Monday 4 April 2011

Cards: 'Ornate Bird' scrap-cards

Hello. 

I don't buy a lot of stamps. Not really. Well ... how many's 'a lot' ... Actually ... I guess it all depends on who I'm comparing myself to doesn't it? But however many I buy, sometimes there's one that I just have to have.

Like this:
It's the 'Ornate Bird' from Clarity Stamp who I stumbled into while looking for something else entirely and ... well ... he somehow flew into my basket:
And he [she? it?] became the worthy star of the cards I made for Mother's Day, plus a couple more ... because I liked them so much I didn't want to stop ... 

I was aiming for a multi-layered, tactile, jumble-y vintage collection feel to them so first I stamped on to lightly patterned and/or lightly textured cardstock as I find that a much nicer base than stark plain white: 
Next I coloured the bird in using ProMarkers:

The first thing I thought when I spotted him on the website was that it was some sort of automaton, a clockwork bird. And while he isn't, I do think he has a slight Steampunk / mechanical feel to him.
Even though I'd stamped on to the patterned papers the image still felt bare to me, so I decided to stamp in lighter shades of ink across the backgrounds:
So as not to stamp over my first image I protected it with a mask made from stamping the bird again on to newspaper; cutting around it and laying it over my original image to hide it while I stamped my smaller images across the page:
Once that was complete I turned to looking for the right papers, from my scrap and off-cuts bag, and ancient hoarded embellishments to build the card with:
I also challenged myself to keep adding elements even when it seemed like I had enough. I allowed two voices in my head to battle it out between themselves ... I was a case of "that's too much, it can't all be seen clearly anyway, some of it's hidden, so why bother?" versus "Even if you never bought another sheet of paper/ribbon/journaling block again you have enough to last a small geological age ... so get it used! Now!!".
The latter won.

And I suspect it'll probably keep on winning because:
  1. I do have a lot of supplies ... and I'd rather they took flight on a project rather than drag me down into a pit of stash [all-be-it a rather pretty pit!;
  2. I like the feel of the 'scrap-cards' I've been making of late, they're a bit like the way I dress ... multi-layered, patterned and cosy!
  3. Hopefully they're interesting to receive and to look at ... and when you're giving cards I guess that's is the most impportant thing!
OK then, that's me for today. I hope you likemy 'scrap cards' ... think of me next time you're wondering whether to add that extra layer  / item ... and then let it go ... and glue it down!

Jx

10 comments:

  1. He's amazing! He reminds me of Bubo the mechanical owl from (the original) Clash of the Titans.

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  2. WOW all these cards are stunning, i love this stamp he/she/it hehehehe is gorgeous xxxx

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  3. The cards are fabulous and the scrap layers a real success - wonderful stamp too.

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  4. Fab scrappy cards keep them coming they're so pretty

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  5. Just love the cards-and that stamp is divine!

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  6. I love the vintage feel of your cards and he does look a bit 'steampunk' doesn't he.

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  7. Ah! The how much is too much conundrum! I know it well :)

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  8. Delicious - love the way you've rung the changes. I could almost be persuaded to try this layering thing ... :)

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  9. Why does my head scream Bagpuss when I look at this bird? He's fabulous!

    Love the cards.

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