In the Garden: A Bird on a Branch

winged beauty Heather Telford

My ‘In the Garden’ mini-series continues today with even less botanical information than yesterday. I can tell you the stamp does in fact feature ‘a bird’ which I inked in blue because birds do come in blue and a branch which I inked in the fairly safe colours, pink and brown. If you are looking for accurate flora and fauna details you have come to the wrong place. I can however tell you how I created this little garden scene. The purpose of my mini-series is to show you some of the smaller floral stamps from the ‘Sunshine and Smiles’ release. Penny Black has brought out some fabulous large floral stamps this year but you can make beautiful cards with the little ones too.

The card above was made using two little slapstick cling stamps from the ‘Winged Beauty’ set. Two of the stamps have the same blossomy foliage so I used them repeatedly to fill the space adding the bird once at the end. I began with watercolour paper speckled with masking fluid. I wet the panel, inked the branches with distress stains and markers and stamped onto the panel. The colour bled out into the surrounding area. When the ink was almost dry I stamped the branches again achieving more defined results. I added the bird when the paper was dry and blended the colour on its feathers. To finish I added a few splatters and some blue and yellow sponging for the sky. I matted in blue cardstock and added a few die cut branches to the cardbase.

I finally filled our bird feeder and hung it in the back yard last week and I think the word is getting around again that there is seed to be had. Unfortunately the squirrels always end up hearing about the free food too and then it doesn’t last very long.

Previous ‘ In My Garden’ cards here and here.

Supplies:

Stamps: Winged Beauty (PB)
Creative Dies: Dancing Blooms (PB)
Inks:  London Fog, Rich Cocoa, Baham Blue, Danube Blue, Tuxedo Black Memento Markers, Summer sky, Dandelion Memento ink (ImagineCrafts/Tsukineko) Festive Berries, Worn Lipstick distress stains (Ranger)
Cardstock: Fabriano 100%  cotton hot pressed watercolour paper, Blue cardstock


8 Comments on “In the Garden: A Bird on a Branch”

  1. Micheline Jourdain says:

    whoaaaaahhh… J’ADORE! LOVELY SCENE! Beautiful!!!!!!!!!

  2. Bonnie says:

    This is beautiful, Heather! I love that blue bird! Another set to add to my list!

  3. Roxy says:

    Really gorgeous you r just amazing

  4. Connie Schulz says:

    Beautiful card. To help keep out the squirrels mix cayenne powder with the seeds. Birds don’t notice it but squirrels sure do.

  5. Pat says:

    This is a lovely loose watercolour card Heather and such pretty colours especially the beautiful bird. I love the diecut white on white branches on the base card too. x

  6. lindseymp says:

    (Our squirrels seem immune to the cayenne pepper trick. Sigh.)
    Certainly with the watercolour softness you’ve achieved here, you could call them cherry or crabapple blossoms, if you wanted. Regardless, a beautiful card!

  7. This is beautiful Heather. I always love seeing how you use a stamp and stretch its “look”.
    (My sister bought a little hood for her bird feeder that the squirrels can’t get around. The birds don’t seem to have any problem flying under it though to get to their treat.)

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