Snails and Smiles

Two Peas in the Bucket is an online scrapbooking and stamping store.  They have an extensive user gallery and forums.  I like to go there for inspiration or, sometimes, to discuss products and learn new techniques.  During the summer, a mother posted on the forums about her son having gone through rehab.  She was (rightfully) very proud and also very sensitive to his fragile state.  She asked the Two Peas members to send handmade cards in a card drive.  Harnessing the “Power of the Peas” happens frequently on that board and it is nice to see total strangers helping each other.

Now, making cards for teenage boys is not easy.  Luckily, I have my three nephews, so I am frequently picking up “boy appropriate” paper goodies.  To send some encouragement to this boy, I made this card with a digital image from A Day for Daisies:

It’s called “snail ride”.  I bought it to use on a future card for a nephew’s birthday with the planned sentiment of “Enjoy the Ride”.  However, it worked beautifully for this teenage boy who is turning his life around with only great effort and personal struggle.  “Slow and Steady” is the message.  After all, all things worth having are worth the effort!

I used the manliest colours I could find (I really need to get some more Copics!) and I tried to make the snail’s shell look like stone (along the “rock steady” theme).  The thing with A Day for Daisies snails is that the shell has such a lovely swirl.  They can look like little roses when coloured.  A more expert inker could probably make them look like speckled sea shells.  Not being so expert, I went with stone for this masculine card.  I think it turned out okay.