Happy Wednesday, everyone! Today it's sunny and bright here in Atlanta. I do think we're expecting rain in the forecast at some point, but for right now the sun is shining and the birds are singing! :o)
Today's post is close to my heart. My Mother, Grandmother and older sister loved birds--all animals, really--and they passed that love on to me. My Mom loved birds, in particular, and she watched them every morning as she sat in the morning sun. Unfortunately, my Mother and Grandmother are no longer with us here on earth and I miss them dearly, but their love of animals lives on in me and my sister.
When I saw these Martha Stewart bird stamps I just couldn't pass them up. These stamps were my first attempt at coloring with Letraset Pro Markers. I did get out of the lines a bit, so don't look too close. I actually stamped and colored this image a long, long time ago, but put it away to use at a different time. I recently ran across it while reorganizing my art studio and just couldn't resist using it on a card. I love the colors--they were my Mom's favorite.
So here is my finished card.
For the image itself, I stamped it on regular cardstock using black StazOn Ink. I then came in with my Letraset Pro Markers and filled in the body. The inks bled a bit on this cardstock--I didn't realize I needed special paper to effectively blend colors with no bleeding. Due to the bleeding, I came back in with my Fine Point Sharpie Pen to redefine it. Once I finished my coloring, I then highlighted with my watercolor pencils for a finishing touch. As I said before, this was my first attempt ever at this type of art, so I went above and beyond, mixing different types of markers with pencils, but I was happy with the overall image.
After all was said and done, I came back in with my blending tool and a small amount of ink to add a bit of a gray cast around the edges of the image. I think it lends a rainy day feel to the image, which is just what I was going for. I love the way the greens of the grass and leaves become so vivid and beautiful when it rains--that is the feel I wanted to convey in this image.
When the image was completed, I scored the edges and inked them in a pale blue. I then matted the image on gray, pale blue, and then again on dark blue cardstock to really make the blue in the little bird's feathers shine.
My easel card base was cut from gray cardstock. For the front of the card, I cut my cardstock and ran it through my Big Kick with an embossing folder. Then I layered two ribbons and adhered them to the left-hand side of the card and strategically placed three small, very pale green pearls along the embossed edge.
As I looked at my image, I thought it needed a little something extra to pop off the card. It just so happened that I had gotten my brand new Flower Shoppe Cricut Cartridge in that day and couldn't wait to create a flower to add to this card! The rose was cut from the same pale blue cardstock used for the matting. I needed to mist it with water in order to effectively work the petals outward without tearing them. Once I was satisfied, I hot glued it to a round base and added a bit of color with a No., 2 paint brush and acrylic paint. I just love the way this rose turned out and I can't wait to make more flowers with the cartridge! :o) After adhering the rose, I added some silk leaves and a gray satin bow. I also added a tiny flower to the center.
For the inside of the card, I used dies and coordinating stamps from My Favorite Things. As you can see, I'm not the best stamper in the world...I'm really just a newbie in the stamping world and learning along the way. I used light blue ink for the stamp around the edge of my oval, and then dark blue ink for the sentiment.
This particular die set comes with three different dies which I decided would be pretty all layered together for this card. I then added three pale green pearls. In each side I punched holes and added silver eyelets through which I ran my ribbon. I used clear fishing line from my hubby's tackle box to secure the ribbons in place and tied knots on the backside. Then I added tiny flowers for a finishing touch.
Three layers of the same cardstock were adhered on the inside of the card, with the gray layer embossed. Of course, I always ink my edges. I then adhered my sentiment with foam tape to pop it up just enough to catch the card and hold it in place when in a standing position.
Most of the cards I make I have a particular person in mind. All the while I'm creating, I have that person in my heart. I plan to send this card to a dear friend of mine. I hope she doesn't see it on my blog before it arrives in her mail!
White
I hope you enjoyed this card and I'll see you later today with my last recycled Christmas Card. Until then, have a great day!
