Friday 7 August 2015

Silhouette garden bird card for AVJ

Here we are in August and it's another new challenge over at A Vintage Journey and this month the lovely Anne has chosen 'Things with Wings' so what better than to take Tim's new bird die and use it to make Ken's birthday card. (He loved it by the way).

I die-cut the silhouette bird from a piece of distressed card left over from another project - you know the pieces that sit in a box because you don't want to throw anything away lol. Then grabbed all the brown distress inks plus antique linen and hickory smoke and went around it blending in the colours. I actually really liked him just like this. 


BUT I wanted to make him just a little bit more realistic so I took out Tim's micro glaze which I'd not used before and rubbed a little over the whole bird, buffed it off with a dry towel. I wanted to add some 'painting' so I used all the colours gathered above and with a water brush begin painting with distress inks .....


 ..... but the surface is now water resistant so the inks gathered in little droplets - as I kept painting I could see definition appear as well as texture and in fact I think it is the perfect addition to give me some realism without overdoing it. Hey presto the garden bird was born.


For the background I cut a piece of card and applied some antique linen distress paint through Tim's doily stencil and made sure it was fully dried.


Next I blended scattered straw over and misted with water then heat dried.


The next step was to use the blossom stencil and randomly add some of the image using dried marigold.


Next I used another stencil and my own blended mister of evergreen bough and stormy sky re-inkers, misting through in the top half and turning the stencil over and laying the wet side on the lower half to transfer the ink and obtain the negative pattern.


I stencilled the word 'wonderful' using the Christmas stencil and used some other stencils to add more interest.....


...... blended barn door round the edges and tea dye over the whole background ....


.... and finished with walnut stain edges and some flicks of water to distress it.


I die-cut birthday in brown card using the celebrate thinlits ....


 .... and added some mini branches.


I kept the embellishing very simple just some twine and a word charm smooshed over with alcohol inks.


Ken's birthday was last week, the day before we went up to London to meet with some of the lovely people attending the Wendy Vecchi workshop, we also had a gathering at home on the Friday night with family and friends.


I hope you will be able to come and join us at A Vintage Journey with a project this month and it's always well worth a visit for all the inspiration provided by my amazing teamies, they have so many ideas and ways to use the products and materials you probably already have on the shelves in your craft room.

Have a great August and I hope the sun is shining wherever you are.

Enjoy your creative endeavours. 

hugs Brenda xxx

27 comments:

Patty O'Malley said...

Fantastic card, Brenda!

Julia Aston said...

I am absolutely LOVING the colors and stenciling on both your background and your wonderful bird Brenda!! I'm printing this post for future reference!!! Julia xx

Astrid Maclean said...

BRILLIANT birthday card for Ken Brenda, bet he loved it!! Stunning background and the way you coloured the bird is inspired!! So clever and such wonderful colours!!

Redanne said...

Your layered stencil background is fabulous Brenda! I love how realistic the bird looks too, it reminds me of a Thrush who visits our garden - absolutely beautiful and great step by steps too! Hugs, Anne xx

Gina said...

soft blues and browns always look so wonderful together, combine that with a little birdie and you can't lose :D XXX

SueC said...

Fabulous card Brenda, the background is just gorgeous with so many layers all creating such depth. Sue C x

Suzanne C said...

Gorgeous! Loved seeing the layering you put into your beautiful background. I was jealous seeing all of you who got together to hangout with wendy! Looked like a wonderful time was had by all!

Mary Elizabeth said...

Of course Ken liked this card!! First it came from *you*; but, it is also just amazing! I adore the microglazed bird. Wow!!!!! And your layering of stencils on the background is marvelous. Love it. -- Mary Elizabeth

Pamellia said...

Wow gorgeous Brenda!! That background is just breathtaking, so much TLC went into this one! I love the effect you got on the bird with the glaze, trying that for sure! hugs :)

Terry said...

Gorgeous background with so many layers of interest and so perfect for that FaBuLous bird! Oh I do love what you did with that bird! Have a great weekend, Brenda! Hugs!

Jane said...

Awwww such a great card Brenda...the die is terrific and your birdie so realistic. Hugs xx

Jennie Atkinson said...

Such a stunning card Brenda. The background is stunning just on its own - all those wonderful colours and layers. And then the gorgeous bird which looks so real. Just fabulous x

2amscrapper said...

I really like the background and what you did with the bird.

Juliz Design Post said...

Adore the results of your bird Brenda, must try this technique, such a realistic result. Great background too.
It was lovely to finally meet you at our Wendy Vecchi weekend, a memory to treasure.
Julie x

rachel said...

awesome colours Brenda - I adore that background - brilliant! Hugs rachel x

Unknown said...

Such a privilege to read how you made this FABULOUS card Brenda. It is just soooo amazing how everything came together to make such a TOTALLY INCREDIBLE masterpiece. Your background is LOVELY and the bird is PERFECTLY HANDSOME. Thanks bunches for the super inspiration. Happy weeekend. j.

A Pink said...

Fabulous card! Brenda . All the layers of stenciling in your chosen colours give so much depth and detail and I love how the paints work with the micro glaze to form water droplets and definition making your garden bird look so real . The twine and word charm are the perfect embellishments.

Meggymay said...

A stunning card Brenda, love how you created the wonderful bird.
Yvonne

sarascloset said...

Wow! I bet your hubby loved his card! I know I do! Great depth to the background using all those stencils and inks! And the micro glaze on the bird really reaped gorgeous benefits! Great technique and one I will certainly give a try! I just love this! Hugs!

Karin said...

Fabulous card!
Groetjes Karin

Nikki Acton said...

Such a wonderful card for a wonderful guy! Just love the subtle layered background and the bird looks fab. Hope you are both having a relaxing time. Nikki x

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

LOVE this! PINNED! The stenciling layers are wonderful, and love that bird!

Deb said...

Gorgeous card Brenda, love your layered stencil background and the treatment on your lovely garden bird is wonderful, so much texture and interest! Belated happy birthday to your hubby, hope he had a wonderful day! Deb xo

crafty creations said...

Stunning tag Brenda love the background and the way you have done the bird

Words and Pictures said...

Just the perfect tinting of the bird to give definition and 3D depth to his wing and back - beautifully done. And the layered background is fab - love all the shades of brown!
Alison xx

Unknown said...

WOW, Brenda! This is a lovely b-day card for your hubbie, I bet he did like it :) :) Love all of the layers you built on the background and very clever to use the distress glaze to add character to your bird! Very cool indeed!! Another fabulous inspiration piece for AVJ, Brenda!! XOXO-Shari

Jenny Marples said...

So, so beautiful Brenda. I love the blending of that background with the wonderful bird. Jenny x