Paper Seedlings: PAINTED BIRDS NEST

I have a serious confession to make. This is not a current card, nor does it use current product for the most part. In fact, I created this delicate card TEN years ago. I came across it recently, and, to me, it just has this timeless charm. And, especially being that this is nesting season here in Wiesconsin, I thought I'd share it with you today.

You can make this card using any of a plethora of outline stamps in the new catalog. It doesn't necessarily need to be a birds nest. Any stamp that you can color in would work admirably.

With the exception of the dimension from the embossing and a couple

Stampin' Dimensionals, this card is fairly flat.

The photo below shows a closeup of the "painting" I did on the nest and eggs.

I think one of the reasons that this particular image and the soft rendering of it reminds me of one of my favorite illustrators, Dutch artist, Marjolein Bastin. If you click on this link and check out her work, you will see what I mean. She was (is?) a Hallmark artist.

As I said previously, virtually none of the supplies I used in the card are still alive, as in current. With a few exceptions. But, there are so many ways you could get the same look by using current products. Or, if, like me, you still possess these items, yay for you! You're on your way.

Here is a tutorial on how to create this card.

SUPPLIES:

White cardstock

Marina Mist cardstock

Crumb Cake cardstock

Vellum cardstock

Nature's Nest stamp set

Crumb Cake ink

Marina Mist ink

Soft Suede ink

Black StazOn ink

Die cutting/embossing machine

Woodgrain embossing folder

Circle Collection Framelits

Xyron adhesive (or whatever you use with vellum)

Stampin' Dimensionals

Aqua Painters

Blending Brushes

INSTRUCTIONS:

Fold a 4" x 8 1/2" piece of Crumb Cake cardstock in half, creasing it well with a bone folder.

Rum a 3 1/2" x 5" piece of white cardstock through your embossing machine inside the Woodgrain Embossing Folder. Adhere this piece to the card front.

On a circle of Vellum Cardstock, stamp the nest (or your chosen image) in Black StazOn ink. Wait to do any painting until this ink is completely dry.

To paint the eggs and nest: With an Aqua Painter dipped in the Crumb Cake ink pad, paint the entire nest and leaves in that color for a base. Add darker details with Soft Suede ink. On vellum, the color builds up slowly. So you will have to build it up to your satisfaction in layers, letting each layer completely dry before adding more color. Your patience will pay off! Give the eggs a coat of Marina Mist, leaving the spots on the eggs white. Gradually build up the intensity of the blue in select areas of shadow with layers of more color. Repeat with the spots in Soft Suede. Let this dry completely.

Run the vellum circle through the Xyron machine to put adhesive on the back side of it. Adhere the vellum to a same size white circle. Sponge the edges with Marina Mist ink. Adhere this piece to the larger Marina Mist circle you cut with the next larger die with four Stampin' Dimensionals.

Attach the finished circle to the card front with Green Glue.