, nearly 1,700 cherry trees that line the Washington, D.C. Tidal Basin burst into a magnificent pink floral fireworks.  I think, it is the most beautiful site in the Washington, D.C. area. The weather determines when this great display of blossoms burst, and unfortunately, these magnificent blooms only last a few days.  The exact time this will occur is unpredictable, but what is predictable is that it will happen sometime every spring. Oh what a lovely site to behold!  If you’ve never been to the Tidal Basin when the cherry trees blossom, it is so worth the trip!

Isn’t the above photo just gorgeous?  I sure enjoyed the cherry blossoms every spring when I worked in D.C. for 30 years.  I was fortunate that one of my job sites was just across the street from the Tidal Basin.  My desk was at a window where I could stand and inhale the beauty of the scene.  Wow, what a wonderful few days that was each spring!

Thousands of people embark upon D.C. every spring to enjoy such beauty and participate in the annual Cherry Blossom Parade.  It is so crowded around the Basin, but people make room for each other.  Some people either don’t know, or choose to show a lack of respect, that climbing the trees to take great snapshots is no allowed.  It’s shameful and those who choose this behavior are damaging these gorgeous trees.  The last time I was there, the damage was quite obvious.

These beauties are not just cherry trees, they are Japanese cherry trees.  It was in 1912 that Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo, Japan, gifted 3,000 cherry trees to the city of Washington, DC. The gift and annual celebration honor the lasting friendship between the United States and Japan, and the continued close relationship between the two countries.

Did you notice that I said the United States was gifted 3,000 trees?  It’s so sad that only around 1,700 trees are left and the others have died.  Some have died as a result of the tree climbers that I described above.  But, what a pleasure to get to enjoy what is left!

Moving on, I made the following card to honor a Featured Stamper, Geni, on Splitcoaststampers.  This challenge, FS474, involved viewing Geni’s gallery of beautiful cards and pick one to CASE (i.e., copy and share everything).  I was inspired by this card she had created.  The cherry blossoms on her card reminded me of the Japanese cherry tree blossoms in Washington, D.C. Therefore, instead of casing her card, I had to create a scene of the cherry trees blossoms around the tidal basin.

What do you think?  Is my scene a decent replica of the one near the top of this post? The Washington Monument was hand drawn and well as the cherry trees and the green trees. The only stamps used was the cherry blossoms in the foreground and the sentiment. The blossoms in the foreground were colored with copics. Here’s another photo of my card.

(UPDATE:  This cared was featured in Splitcoaststampers FAVORITES of the week ending March 13, 2016)

This photo is a closeup of the scene.

I hope you enjoyed learning about the blossoms around the tidal basin and my card! Thanks for stopping by!

SUPPLIES:

Stamps:  Stampin’ Up! Easter Blossoms (retired)

Paper:  Stampin’ Up! Whisper White, Pink Passion, and Bashful Blue Card Stock

Ink:  Stampin’ Up! Pretty in Pink, Pear Pizzazz, Bashful Blue, Marina Mist, Basic Black, and Copics

Card Size:  A2

Technique: Sponging and Coloring with Copics

GOD’S BLESSINGS!

STAMPING WITH GUNEAUX DESIGNS BY BEVERLY POLEN

“If God is for us, who can be against us.”  Romans 8:31