Enchantment in Miniature: Vintage Thumbelina Illustration - Shabby Chic Wedding or All-Occasion Card

Here is a really enchanting card,

at least for me.  I adore vintage illustrations and old stories,

so in this card I've used the Thumbelina story as the focus.

It's one we don't hear quite so often, which is a shame for such

a tiny little gem of a tale.

 

 

I chose to go with a shabby chic style for this card, not just for the

vintage feel and classy nature of the illustration, but also because I thought,

to little Thumbelina, all flowers, leaves--everything--would seem large.

Once in awhile I get in a mood to really embellish to heart's content, and while

I didn't want to overdo it, I did want to give that size-perspective a little more life.

 

 

I'm always happy when I can include some glass gems on a card.
Somehow they just add a little bit of magic for me, usually
since they remind me of water-bubbles,
and the sound of water--well, who can argue that that is just a little bit magical?
At the very least, relaxing, rejuvenating and healing.

I also used Glossy Accents on the wavelets around the lily-pad raft.

 

This card has no sentiment per se because I didn't want to box it in.
Considering the backstory of Thumbelina (I'll get to that in a minute), I think
it could be a really great Wedding or Anniversary card
(in terms of waiting for the right one!)



But it could also be an encouragement card, a reach farther-than-you-think-you-can
sort of message.  Or a very nice thank-you, since the little butterfly and fish surely earned
tiny Thumbelina's thanks as well.



A little background to the Thumbelina story: this is an original Hans Christian Anderson classic
and one that was not initially well-received in the early-to-mid-1800s in Denmark or in England after its translation because of its lack of a clearly stated moral.
(Because a story MUST obviously explain itself with a purpose besides being entertaining!)
Personally I think the heartsick bluebird twist is charming...

 

 

 

I really like the Wikipedia synopsis, so for your reading pleasure....

 

"In the first English translation of 1847 by Mary Howitt, the tale opens with a beggar woman giving a peasant's wife a barleycorn in exchange for food. Once planted, a tiny girl, Thumbelina (Tommelise), emerges from its flower. One night, Thumbelina, asleep in her walnut-shell cradle, is carried off by a toad who wants the miniature maiden as a bride for her son. With the help of friendly fish and a butterfly, Thumbelina escapes the toad and her son, and drifts on a lily pad until captured by a stag beetle who later discards her when his friends reject her company.

Thumbelina tries to protect herself from the elements, but when winter comes, she is in desperate straits. She is finally given shelter by an old field mouse and tends her dwelling in gratitude. The mouse suggests Thumbelina marry her neighbor, a mole, but Thumbelina finds repulsive the prospect of being married to such a creature because he spent all his days underground and never saw the sun or sky. The field mouse keeps pushing Thumbelina into the marriage, saying the mole is a good match for her, and does not listen to her protests.

At the last minute, Thumbelina escapes the situation by fleeing to a far land with a swallow she nursed back to health during the winter. In a sunny field of flowers, Thumbelina meets a tiny flower-fairy prince just her size and to her liking, and they wed. She receives a pair of wings to accompany her husband on his travels from flower to flower, and a new name, Maia.

In Hans Christian Andersen's version of the story, a bluebird had been viewing Thumbelina's story since the beginning and had been in love with her since. In the end, the bird is heartbroken once Thumbelina marries the flower-fairy prince, and flies off eventually arriving at a small house. There, he tells Thumbelina's story to a man who is implied to be Andersen himself and chronicles the story told in the book."

 

 

 

Here are the challenges:

Daring Cardmakers: June Elemental Inspiration
 

 

Love love love this copper and aqua.
I've incorporated the copper mainly with the glittered sheaves of the background paper,
which reminded me of the field mouse who helped Thumbelina through the winter.

Fab N' Funky #307 Enchanted I'm Sure
 

Alphabet Challenge: G is for Girlie 

Crafting for All Seasons #127: Make it Girly

Cardz 4 Galz #23: Vintage or Shabby Chic

Creative Knockouts #144: Friendship

 Crafty Catz #327: Add a Butterfly
I love the way the butterfly is pulling Thumbelina's leaf raft in this vintage illustration.
In contemplating this part of the story, it made me think that, no matter how small we feel,
there may always be someone willing to help us--someone who is can give just the support we need.  Sometimes we're each like Thumbelina, caught up in others' plans or simply overcome by a world far larger and more powerful than we are; but sometimes, I hope we can also be like this
simple but selflessly serving little butterfly.
It just warms my heart.
 

Little Red Wagon #344: Inlaid Die-Cuts
I've used a die-cut Spellbinders frame and nested oval dies

Craft Your Passion #314: Always ATG

Crafting from the Heart #114: Always ATG

  

 

Materials Used on this Card:
Cardstock {Textured Aqua - DCWV; Paisley Brown mat - K&Company;
Dark Chocolate, Rustic white - Papertrey Ink}
Patterned papers {Glittered Copper Sheaves - Making Memories}
Stamps {Foliage - Altenew}
Ink {Archival Black - Ranger}
Vintage Illustration Image {The Graphics Fairy}
Frame and Nestabilities dies {Spellbinders}
Glimmer mist {gold - Tattered Angels}
Burlap paper {DCWV}
Paper roses {Recollections, The Paper Studio}
Burlap ribbon, glass gems {stash}
Heavy Hand-quilting cotton thread

Here are some views of the finished inside and back:





And one final of the whole card:



Thank you SO much for visiting!
I hope you have enjoyed this little literary excursion and the card,
and I wish you a very bright and simply wonderful day.

If you get a chance before you go, there is still time to
enter for my Spring Giveaway before next week!
Actually it's more of a destash.  Everything is all packed up and ready to ship ASAP.

Inlinkz is so quick and I've opened the giveaway to both US and

International crafters as well.

Picture and link are on my right-hand sidebar. :)

 

Take care,

Be well,

and enjoy the sunshine,

 

--Kathryn