December 30, 2024

WISHING YOU

 Do you like to do a bit of fussy cutting? I do! This card features fussy cut stamped images to add a little interest to the focal point.


SUPPLIES:
White cardstock
Rusty cardstock
Patterned Paper

Rusty ink
Peachy ink

All the Best stamp

Big Shot
Deckled Circles Dies
Terra Cotta ribbon
Stampin' Dimensionals

INSTRUCTIONS:
Fold a 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" piece of white cardstock in half, creasing it well with a bone folder.

To this card base, add a 4" x 5 1/4" piece of your chosen patterned paper.

On white cardstock, stamp in rusty ink a sentiment. Die cut this with a Deckled Circle Die that measures 2 1/2" in diameter. Cut another deckled circle measuring 2 3/4" in diameter from rusty cardstock.

Adhere these two circles together.

On white cardstock, in peachy ink, stamp the floral pieces. Fussy cut the pieces. Arrange them around the sentiment as you wish. NOTE; I do not like how I placed mine, so, unless you like it, try to use a different arrangement on your own card.

Take a length of rusty ribbon and make two loops that can be adhered to the back of the circles, with the loops extending from the bottom.


Use Dimensionals to adhere the circle to the card, slightly raised from the center point.

Rusty 
Smiles.


December 10, 2024

THE DAILY BIRD JUNE 2024

Looking back at my The Daily Bird drawings from June, 2024, I was disappointed to discover the overall lack of quality. June was a really bad month for me, and it is obviously reflected in how I drew. My mom died on June 17. 

Anyway, as I said, I present to you a mere handful of the drawings I did during June, 2024. The quality just was not there.

As always, I will note above each drawing the name of the bird and where in the world this bird can be found. 

I should note that not only did I complete my personal challenge of #365birds, drawing a bird each day for a full year, but, once that was finished, I jumped right in to another bird drawing challenge, which I call The Daily Bird. As of today, I am on day 382 of that challenge. So, I have been drawing a bird a day for more than two years now, with no end in sight.

red-shouldered hawk

north america


potoo
central and south america

bicolored antpitta
colombian andes

tricolored heron
coastal parts of the americas

eastern wood-pewee
north america

ruddy duck
north america

araripe manakin
brazil

syke's nightjar
northwestern south asia

burrowing owl
north and south america

red-headed trogon
asia

northern pintail
north america, europe, asia

mountain bluebird
western north america

And there we have it. Another month of my bird drawings posted in Paper Seedlings.

I hope you are enjoying our bird journey together. With about 10,000 species of birds around the world, I have a long way to travel yet.

If you would ever like to own a print of any of my birds, just give me a shout. I would be honored.

Birdie
Smiles.























December 5, 2024

PEACE AND HAPPINESS

I thought it would be a good time to share a Holiday greeting card with you. This card is really very simple to create. Get out your tools and stamp along with me!

I apologize that the photo doesn't truthfully represent the beauty of the metallics and the rich colors.


SUPPLIES:
Light neutral cardstock
Night of Navy cardstock (or cardstock that coordinates with the patterned paper you are using)
A printed paper with metallic touches

Itty Bitty Christmas stamp set
Beautiful Baubles stamp set

Night of Navy ink (or coordinating ink)
VersaMark ink

Big Shot
Happy Little Things dies
Stampin' Dimensionals
Copper Ribbon
Embossing Buddy
Copper Embossing Powder
Heat Tool

DIRECTIONS:
Fold a 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" piece of light neutral cardstock in half, creasing it well with a bone folder.

Cut a seasonal piece of printed paper to 4" x 5 1/4". At about 1 3/4" from the top of the paper, add a length of copper ribbon, taping the ends oon the back.

Adhere the seasonal paper to the card base.

Cut a 3" square of the same cardstock  you used for the card base. Rub an Embossing Buddy all over this piece. With VersaMark ink, stamp the ornaments. Heat emboss the image with copper embossing powder.

Add this embossed piece to a 3 1/4" square of Night of Navy cardstock, or any other color that coordinates with the printed paper you have chosen.

Use Dimensionals to add this finished piece to the patterned paper, leaving even margins at the top and sides.

On a scrap of the light-colored cardstock, in coordinating ink, stamp a seasonal message.

Die cut the sentiment with a small label die. Adhere the label flat about 1/2" below the square.

Holiday
Smiles.




November 23, 2024

BIRD SYMPATHY

Are you familiar with the type of card known as a Tent Topper? In this kind of card, the focal point extends beyond the fold of the card. 

I made this tent topper card as an oft-needed synpathy card.

Following you will find a tutorial on how to make this specific card.


SUPPLIES:
White cardstock
Garden Green cardstock
Bird-flavored Designer Series Paper

Garden Green ink

Big Shot
Seasonal Labels dies
Splendid Stems dies
Layering Circles dies
Blue flower embellishment
Dimensionals

DIRECTIONS:
Cut a piece of white cardstock to 4" x 8", folding it in half and creasing it well with a bone folder.

Cut a piece of the bird Designer Series Paper to 3 3/4" square. Add this to the card base, paying attention so the birds and branches are facing the right way.

Fussy cut one of the larger birds from another piece of the DSP, leaving a small white margin all around.

From the Garden Green cardstock, die cut a leafy branch on which your bird will sit. Set it aside for now.

From white cardstock, die cut a circle with a 2 3/8" diameter, then from Garden Green cardstock, a scalloped circle slightly larger.

Adhere these circles together.

Use Dimensionals to place the bird on the branch to the circle. Add a blue flower embellishment to the branch.

Putting adhesive only on the lower 3/4 of the circle piece, add it to the card, letting about 1/2" extend beyond the fold of the card.

On a scrap of white cardstock, in Garden Green ink, stamp "With Sympathy". Die cut the sentiment with a label die from the Seasonal Labels dies. Attach it to the lower portion of the card with Dimensionals.

Sympathetic
Smiles.

November 17, 2024

THE DAILY BIRD MAY 2024

Here I am, ready to present another handful of my birds from my personal challenge, The Daily Bird. I, at this point, am only SIX MONTHS behind, in that today I am showing you birds that I drew during May, 2024.

As always, I will note the name of the bird, as well as where in the world this particular specimen can be found. I hope you enjoy!

 great hornbill

india, bhutan, nepal, mainland southeast asia, sumatra


blue-naped chlorophonia
atlantic forest in brazil, paraguay, argentina, venezuela

cactus wren
southwestern u.s. and northern and central mexico

allen's hummingbird
coastal california

laughing kookaburro
australia

osprey
north america

veery
(isn't he veery cute?)
northern u.s. and southern canada

pyrrhuloxia
arizona, new mexico, texas and woodland edges in mexico

mourning warbler
california, eastern canada, florida, great lakes, mid-atlantic, new england, plains, etc.

pond heron
tropical old world

bufflehead duck
north america

whooping swan
alaska and "the north"
finland's national bird

european collared dove
europe and asia

red-crested cardinal
argentina, bolivia, southern brazil, paraguay, uruguay

And there you go. I must admit that, after drawing more than 900 bird profiles, I am becoming a bit "birded" out. I'm not sure how long I will continue on this avian path.

I would love it if you would follow me on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/paperseedlings/. That would thrill me no end!

If you would ever like to own a good quality print of one of my birds, please let me know!

birdie
smiles.