A new Double D challenge begins today, friends. We have a mixed theme that I think you'll enjoy -- books/bookmark and/or postal/postage. Lots of choices there with a pretty mood board for inspiration. The team will choose creative favorites, and there's a prize, as shown, for a random winner.
I chose to go with books and bookmarks so I made a matching set.
The card features one of my favorite bird dies with branch -- Cottage Cutz Bird w/Vine -- and a long neglected Marianne Design Open Book. The lacy border is a friend share from many years ago, and the gorgeous designer paper is new-to-me and not-yet-used Brutus Monroe Spring Splatter. I swooned over the paper. I believe it's from last spring, but it caught my eye when I was browsing for something else, sigh. You know how that goes.
I love creating birds with make-believe colors. For this one I brushed on inks to coordinate with the paper. I used the book die, itself, as a guide for the lines on the book pages, drawing several rows of faint pencil lines, then squiggling over them with a gray Copic marker. The page edges are traced with a gold Gelly Roll pen. The card is blank inside, other than a strip of designer paper, but the stamped sentiment, "Happy Day", lets you interpret the card in many different ways.
The two bookmarks feature a not-yet-used Cottage Cutz Bird with Flowers die, some favorite old Power Poppy sentiments, and that beautiful paper again. I cut the bookmarks from the designer paper, then cut a bird from each. Glued the pretty paper to white cardstock, then inset a die cut bird to the negative space, doing a switcheroo so the birds stand out and blend at the same time.
I love mixing old and new, and the following challenges are great encouragement:
Neglected Stuff Challenge -- My neglected stuff is the Marianne Design Open Book. I can't remember the last time I used it, but now I love it all over again. Thank you Diane and Darlene!
I think that covers it. I hope you'll visit Double D and see the variety of clever, fun, pretty cards the team is sharing. I would love to see yours as well. Have a beautiful day!
Stamps: Power Poppy Lilac Time and Party Time sentiments Paper: Hammermill Premium 100 lb white, Brutus Monroe Spring Splatter designer paper Ink: Stampin' Up So Saffron, More Mustard, Old Olive, Cameo Coral, Not Quite Navy, Versamark Coloring: Ink blending with brushes Dies: Cottage Cutz Bird w/Vine and Bird with Flowers, Marianne Design Open Book, Sue Wilson Vela lacy border die, Spellbinders Scallop Labels and Tag for top of book Other: Memory Box Fairy Jewels, SU Vanilla embossing powder, Gold Gelly Roll glitter pen, Scotch brand foam mounting tape
Wow, these bookmarks are soooo very nice and look so romantic. I like both a lot.
ReplyDeleteLia xx
Simply gorgeous my friend! Loving that beautiful bird!
ReplyDeleteWow, what a creative way to showcase that beautiful paper and you have used a few of 'my' favorite things, BM paper and CC dies, can't own enough of either!! Those bookmarks along with the card are so dreamy, gorgeous!!
ReplyDeleteThis is lovely! It makes me want to be sitting on a porch swing with a book in hand listening to the singing birds. Love that sweet bird and all of the pretty colors!
ReplyDeleteLove that sweet and Spring like bird! (Hubby just said next week we will hit 70 degrees--weird as we still have about 18 inches of snow on the ground and it's been so cold still) But your birdie gives me hope! Love that open book die and your pretty matching bookmarks! This is a fabulous set!
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful you made both a card & bookmarkers! I have an open book die (haven't used in years) and I love how you've paired it with the bird ... you are so clever! And, your bookmarks are so colorful and pretty! Always inspired by your creativity my friend! You never disappoint!! HUGS
ReplyDeleteGorgeous, Leslie - both the card and the the bookmarks!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad that you made the bookmarks for this challenge. They are lovely. I love the addition of the birds and the sentiment. You gave me an idea, as I belong to a great book club here in Florida I was thinking of making bookmarks to hand out at our meeting. What do you think?
ReplyDeleteBeautiful card, love the cute colourful bird on the open book, two gorgeous bookmarks, love the little die-cut birds on the beautiful p, paper.
ReplyDeletecarol x
So lovely, Leslie - just the beautiful distraction I needed today!
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Oh my these are just gorgeous, and I do understand coming across paper you just can't pass up :) and I totally understand these they are lovely. I love the colors you chose for the bird, I like making my own too :) I love how he is perched with the book and all the great details you added to the book. love the pretty die cut under it too!
ReplyDeleteYour bookmarks are so lovely too, like how you cut the dies from the same papers, works just beautifully together!
Both your card and your bookmarks are FABULOUS Leslie!! That dsp is so gorgeous and I love how you matched the colors of your sweet birdie to the dsp! Switching out the birds on the bookmarks was a brilliant idea too! The sun is out today, so coupled with your wonderful card and tags/bookmarks totally makes me think Spring will come! Beautifully done my friend!! Hugs. :0)
ReplyDeleteThe card and the bookmarks are gorgeous. Love that paper and your creativity.
ReplyDeleteOh, how beautiful these are Leslie! I absolutely love seeing how you interpret and create with challenges! The bird die is a treat every time you pull him out to use. And that paper! I could go on and on but you know that I am swooning over the gorgeous-ness.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful set. I love everything about these. They make me feel very spring like too, so that's an added bonus xx
ReplyDeleteWhat a pretty bird, Leslie! I love the colors and he does look wonderful on this paper! I'm loving those bookmarks too! The worst think about a Kindle is that it doesn't need a pretty bookmark.
ReplyDeleteOh my, what a beautiful little bird! The recipient is going to love this, Leslie and the bookmarks are fabulous too!
ReplyDeleteOh my friend ... you already know how much I LOVE this card! Thanks so much for joining in the fun at our Neglected Stuff challenge! Good Luck and we hope you’ll come back often.
ReplyDeleteDarlene
DAR’S CRAFTY CREATIONS
Neglected Stuff Co-Owner
NEGLECTED STUFF CHALLENGE
Beautiful Bird Leslie, love your papers, gorgeous colours. x
ReplyDeleteSweet! LOVE that beautiful bird ... looks like he enjoying a good book! :) The paper for the background is gorgeous ... no wonder you HAD to have it. Your bookmarks are beautiful with more of that lovely paper. So fun! xx
ReplyDeleteYou've given us a whole meal of creativity here, Leslie! I'm filled up with the beautiful pp and your sensational bookmark and card designs! Now I want to color my birds in make-believe colors ~ what fun and so pretty! Thank you for inspiring everyone to use their NBUS! Hugs, Darnell
ReplyDeleteOh my stars, how darling!!! This sweet little bird and how you've colored him up goes perfectly with that beautiful patterned paper. I'm in awe of how sweet this set is.
ReplyDeleteWhat's not to like - birds and bookmarks! Love the coloring on your bird and how you die cut the bird to the negative space on the bookmarks. I used to make so many bookmarks for the girls. Great idea!
ReplyDeleteI love your tags and the little bird on the book is so sweet xx
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