When I was first learning about the Fruit of the Spirit, I remember reading Fruitbasket Friends by Joan Summers. I loved it so much, I still own my very first copy and was able to reference it while creating this set of cards. Each Fruit of the Spirit is represented by an actual type of fruit. When I first saw the Tutti Frutti Suite, I couldn't help but think of the Fruit of the Spirit and began planning this project then, but it took me months to find the time to get the plan out of my head and onto paper.
Directions for creating each card:
- Cut piece of Whisper White cardstock 6" by 3" and then fold in half for the card base
- Cut strip of Tutti Frutti DSP 3" x 1.5"
- Stamp several of the fruit image that represents the fruit of the spirit on the card front
- Stamp the same fruit image on a piece of whisper white cardstock and fussy cut or punch out with Itty Bitty Fruit Stamp
- Stamp word representing Fruit of the Spirit using Make a Difference Stamp Set and the Stamparatus on Lemon Lime Twist Cardstock
- Cut cardstock into flag approximately 1 1/4" x 2 3/4"
- Punch out 1" circle and 7/8" scalloped circle in coordinating colors to strip of DSP
- Glue DSP strip and Lemon Lime Twist Cardstock flag on card front.
- Glue circles together
- Attach fruit to circles with stampin' dimensionals
- Adhere circles to card front with Stampin' Dimensionals
Love--Orange
Create peach using circle stamp from Work of Art stamp set
Kindness--Apple
Apples cut from DSP to attach to circle
Goodness---Pineapple
Banana cut from DSP
Cantaloupe stamped with circle from Wood Words DSP
I then decorated one of the Mini Pizza Boxes to keep the Fruit of the Spirit card together. I did stamp and prepare 3" envelopes for each of the cards, but only 7 cards plus envelopes fit inside the box with the lid closed completely. All 9 cards fit inside the box without envelopes. So, I would recommend either keeping the cards without envelopes or tying the box closed with ribbon.
- Cut piece of DSP 3" x 3" and adhere to top of box
- Create title with Make a Difference stamp set.
- Punch title out with Everyday Label Punch
- Adhere title strips to box top with Stampin' Dimensionals
- Stamp and either fussy cut or punch out with Itty Bitty Fruit Punches pieces of fruit to represent all nine Fruits of the Spirit on Whisper White Cardstock
- Stamp and fussy cut out fruit bowl on Whisper White cardstock
- Adhere fruit in fruit bowl and adhere to top of box
It's taken me months to finally get here, but I managed to get this made before these products retired. So, if you would like to make this project with these products, you can still get them before they're gone. I looked today (5/25) and none of the products I used are sold out yet. You can also use your own interpretation of the Fruit of the Spirit to create a card set of your own. You can choose a suite of your own choosing to create all nine cards representing the Fruit of the Spirit. If you'd like to read the book that inspired me (Fruibasket Friends by Joan Summer) check with your local library and see if they have it or can interlibrary loan for you. You can also do some checking with bookstores to find a copy, but the only copy I found through Amazon is $55.00 which I"m sure is more than was paid for my copy. :)
