Sometimes You Just Have to Stop Fighting

Sticks and stones my break my bones,
but words can also hurt me.
Stones and stick break only skin, 
while words are ghosts that haunt me.
Slant and curved the word- swords fall,
it pierces and sticks inside me.
Bats and bricks may ache through bones,
but words can mortify me.
Pain from words has left its' scar,
on mind and hear that's tender.
Cuts and bruises not have healed,
it's words that I remember.

-Ruby Redfort

Next month's theme for heARTist Trading Cards is Sticks and Stones. The first idea that popped into my head was quite literal which I decided was not artsy enough. I attempted several other ideas and none of them worked so today I went literal with an homage to Ruby Redfort's poem. I used a piece of commercially available paper, a rock and grass rubberstamp, a branch rub-on, a swirl rubberstamp, a Stazon stamp pad, my computer for the "Be Kind", some fun scissors from my friend Marti and some paint. Sometimes you just have to stop fighting an idea and go with it. I'm happy and done early. The tree branches look very much like the ones outside my window.  Creating these today definitely helped my ever growing need for spring.