A BIRD SINGS BECAUSE IT HAS A SONG!

Hi there,

A quick extra post in here today, as I had a couple of hours just "doodling" in my stamp room. Felt like creating, but didn't have a deadline or required project - such a great feeling. I did want to open and use a new embossing powder from Sparkle N Sprinkle - Robin's Egg! 

There was a little chipboard bird from Want to Scrap, left-over from another upcoming project, sitting alone on my desk and so I started with those two things. First I covered the bird in Versamark (I use an old pad, specifically set aside for chipboard pieces), then I applied a couple of layers of Belgian Cream, before applying the Robin's Egg. I did this because the Robin's Egg is a light color and it is better to have it go down on white rather than the brown chipboard.

Next I pulled out a virgin embossing folder - Cuttlebug: Bit of Paisley. I ran a piece of cardstock, that had already been die cut with the Memory Box Cross Stitched Framed Border, through my machine and then inked the raised pattern with Memento Summer Sky.

Another newbie was used for the "branch". So I die cut Spellbinders: Foliage Flourish out of a piece of black and white dotted designer paper. I applied a coat of Brushable Glue to the underside and then glued it down to the embossed card front.

The sentiment is a favorite of mine from the Sparkle N Sprinkle Bird Song Set 496. This was stamped in Versamark and heat embossed with Black Detail. Before removing the Memory Box Cross Stitched Framed Borders, I sponged with Memento Summer Sky.

I tied two sheer blue bows together and wrapped them around the back of the card front and layered to the black and white dotted paper before layering to white card base. The bird and sentiment were attached with mounting foam.

The final touch was the Nuvo Jewel Drops Sea Breeze, which were added sporadically over the project and one Nuvo Crystal Drop of Ebony Black was added for the bird's eye! I have to say it was kind of fun, just getting to play!

I'd like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Moving Along with the Times: Challenge 37: Swirls and/or curls

Craft Rocket Challenges: #31 Add a Bow

Craft-Dee Bowz: January Challenge: Use a hand-made Bow

Perfectly Created Chaos: #9 Black, White + 1 Color

I'll be back in a couple more days, with my card for the new February 1st Sparkle N Sprinkle Reveal. Till then enjoy the weekend!

Big hugs,

Shona

Musical Happy Birthday!

Hi there,

An extra post from me this week. We had a special little lady turn 21 last Monday. She has brought us so much joy over the years - it has truly been a wonder to watch her grow from baby to the beautiful lady that she has become. Her passion is music: handbells and singing, for which she is undergoing a five-year program at Westminster Choir College, NJ. We look forward to seeing what the road ahead has in store for this exceptional young woman!

I wanted to have a music theme for her card, so I started with a burgundy background - purple is Gillian's favorite color! Next I found a lovely piece of music DP, which happened to have some color at the edges, which worked in well with the base card. Found this old Hero Arts Bird Collage stamp which I stamped in Ranger's Archival Ink onto white cardstock. Then I went to town with the Art Anthology Paints (Vegas Gold, Pumpkin Spice, Coral and Leaf) and colored in the bird and the flowers and leaves with those and set it aside to dry.

After it was dry (maybe half an hour at most) I die cut the image with Spellbinders Floral Ovals, and left the die in place while I sprayed the Art Anthology Sprays (Timeless, Wild Orchid and Rustic) over the top. The sprays dry very quickly and then I took the Nuvo Fine Tip Glue Pen and added some Sparkling Snow Glitter to the flowers and leaves on the image. I wanted to add some flowers to the card and I happened to have some that had musical notes on them (though I'm not sure where I got them from!). Anyway, I sprayed them with the same three colors. When they were dry I used a paint brush and applied some Brushable Glue to some of the petals and added Cloud Nine.

I tried to find something with music, but couldn't find anything for the card front, so did this on the inside with Versamark, Black Detail embossing powder and the same three sprays carried over from the front. The row of birds and sentiment is from the Bird Song Set 496 from Sparkle N Sprinkle.

The sentiment on the front was a challenge! I wanted to use the Happy Birthday die, but I wanted to have different layers on the card front, so knew it wouldn't be good to just glue it down. So I took the smaller die from the SB Floral Ovals and sprayed the inside before removing the die, then I used the little oval from the Spellbinders Classic Ovals Large and cut out a scrap of Super Adhesive Sheet. This was then attached to the center of the sprayed floral oval. I die cut the Happy Birthday (from the burgundy cardstock) from Sizzix Thinlits Celebrate and positioned it on top of the adhesive and then applied Cloud Nine Velvet Glitter to the remaining sticky surface.

Then everything was put together. The image was put on first to the music DP, with foam squares. Then the flowers were attached with brass brads. The little ivy stems (Creative Expressions Craft Dies) were cut from white cardstock and sprayed with the same three sprays. Those were tucked under the flowers as shown and then the sentiment was added at the base with foam squares.

I had fun creating this for my special little girl! How can she be 21 already? Sing On and Ring On, looking forward to the ride, Gillian!

I'd like to join the following challenges:

Scrapy Land: Anything goes #57 (Using dies that Scrapy Land sells)
World Wide Open Design Team Challenge #18: Anything Goes
Seize the Birthday: Anything Goes