Birthday Birds - Watercolor

I wanted a masculine subject for my nephew's birthday card.  

I needed whimsical because I cannot draw realistic birds.  I did a bit of searching on the web then drew a couple.  

I chose warm colors for the bird with warm background and a sun in the corner.

I traced my pencil marks with black permanent marker once the watercolor was dry.

I chose a Kraft card base with a Coastal Cabana grosgrain ribbon wrapped around the card front.   The ribbon is aligned on the left just off center.

The watercolor was adhered with 3D foam tape above where the ribbons met on the card front.

This card will be going digital as it has a long way to go.

The card above is a couple of small birds in bright colors.  I added spatter to this one and adhered it to a Wisteria Wonder textured card base with a deep purple grosgrain ribbon added around the card and taped behind the watercolor focal element.

I updated the brown bird one with spattering of warm toned spots.

Round Manger in Burgundy

I was looking for another die that would do manger/nativity Christmas cards.  I found this die at a local scrapbook store.  The selection was not great because we are just passed the season but I was grateful there were a couple to consider.

I created this Christmas Card with a new die - Creative Die 51-254 Manger by Penny Black.  It measures 2 inches in diameter.  I cut it and the Die-namics Stitched Square Frame from burgundy linen card stock.  I ran the square die again through the Big Shot with non shed gold glitter card stock.  I trimmed it a little bit to leave the tiny border of card color between it and the frame. The frame was adhered to a ivory textured card and the gold glitter square as adhered in the center of the frame.

The Manger die cut is held in place with just a tiny gold star brad which repeats the star shape and means no gluing tiny pieces of paper. Yeah!

The greeting is a Stampin Up Modern Label punchie in the same burgundy linen card stock  with a sentiment punched with the SU Word Window punch.  These are layered then adhered to the card front with 3D foam tape.

Submitting to City Crafter Challenge - 350 - A Few Stitches.  

Mats for Fabric Art

I created some card stock mats for fabric art made by my friend Ada.  The clip frames are 3.5 x 5 inches which is a standard size.  I was able to cut the hole in the center with a die from the Spellbinders Nestabilities Card Creator Dies - A2 Matting Basics B.  I chose card stock which coordinated with the colors in the art.  Textured green card stock on the top left and felt finish card stock in eggplant on the top right. Bazzil Great Lakes textured on the bottom left and Stampin Up Soft Suede on bottom right. I trimmed the piece of card stock down to the right size after I had die cut the hole in the center.  With the lines on my cutting board I could measure even spaces all around and cut with an x-acto knife.  I like that fact that the die leaves a narrow embossed layer which add a bit of something more to the mat.

She is a fellow artist who will be participating in the Mission Possible sale on November 4-5th.  Check my events page for details.

Decorative Paper Cards

We had a good day on Saturday. Today, more cards for the Gallery.

I created these sentiment layers which have the words in the middle of the frame line.  I printed them on a white quarter sheet then trimmed it. I chose a piece of blue acrylic paper and ripped the bottom edge.  Trimmed it to leave a border inside the border.  Adhere to the sentiment layer then that layer to the card front on a textured navy card.  Punched a navy star from the same card stock as the card and adhered it to the card front with 3D foam tape.

This card features ink applied with a sponge onto Whisper White card stock.  Colors are Melon Mambo, Crushed Curry and Rich Razzleberry.  I printed the greeting in RR directly onto the decorative paper.  I punched a large daisy flower from the Crushed Curry card stock to match the card.  I glued the decorative layer to the card front. Placing the large daisy going with the movement in the pattern I drew a stem and leaves with a black marker.  I then adhered the daisy punchie and the black centre to coordinate with the stem. 

This card features spattered dots of liquid purple ink which has silver mixed into it. You can see the silver pooled to the center. 
I printed the sentiment directly onto the decorative paper.  It was trimmed to fit the card front leaving a border. It was then adhered to the purple card front.
I die cut the candle with the QuikKutz die which cuts the solid and decorative one.  The decorative one and the flame is silver foil.  Adhered the candle layers together then glued the candle to the card front.

Snowflake Christmas Cards

While I was at it the other day I made another set of 6 snowflake cards for the card box.  Used the same designer paper paper by Recollections from Micheals. I trimmed to 4.00 x 5.25" leaving a small border.  

I adhered it to a true blue card which was Bazzil textured card stock.

I printed the greetings in Bashful Blue on vellum and clear embossed them.  This time I ripped the edges. I placed the greeting to work with the snowflakes on the paper.

I placed one tiny white brad on the left hand side to hold down the vellum to the card front.  I placed the other on the left.  I added a small iridescent confetti snowflake and used a white star brad.

Love this sentiment.  Snowflakes are winter's butterfly.

Winter Snowflakes

I started with a Stampin Up! Elegant Eggplant card.  I used a couple of the snowflake stamps from Snowflake Soiree set in Lovely Lilac on Whisper White.  I trimmed the snowflake layer to leave a good border.  I adhered it to the card front. I then cut a piece of textured Lovely Lilac card stock to 4" W x 1.25" T.  I distressed the top and bottom edges with my distress tool.  I adhered it to the card front.   I cut the sentiment from silver card stock with the Cricut and the Winter Frolic cartridge.  I then adhered the sentiment onto the textured layer.

Submitting to
Stampin Celebration - 123 - Sketch
Fabulous Cricut - Monochromatic

Christmas Card Stack - Doves

 I had a Christmas Stack class today.  These dove cards were the first ones.  I have selected 2 different textured card stock - pale blue and plum.  I have mounted the doves in opposite directions. 
The doves were cut with the Stampin Up! Elegant Bird die.  I trimmed the wings by hand then I embossed them.  The left card with the Cuttlebug Victorian and the right one with the Cuttlebug Tropical Paisley. I ran a length of ribbon across the bottom of the card and taped the ends to the inside of the card. I glued the dove then the wing matching the curve of the wing with the curve of the body. I used a push pin to create a hole for the black brad representing the eye. I color printed the greetings and punched them out with 1 1/4" punch and glued them to the larger circle punched at 1 3/8" and it is mounted with 3D foam tape.