Welcome to my crafty blog. Today’s card uses this happy little bird and leafy swag from Stampin’ Up!’s ‘quite curvy’ stamp set and dies – I’ve decided he’s obviously singing out to welcome the start of spring, which is definitely showing signs of appearing here in the UK. I’ve taken inspiration for this card from a couple of blog challenges – the theme over at The Paper Players is ‘Spring is in the air’, and Just Add Ink have asked us to Just Add “L” (and I’ve obviously gone for ‘leaves!)

Before going any further, I must thank Amanda & the team over at The Paper Players for choosing my card from last week’s challenge (hummingbird birthday) as one of their top picks! I was definitely singing for joy like this little bird when I saw that.

Anyway, back to today’s card. I started by stamping the leafy swag and the bird, and then watercoloured them using my Artistry Inks – I went for ‘avocado’ and ‘dry weed’ for the leaves, with ‘roasted chestnut’ and ‘cinnamon tea’ for the bird. Once dry I cut them out with the co-ordinating ‘curvy’ dies.

The next step was to create the sky. I masked off the outer border of a 6×6 card blank using low tack tape, and then brushed ‘mermaid lagoon’ distress oxide across the Claritystamp ‘clouds’ mask. I started at the lower part of the card (roughly where I wanted to put the leaves), and then kept turning or repositioning the mask as I moved up the card.

All I then needed to do was add the leaves and the bird using foam pads, and finish by stamping one of the sentiments from the set to sit under the leaves.

I’m very happy with how this turned out, and am happily sitting at my desk with the sun shining through the window and the sound of birdsong outside. I’d better make the most of it while it lasts though, as the weather forecasters tell us there’s stormy weather on the way in the next few days!