Super Sketch Sunday #15

WARNING: This post contains Hero Arts bird stamps!! If you don't want to see any more of these dang birds on my blog, NOW's the time to turn away!!!!!!!!!! I just can't help myself!!!

Well, let's hope more people visit my blog today than they did yesterday....not one single comment! I think that's a FIRST!! Especially for a Scrap Stash Saturday. I think everyone was outside enjoying the spring weather. I know I was!

Ok, back to the birds. I couldn't stop myself from making this card the other day. The initial idea for the card was inspired by this card I spotted on SCS by Beth Thomas. I LOVED her card, but wanted to modify it a bit for the idea I had stewing in the back of my mind. I had the perfect sentiment to go along with my bird card, so I got busy turning my thoughts into actions!

I made the sketch relatively simple for today because I'm adding another challenge to the mix in addition to the sketch. Today, on your card, I'd like to encourage you to try paper piecing! My birds are paper pierced, and the technique is EASY and adds so much character to your card! If you haven't already tried this technique, you will love it!

Typically, when you do something like paper piecing, you want a simple layout. That's what today's sketch is....simple. This way, your paper piecing with be the focal point of the card! Go all out and really challenge yourself to do something out of the ordinary today! I can't wait to see what fabulous cards you will come up with!

For my card, I first started by painting a "grass" at the bottom of the card for the birds to walk on (Very Vanilla). There was a little bit of brown left on my aqua painter when I did this step that the grass ended up sort of mucky looking. Doesn't it look like he's wading through murky swamp water? Oh well. On top of the watercoloring, I added a few springs of grass using my Impress Stamps grass stamp.

Next, I stamped my tall bird image in ColorBox Fluid Chalk ink in Creamy Brown. On top of him, I stamped another of the shorter birds right on top of the tall birds back, to make it look like he was being carried (through the murky water!). To piece the birds, I just dug into my scrap drawer and randomly stamped each bird a few times on the scraps. Then I cut the pieces out and glued them to the images on the Very Vanilla cardstock. They are outlined with my Sakura Stardust pen, which I can't stop using! I actually outlined the whole body of the bird with the pen, including legs and beaks! The sentiment I chose, "Thanks for your support" is the perfect sentiment to convey the "help" one bird is giving the other! I LOVE THIS CARD! Is that egotistical or what? I hope you all know I'm not really egotistical....this card just makes me happy. Wouldn't the card be perfect to give someone who is helping your through a rough patch? Which for most of us women turns out to be every few days!

I want to share with everyone a few of the cards YOU sweet ladies have made based on some of my most recent sketches.....

From Kirsten @ Confessions of a Naptime Stamper.............From Cheryl @ Cheryl Stamps & Scraps....From Beate @ Fresh & Fun.........From Heidi @ Sweet Somethings.......From Charmaine @ Oodabug Alley....From Melissa @ Sweetie's Stamping....From Karen (aka KarenStamps! at SCS)...

From Kathy @ Doodles & Dragonflies

These are BEAUTIFUL cards!!! Thanks for playing along! Can't wait to see what you come up with this week for the sketch AND for the paper piecing!

Hugs to all,
Amy