Fins and feathers

I've been having so much fun lately playing with new crafty toys from stamp shows and various online orders. I have a ways to go before I use everything, though. And I still have a bunch of "old" projects to share before I post my newer projects, so I'd better get on it! Today I'm going to share a few cards that feature fish or birds.

Supplies (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):
Stamps: All Wrapped Up, Banner Surprise
Paper: Pumpkin Pie, Bermuda Bay, Pacific Point card stock; watercolor paper (Strathmore); Wood Designer Cardstock Paper (My Mind's Eye)
Ink: StazOn Jet Black, Pumpkin Pie, watercolor pencils
Accessories: Linen thread, Scalloped Ribbon Border punch, Rhythm 'n Blues sequins (Craft Medley), Aquapainter, Dimensionals, Glue Dots

For the focal image on this card I stamped the fish and bag on watercolor paper, colored them with watercolor pencils and used an Aquapainter to blend the pencils. I tied the top of the bag with a bit of linen thread to add some texture.

I wanted to create the look of bubbles on the background, but I couldn't find a stamp that seemed just right. But when I pulled out the Banner Surprise set (from a past Paper Pumpkin kit) to use the "Happy Birthday" sentiment, I discovered that the circle of dots would work. So I stamped the circle randomly on the top part of the card base and added three blue sequins to reinforce the idea of bubbles.

I needed to anchor the focal image on the card base, so I cut a strip of patterned paper that looked like weathered wood and added a blue scalloped border to the top and bottom. I used Bermuda Bay for the top scallop and Pacific Point for the bottom border to mimic the light-to-dark tones of the "water" in the bag.

Supplies (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):
Stamps: Under the Sea (Heartfelt Creations)
Paper: Pacific Point, Emerald Envy,  card stock; window sheet; watercolor paper (Strathmore)
Ink: Jet Black StazOn; Color Burst (Lemon Yellow, Ultramarine Blue, Pthalo Green, Orange) (Ken Oliver Crafts)
Accessories: Water brush, Layering Squares Framelits dies, Under the Sea craft dies (Heartfelt Creations), Leafy Branch 5 die (Elizabeth Craft Designs), Woodgrain embossing folder, Rhythm 'n Blues sequins (Craft Medley), foam adhesive strips, spearmint and gold twine (The Makery), Stardust Clear Gelly Roll pen (SAkura), Art Glitter Glue (Art Institute Glitter)

I haven't used my Color Burst powders a lot, but I really enjoyed using them to make this fish and the watercolor wash background. (I had tried a few other coloring methods first, but I didn't care for the results at all.)

To make the "seaweed" in my shaker I die cut a green branch, snipped off a few small parts and glued them to the background. I added a variety of blue sequins to the shaker, gluing a few of them to the background so they're not all at the bottom of the shaker when the card is standing up.

I wanted to add a wavy look to the card front, so I used the Woodgrain embossing folder turned sideways. I couldn't fit the whole card front in the folder with it turned, but I think it's okay like this; it reminds me of the sky meeting the sea.

Supplies (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):
Stamps: Labeler Alphabet, Fox & Friends, Essential Messages (Hero Arts)
Paper: Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Soft Suede, Lost Lagoon, Blackberry Bliss card stock
Ink: Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Lost Lagoon, Blackberry Bliss
Accessories: 1-3/4" circle punch, Finley's ABCs dies (Lawn Fawn), sponge, Dimensionals, Fine-Tip Glue Pen

These owl images were left over from a project I did ages ago -- I love when I can use odds and ends. For this card I punched three card stock circles in the same colors as the owls and then used Dimensionals to attach each owl to a circle of a different color. I arranged them in a grid pattern in the center of a card base, and in the fourth space I arranged the words for a punny greeting.

I finished the sentiment inside the card with die-cut letters and then stamped "happy birthday" to finish the card.

Supplies (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):
Stamps: Feathered Friends (Elizabeth Craft Designs), Hello Love
Paper: Bashful Blue, Crumb Cake, Whisper White card stock
Ink: Crumb Cake, Memento Tuxedo Black, colored pencils and blender pencil (Prismacolor)
Accessories: Feathered Friends dies (Elizabeth Craft Designs), metallic foil doilies, Crushed Curry baker's twine, clear Wink of Stella glitter brush pen, Pattern Party decorative masks, light molding paste (Golden), rhinestones, Dimensionals

I think the whimsical bird images in this set are really fun -- partly because I don't have to worry about coloring them the "right" way. (My skills in the department of realistic coloring leave a lot to be desired.) After I colored and die cut the bird, I used embossing paste and a stencil to create a sky full of puffy clouds for the background of the top part of the card. For the bottom of the card, I repeatedly stamped a flower image on Crumb Cake card stock. A sentiment stamped on a banner and a few embellishments -- rhinestones, gold doily and twine -- finish off the card.

Whew -- this post was longer than I intended. If you made it to the end, I'm impressed! Thanks for stopping by!