Birds in the Wood

Hi everybody!  

No Artistic Outpost bloghop this month, but we're all still creating away, so you'll find delights at all the DT blogs should you feel inclined to visit (links are all available on my Design Teams page just under the Words and Pictures heading).

I'm here with this week's AO creation, and I've been having lots of fun with a chunk of wood.











I've long been an admirer of the chunky ATC (the lovely Redanne, for instance, is always coming up with brilliant ones), but have never got around to getting any cut.  

This is not strictly a chunky ATC, as it's just an off-cut and not the right size (at around 5.5 x 2.75 x 1inch it's taller and less deep, I think), but having had such a lovely time playing with it, I'm definitely going to stock up soon!







All the stamping is done with the fabulous Birds of a Feather plate - it's become a springtime staple round here.

The base colour is a mixture of Sage and Honeydew Fresco Paints, and then the first step was to get the stamping in place.










I really enjoy getting things to go round corners and edges, and there's plenty of potential for that with a chunk of wood.














I did some inking through a stencil and clear embossed it for a touch of dewy shimmer.











Next, time for some texture paste. I mixed it with Peeled Paint Distress Stain on my craft mat, and then applied it through the leaf mask.














The two bird stamps are so deliciously detailed, and I love the texture you get from stamping directly onto the wood.

In many ways, the rougher the better, I'd say!















I also stamped the Gothic text from the same set anywhere I could find any spare space...












Final touches - some Idea-ology flowers and Finnabair brads altered with various paints...












... and a few tiny wooden butterflies, also painted and with a touch of iridescent shimmer added (not enough sunlight to really capture it, sadly).












There had to be some cogs and gears too, otherwise the flowers just looked too flowery, if you get me?  












Some twine wrapped around for that earthy, natural feel...













And finally, the sentiment, small in size but so important: Spring is here, attached as a tiny banner over the 7 Gypsies hardware.

Der spring is sprung 
Der grass is riz
I wonder where dem boidies is?

Der little boids is on der wing,
Ain't that absoid?
Der little wings is on der boid.

Known as Spring in Brooklyn - sadly, despite speculation, the author is unknown!




Thanks so much for stopping by.  It seems to be another busy week here at Words and Pictures... lots to get done before March goes out like a lamb (we hope!).  Plenty more to come before April Fool's Day!