Christmas Wings

It is Saturday already so that means a new challenge at Sugar Creek Hollow.  This week we want to see THINGS WITH WINGS - BIRDS and BUTTERFLIES - and BATS too.  Don't forget, we are a vintage and shabby chic challenge blog so make sure your cards or other paper-crafted projects are done in one of those styles.

This week I decided to try some of the things that Sue showed me when I visited her for a day on my recent trip to England.  Now I must put a disclaimer in here to say that unlike the fabulous things that Sue can do, my card only has some of the easier techniques- you have to walk before you run, right?

I started with the background and sponged a piece of card stock with Old Paper and Crushed Olive Distress Ink.  Then I took a big snowflake stamp, inked it with white ink and randomly stamped over the green.  I tried to emboss it with some clear embossing powder but I wasn't fast enough.  Once it all dried, I realized it didn't jump out so I took my 40% off coupon over to Michaels and bought Forest Moss Distress Ink.  I sponged that over everything and not only was the green colour more to my liking but the snowflakes popped - now I was happy.

I used my newly purchased crinoline and Tim Holtz Tattered Florals die (purchased at The Funkie Junkie Boutique) and made the big flower, which I dyed with Aged Mahogany Distress ink.  It wasn't as deep a colour as I wanted so I sponged more distress ink over each layer after they dried - now I was happy.  The bird is a digital stamp coloured with Prismacolors.  I knew the tag needed texture so I embossed it with a Forest Branches folder.  Yesterday I discovered something called diffusers which would have allowed the section with the bird to stay flat so needless to say that item has been added to my shopping list.

The snowflakes are little wood cuts that I bought in England and I sealed them with Mod Podge and then when they were dry I rubbed some gold Stickles on with my finger so there would be just a little bit of sparkle.

So I got inky and all in all I am happy with the result of this card but the best of all is that I have another Christmas card ready to go.  I am anxious to try some of the other things I learned so stay tuned.

I am going to enter this card in the following challenges:

C.R.A.F.T. Challenges - Make your own embellishments (Flower)
Crafting for all Seasons - Things with Wings
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Whimsy Inspiration - Anything Goes
Emerald Faeries - Use a Tag
Creative Craft Challenges 2 - Anything Goes
Digital Tuesday - Say it with Flowers (must have digital element - mine is the cardinal)
Holly Jolly Christmas Challenge - Christmas Tags
Partytime Tuesdays - Anything Goes
The Stamping Boutique - Embossing
Card Mania Challenges - Handmade Flowers
Frosted Designs  - Embossing
Frilly and Funkie  - Linking in the Sunday Share

Image:  Christmas Cardinal (Tracy Vinson - no longer available)
Sentiment:  Computer Generated
Card Stock:  Staples
Colouring Medium:  Pencil Crayons (Prismacolors) with OMS (Gotrick)
Tools & Embellishments:  Aged Mahogany, Crushed Olive, Old Paper, Vintage Photo, Wild Honey Distress Inks (Ranger), Pearl Brad (Gartner), Gold Stickles (Ranger), Fibers (xx), Forest Branches Embossing Folder (Cuttlebug), Circle Punches (EK Paper Shapers), Moonlight White Archival Brilliance Ink (Tsukineko), Snowflake Wood Cuts (Manufacturer Unknown)