Watercoloring with BEST BIRDS

I've always loved birds.  With a variety of bird feeders in our back yard, our family has fun pulling out the binoculars and identifying our feathered visitors.  Their beautiful colors and happy nature always makes me so appreciative of God's creation. 

When I saw the BEST BIRDS bundle in the new Annual Catalog, I was excited for the possibilities.  I am by no means a watercolor artist but I was ready to give it a go.  Using a sheet of Stampin' Up's watercolor paper (122955), I stamped out several bird images using the Archival Black Ink (140931).  Coloring was easy using my Aqua Painter (103934).  I made a variety of birds.  First a robin using Soft Suede and Calypso Coral inks, a blue bird using Pacific Point and a yellow bird using Daffodil Delight and Soft Suede.  I squeezed the closed ink pad so that some ink was transferred to the lid.  The lid became my artists palette and I found it quite easy to make the birds look very life like.  It is helpful to squeeze your aqua painter when picking up color at first to keep the first application light.  You can then add more color in different areas to give your bird more dimension.  After painting I let the images dry and then cut them out with the coordinating framelits.  I did the same with the branch, using Soft Suede and Old Olive to add color.  Here is a look at my birds.

The Robin Card

For my ROBIN CARD, I used a crumb cake card base.  I then cut a piece of Soft Sky at 4 in by 4 3/4 in.  Using the Hardwood background stamp (133032) and Soft Suede, I covered the entire piece.  I used a sponge dauber and inked around the edge of the card stock.  Then I adhered a doily (141701) to the right of center on the Soft Sky piece.  Using Fast Fuse (129026), I adhered the branch across the bottom of the doily.  With mini-glue dots (103683), I put Whisper White flowers (stamped with Soft Suede and cut out using the corresponding framelit) along the branch.  Finally, using Stampin' Dimensionals (104430), I adhered the robin to the branch.  After placing the completed Soft Sky card front, we stamped the sentiment in Soft Suede just under the panel.  I love this one!!

BLUEBIRD CARD

For my BLUEBIRD CARD, I used a Crumb Cake card base again.  I also cut a Tempting Turquoise piece at 4 in by 5 1/4 in for behind the card front.  My Crumb Cake card front measures 3 7/8 in by 5 1/8 in.  Using the crosshatched image from the set I stamped to the right side of the card in Soft Suede.  I then took the splatter image from my all time favorite set, GORGEOUS GRUNGE, and after stamping off, stamped the image in the top and bottom left corners of the card front.  The HELLO sentiment is from a PAPER PUMPKIN kit.  To assemble, I adhered the branch with FAST FUSE, the bird with dimensionals and then the two layers to the card base.  VOILA!!  It's a beautiful bird card.

THE YELLOW BIRD CARD

My YELLOW BIRD card is quick and easy.  I used Crumb Cake card stock for the card base.  I added a Daffodil Delight piece measuring 4 in by 5 1/4 in.  My card front was a piece of Whisper White measuring 3 3/4 in by 5 in.  On that card front I stamped the crosshatched image slightly above the middle using Soft Suede ink.  I adhered the bird with dimensionals right over the image.  Finally I stamped the ITS A GOOD DAY image slightly below and to the left of the bird in Soft Suede.  Use FAST FUSE  to adhere your card front to the base.  Easy, huh??

The last thing I did was make an easy portfolio to put the cards in to give as a gift.  I included four cards and envelopes.  I just took a piece of Crumb Cake card stock, scored it at 2 1/2 in on the short side and 4 1/4 in on the long side.  Fold in half and then fold the pocket up.  I secured the pocket by punching holes and stringing some ribbon through.  I made my cover identical to the card front.  There you have it.