Blissful Birds

I'm excited to share my Blissful Birds Series that I finished!

Time Flies By!

Gosh has it been almost 2 weeks since I last posted! I'm not sure where the time went, but my head and heart just hasn't here lately.
I did manage to get some swap projects finished up, whew that always feels good!

A couple of journal pages for a friend.The backgrounds were created on Trader Joe's newsprint flyers, gesso, and my Neon Color Mists and my new Patina Collection Color Mists.

Next up are a couple of paper Birds.

I made to swap with a some friends.

Spring Bird Banner

What the heck I had thought I had posted this already, 

but I guess it was one of those imaginary acts I often

have now days.

I wanted to share my friend Christy from 

Artchicadees Reflection's Bird banner.

she had bought one of the bird banner kits 

at www.OutsideTheMargins.com

then put her own creative spin on it.

It's so bright and cheerful it just 

screams spring to me.

Here's another up close....as with all the picturesjust click on the image to enlarge it.

Here's  her spin on www.OutsideTheMargin'sPocket Posey Kit.

Hanging Felt Bird

Here's a hanging felt bird I created for a 1 on 1 bird swap I'm in.

I had such a hard time narrowing down what I wanted to do because I had so many different ideas.  Finally today I sat down and just started playing and came up with this one that I'm very pleased with.

Close up

Funky Clay Bird

Yay! I finally have a new battery for my 

camera and was finally able to take a picture 

of my finished funky clay bird!

Side View

I started with a  Styrofoam ball and built up the 

clay up around it. For the legs I used long lollipop 

sticks, for the eyes I used small black glass beads 

and the shoes are also made with the fimo clay.

Instead of the Paperclay I previously used HERE and HERE. I used a package of  Staedtler's Fimo Microwave clay that I've had and finally decided to give it a try.  I love that it can dry lickty split in the microwave. What I don't like about it compared to the Paperclay is that it doesn't smooth out as easily.  I found I had to get it really wet in order to smooth it out and even then it didn't get as smooth as I would have liked.

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Shopping!

Sheet Music & Recycled Starbuck's Bird Ornaments

 The original inspiration for the bird ornaments below started from this paper bird ornament I found hanging on a tree at the store.At first I thought I would make them out of stiffened felt sheets, I did tried it  but they were too plain looking.What I really liked about the bird ornaments I originally saw was the sheet music they used on one side.  I still like the idea of felt but I think I'd like to actually make some and stuff them.

Paper Sheet Music Bird Ornaments

For the above ornaments I  first downloaded a bird template HERE.  You can print them out onto decorative paper, but I decided to print out only one and use it as the template and then traced the bird shape onto decorative cardstock so that I could get several birds per sheet of cardstock.. 


After I cut them out I ran them through the 
Xyron and then laid the adhesive side onto 
Vintage Sheet music I had scanned. 
(click HERE to save and download a 
copy of the sheet music.)


Once the sheet music and cardstock were adhered I cut around the bird shape and then added silver glitter glue.  I just used the cheap glitter glue found in the craft section at the store.  You can use German glitter glass  or any loose glitter.  I think I would have preferred the sprinkle glitter because the glitter glue took FOREVER to dry!


After they were Finally dry I punched two small 
holes to tie the jingle bell on for the eye and 
for the hanging ribbon.

Upcycled Starbuck's Bird Ornaments

Again with these I used the bird template I had previously 

printed out (see link above) and traced around it on

on a open coffee sleeve from Starbucks (see below) 

then finished it off by embellishing them.

For the last 4 or 5 years I have been using Starbuck's Christmas coffee sleeves to make cards and other projects with.  I actually look forward to seeing what each year's sleeves look like.  They usually have a saying on the front that will lend itself well to making it into a Christmas card.  Click HERE to view some past projects using Starbuck's coffee sleeves.

Here I've used a Christmas themed Starbuck's 
paper coffee cup to make a paper bird ornament.  
I just cut the cup down the seam, tore off the 
bottom and traced the bird onto the cup then cut.


Artistic Inspirations to help you create!

www.OutsideTheMargins.com

A journey through my creative process...

Birds of a Feather...

 

I started out with 3 canvas panels and covered 

them with a paper napkin (I separated the napkin 

from its plain white backing)  using Golden's 

semi-gloss gel medium.

  

Once the gel medium was dry I gave them 

a light coat of watered-down gesso.

  

At this point I really wasn't thrilled with it and so 

I inked the edges with turquoise blue chalk inks and 

also used the ink over punchinella/sequin waste 

as a stencil.

  

It still needed more depth so I stamped with white acrylic paint using several different stamps. Once the paint was dry I added a layer of Golden's transparent blue air brush paint mixed with transparent glaze. As the final layer I used more of the white paint with the punchinella/sequence waste to give it the honeycomb designs you see. Next I drew some birds and cut them out of scrap paper then  pieced them together, inked the edges and adhered them by running them through my Xyron and for the finishing layer I added Golden's semi-gloss gel medium.

Artistic Inspirations to
help you create!

www.OutsideTheMargins.com

Watercolor Pen & Ink Drawing

Having not felt overly creative I've been working on partial projects finishing them up. Above is a Watercolor done on 8x10 cold press watercolor paper using my Color Mists and pen and ink. After I added some shading with water soluble pastels.

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Let the Fairy in you fly!

Remember the paper towel background I saved from the colored Easter eggs I made using my Color Mists (if not click HERE)? I ended up using one of the paper towels on this chunky canvas above.

Here's my finished piece using the canvas.

Here's the quote I used:

"Spread your wings and let the fairy in you fly!"

~Author Unknown

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Gothic Arch and The Partridge Family!

It's been awhile since I participated in the Gothic Arch challenge. This week's theme is Pink & Brown which I couldn't resist.
Tweet Tweet!
(click to enlarge)
I've had more fun making these paper birdies! I made a template and cut them out then painted their faces on. I'm not really sure yet what I'm going to do with them I started out making them for someone, but now I can't part with them! For some reason when I look at them they remind me of the Partridge Family intro....I know, I know I'm dating myself and I'll even go as far as admitting I was one of five million other little girls in love with David Cassidy!...come on now fess up I can't be the only one!

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