Monday 2 January 2012

Birds and Nature

Good morning folks, I'm slightly late here with my post for the first challenge of 2012 over at Make My Monday as I had a struggle to get up again (it seems that the older I get, the longer it takes to recover from a late night - groan!)
It's my turn to choose the theme for this month and I decided on a favourite of mine, NATURE, with the challenge for this week being to include BIRDS on your creation. A nice easy one to start off the year and hopefully welcome after all those Christmas themes.


I've chosen to use my brand new Hero Arts bird collage stamp which I stamped on Judikins matte chrome coat card with Memento Rich Cocoa ink. I then coloured the panel by sponging with various shades of Distress ink. I find that if you sponge a light colour all over first (I used Scattered Straw), the rest of the colours blend in really well. I then trimmed the panel using a corner rounding punch and cut out round the left edge. I added the panel to a mat of deep green card also trimmed with the corner punch and embossed in one corner.
I then made an embossed panel using my new Papermania tri boss leaf folder and didn't realise until I used it what the tri boss bit means. If you look at the panel which I inked with Shabby Shutters, Crushed Olive and Forest Moss Distress inks, the embossed leaves are actually double embossed so that the leaf veins stand out really well. A very clever touch Docrafts! I added the panel to a deep green mat.
I made a panel using my favourite Distress Ink Grunge Background Technique (this was inspired by watching Tim demo a few years back - he's in fact so inspirational that just watching him sparked off a load of new ideas). I used Shabby Shutters, Bundled Sage and Crushed Olive and stamped on a leaf sprig from the Hero Arts real flowers set ( a real favourite from my collection) with Bundled Sage. I then assembled the card as you see.

I've also donated the prize for this month and the winner will also be a future Guest Designer so hop on over for all the details plus lots of fabulous inspiration from the Design Team. Hope to see you there!

Challenges for my card:
Paper Sundaes - Something Old (leaf stamp & technique), Something New (bird stamp & embossing folder)
Secret Crafter - Anything Goes
Card Crafters Circle - Anything Goes
Paper Creations Ink - Die Cuts And/Or Punches
Simon Says Stamp & Show - Something Old, Something New (see above)

Thanks for looking and have a lovely day with hopefully the sunshine we have here today.
Hugs, Fliss xx

22 comments:

Fiona said...

You've been busy lately Fliss! Great first challenge card of 2012. Love that Papermania embossing folder which I resisted when I saw it in The Glitter Pot last week. Might have to have a rethink.
x

Jacqueline said...

This is a lovely card Fliss, Love all the colours and details - Jacqueline xx

Valerie-Jael said...

Lovely card. I know what you mean about it getting harder to roll out of bed! Hugs, Valerie

Irene said...

Just brilliant Fliss, a gorgeous project. Wishing you and your family a Happy New Year.
Irene x

Sharon said...

Hi Fliss: I, too, know about it being harder to get out of bed, especially after the long christmas break. We went skating and these old bones are extra stiff!

One of the ladies in my hubby's office made us a box of homemade Almond Toffee Crunch as a holiday gift. So I made her a thank you card last night using the same image! We were on the same wavelength at opposite ends of the world. LOL! I really like your card with all the TH techniques. Hope you don't mind too much if I enter mine in the challenge.

Happy New Year!
Sharon
aka celticrafter

Brenda Brown said...

A fabulous image and great techniques Fliss. Love your theme too.
luv and hugs {brenda} xoxox

Meggymay said...

Gorgeous card Fliss, love your theme for this month.
Yvonne x

Suzi B said...

Love the stamp Fliss... one I hanker after lol love the colours and the background.
Love and best wishes for 2012.
Sue xx

Alie Hoogenboezem-de Vries said...

How cute Fliss!!!
Best wishes for 2012 and lots of creative fun...

greetings, Alie :-)

Silvia(Barnie) said...

Such a wonderful card, love the image and the colors reminds me of spring :)

Pauline said...

Hi Fliss... this is so delicate! Just lovely. Thanks for sharing with us at the Card Crafter's Circle!

Mynn xx said...

Oh, Fliss!!! L-O-V-E the backgrounds you've created! And the bright green is a wonderful panel choice for birds. :) Wishing you and yours a fabulous 2012! :)

Jenée said...

Lovely card. I like the softness of the colours. Well done. Thank you for entering your beautiful card in this week's challenge at Card Crafter's Circle.

Val said...

Love this card, and all the greens are so refreshing and springlike.

All the best for 2012.

Hugs
Valxx

ike said...

Beautiful card - makes me think of Spring. :-) Thank you for playing at Paper Creations Ink.
Ike xx
GDT

Sally H said...

Gorgeous card, Fliss. I love that shade of green - very spring like

Anonymous said...

Thank You For Joining Paper Creations Ink; We Always Enjoy Seeing Your Creative Talents! We hope that your New Year is off to a grand start!

Tracy Heaton said...

Great card. Thanks for taking part at SCSC
Tracy x

Kathleen said...

Fab card, brilliant techniques. Thanks for joining us at Paper Sundaes
Hugs Kat

ellen vargo designs said...

Hi Fliss - love your collaged card - thanks for sharing with us at Simon Says Stamp and Show!

Karen Hasheck said...

Fliss-
Awesome card! Love the image and great use of punches. Thanks for sharing it with us at Paper Creations Ink and Happy New Year!

Dolly Daydreams said...

Fabulous piece of art Fliss and I just love the colours here. I have the same stamp but you have taken it to another level.

Marie