Merilee
Today's post is close to my heart. My Mother, Grandmother and older sister loved birds--all animals, really--and they passed that love on to me. My Mom loved birds, in particular, and she watched them every morning as she sat in the morning sun. Unfortunately, my Mother and Grandmother are no longer with us here on earth and I miss them dearly, but their love of animals lives on in me and my sister.
When I saw these Martha Stewart bird stamps I just couldn't pass them up. These stamps were my first attempt at coloring with Letraset Pro Markers. I did get out of the lines a bit, so don't look too close. I actually stamped and colored this image a long, long time ago, but put it away to use at a different time. I recently ran across it while reorganizing my art studio and just couldn't resist using it on a card. I love the colors--they were my Mom's favorite.
So here is my finished card.
I really love these easel cards. They are easy to make and create a beautiful presentation, don't you think? Now let's take a look at the details.
After all was said and done, I came back in with my blending tool and a small amount of ink to add a bit of a gray cast around the edges of the image. I think it lends a rainy day feel to the image, which is just what I was going for. I love the way the greens of the grass and leaves become so vivid and beautiful when it rains--that is the feel I wanted to convey in this image.
When the image was completed, I scored the edges and inked them in a pale blue. I then matted the image on gray, pale blue, and then again on dark blue cardstock to really make the blue in the little bird's feathers shine.
My easel card base was cut from gray cardstock. For the front of the card, I cut my cardstock and ran it through my Big Kick with an embossing folder. Then I layered two ribbons and adhered them to the left-hand side of the card and strategically placed three small, very pale green pearls along the embossed edge.
As I looked at my image, I thought it needed a little something extra to pop off the card. It just so happened that I had gotten my brand new Flower Shoppe Cricut Cartridge in that day and couldn't wait to create a flower to add to this card! The rose was cut from the same pale blue cardstock used for the matting. I needed to mist it with water in order to effectively work the petals outward without tearing them. Once I was satisfied, I hot glued it to a round base and added a bit of color with a No., 2 paint brush and acrylic paint. I just love the way this rose turned out and I can't wait to make more flowers with the cartridge! :o) After adhering the rose, I added some silk leaves and a gray satin bow. I also added a tiny flower to the center.
For the inside of the card, I used dies and coordinating stamps from My Favorite Things. As you can see, I'm not the best stamper in the world...I'm really just a newbie in the stamping world and learning along the way. I used light blue ink for the stamp around the edge of my oval, and then dark blue ink for the sentiment.
This particular die set comes with three different dies which I decided would be pretty all layered together for this card. I then added three pale green pearls. In each side I punched holes and added silver eyelets through which I ran my ribbon. I used clear fishing line from my hubby's tackle box to secure the ribbons in place and tied knots on the backside. Then I added tiny flowers for a finishing touch.
Three layers of the same cardstock were adhered on the inside of the card, with the gray layer embossed. Of course, I always ink my edges. I then adhered my sentiment with foam tape to pop it up just enough to catch the card and hold it in place when in a standing position.
Most of the cards I make I have a particular person in mind. All the while I'm creating, I have that person in my heart. I plan to send this card to a dear friend of mine. I hope she doesn't see it on my blog before it arrives in her mail!
White
I hope you enjoyed this card and I'll see you later today with my last recycled Christmas Card. Until then, have a great day!
Merilee
Recipe:
Cardstock: All colors-my stash
Cricut Cartridge: Flower Shoppe, Basic 1, Pg. 12
Ribbons: Blue and Gray Ribbons-my stash; Printed Ribbon-Celebrate It
Embellishments: Small Flowers-Hobby Lobby; Silk Leaves-Hobby Lobby; Adhesive Pearls-Recollections; Silver Eyelets-my stash
Stamps: Martha Stewart Create-Bird; My Favorite Things-Well Worn Collection
Inks: StazOn Ink-Jet Black; Color Box Liquid Pigment Chalk Ink-Navy Blue and Light Blue
Adhesives: 3M Foam Tape; Zots; ATG Gun, Hot Glue
Tools: Big Kick; Embossing Folder-QuicKutz-Geometric Circles; Hot Glue Gun; My Favorite Things Die-namics Dies-Well Worn Collection
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