Birds

Hi, Janja here!
We are already in the middle of October, and it's time for my monthly post on the Scrapping Cottage blog.
Before starting to create with the new Christmas dies, I would like to show you two stamps from the new release of CottageCutz - Birds.

Supplies:
- CottageCutz stamps and dies: Sparrow on Post, Robin & Baby, Nested Stitched Scallop Square Set, Square Set, Circle Set (8th die from the middle), Stitched Circle Set (7th die from the middle)
- brown card base: 4.1 x 5.4" (9,5 x 12,7 cm), folded
- white card base: 5.3 x 5.3" (13,5 x 13,5 cm), folded
- white natural paper: 3.8 x 5" (9,6 x 12,7 cm)
- red cardstock: 4 x 5.2" (10 x 13,2 cm)
- patterned paper: 5 x 5" (12,6 x 12,6 cm)
- watercolor paper
- watercolor brushes
- red satin ribbon
- string
- glue, double-sided adhesive tape, self-adhesive foam pads
- Distress ink pads: Spiced Marmalade, Worn Lipstick, Barn Door, Aged Mahogany, Broken China, Twisted Citron, Peeled Paint, Vintage Photo, Hickory Smoke, Black Soot

Stamp both birds on a watercolor paper and color them.
For coloring I always use Distress ink pads, watercolor brushes and water. I used a white ink pen for finishing.

Stamp only branch with flowers one more time on a watercolor paper.

When we finish with coloring, stamp the sentiment.

Cut out two frames from patterned paper and white cardstock with two largest dies from the sets. Glue them to each other.

With the matching die cut out a bird. For a trunk in the background, use the die - Grass, Trees & Vines. 

Add a string at the bottom.

For a second card, cut out round holes in the middle of natural paper and brown cardstock. Apply a few light blue drops on a white natural paper with a brush. 

Both papers are glued together. 

Attach the red ribbon with the Dior Bow at the bottom. 

Now everything is ready to assemble the card. 

Thank you for coming over. Have a lovely day!

Autumn Blessings

Hi, Lois here with an autumn card today.  Yesterday one of the challenges on Splitcoaststampers was entitled "Textures of Fall."  I was inspired by that challenge to make my CottageCutz card for today.  It combines all kinds of textures and texture techniques -- embossing, layering, sponging.

I started my card with the Pine Cone Branch die. Originally, I was going to cut it from white cardstock and color the various elements; but I decided that I wanted a bit more "texture."  So I cut it from both green and tan cardstock.  I thought that building up the pine sprigs (the green onto the tan) would give some more depth to them.

I then sponged Ranger Pine Needle ink onto the green die-cut and Vintage Photo ink on the tan one.

Then I cut the pine sprigs off the green die cut and glued them to the tan one . . .

. . . and added the additional pinecones and pine sprigs.

Once the tedious part was complete, I cut my cardstock.  

Dark Gold - 5 1/2" x 8 1/2", scored at 4 1/4"

Cream - 4" x 5 1/4"

Scrap of Dark Gold large enough for the focal panel

I have a Darice embossing folder of fall foliage.  I took some Ranger Distress ink (Dried Marigold, Fired Brick, Rusty Hinge, Vintage Photo) and rubbed various parts of the embossing folder.

When I embossed the cream cardstock, the ink gave the embossing some nice fall coloring, and then I cut the focal panel with the largest Rounded Rectangle die.

I constructed my card base, using Scor-Tape to hold down the embossed panel and large foam pop dots to add the rectangle.  I had stamped the word "Autumn" in the Pine Needle ink at the lower right-hand corner of the dark gold panel and die-cut the word "blessings" using one of the Expressions Plus dies.

I then added my constructed pine bough, and my card was finished.

CottageCutz dies used on this card are:

Don't forget that CottageCutz has lots of new Halloween and Christmas dies on their website.  Be sure to check them out!

Cards with Birds

Hi!

It's Anja here. Last week I told you I prefer to use dies over stamps on my cards. But this week I decided to use stamps. Cottage Cutz has a few new stamp and die sets with beautiful birds and flowers motives. I colored two of my favourite and used them on cards. This is how the finished cards look like.

To make the cards I used:
- Cottage Cutz dies (Sparrow on Post, Bluejay & Apple Blossom, Spring Greenery, Nested Stitched Scallop Oval Set, Sweet Spring Kitty),
- Distress Inks (Peeled Paint, Forest Moss),
- Distress Oxides (Peeled Paint, Twisted Citron, Lucky Clover, Faded Jeans, Fired Brick, Broken China, Vintage Photo),
- two craft card bases (10,5x15 cm),
- water color paper for stamping,
- white card stock for die cuts,
- Versafine Black Onyx ink,
- Derwent watercolor and inktense pencils,
- Zig watercolor pencils,
- stamp with lettering motive,
- glossy accents,
- red, black, white, yellow pen,
- stamping platform,
- washi tape.

First I stamped the image on watercolor paper.

I colored both images with the combination of Zig markers and watercolor pencils, because I only have a few Zig markers. I mostly color with Derwent color pencils. They are my favourite.

When I finished coloring I cut the motive with my Big Shot machine. I used washi tape to fix the die.

I used the same coloring technique for the other bird image.

Then I die cut the ovals and colored them in light blue inside the die.

For the background I stamped directly on to the card base. Oxides really leave a clear image on craft background. I used Vintage Photo around the edges.

Then I die cut some greenery and flowers, colored them with combination of Distress Inks and Oxides and glued everything on the card base.

And for the finish touch I used some Glossy Accents.

I hope you will give this beautiful birds a try. They are so much fun to color. 

Have a beautiful and sunny Sunday and I will be back next week. 

Anja Z. 

Cottage Cutz dies I used: